Mumbai experienced heavy overnight monsoon rains, with some areas receiving over 200 mm in 24 hours, leading to widespread waterlogging, traffic congestion, and disruptions in suburban train services, particularly on Central Railway lines due to a track cave-in.
Amid a significant split within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), two "dissident" MPs, June Maliah and Deepak Adhikari (Dev), along with an MLA, attended an administrative meeting chaired by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. This event follows a major rebellion within the TMC, where 20 Lok Sabha MPs reportedly declared support for the BJP-led NDA as a separate bloc.
Trinamool Congress leader Sabyasachi Dutta, former Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation chairman, has been arrested in West Bengal on charges of extortion and criminal intimidation. The arrest stems from a 2018 complaint by a businessman alleging a demand of over Rs 1 crore. This development follows another recent high-profile arrest of a TMC leader, prompting a state minister to comment on a crackdown on corruption.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged TMC candidates and agents to remain vigilant at counting centres, alleging a 'game plan' by the BJP and the Election Commission to show the BJP taking an early lead.
Newly appointed Bengal Industries Minister Tapas Roy has announced ambitious plans to attract significant investments, particularly from the Tata Group, to revive industrial growth in West Bengal. He aims to restore investor confidence, bring back businesses that left the state, and create an industry-friendly environment focused on manufacturing, services, and renewable energy.
'Both men understand the stakes. They are not about to squander what they have.'
Actor Vijay has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, marking a significant shift in the state's political landscape. His party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), secured a notable victory in its debut election, ending the dominance of DMK and AIADMK.
'We can't afford to fight each other.' 'We have to win the 2026 election.'
A court in Uttar Pradesh sentenced Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan to two years in jail for making objectionable remarks against government officials during the 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign.
West Bengal's appointment of Manoj Agarwal, the former Chief Electoral Officer, as the new Chief Secretary has ignited a political firestorm, raising concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the state's electoral processes.
Actor Vijay is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), secured a majority in the Assembly with coalition support. The swearing-in ceremony will take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.
Police in Wayanad, Kerala, have registered a case after posters targeting Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge appeared on the walls of the Congress office and nearby areas. The posters also threatened that Vadra would be defeated in the next election, warning that "Wayanad will become the next Amethi".
'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.'
In a dramatic election mirroring the Nandigram contest, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari defeated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur, marking a significant victory for the BJP and a setback for the Trinamool Congress.
The polling for the Tamil Nadu Elections will take place on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Out of the 294 assembly seats, 152 seats in West Bengal will go to polls in the first phase on Thursday.
The newly elected BJP-led government in West Bengal will take oath on May 9, coinciding with Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, according to West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya. He also addressed post-election incidents and urged party workers to celebrate responsibly.
'Congress needs a positive agenda rather than primarily picking up on two business houses.'
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
In an apparent reference to the buzz of six rebel Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MPs switching sides, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said this is just a trailer and the movie is yet to come, indicating more defections could be in offing in the rival faction.
The Calcutta High Court dismissed a plea challenging the Election Commission's directive to deploy central government and PSU employees for vote counting in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
TMC leaders have raised concerns about the vote counting process in the West Bengal Assembly elections, alleging irregularities and lack of cooperation from the Election Commission.
Would like BCCI to hold upcoming elections as per new act: Sports Ministry
President Vladimir Putin has declared Russia's willingness to finalise a peace agreement with Ukraine based on US President Donald Trump's Anchorage proposals, provided Kyiv accepts necessary compromises.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar has pledged full support and legal assistance to party councillor Sugathan, who was dramatically arrested in Thiruvananthapuram. The BJP alleges political vendetta and misuse of the police system, while police claim they fired in the air during the arrest due to BJP supporters.
The Congress-led UDF has swept back to power in Kerala, sparking celebrations and discussions about forming the new government. Senior leaders are vying for the Chief Minister's post, while the defeated CPI(M)-led LDF grapples with the reasons for their loss after 10 years in power.
Vijay's TVK party is on the verge of forming a government in Tamil Nadu, drawing parallels to NTR's earlier success in Andhra Pradesh. Both achieved electoral success shortly after forming their parties, highlighting the potential for film popularity to translate into political gains.
Few leaders since Independence have been able to establish such a direct connection with the electorate or shape the national conversation to the extent that Narendra Modi has done over the past decade, points out former Union minister Dr Karan Singh.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam's student front, Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), has secured a significant victory in the central students union elections at Jahangirnagar University (JU), following a similar win at Dhaka University. This outcome has surprised many, as these universities were not traditionally strongholds for the Islamist group.
The Supreme Court has expressed strong displeasure over statements made by politicians regarding the Shiv Sena symbol row case, cautioning them about making irresponsible comments.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a record voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, the highest since Independence, according to the Chief Election Commissioner. Polling took place in 16 districts with women voters outnumbering men. The Election Commission attributed the high turnout to voter-friendly measures.
Repolling is taking place in 15 booths across two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, following reports of electoral malpractices during the previous phase of voting. The Election Commission ordered the repolls, and voting is being conducted under tight security with webcasting to monitor the proceedings.
In an indirect reference to the meteoric rise of actor-politician C Joseph Vijay as chief minister in his maiden election in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has said he sometimes wonders how some political forces achieve success in a short span, admitting that their rapid progress leaves him with a "sense of envy".
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra is showing signs of strain as both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress have announced their intention to field candidates for the upcoming legislative council elections.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will hear both the defected TMC MPs and the faction led by Mamata Banerjee before deciding on recognising the breakaway group's proposed merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
Former CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran, now an Independent MLA backed by the UDF, has criticised Left leaders for targeting him over his late brother Bhuvaneswaran, considered a party martyr. Sudhakaran claims the CPI(M) lost votes by politicising Bhuvaneswaran's memory during the election campaign.
Bangladesh secured a landmark series victory over a second-string Australian side with a composed chase in a rain-affected second One-Day International in Dhaka on Thursday, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest.
BJP's Panihati candidate Ratna Debnath faced protests by TMC workers when she visited a booth in the assembly constituency in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district where polling was underway. She also accused the ruling party activists of preventing her from leaving the booth premises, following an altercation with them over an allegation of influencing voters.
West Bengal minister Kaushik Chowdhury on Thursday said that around 4,000 EVMs were gutted in a government building fire in Kolkata, as the police launched an investigation following the registration of an FIR in connection with the incident.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that Bangladeshi infiltrators detained in the state will be directly handed over to the BSF for deportation, bypassing court appearances, following a new rule.
