This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has voted to allow teams from Russia and Belarus to return to official competitions and fully restored the rights of youth players from both countries, while postponing a final decision on the use of national flags and anthems in adult team events.
The Congress party in Haryana boycotted a special session of the state assembly, accusing the ruling BJP of using the platform for political propaganda related to a defeated Constitution amendment bill on women's reservation. The BJP criticised the Congress's move as anti-women.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the alleged 'vote chori' (theft)' in the Aland Assembly segment in 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka, has filed a charge sheet naming seven persons, including a former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, his son and his close aide.
'The BJP is pouring in money so that only BJP candidates are visible everywhere.' 'If the Congress does not win this time, its survival itself will be a problem...'
The Election Commission reports that poll-related seizures, including cash, drugs, and liquor intended to sway voters, have surpassed Rs 1000 crore in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
'EPS exposed all the traitors. The DMK has given them political asylum. They are political orphans.'
The announced election schedule for five assemblies reveals fewer phases, a condensed voting period, longer gaps between polling days, and a delayed counting process compared to previous elections.
In Tamil Nadu, the political landscape is shifting as the TVK party's attempt to form a government faces challenges from its potential allies. Both the DMK and AIADMK are experiencing internal divisions regarding extending support to the TVK, leading to uncertainty and speculation about potential realignments.
'When you compare Bihar's poverty from its earlier times, then there is a huge difference. Things have improved a lot. And migration has played an important role in reducing poverty.'
K V Thomas, Kerala's Special Representative in New Delhi, forecasts a third term for the CPI(M)-led LDF government, attributing the UDF's potential failure to internal conflicts and criticising the BJP for introducing 'consumerism' into Kerala politics.
The TMC has intensified its attack on the BJP, alleging a 'larger conspiracy' involving central agencies ahead of the second phase of West Bengal polls on April 29, while also questioning the credibility of the Election Commission.
'When I decided to be a cook I was ridiculed, heckled, bullied back home.'
Haryana Congress MLAs will visit 'mandis' to assess and support farmers facing difficulties in wheat and mustard procurement, following a decision made at a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Delhi.
A political controversy has erupted in West Bengal following the emergence of an alleged video purportedly showing Humayun Kabir claiming links with senior BJP leaders and efforts to defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple locations in West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged Public Distribution System (PDS) scam.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP for not fulfilling its promises, highlighting the continuation of West Bengal's welfare schemes and challenging the BJP to match them in their ruled states.
The Congress party has accused the government of using women's reservation as a pretext to push through delimitation, arguing that the women's quota law should be implemented immediately based on the current Lok Sabha strength.
'This is a major rupture in Tamil Nadu's political order.' 'For the Dravidian parties, the message is clear: The old DMK-AIADMK binary is no longer guaranteed a future.'
Top men's doubles player Chirag Shetty and veteran H. S. Prannoy share their perspectives on badminton's new 15-point format, approved by the BWF, discussing its potential impact on the game's dynamics and spectator experience.
Following their success in the West Bengal assembly elections, BJP leaders are now focusing on winning the Punjab assembly polls in 2027, promising to rid the state of corruption and drugs under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has approved the adoption of the 3x15 scoring system, set to take effect on January 4, 2027, following a vote at its Annual General Meeting in Horsen, Denmark. The decision aims to enhance the sport's appeal, improve match scheduling, and benefit player welfare, despite reservations from some leading Indian players.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has accused the TMC of pursuing appeasement policies in West Bengal, urging voters to support a BJP government for inclusive governance and development.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday challenged Home Minister Amit Shah to debate with him on his three press conferences in which the Congress leader alleged 'vote chori' by the Bharatiya Janata Party in collusion with the Election Commission.
The Opposition had the numbers to win one Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar. As it turned out, four MLAs skipped the voting, helping the NDA to sweep the polls.
Maharashtra minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a special verification drive from May 1 to August 15 to enforce the decision making Marathi mandatory for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in the state, during which no punitive action will be taken.
Rahul Gandhi accuses the government of using the women's reservation bill as a smokescreen to manipulate India's electoral map and diminish representation for certain states.
IUML leader Sayyid Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal stated that while the party deserves the deputy chief minister's post, it would not stake a claim for it if the UDF comes to power in Kerala. He also denied allegations of IUML candidates seeking votes on religious lines.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the government's handling of the women's quota bill, accusing them of political maneuvering and neglecting the rights of OBCs.
While the total number of assembly seats remains unchanged at 126, the redrawing of boundaries has reshaped voter composition across constituencies -- a shift that is likely to influence electoral outcomes in the years ahead.
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.
If current trends persist, the Congress risks becoming increasingly regionally concentrated, dependent on a handful of states rather than functioning as a truly pan-India political force.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed rallies in Birbhum, West Bengal, promising to tackle corruption and infiltration if the BJP wins the upcoming elections. He criticised the TMC government and outlined welfare schemes for women, youth, and farmers.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted approval for UAE-based Emirates NBD (ENBD) PJSC to acquire up to a 74 per cent stake in RBL Bank for $3 billion, marking the largest foreign investment ever in a domestic Indian bank.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that a 'systematic vote chori' method, evolved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission to 'kill Indian democracy', will be deployed in the Bihar assembly polls as well.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP after the central government failed to pass a Constitution amendment bill for women's quota in legislatures, accusing the BJP of using the bill as a political ploy to divide the country and Bengal.
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.
The BJP will use Samrat Choudhary to make a dent into Nitish Kumar's traditional social support base of Kurmi and Koeri/Kushwaha communities.
