BJP's candidate from northwest Delhi constituency Hans Raj Hans, Union minister and Chandni Chowk candidate Harsh Vardhan and other party leaders were also present.
The CJP's rapid rise on social media reflects growing digital dissent and youth frustration with issues like unemployment and exam-paper leaks.
Most defections originated from three major parties -- the Congress, BJP and BSP.
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.
BJP witnessed steady growth in crorepati MLAs between 2016 and 2026.
Track the 2026 assembly election results for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, and Kerala with live vote counting updates, candidate leads, and interactive doughnut graphs. Stay informed with real?time numbers, trends, and comprehensive state?wise coverage.
In West Bengal's political circles, it was widely believed that after Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikhari was perhaps the only leader with a truly significant mass base of his own.
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.
Trinamool Congress offices across West Bengal were allegedly defaced and damaged following the BJP's victory in the Assembly polls, with the TMC alleging BJP involvement, which the BJP denies.
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.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals a significant increase in West Bengal MLAs with declared criminal cases, rising from 49% in 2021 to 65% in the latest assembly. The report also highlights a rise in the number of 'crorepati' MLAs.
'I repeatedly contacted the party leadership, but they didn't take my calls. The District Congress Committee offered no assistance.' 'I waited for a long time, and when no response came, I decided to quit the party.'
Political circles in Tamil Nadu are rife with speculation about a potential alliance between rivals DMK and AIADMK to prevent the TVK from forming a government. This comes after the Congress party joined forces with TVK, further complicating the political landscape.
In a state known for high political literacy and ideological mobilisation, the Congress' inability to quickly settle on a leader after securing a massive mandate has fed a narrative that the party remains excessively dependent on Delhi, deeply faction-ridden and vulnerable to internal sabotage
Total number of 722 candidates are in the fray for 126 seats.
The Congress and BJP in Uttarakhand are engaged in a war of words over the alleged Champawat rape case, which police have now deemed a fabricated incident stemming from a long-standing dispute. Both parties accuse each other of political manipulation and attempting to tarnish the other's image.
'The BJP successfully merged governance with identity. That's a powerful combination in Assam's political context.'
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 has appointed Amit Shah and JP Nadda as central observers for the election of legislative party leaders in West Bengal and Assam, respectively, following recent assembly poll victories.
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.
'Look at the way SIR that was implemented in Bengal. They wanted to entirely curate the voter list in order to suit their purposes and victory.' 'Look at the targeted deletions and the targeted voting list.' 'The difference between the TMC and the BJP was only about 4% but that 4% vote was done so selectively that the difference ultimately showed up as 100 seats!'
The West Bengal State Legislative Assembly has been dissolved by Governor R N Ravi, marking the end of its term after the recent elections where the Trinamool Congress was defeated by the BJP.
C Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at a gala event attended by prominent personalities including Rahul Gandhi. The swearing-in ceremony saw the presence of Vijay's parents and actress Trisha, while former CMs M K Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami were absent.
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 BJP has taken an early lead in the Gujarat local body elections, winning a significant number of seats as counting progresses. The Congress trails behind, while Independents and other parties, including AAP and AIMIM, have also secured seats.
The delimitation in Assam has quietly changed the political scene, raising questions about whether new constituency boundaries helped the BJP by spreading out Muslim-majority voters.
The Congress party has called on the BJP-led government to adopt a unified national approach to restore India's role as a voice for peace, criticising the government's foreign policy and its impact on India's global standing.
A BJP MLA in Madhya Pradesh is facing criticism after his son was accused of injuring five people in a car accident. The MLA allegedly made disparaging remarks against an IPS officer who took action in the case, further escalating the controversy.
TMC leader Mamata Banerjee has criticised the BJP's victory in the West Bengal state elections, calling it 'immoral' and alleging that the mandate in over 100 seats was 'looted'. She also criticised the Election Commission's role.
Veteran BJP leader Hitendra Nath Goswami defeated Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat, securing his sixth term in the assembly. Goswami's grassroots campaign and extensive experience led to his victory.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met with Trinamool Congress counting agents in Bhabanipur ahead of the vote count for the assembly election. The meeting aimed to ensure agents are well-prepared and updated on the counting process.
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.
Whether Vijay has the political spine to stitch together a stable government from this patchwork of conditions, demands, and midnight drama is the question Tamil Nadu is living through right now.
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.
Mamata Banerjee personally argued a case in the Calcutta high xourt regarding attacks on Trinamool Congress workers in West Bengal.
Members of lottery 'king' Santiago Martin's family are contesting in the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections through three different political parties.
The appointment of Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer as the Chief Minister's secretary has ignited a political firestorm, raising questions about election credibility and sparking accusations of hypocrisy among political parties.
As results of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry are declared, here's how the big names fared.
Indian tennis icon Leander Paes has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), marking a significant transition from his celebrated sports career to the political arena, ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal.
Sweet shops across West Bengal are preparing themed sweets in anticipation of the election results, reflecting the charged political atmosphere.
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