'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the BJP of using central agencies to undermine Mamata Banerjee in the West Bengal elections, alleging a lack of public support for the saffron party.
Political parties in Kerala are increasingly using AI-generated content to influence voters in the upcoming elections, raising concerns about the blurring lines between reality and fiction in political messaging.
The Gujarat government has introduced the Gujarat Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, aiming to establish a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships, regardless of religion. This follows a similar move by Uttarakhand and excludes Scheduled Tribes and groups with protected customary rights.
This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
The Supreme Court has stayed the Chhattisgarh High Court's verdict sentencing Amit Jogi, son of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, to life imprisonment in the 2003 murder case of NCP leader Ramavatar Jaggi.
Tamil Nadu's AIADMK, leading the NDA in the state, has released its first list of 23 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, renominating key leaders and fielding experienced legislators from their traditional strongholds.
Several opposition parties on Wednesday decided to jointly oppose the delimitation provisions in the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament, even as they reiterated support for women's reservation, with Mallikarjun Kharge alleging the move is politically motivated.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government of diverting resources to 'Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators' and warned of losing Bengal if she remains in power.
Punjab minister Laljit Singh Bhullar resigned after being accused of abetting the suicide of a state warehousing corporation official. The resignation follows allegations of harassment and pressure related to warehouse tenders.
Speculation is rife in Bihar about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar potentially moving to the Rajya Sabha, leading to discussions about a possible BJP chief minister and a role for Kumar's son, Nishant. Senior BJP leaders have dismissed the rumours.
'All this talk about women's reservation and Nari Shakti is a mirage.' 'It is a classic Trojan horse to bring about an alteration in the structure of political competition -- to the enduring advantage of the BJP.'
Upset over being denied tickets by the Bharatiya Janata Party despite being its 'loyal workers for years', several aspirants have rebelled against the party and are now contesting the upcoming elections to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) as independent candidates.
Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer has ordered a thorough verification of nearly 1 million voter deletions following complaints of wrongful removals, particularly concerning deceased voters and those who may have shifted residences.
The BJP has nominated the mother of a victim in the RG Kar case from Panihati constituency for the upcoming West Bengal elections, aiming to leverage public outrage over the incident. This move is part of a broader strategy to challenge the ruling TMC by highlighting issues of women's safety and governance.
'The Supreme Court stated that once the delimitation plan is approved by Parliament and receives assent of the President, it cannot be undone. Nor can it be modified.'
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.
Four Assam Congress workers have been arrested for allegedly possessing and transporting pamphlets containing allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, sparking controversy and accusations of undemocratic action.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a heated debate between BJP and Congress members regarding the handling of Naxalism, with the BJP accusing the previous UPA government of failing to contain left-wing extremism and the Congress defending its efforts to curb the threat.
The ruling NDA alliance has secured a majority in the Rajya Sabha elections, winning key seats in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana, while other candidates were elected unopposed across multiple states. The elections were marked by cross-voting allegations and political maneuvering.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising to resolve the Gorkha issue constitutionally and offering a development package for north Bengal if the BJP is voted to power.
'He is not accessible even to his family, his wife or his mother or his father. No one.' 'He has created a barrier so that nobody can go and talk to him.' 'This kind of a mentality is a big question mark in politics.'
A tribal man in Odisha's Keonjhar district brought the skeleton of his dead sister to a bank to withdraw money deposited in her name after bank officials insisted on the account holder's presence.
Top Congress leaders are questioning whether the Election Commission's announced schedule for the Assembly polls unduly benefits the BJP, citing concerns over the timing and structuring of election phases.
Rajya Sabha elections in Bihar, Odisha, and Haryana were marred by allegations of cross-voting and 'horse trading', leading to suspensions and warnings from the Congress party.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the Election Commission for allegedly failing to protect judicial officers involved in electoral roll revisions in Malda district. She accused the EC of lacking control over law and order and enabling the BJP's alleged attempts to disrupt the election process.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarifies the separation of powers between the legislature and executive branches following a directive to suspend a Satara Superintendent of Police. He emphasised that while the executive is accountable to the legislature, the legislature cannot assume the executive's role.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee addressed a rally in Murshidabad, accusing political rivals of working for the BJP and promising to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens if his party returns to power.
Breaking the nearly three-decade-old dominance of the undivided Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday emerged as the single largest party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, and also triumphed in Pune, where it made mincemeat of the alliance of Nationalist Congress Party factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar.
'The BJP and its allies can decide the fate of many candidates.'
A sessions court in Mumbai acquitted Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's wife, Medha Somaiya, who alleged Raut made defamatory allegations against her and her husband regarding a Rs 100 crore scam.
Authorities in Chhattisgarh have uncovered illegal opium cultivation in Raigarh district, marking the fourth such incident in the state within the past 15 days. The discovery has prompted further investigation and heightened scrutiny of potential narcotics cultivation across the region.
'I could have accepted the humiliation if I wanted to remain as an MP. But I decided to leave.'
Clashes between TMC and BJP supporters erupted in Kolkata just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally, resulting in injuries and heightened political tensions ahead of Assembly elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of striking a Rs 1,000-crore deal to unseat the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from power in the state, alleging bribery, manipulation of electoral rolls, and disrespect towards women by central forces.
The BJP has accused TMC MP Kirti Azad of vaping in the Lok Sabha, leading to a political spat. TMC demands the release of full video footage before commenting.
Opposition leaders have criticised the alliance between AIMIM and a suspended TMC MLA for the West Bengal Assembly elections, fearing it will divide votes and weaken secular parties.
Police in Jammu have launched a detailed investigation into the background and motives of Kamal Singh Jamwal, who allegedly attempted to assassinate former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah at a wedding function.
Haryana minister Rao Narbir Singh has suggested that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini contest the next election from Gurugram to fulfil the Ahirwal region's desire to have a CM from the area.
