The 2026 election appears to have reinforced a new political formula in Assam: Strong organisation, continuous grassroots engagement, effective alliance management and welfare-based voter outreach.
If TVK MLAs and ministers are perceived as clean, or demonstrably cleaner than their predecessors, the credibility dividend will be enormous. The voter will feel rewarded, points out Ramesh Menon.
Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a meeting of newly-elected MLAs of her party and stated she will not resign from her post in the wake of assembly poll results and the Centre can dismiss her.
Nishant Kumar, son of former Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, is poised to enter Bihar politics by joining the Samrat Choudhary government, marking a significant development in the state's political landscape.
Samajwadi Party MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi has been booked in Mahoba for allegedly assaulting a public official and promoting hate speech after referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'anti-national'. The BJP is staging protests across Uttar Pradesh in response to the remarks.
Political parties in Kerala are making preparations for celebrations as the Assembly election results are set to be announced. Congress and UDF workers are preparing food and cultural programmes, while the BJP is also planning celebrations with laddoos and placards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly refuted a media report suggesting the government is considering levying a tax, cess, or surcharge on foreign travel, calling the news "totally false".
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.
India is the only significant power that all parties trust, or at least do not distrust, notes former defence secretary Ajay Kumar.
Following through announcements with enforcement of measures is key, as a run through recent Indian economic history shows, points out A K Bhattacharya.
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.
'Among the leaders whose names are going around, V D Satheesan is the leader who will fit this kind of situation.'
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.
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.
AAP leaders protest outside Raj Bhavan in Delhi over the alleged rape of a three-year-old at a Janakpuri school, demanding action against police for allegedly intimidating the victim's family and questioning the handling of the case.
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.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly criticised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid and subsequent arrest of Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora, calling it a politically motivated act by the BJP-led central government. AAP leaders allege the BJP is misusing central agencies to suppress opposition voices and destabilise the AAP government in Punjab.
Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat has accused AIMIM corporator Matin Patel of double standards for allegedly harbouring Nida Khan, who is accused in a Nashik TCS sexual harassment and forced conversion case.
The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation demolished alleged illegal constructions at the residence and other properties of AIMIM corporator Matin Patel, who is accused of harbouring Nida Khan, wanted in connection with a TCS case.
The BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal has not merely redrawn the electoral map but overturned the operating logic of politics in the state, breaching the TMC's entrenched fortress despite a decade-and-a-half of dominance, minority consolidation, and a sustained "outsider" narrative.
Police in Meerut busted an illegal arms manufacturing factory concealed in the basement of a house, with the entrance hidden under a double bed. Eleven people were arrested, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the network involved.
The Punjab BJP has called for a sedition case against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for blaming the party for recent blasts in the state, alleging his remarks could be used by Pakistan to defend against accusations of sponsoring terrorism.
V D Satheesan was sworn in as Kerala's Chief Minister, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administering the oath of office. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by prominent political figures, including Congress leaders and Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has pledged to introduce more initiatives focused on women's education, safety, and welfare if his party regains power in 2027, highlighting the importance of women's status in assessing a society's condition.
An explosion at a firecracker factory in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas district resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, prompting investigations and government action.
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal of inciting post-poll violence by disguising its workers as BJP supporters. The BJP asserts its cadres have never engaged in violence after election victories and claims the TMC is acting out of frustration after suffering a crushing defeat in the assembly polls.
Actor-politician Vijay's TVK party is likely to form the government, bringing focus to their election promises, including gold for marriage, financial assistance for women, and job creation.
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress of inciting post-poll violence in West Bengal by impersonating BJP supporters, warning that they will face legal consequences. The BJP asserts its members have never engaged in post-election violence and claims TMC cadres are using BJP symbols to create unrest.
The Trinamool Congress has launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government over rising fuel prices, economic concerns, and exam irregularities, accusing the Centre of betraying citizens.
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.
'The BJP successfully merged governance with identity. That's a powerful combination in Assam's political context.'
'What we are witnessing is a massive anti-incumbency wave that has cut across all social and political divides.'
The BJP has made significant gains in the Kerala Assembly elections, securing three seats and marking a potential breakthrough in a state where it has traditionally struggled.
A look at the profiles of the ministers in the new Tamil Nadu government led by Joseph C Vijay of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
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.
Amid the arithmetic of subsidies, consumption and capacity, whichever government assumes office in Tamil Nadu after May 4 is likely to inherit a growing debate over how far the state can continue to expand welfare promises without placing additional strain on public finances and the power sector.
Already, within the week of the election results it became apparent that the Congress' DNA has not changed from its traditional approach to politics as but a game of thrones, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
BJP MLA Dhirendra Singh has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to formulate a comprehensive policy covering education, healthcare, housing and social security for labourers.
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal, marking the end of the Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state.
