Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of corruption and land grabbing, promising action if the Congress party wins the upcoming elections in Assam. Gandhi also criticised the BJP's governance and economic policies.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini commemorated B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary, highlighting his contributions to women's empowerment and social justice. Saini and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal criticised the Congress party for allegedly disrespecting Ambedkar, while praising the current government's efforts to honour his legacy.
Total number of 722 candidates are in the fray for 126 seats.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged voters in Murshidabad to support the TMC as the only way to defeat the BJP, claiming that other parties are indirectly aiding the BJP's influence.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called on King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a contentious issue between India and the UK.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called on King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a contentious issue between India and the UK.
Controversy escalates in Goa over alleged objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier, with protests and police complaints filed. The Congress demands the sacking of a minister, while the CM calls for maintaining communal harmony.
Goa Police have registered an FIR against right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar for allegedly making objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa, sparking political outrage and demands for his arrest.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
A court in Sindhudurg has sentenced Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane to one month's imprisonment in a 2019 case of pouring mud on an NHAI engineer, noting that lawmakers are not supposed to take the law into their hands.
'The grounds shown by the investigating officer (IO) for issuance of non-bailable warrant were 'entirely based on presumptions and conjectures, and are not supported by any material on record',' the court said.
'The nepotism, corruption, bad governance and 15 years of rampant crime that has happened across West Bengal under her rule led to her ouster.'
The Congress party has expelled Navjot Kaur Sidhu after she publicly criticized Rahul Gandhi. The expulsion follows her earlier suspension and a series of posts on X where she attacked the party leadership and questioned their commitment to Punjab.
The BJP has accused the Congress party, particularly Rahul Gandhi, of using social media accounts based in foreign countries to create an anti-India narrative. The BJP alleges that accounts originating from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, and the US are being used to target the BJP, RSS, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has moved the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with a criminal case filed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, over allegations related to multiple passports and undisclosed overseas assets.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a high voter turnout across 152 constituencies, with nearly 90 per cent of electors participating till 5 pm. Polling was conducted amid tight security, with reports of clashes and intimidation in some areas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the TMC's rule in West Bengal is nearing its end, citing corruption and unfulfilled promises. He also pledged support for the fisherfolk and a zero-tolerance policy for infiltrators.
'India's ties with Israel have to do with defence and general technology.' 'The war changes nothing in what India and Israel hope to get from the relationship.' 'It's not as though India will get significantly more benefits from Iran if India abandons Israel at this time.'
The India release of the Oscar-nominated film 'The Voice of Hind Rajab', based on the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces, is facing delays as the distributor awaits a censor certificate.
Several incidents of post-poll violence have been reported across West Bengal, with tension escalating in various districts following the recent assembly elections. Clashes between political party supporters have led to injuries, arrests, and heightened security measures.
The Congress party experienced a significant decline in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, winning a mere 15 seats out of 227. Analysts attribute the poor performance to strategic missteps, infighting, and a failure to connect with voters amidst linguistic and religious polarization.
The Indian government and opposition parties are set for a showdown in Parliament over a Constitution amendment bill concerning the implementation of the women's quota law and the delimitation exercise. The Opposition is concerned about the potential impact of delimitation on the political representation of southern states.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has addressed Vinesh Phogat's concerns regarding her delayed entry into an upcoming ranking tournament, stating that her registration was processed and there was no attempt to block her participation.
S A Chandrasekhar, father of actor-politician Vijay, has appealed to the Congress party to form an alliance with his son's party, TVK, in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
'Vijay did not defeat Dravidian politics from outside. He entered the Dravidian field and claimed ownership of it. 'His argument was not that the room should be destroyed. It was that the present occupants no longer deserved to remain in it.'
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in all 285 polling booths of the Falta assembly constituency in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on May 21, following reports of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the second phase of the assembly elections.
The Supreme Court has refused to entertain Congress leader Pawan Khera's plea seeking protection against possible coercive action until April 20 in a case lodged against him for levelling allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the government's handling of the women's quota bill, accusing them of political maneuvering and neglecting the rights of OBCs.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
Small parties have the capacity to play both ends against the middle. Puducherry could be heading that way, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Two explosions near defence establishments in Punjab have triggered security concerns.
Building a party from scratch and leading it to electoral success is an entirely different challenge.
Indian stock markets are poised for volatility this week, driven primarily by the outcomes of five state assembly elections, ongoing high crude oil prices amid West Asia tensions, and the release of Q4 corporate earnings, according to market analysts.
The Trinamool Congress government's massive defeat in West Bengal shows "deep anti-incumbency and unpopularity" as out of 35 ministers who contested the assembly elections, 22 have been defeated, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her constituency.
The Indian government has stated that it does not maintain centralised data on incidents of hate speech, racial slurs, harassment, and discrimination against people from the Northeast, emphasising that policing and public order are the responsibility of state governments.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of protecting infiltrators and alleged her associate wants to build a Babri Masjid in the state.
Goa Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar for allegedly making objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa. The controversy erupted after a video of Khattar's address at an event went viral, leading to widespread condemnation and demands for his arrest.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has advised ZEE5 not to release 'Lawrence of Punjab', a docu-series on gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, after the Punjab Police expressed apprehension that it posed a risk to public order.
'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.'
Former Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) President S Sabanayakan has been elected to the Executive Committee of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) during its 88th Congress in Lausanne, Switzerland.