The Congress party has canceled Rahul Gandhi's scheduled rally in Kolkata due to the alleged refusal of permission by the ruling Trinamool Congress party. The Congress claimed it waited until 6 PM on Tuesday for clearance from local authorities but was unable to complete logistical preparations for the event originally planned for April 23. A fresh request for administrative permission will be submitted for a revised schedule, likely on April 25 or 26. State Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar accused the Trinamool and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being intimidated by Rahul Gandhi's earlier rallies in Malda and Murshidabad. In response, Shashi Panja, Bengal's Women and Child Development Minister, stated that applications for public meetings must be submitted through the Suvidha Portal well in advance, emphasizing that this rule applies to all political parties. The cancellation occurs amid a competitive election landscape in Bengal, where the Congress is seeking to transform the contest into a triangular fight against the ruling Trinamool and the BJP. Polling for the 294-member Assembly is set for two phases, with vote counting scheduled for May 4.