West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused central forces of working in favour of the BJP during the ongoing assembly elections, alleging intimidation and unfair practices.
The TMC has dispatched fact-finding teams to investigate alleged post-poll violence against its workers in West Bengal, accusing BJP-backed individuals of carrying out attacks and intimidation.
Fresh tension gripped Bhangar and adjoining areas of South 24 Parganas during the second and final phase of West Bengal Assembly elections, with the ISF alleging intimidation of polling agents and attempts to influence voters by TMC workers.
Two police constables in Chhattisgarh allegedly committed suicide in separate incidents, apparently due to family-related issues. One constable shot himself with his service rifle, while the other was found hanging at his residence.
For over a decade, the TMC's dominance in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur rested on a near-complete consolidation of Muslim votes, a bloc that accounts for 50 per cent or more of the population in large parts of this belt.
The new BJP government also appointed IAS officer Shantanu Bala as the chief minister's private secretary, according to another notification.
AM Shahjahan and Vanni Arasu from IUML and VCK respectively were sworn in as ministers in Tamil Nadu, increasing the number of allies in the TVK government. This marks the first time representatives from both parties have been inducted into the state cabinet, signifying a shift in Tamil Nadu's coalition dynamics.
Immigrants' contribution to the US economy is disproportionate to their share of the population, meaning that losing them would shrink the economy even more than losing a random group of Americans, points out Sree Sreenivasan.
TVK national spokesperson Felix Gerald expressed confidence that the party would form the government in Tamil Nadu with an absolute majority as initial election trends showed the party 'scaling high'.
Members of the Gurjar community unveiled statues of their late leader Kirori Singh Bainsla and two other martyrs at Kushalipura village in Rajasthan, despite objections from the administration citing restrictions in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve area.
'He worked over time to become the natural claimant,' a senior UDF leader observed. 'Others had organisational stature, but Satheesan had momentum.' For the Congress, it may signal the beginning of a new leadership template -- one where performance, communication and grassroots credibility increasingly outweigh inherited power structures in deciding who leads the party into its next phase.
Here are the constituency-wise mapped leads/results for the West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu assembly elections!
Police in Kannur, Kerala, recovered two steel bombs and a country-made explosive from an isolated plot of land. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad defused the explosives, and police have intensified surveillance in the politically sensitive area ahead of the Kerala Assembly election results.
Large crowds gathered in Southampton on Tuesday evening as officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary stood in riot gear near the home of Vickrum Digwa, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing 18-year-old Henry Nowak to death.
DMK President M K Stalin has resigned as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister following his party's defeat in the recent Assembly elections. The resignation letter has been sent to the state Governor. DMK secured 59 seats and will serve as the principal opposition party.
The electorate did not vote for the BJP as much as they voted against the TMC. This is an important distinction that the new government will ignore at its own peril, points out Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has announced its commitment to transparency and inclusiveness following a Delhi High Court decision regarding its 2024 elections. The AITA plans to implement constitutional amendments and ensure player representation in its governance.
Trinamool Congress supporters protested against an Election Commission-appointed IPS officer in West Bengal, accusing him of intimidating party workers ahead of the second phase of polling.
A Sri Lankan court has imposed an overseas travel ban on former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and two former military officers in connection with ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. The ban was issued after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) raised concerns that their flight could hamper the probe into the coordinated suicide bombings that killed 270 people. The current government reopened the investigation in late 2024, alleging political influence led to an earlier cover-up.
Incidents of violence and vandalism were reported from parts of West Bengal during the early hours of voting in the second phase of the assembly elections on Wednesday, police said. The incidents were reported from multiple locations, including Chapra, Shantipur, Nimtala and Bhangar, they said.
The BJP has secured a majority vote share across all categories in the recent local body elections in Gujarat, according to data released by the State Election Commission (SEC). The ruling party swept the elections, winning a significant number of seats across municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats, and taluka panchayats.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly refusing to accept the electoral mandate, claiming democracy is being 'held at gunpoint' in the state.
In Tiruppur (North), where the TVK victory margin of 69,992 votes was higher than the 61,760 votes polled by the major Dravidian parties combined -- DMK got 351 votes and AIADMK 61,409 votes.
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
The State Election Commission will adopt the voters' list of the assembly elections for civic polls, the Bombay high court was told on Tuesday, while hearing a plea by an 18-year-old woman who claimed her application to enrol as a voter after she turned 18 in April 2025 was not accepted.
The newly elected BJP-led NDA government in Assam will be sworn in on May 12, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries expected to attend. Preparations are underway to ensure a smooth and secure ceremony.
NIA begins probe into Bhangar crude bomb case after 79 explosives recovered in West Bengal, raising serious security concerns ahead of elections.
A man has been arrested in Kolkata for allegedly sending an email threatening a suicide bomb attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The TMC has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging that he made polarising and criminally intimidating statements during election campaigning in West Bengal.
The BJP has achieved significant victories in the Haryana municipal corporation elections, securing wins in Ambala and Sonipat, and leading in Panchkula. The party also won the president's post in Sampla, a stronghold of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, where the Congress did not field a candidate.
An FIR has been lodged against former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly hurting religious sentiments based on a complaint by a lawyer.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested a meeting with the Governor, intensifying speculation about a potential change in leadership, with rumours suggesting he may resign to allow his deputy, D K Shivakumar, to take over.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. She criticised the BJP's chargesheet against the TMC and alleged corruption in the Haldia dock complex. Banerjee also questioned Prime Minister Modi's claim of being the BJP candidate in all West Bengal seats.
The VCK party, led by Thol Thirumavalavan, will announce its official position on supporting Vijay's TVK in forming the government. The decision follows discussions regarding power-sharing and key positions within the new government.
Punjab Police conducted raids at the residence of SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia and others for allegedly storming a police station and attempting to free a detainee. The Akali Dal alleges political vendetta, while police assert that action will be taken regardless of status.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly attacked by locals during a visit to Sonarpur, West Bengal, to meet families affected by post-poll violence.
Actor Vijay's newly formed party, TVK, has achieved a significant victory in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, securing a commanding vote share and disrupting the state's traditional bipolar political system.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first Asian Games shooting gold medallist Randhir Singh was cremated in Haridwar. Singh died at his New Delhi residence after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
'The BJP successfully merged governance with identity. That's a powerful combination in Assam's political context.'
'It's a bit uncertain. Let's see what happens. But he is the top man of Assam, and since my politics is in Assam, I thought it's best to seek his guidance before I take any decision.'
