Mr Pradhan is not an especially charismatic leader or a brilliant orator, but his understanding of realpolitik and organisational dynamics makes him the ultimate party man, points out Aditi Phadnis.
'Both men understand the stakes. They are not about to squander what they have.'
The Indian History Congress (IHC) has criticized NCERT's new Partition Horrors Remembrance Day modules, alleging they spread falsehoods with communal intent by depicting the Congress as complicit in Partition while absolving the British.
A CID team visited the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s central office in Kolkata as part of an investigation into alleged forged signatures of MLAs. The controversy, which involves a proposal for the Leader of Opposition, has triggered an unprecedented split within the party, with a rebel faction electing its own leader. TMC leaders prevented the CID from entering the premises, citing the absence of national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The Tamil Nadu cabinet will be expanded with the inclusion of two Congress MLAs in the C Joseph Vijay-led ministry, marking the national party's return to government in Tamil Nadu after decades.
Polling is underway for local body elections in Haryana, including municipal corporations of Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat. An average voter turnout of 25 per cent was recorded till 1 pm. The main contest is expected between the Congress and the ruling BJP.
Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's son Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar has sent a legal notice to former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and several TMC leaders, including Mahua Moitra, Kalyan Banerjee, Sougata Roy and Sonali Guha, denying allegations that he had sought a party ticket from the Barasat Assembly Constituency.
Indore in Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry and Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh also witnessed a tense atmosphere amid confrontation between the party workers.
After living in India's most palatial residence for 12 years, India's first President Dr Rajendra Prasad returned to his simple hut on the banks of the Ganga. He never owned a house of his lifetime.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the BJP's 47th Foundation Day, highlighting the Uniform Civil Code and 'One Nation, One Election' as key unfinished agendas. He also reaffirmed the party's commitment to implementing women's reservation in the 2029 elections and criticised dynastic politics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an NDA rally, assuring that the Indian government is providing assistance to Indian citizens stranded in West Asia due to the ongoing conflict. He criticised the Congress party for allegedly making provocative statements and spreading rumours regarding the crisis.
NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar has acknowledged that despite political differences with Narendra Modi, the prime minister is working to uphold India's prestige internationally. Pawar emphasised the importance of collective effort for national interest and cited examples of past leaders who prioritised the country's reputation.
'Now if you break the party under the 10th Schedule you have to join another party.' 'You cannot join the NDA as it is not a party. You can only join another party, and that is the BJP.' 'So the question to ask is that these so-called 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs who are parting ways with the TMC, are they ready to join the BJP and accept Narendra Modi as their leader?'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expanded his Cabinet, inducting 23 more legislators as ministers, including two from the Congress party, marking their return to governance in the state after nearly 60 years.
Political tensions are escalating in Uttar Pradesh as Samajwadi Party leaders strongly refute Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar's assertions of an impending split within the SP.
The Delhi High Court has issued summons to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in a defamation case filed by the Congress party. The case alleges that Goswami falsely claimed the Istanbul Congress Centre in Turkiye is the office of the political party.
Local body elections in Haryana, including municipal corporations of Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat, saw a 54.5 per cent voter turnout. Polling was held for mayor and ward councillor posts, with key contestants from BJP and Congress. The votes will be counted on May 13.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, has died at the age of 79. Leaders across the political spectrum have expressed their condolences.
'I cannot imagine that any NSA before Ajit Doval would have given us this kind of time and this kind of engagement. They would have offered slogans, or nothing at all. That, too, tells you something.'
The Indian government addressed opposition concerns regarding the West Asia crisis in an all-party meeting, outlining its strategy for ensuring the security of the Indian diaspora, fulfilling energy needs, and maintaining diplomatic relations with key partners. The government also dismissed Pakistan's reported mediation efforts.
The Indian government informed the Rajya Sabha that over 3,800 Indian nationals were deported from the US in 2025. The government is working with US authorities to ensure humane treatment during deportation operations and is taking action against illegal recruitment agents facilitating illegal immigration.
The Haryana BJP appointed Archana Gupta as its new president, making her the second woman to hold the position in over four decades. Gupta, a radiologist and current state general secretary, succeeds Mohan Lal Badoli.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has lodged a formal complaint with the Delhi Police regarding a series of coordinated cyber attacks targeting its post-result services portal. The board confirmed that all attacks were successfully mitigated, and no data breach or compromise of information was detected. The attacks aimed to destabilise the platform and potentially extract information, occurring amidst existing controversies for CBSE concerning alleged mismatches in Class 12 answer sheets.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assures India's energy security amidst West Asia tensions, highlighting naval protection of tankers and readiness to counter cross-border terrorism.
Initial vote counting in the Kerala Assembly elections indicates a significant lead for the Congress-led UDF, suggesting a potential shift in power.
The Congress party has distanced itself from Shashi Tharoor's remarks praising BJP leader L.K. Advani, stating that Tharoor speaks for himself and that his continued membership in the CWC reflects the party's democratic spirit.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh recalls writing to Narendra Modi in 2010 about conserving the Great Indian Bustard, amid recent announcements of successful conservation efforts.
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 Congress on Friday alleged that the election results in Bihar reflect 'vote chori on a gigantic scale' with Rahul Gandhi vowing an in-depth review of the outcome and saying, 'we could not achieve victory in such an election that was not fair from the very beginning.'
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor cited the Kerala Assembly election results as an example of communal harmony, highlighting instances where voters looked beyond caste and religion.
The CBI has arrested a biology lecturer, part of the NTA's paper-setting committee, in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. The arrest follows the questioning of key suspects and allegations of leaked questions being dictated to students for a fee.
Hopefully, the BJP will realise that it's the right time for parivartan (change) in its polarising poll strategies after achieving the impossible-looking goal of winning West Bengal, argues Sheela Bhatt.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi assures that the Indian government is prepared to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf region due to the Iran-Israel conflict and disruptions in Dubai, emphasizing citizen safety as the top priority.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has been admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for a routine check-up related to a chronic cough.
'Unfortunately the treasury is empty, in zero. So we have to first make money for the development activities of the state, and also to continue the welfare measures.'
An adjunct professor at a private university in Bengaluru has been suspended and faces an FIR after allegedly calling a student a 'terrorist' during a class. The incident has sparked outrage and raised questions about accountability and transparency.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gifting 'Melody' toffees to Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, calling it a 'gimmick' while India faces an 'economic storm'. He accused Modi of prioritising public relations over addressing the struggles of farmers, labourers, and youth, a sentiment echoed by other Congress leaders.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latest fuel hike, saying mehangai manav has struck again and he has just one job of making promises during elections and attacking people's pockets at other times.
Intense lobbying is underway in Kerala as V D Satheesan, K C Venugopal, and Ramesh Chennithala vie for the chief minister's post, with their camps citing popularity, MLA support, and experience as key factors for the Congress high command's decision.
The renewed rush comes days after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that West Bengal would aggressively implement a 'detect, delete and deport' policy against infiltrators.
