In a swift political counter-offensive, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners have announced a massive, nationwide protest campaign targeting the Opposition.
Top Congress leaders attacked the BJP and election commissioners at a rally in Delhi, alleging election irregularities and demanding action against those involved in 'vote chori'.
Chandrababu Naidu has reorganised the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), appointing his son Nara Lokesh as working president and emphasising a blend of experienced and new leaders to strengthen the party.
Opposition leaders have criticised the alliance between AIMIM and a suspended TMC MLA for the West Bengal Assembly elections, fearing it will divide votes and weaken secular parties.
The construction of a Babri Masjid-style mosque in West Bengal's Murshidabad district has become a focal point in the upcoming elections, reshaping voter loyalties and raising communal tensions.
'The BJP's tally may dip, but the NDA is likely to retain power.'
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini released over 2,115 crore directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries under various welfare schemes, benefiting over 58 lakh eligible individuals.
'Narendra Modi -- a man with deep and vital experience of Indian politics -- has seen the BJP lose many elections between 1975 and 2015, and with every defeat, he learned lessons that made sure he would never allow his party to be defeated so easily again.'
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.
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 implement similar initiatives in their ruled states.
Puducherry witnessed a historic voter turnout of 89.87% in the recent Assembly elections, the highest since 1964. The election saw a contest between the NDA and Congress-led bloc, with other parties also vying for influence. Polling was largely peaceful, with a minor clash reported.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of playing the 'victim card' and pushing the state towards destruction. He promised to end the TMC's 'syndicate raj' and ensure justice for women if the BJP is voted to power.
'Secularism or social development or social justice is no longer part of development, according to the youth in Kerala.' 'They are concerned about material wellbeing and material welfare, and they believe that Narendra Modi is capable to giving them that kind of development.' 'So, they don't have any ideological hesitation in voting for him.'
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has criticised his party's decision to ally with the TVK in Tamil Nadu, calling it 'dreadful' and 'low political opportunism'. He fears it could facilitate the entry of the BJP into Tamil Nadu's Dravidian political landscape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of betraying women by obstructing the passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which aimed to reserve 33 per cent of seats in Parliament and state assemblies for women. Modi asserted that women in West Bengal would punish the TMC in the upcoming assembly elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused authorities of deleting names of people from the Matua and minority communities from voter rolls in the state following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Jangipur, West Bengal, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and addressing concerns about infiltration and demographic changes in the state.
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.
V Shantaram is a historical biographical drama that honours the life, spirit and cinematic uprising of one of India's most visionary storytellers.
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 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.
'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...'
Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil cast his vote in the local body polls after securing protection from arrest in two sexual assault cases. He faced protests from CPI(M)'s youth wing.
'EPS exposed all the traitors. The DMK has given them political asylum. They are political orphans.'
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.
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.
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.
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.
'When I decided to be a cook I was ridiculed, heckled, bullied back home.'
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 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.
'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.'
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
