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.
'...appearing culturally coercive or administratively vindictive.' 'If it governs as a conquering force, resistance will build.'
"How many gods are there for Hindus? Three crores? There is Hanuman for those who are not married. There is another god for those who marry twice," Reddy said.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has intensified his demand for the RSS to register itself and disclose its financial dealings, arguing that the organisation cannot wield significant social and political influence while simultaneously claiming no political agenda and evading public accountability. Kharge's remarks follow RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's rejection of such calls, with Bhagwat asserting the organisation is neither secretive nor operating outside public scrutiny.
The only thing that might make the BJP stop trying to isolate Muslims completely will be if substantial numbers of the community vote for the party that flaunts its animosity towards it, notes Jyoti Punwani.
The BJP must respect Bengal's pluralistic ethos and with this historic mandate give the state the constructive change it truly deserves, expects Kolkata native Payal Singh Mohanka.
A dispute over the alleged construction of a temporary shed and the tying of sacrificial goats ahead of Bakrid triggered tensions at a housing society in Mira Road, Thane district, Maharashtra, leading to police intervention and protests.
Government sources have clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship in India, a stance consistent for the past 12 years and rooted in the Passport Act 1967. This clarification, reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and public figures.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses political rivals of being BJP agents and promises to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens in West Bengal. He also criticises the BJP's poll promises and highlights the TMC's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
'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.'
BJP president Nitin Nabin has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and opposition parties like the Congress for the setback in implementing women's reservation in legislatures.
What lessons opposition parties need to learn post defeat of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal elections? The election saw spectacular victor of BJP which rose from 3 seats in 2016 to 206 seats in 2026 assembly elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deploying its entire machinery, including Union ministers and NDA-ruled state CMs, to defeat her party in the West Bengal assembly elections. She also criticised the BJP's promises to migrant workers and alleged the misuse of central forces during the polls.
'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.'
A dispute over sacrificial goats in a Thane housing society led to clashes, slogan-shouting, and heightened security, raising community tensions.
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
'People don't like leaders who just crib and complain without offering a clear objective.' 'Theoretically and pragmatically, Rahul has to show an agenda beyond bad-mouthing Mr Modi on economic policies, foreign policy...'
A BJP government in Bengal inherits more problems than it might care to admit at its moment of triumph, points out Ramesh Menon
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.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of inciting conflict within Indian society and exploiting the resulting instability for financial gain. She also criticised Amit Shah and the BJP's governance.
Goa Congress leader Girish Chodankar was questioned by police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a social media post. He claims the post targeted the BJP, not Hindus, and was related to pollution caused by offshore casinos in the Mandovi river.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged voters to support the TMC as the only way to defeat the BJP, particularly in areas with a strong Congress base. He accused the BJP of dividing communities and failing to address key issues such as river erosion and farmer distress, while outlining the TMC's welfare plans.
Bharat Tiwari, a self-proclaimed social worker, was shot by an STF team after he surrendered near his Bilauti village but succumbed to injuries few hours later on June 17.
The Allahabad High Court has observed that throwing non-vegetarian food waste into the river Ganga could hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community, while granting bail to five persons accused of throwing leftovers into the river during an iftar party on a boat in Varanasi.
The BJP will focus on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development agenda in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, rather than projecting a chief ministerial candidate, according to state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya.
The campaign for the current election cycle ended on Monday as canvassing for the final phase in West Bengal concluded with a bitter war of words between rival parties over cross-border infiltration, corruption, unemployment and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of crushing democracy and fostering lawlessness in the state. He highlighted alleged political violence, economic decline, and disrespect for constitutional posts under the TMC's rule.
The Kerala high court has ruled that elected local body representatives must take their oath strictly as prescribed by law, invalidating oaths that included names beyond "God" or solemn affirmation. The court directed affected councillors to retake their oaths within four weeks, clarifying that while their elections remain valid, actions by a panchayat member whose oath was invalid are also invalid.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan defended his use of the caste surname "Menon" during his swearing-in ceremony, saying he had only mentioned his father's name and saw nothing wrong in doing so on such an occasion.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of appeasing Muslims and protecting infiltrators, while the BJP promises to bring 'Ram Rajya' to the state if elected.
'The real fault line in Assam is not Hindu versus Muslim. It is Assamese versus Bengali -- and within that, the specific anxiety about undocumented Bangladeshi settlers claiming land and altering the demographic balance of the state.'
'When Narendra Modi was here, he spoke only about development and what the BJP wanted to do in Kerala. That kind of sober rhetoric or argument is acceptable to the people here.'
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.
Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha defends his request for LPG cylinders for Jain temples, claiming criticism is part of a larger anti-Hindu narrative.
Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP government of failing to honour promises made to the Rajbanshi community in north Bengal, including recognising their language and raising a 'Narayani Sena' battalion.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of stoking fights among all sections of society and attempting to loot the country by exploiting these divisions. She also criticised the BJP's economic policies and alleged discrimination in welfare schemes.
Ajmer Sharif cleric Syed Sarwar Chishti has urged the Centre to declare the cow as the national animal and impose a nationwide ban on its slaughter and sale for sacrifice.
Jharkhand's ruling JMM party held rallies and the Congress party alleged a BJP link in the murder case of a 12-year-old girl, while the BJP denies any involvement and accuses the ruling alliance of defamation.
The NDA government has gradually nuanced its position on the issue of demographic challenge.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the next Mayor of Mumbai will be from the ruling alliance and will be 'both Hindu and Marathi,' as political campaigning heats up for the city's top civic post.
