The Election Commission has deployed 432 counting observers across all 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal to ensure transparent and smooth counting of votes. Several districts have been assigned additional observers in view of their sensitivity and electoral significance. Enforcement agencies have carried out extensive seizure drives during the election period to curb illegal inducements, with total seizures valued at approximately Rs 561 crore.
The electorate did not vote for the BJP as much as they voted against the TMC. This is an important distinction that the new government will ignore at its own peril, points out Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Suvendu Adhikari has been elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in West Bengal, paving the way for him to become the state's first BJP chief minister.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated senior BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar at a swearing-in ceremony in West Bengal. Sarkar, 98, is an early grassroots figure associated with the nationalist movement. Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the state's first BJP Chief Minister after defeating Mamata Banerjee.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee will hold a virtual meeting with counting agents to ensure there are no lapses during the vote counting process.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted regular bail to AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra in a rape case registered against him last year, with conditions including surrendering his passport and reporting to the police station twice a month.
CPI-M state secretary P Shanmugam said that the party will reconsider its support to the TVK government if it accommodates the rebel faction of the AIADMK in the Cabinet.
A forum of swamijis has urged the Congress high command to immediately appoint D K Shivakumar as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, warning of consequences if the demand is not met.
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.
An Indian doctoral student from Tamil Nadu, Q Manivannan, has sparked a debate on immigration and representation in UK politics after winning a local election in Scotland. Manivannan's victory has drawn criticism from anti-immigration voices, highlighting the rules that allow foreign nationals to contest elections in Scotland.
The DMK criticised its former allies, VCK and IUML, for joining the TVK government, leading to a heated exchange and prompting DMK chief M K Stalin to call for restraint.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted regular bail to AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra in a rape case registered against him last year. The court has ordered him to surrender his passport and report to the police station twice a month.
BJP workers celebrated in West Bengal as the party took an early lead in the state assembly elections, raising slogans and exchanging sweets.
The Congress-led UDF has swept back to power in Kerala, sparking celebrations and discussions about forming the new government. Senior leaders are vying for the Chief Minister's post, while the defeated CPI(M)-led LDF grapples with the reasons for their loss after 10 years in power.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that Bangladeshi infiltrators detained in the state will be handed over to the BSF instead of being produced in courts, following a new rule. Instructions have been issued to the police and RPF to directly transfer detainees to the BSF at the Bangladesh border, with weekly reports submitted to the CMO.
The opposition parties, including Congress, Raijor Dal and Trinamool Congress, opposed the move and demanded wider consultation with all the stakeholders before its introduction.
Actor Vijay is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), secured a majority in the Assembly with coalition support. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.
West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu has accused the BJP of planning detention camps for Bengali-speaking citizens in the state if they come to power, alleging a conspiracy to deport those whose names are missing from the electoral roll.
The BJP is set to form its first government in West Bengal, with the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. The event is expected to be attended by prominent BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Intense lobbying is underway in Kerala as V D Satheesan, K C Venugopal, and Ramesh Chennithala vie for the chief minister's post, with their camps citing popularity, MLA support, and experience as key factors for the Congress high command's decision.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the proposal to increase the Lok Sabha's strength to 850, while BJP leaders defended delimitation as a democratic necessity at the Stanford India Conference 2026.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the BJP would not allow any intruders into West Bengal if they win the state election, and would selectively root out illegal immigrants already present.
The BJP has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for refusing to resign after the party's decisive defeat in the assembly elections, calling her stance a 'laughing stock'. The BJP alleges that Banerjee's claims of irregularities are aimed at remaining in the spotlight.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand has warned of strict action against anyone disturbing law and order following the West Bengal assembly elections. Eighty people have been arrested so far, and rallies involving bulldozers will not be permitted.
A fourth AIADMK MLA, Esakki Subaya, has resigned from the Tamil Nadu Assembly and is seen with TVK leaders, following three other rebel MLAs who also quit and joined the ruling TVK. This move has sparked strong accusations of 'horse-trading' from the AIADMK and Congress, while the Speaker insists he is acting within legal frameworks.
The Kerala government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to reinvestigate the alleged assault on Youth Congress workers by the gunmen of then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a protest in Alappuzha in 2023.
BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Assam, marking the NDA's third consecutive government in the state. Sarma's swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for May 12, with key political figures expected to attend.
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.
A Chhattisgarh Armed Force constable, recently returned from election duty in West Bengal, allegedly committed suicide at his rented house in Dhamtari city, following a dispute with his wife.
Former West Bengal minister and TMC leader Sujit Bose appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged municipality recruitment scam. This is not the first time Bose has been summoned, with previous notices issued during the West Bengal Assembly election period.
The International Olympic Committee mourns the death of veteran Indian sports administrator Randhir Singh, recognising his significant contributions to the Olympic Movement.
In a momentous occasion after the Bharatiya Janata Party's win, the Durga temple in Asansol, reopened its doors to devotees after remaining shut for several years.
The AIADMK is grappling with a deepening internal rift as factions vie for leadership, threatening the party's stability and future in Tamil Nadu politics.
Two police constables in Chhattisgarh allegedly committed suicide in separate incidents, apparently due to family-related issues. One constable shot himself with his service rifle, while the other was found hanging at his residence.
Following the swearing-in of C Joseph Vijay as Tamil Nadu's chief minister, the new cabinet has pledged a 'white paper' audit of all state departments and a 'zero-interference' policy in administration, signalling a significant shift in governance.
I wonder if I can rest assured -- before the election ink on my finger fades -- that my home state is at the threshold of a better future, wonders Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
TMC leaders have raised concerns about the vote counting process in the West Bengal Assembly elections, alleging irregularities and lack of cooperation from the Election Commission.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first hike in over four years, as state-run fuel retailers pass on some of the impact from surging global crude prices, which have been exacerbated by the Iran war.
