Actor Vijay, president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The ceremony included a selfie with Rahul Gandhi and a 360-degree video of the cheering crowd. Vijay's party achieved a historic debut, ending the duopoly of DMK and AIADMK.
Voting has commenced for the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote in 152 constituencies in Bengal and 5.73 crore voters in Tamil Nadu. Security measures are heightened to ensure free and fair polling.
The Election Commission is in the process of deciding the number of phases and the months in which polling would be held, sources said.
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.
Sunetra Pawar, who is not a member of either house of the Maharashtra legislature, will be elected as leader of the legislature wing of the Nationalist Congress Party at a meeting in Mumbai on Saturday, after which she is likely to take oath as deputy CM.
The Congress party has accused the government of scheduling a 'special session' to pass bills related to women's quota and delimitation with the intention of gaining political advantage in the upcoming West Bengal and Tamil Nadu elections, calling it a violation of the model code of conduct.
In West Bengal's electoral chessboard, governments are rarely made in the hills of North Bengal or the forested region of Jangalmahal. Power is usually decided in the crowded plains of South Bengal, where elections are won less by momentum and more by mathematics.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announces the debate and vote on the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will occur on March 9. The Budget Session's second part will also address important legislation and critical bills.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Interim Budget on February 1 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections likely to be held in April-May.
Rejecting news reports, a Commission spokesperson said no such facility has been extended.
Women voters in West Bengal appear to be shifting their priorities beyond financial assistance, placing greater emphasis on governance and accountability, according to post-election analysis. This shift may have contributed to the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) losses in the recent assembly election, as the BJP's promises and other factors influenced voter sentiment.
While dynastic politics may have receded in the Lok Sabha, it is alive and kicking in states
Former Union minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel on Thursday filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha election in Maharashtra slated for June 19.
His disqualification as Wayanad MP is effective from March 23, the day of his conviction
Rahul Gandhi accuses Mamata Banerjee of not directly fighting the BJP, alleging that this indirect approach benefits the ruling party. He also criticised her government's performance on job creation and handling of corruption.
Sumitra Mahajan, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and one of the most experienced Parliamentarians, looks set to be the next Lok Sabha Speaker. According to sources, the 71-year-old leader from Madhya Pradesh has been sounded by party chief Rajnath Singh about the new assignment.
Nath's comments came amid the Congress party's continuous attack on Centre for the recent hike in commercial LPG cylinders and the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
The Act deals with automatic disqualification of MPs and state legislators upon being convicted and sentenced for two years or more in a criminal case.
Opposition parties in India have submitted notices seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over his appointment, conduct, and alleged manipulation of electoral processes.
'Even if it is defeated and the Speaker remains, the Opposition parties that have lost faith in his impartiality will continue to have that feeling.' 'If the Speaker reflects on this and tries to be more neutral, more impartial, more objective in his conduct -- then one can say the resolution had a salutary effect. That would be the best outcome.'
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being 'anti-women' and obstructing the passage of the women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha. He criticised the TMC's opposition to the bill and defended the BJP's commitment to increasing women's representation in politics.
The RSS, which has been building pressure on BJP to end its internal bickerings and is favouring younger leadership, feels it was a blunder to project Advani as BJP's prime ministerial candidate and making the party's poll campaign Advani-centric.
Rahul Gandhi accuses Narendra Modi of remaining silent on the Sabarimala issue to protect the interests of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, alleging a hidden alliance between the BJP and LDF.
Kerala's Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan, has accused the state government of inaugurating a township for 2024 landslide victims in Wayanad to mislead the public, citing issues with the construction and timing of the inauguration.
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.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's remark calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a 'terrorist' has triggered strong reactions from the BJP, who have demanded an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first hike in over four years, as state-run fuel retailers pass on some of the impact from surging global crude prices, which have been exacerbated by the Iran war.
Two individuals have been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly attempting to bribe Odisha Congress MLAs, who are staying at a resort, as part of what Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar claims is the BJP's 'Operation Lotus'.
Lok Sabha elections can take place in November, BJP President Rajnath Singh said and asked partymen to be prepared for them.
She won't contest next Lok Sabha poll due to health reasons.
Adequate security and Covid safety measures have been put in place for the electoral exercise.
'If a floor test happens, one group of MLAs may abstain to allow the confidence vote to pass. So theoretically, he can run a minority government as long as the others won't join each other to vote him out.'
'The BJP is pouring in money so that only BJP candidates are visible everywhere.' 'If the Congress does not win this time, its survival itself will be a problem...'
The BJP must respect Bengal's pluralistic ethos and with this historic mandate give the state the constructive change it truly deserves, expects Kolkata native Payal Singh Mohanka.
Social media has played a significant role in recent Lok Sabha elections and it will continue to do so in future, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday.
Even if the BJP gets 60, 70, or even 100 per cent of the votes in the seats where it scored more than 50 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, these will still add up to only 224 seats, argues Shekhar Gupta.
Puducherry witnessed a historic voter turnout of 89.87% in the recent Assembly elections, the highest since 1964. The election saw a contest between the NDA and Congress-led bloc, with other parties also vying for influence. Polling was largely peaceful, with a minor clash reported.
Reiterating her view for trifurcation of the state, Mayawati told her audience that she had once again written another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking creation of an independent Purvanchal (Eastern UP), a Western UP and Bundelkhand "to ensure comprehensive development of every part of an oversized Uttar Pradesh."
One of the standout stories of the TVK victory was that of 30-year-old R Sabarinathan, the son of Vijay's driver from Virugambakkam.
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.
