The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed rallies in West Bengal, promising to address infiltration issues, resolve the Gorkha issue, and tackle corruption if the BJP wins the upcoming elections.
The Income Tax Department conducted searches at multiple locations in Kolkata, including the residence of TMC MLA Debashis Kumar and Miraj Shah, a proposer of Mamata Banerjee's candidature. The TMC alleges the raids are politically motivated.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday claimed India's neighbours wanted to "break up" Assam by taking advantage of the unrest in the state earlier, but their "dreams were shattered" as the Narendra Modi government brought peace to the region.
Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of importing voters for the Assam elections and plotting similar interference in West Bengal, raising concerns about electoral integrity and potential cultural restrictions.
Shah has firmly stated that providing reservation to Muslims based on religion is unconstitutional, while also confirming that a caste census will proceed alongside the population enumeration.
The Delhi government is set to equip its industrial training institutes (ITIs) with advanced labs to train young people in power electronics, electric vehicles, and the automotive sector, aiming to create a skilled workforce ready for industry demands.
Modi also said that President Trump's leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity.
A passenger bus accident in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir resulted in the death of fifteen people and injuries to twenty others. The accident occurred near Kagort village in the Ram Nagar area.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz inaugurated the International Kite Festival at the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stayed calm, avoided public confrontation, and focused on India's long-term interests to steady ties with the United States.
India has strongly rejected a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein, dismissing it as baseless and contemptible.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being 'anti-women' and obstructing the passage of the women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha. He criticised the TMC's opposition to the bill and defended the BJP's commitment to increasing women's representation in politics.
'Remember Vijay had never spoke of himself as a Christian when he was a film star.' 'The BJP strategy is they want the Christian minority constituency to move away from the DMK.' 'That is what the BJP wants so that it will be very easy to mobilise Hindu votes.' 'This strategy is to weaken the Dravidian ideology and bring in religion based politics into Tamil Nadu.'
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, has been passed by the Indian Parliament, decriminalising minor offences across 79 central laws to improve the business environment and reduce harassment. Ministers highlight the bill's role in promoting trust-based governance and ease of doing business.
A preview of the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, focusing on key players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the challenges both teams face.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of aligning with forces that attack minorities, during election rallies in Kerala. He also criticised the CM on other issues including alleged corruption and economic failures.
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has called on his team to embrace tough phases, play with freedom, and focus on one game at a time as their playoff hopes dwindle after a series of losses in the ongoing tournament.
Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly smashed entertaining half-centuries as Punjab Kings overpowered Lucknow Super Giants by 54 runs in the IPL 2026 match in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Sunday.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced an economic relief package to mitigate the impact of the West Asia conflict, including fuel price reductions and support from India for petrol and diesel supplies.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the central government of withholding funds from West Bengal to punish voters for supporting the TMC, while highlighting state-led initiatives to support the population.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses political rivals of being BJP agents and promises to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens in West Bengal. He also criticises the BJP's poll promises and highlights the TMC's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticises the Union government over the hike in commercial LPG prices, accusing the Centre of 'taking' from people while the Mamata Banerjee administration provides relief. He also challenged the BJP to present a report card of its work in Rajganj constituency.
The Punjab government has withdrawn Z-plus security cover for MP Raghav Chadha following a public disagreement with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). This decision has sparked criticism from opposition parties and raised questions about political motivations.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has responded to criticism that he has not adequately raised Punjab-related issues in Parliament by sharing a video showcasing his interventions on key concerns affecting the state.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP over the proposed Uniform Civil Code and the delay in recognising the Kurmali language, accusing the party of dividing people and making false promises.
BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar dismisses Rahul Gandhi's charge of a BJP-CPI(M) understanding in Kerala as baseless, asserting the NDA is competitive and criticising Congress's performance.
Reiterating Sitharaman's statement that this is a youth power budget, Modi emphasised that the provisions made in the budget will prepare leaders, innovators and creators across different sectors.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has emphasised India's commitment to safe maritime transit and condemned attacks on merchant shipping amidst the ongoing West Asia conflict and global energy market disruptions.
For decades, several key government offices and ministries functioned from fragmented and ageing infrastructure spread across multiple locations in the Central Vista area.
In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy and batting form are under scrutiny as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) struggle in the IPL. Critics question his suitability as captain and batter, citing his low boundary count and strike rate. With limited leadership alternatives, KKR faces a grim situation.
Given Modi's track record from the time he became Gujarat chief minister in October 2001, it is highly improbable that Nabin will get opportunities to display his individual capacity. Even the team of organisational leaders that he will 'appoint' in a few weeks or months, will unlikely to be his choice, predicts Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, attacking Mamata Banerjee's TMC and promising development if the BJP wins the state elections. He accused Banerjee of appeasement politics and vowed to prevent the construction of a Babri Masjid-like structure in Bengal.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged voters to support the TMC as the only way to defeat the BJP, particularly in areas with a strong Congress base. He accused the BJP of dividing communities and failing to address key issues such as river erosion and farmer distress, while outlining the TMC's welfare plans.
The BJP and the Opposition have engaged in a war of words over the implementation of the women's reservation bill, which aims to reserve seats for women in legislatures. The bill was defeated in the Lower House, leading to accusations and counter-accusations between the parties.
'You cannot run Parliament with 800 MPs as nobody will get time (to speak in Parliament). And Parliament sits for barely 60 days in a year.' 'Look at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. They have 650 MPs and they sit for 150 days on an average in a year.'
Dr B R Ambedkar's legacy has been honoured repeatedly through India's postal history, with stamps capturing his role as the architect of the Constitution and a champion of social justice.
Kerala's 2026 assembly election will see a three-cornered contest where religion and communalism have emerged as central themes for the first time, challenging the state's long-celebrated secular fabric.
