The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections was disrupted by EVM glitches and overnight violence in several districts. Polling was halted or delayed at multiple booths due to malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines. Incidents of violence were reported in Murshidabad and Cooch Behar, with political parties trading accusations.
A significant 7.87 per cent increase in the BJP's vote share in West Bengal, reaching 45.84 per cent, propelled the party to secure an additional 130 assembly seats, bringing their total to 207, while the Trinamool Congress experienced a 7.22 per cent decline, losing 135 seats and falling to 80.
'Vijay entered politics at a much better age compared to Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan. His fans are young and he has at least 2-3 decades ahead of him.'
'Vijay did not defeat Dravidian politics from outside. He entered the Dravidian field and claimed ownership of it. 'His argument was not that the room should be destroyed. It was that the present occupants no longer deserved to remain in it.'
Ruling Congress in Karnataka on Monday retained Bagalkot and Davanagere South assembly seats, giving a respite to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the party leadership, amid the ongoing power tussle over the leadership issue.
A relative of a BJP candidate was stabbed to death and two others were injured in a clash between Congress and BJP supporters in Mehsana, Gujarat, ahead of local body polls.
In Tiruppur (North), where the TVK victory margin of 69,992 votes was higher than the 61,760 votes polled by the major Dravidian parties combined -- DMK got 351 votes and AIADMK 61,409 votes.
West Bengal is on edge as it awaits the results of its recent election, with the TMC and BJP vying for control. The counting process will be conducted under tight security, with the Election Commission implementing stringent measures to ensure a fair and transparent process.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to probe the recovery of 79 crude bombs in West Bengal following a directive from the Union Home Ministry.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in a booth in Assam's Karimganj (North) constituency following clashes between BJP and Congress supporters during the recent assembly elections.
The CBI has arrested Naveen Kumar Singh in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, an associate of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The arrest was made in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, and firearms potentially used in the murder have been recovered.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in Howrah and Haroa areas of West Bengal in the run-up to the second phase of polling. Clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters in Howrah, while a police sub-inspector was injured in Haroa during a clash between TMC and ISF supporters.
'He worked over time to become the natural claimant,' a senior UDF leader observed. 'Others had organisational stature, but Satheesan had momentum.' For the Congress, it may signal the beginning of a new leadership template -- one where performance, communication and grassroots credibility increasingly outweigh inherited power structures in deciding who leads the party into its next phase.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of striking a Rs 1,000-crore deal to unseat the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from power in the state, alleging bribery, manipulation of electoral rolls, and disrespect towards women by central forces.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth consecutive term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council in Meghalaya has approved an amendment restricting participation in council elections to only Scheduled Tribe members, following weeks of unrest and ethnic tensions.
A CISF jawan was injured in a firing incident outside the residence of BJP candidate Pawan Singh in West Bengal, prompting an Election Commission report. The incident occurred amidst tensions between TMC and BJP supporters, with both parties trading accusations of instigating violence.
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
In West Bengal's electoral chessboard, governments are rarely made in the hills of North Bengal or the forested region of Jangalmahal. Power is usually decided in the crowded plains of South Bengal, where elections are won less by momentum and more by mathematics.
Bihar's greatest resource is not beneath its soil but above it -- its people. With a population approaching 140 million and one of India's youngest demographic profiles, Bihar possesses an asset many societies would envy, explains Bihar Governor Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
Former MLA Estamur Mominin surrendered to police in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district after evading arrest related to violence following tensions over the GHADC elections.
As the CLP meeting passed a resolution authorising the party's high command to decide the next CM, observers will file a report to the Congress national leadership, who will take the final call.
'In West Bengal, the BJP's ideology of Hindutva will be customised to cater to the culture and the cultural imperatives of Bengalis.'
Congress leaders in Rajasthan have accused the BJP government of attempting to suppress the NEET-UG paper leak, alleging the involvement of a local BJP leader. The BJP denies the claims, while the Congress demands answers and an impartial investigation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in a roadshow in Kharagpur Sadar, West Bengal, attracting large crowds and highlighting the BJP's campaign efforts in the region ahead of the assembly elections.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release the pending central dues to West Bengal before professing his love for the state. Banerjee also criticised BJP leaders and defended the 'Jai Bangla' slogan.
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has announced the end of his association with the Trinamool Congress, alleging widespread corruption within the party and claiming he was denied a ticket for refusing to pay a substantial sum.
A BJP government in Bengal inherits more problems than it might care to admit at its moment of triumph, points out Ramesh Menon
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has reiterated that time will tell whether he will become the Chief Minister of the state, amid speculation of a leadership change within the Congress party.
The TMC has refuted Prime Minister Modi's claim that high voter turnout in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls indicates a mandate for change, asserting it reflects support for Mamata Banerjee and her government's development agenda.
A faction of the AIADMK, led by S P Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam, has announced its support for the TVK government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, citing opposition to Edappadi K Palaniswami's alleged plans to align with the DMK.
A Delhi court recently acquitted five accused, including an army personnel and a Border Security Force personnel, in an espionage case. While acquitting the accused persons, the court flagged serious lapses in the investigation.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee addressed a rally in Murshidabad, accusing political rivals of working for the BJP and promising to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens if his party returns to power.
Special police observer Ajay Pal Sharma toured West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district during the second phase of Assembly elections, facing political controversy and allegations of intimidation from TMC leaders.
The Election Commission suspended three central armed police force personnel after a video surfaced showing them playing carrom inside a Trinamool Congress office in West Bengal. A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised to resolve the decades-old Gorkha issue within six months if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal, addressing a rally in Kurseong, Darjeeling district.
NDA partner Bodoland People's Front (BPF) is expected to secure a majority of the 15 Assembly seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam, leading in 10 constituencies, according to Election Commission data. The BJP, a major partner in the ruling NDA, leads in three seats, while the UPPL and Congress are ahead in one seat each.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to resolve the long-standing Gorkha issue within six months if the BJP wins the West Bengal elections. He criticised previous governments for failing to address the aspirations of the Gorkha people and promised a solution acceptable to them.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of bribing voters and has labelled the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a major scam. She also predicted the BJP government at the Centre would fall in 2026.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of protecting infiltrators and alleged her associate wants to build a Babri Masjid in the state.
