'The AIADMK will lose a lot of votes simply because it is aligned with the BJP.'
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.
'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.'
C Joseph Vijay was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at a gala event attended by prominent personalities including Rahul Gandhi. The swearing-in ceremony saw the presence of Vijay's parents and actress Trisha, while former CMs M K Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami were absent.
'The AIADMK and DMK have 75% of the total votes. 25% of the voters do not support the two majors,' says DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai.
The BJP has released its list of candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with the notable absence of K Annamalai, sparking speculation and discussion within the state's political circles.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
'The AIADMK front comes second, and then the TVK.'
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 Vanniyar vote can tip the balance in 70 to 75 assembly constituencies of the 234 in the state, mainly in the Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruppathur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Villupuram and Kallakurichi districts.
'Remember Vijay had never spoke of himself as a Christian when he was a film star.' 'The BJP strategy is they want the Christian minority constituency to move away from the DMK.' 'That is what the BJP wants so that it will be very easy to mobilise Hindu votes.' 'This strategy is to weaken the Dravidian ideology and bring in religion based politics into Tamil Nadu.'
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh has accused the BJP of orchestrating bomb blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar to destabilise Punjab ahead of elections, a claim strongly refuted by the BJP.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has claimed victory for the state after the Constitution Amendment Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha. Stalin criticised the Centre's handling of the Women's Reservation Bill and delimitation process, accusing the BJP of prioritising political gain over fairness and consultation.
The polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly's 234 seats will take place on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
Whether he comes to power or not, both his admirers and opponents agree on one thing -- Vijay may well turn out to be the 'X factor'.
Exit polls suggest significant shifts in Indian state assembly elections, forecasting BJP gains in West Bengal and Assam, a DMK comeback in Tamil Nadu, and a tight race in Kerala.
Exit polls predict a BJP victory in Assam and an edge in West Bengal, a DMK government in Tamil Nadu, and a Congress-led UDF comeback in Kerala.
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 BJP has made significant gains in the Kerala Assembly elections, securing three seats and marking a potential breakthrough in a state where it has traditionally struggled.
'The BJP is projected as a party that follows Hindu politics, talking about religion, gods and goddess all the time.'
'People of Tamil Nadu are not bothered about religion in politics.' 'That is why Tamil Nadu people do not encourage the BJP.'
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal criticised the BJP's stance on women's reservation, challenging them to reject ideological texts like the Manusmriti. He accused the BJP of using the issue for political gains and misrepresenting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema has condemned the recent blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar, calling them a deliberate attempt to spread terror and disrupt the state's peace. He accused the BJP of trying to create an atmosphere of fear and division for political gains ahead of elections.
BJP witnessed steady growth in crorepati MLAs between 2016 and 2026.
'Look at the way SIR that was implemented in Bengal. They wanted to entirely curate the voter list in order to suit their purposes and victory.' 'Look at the targeted deletions and the targeted voting list.' 'The difference between the TMC and the BJP was only about 4% but that 4% vote was done so selectively that the difference ultimately showed up as 100 seats!'
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the proposal to increase the Lok Sabha's strength to 850, while BJP leaders defended delimitation as a democratic necessity at the Stanford India Conference 2026.
'...appearing culturally coercive or administratively vindictive.' 'If it governs as a conquering force, resistance will build.'
Tamil Nadu will elect a new government on April 23.
Will the DMK retain power? Can the AIADMK spring a surprise? And what about Vijay's TVK? A Ganesh Nadar surveys the election landscape a day after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule.
A review of the accuracy of various exit polls in predicting the outcomes of recent assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu, highlighting the performance of different pollsters.
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
The Congress party is considering supporting TVK in forming a government in Tamil Nadu, following a request from TVK chief Vijay. The party leadership has directed the Tamil Nadu unit to make a final decision, keeping in mind the state's sentiments and commitment to a secular government.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar informed TVK chief Vijay that his party lacks the necessary support to form the government. TVK is intensifying efforts to gain support from Left parties, VCK, and IUML. The Governor's decision has sparked protests and political debate in the state.
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislature Party have decided to extend its full support to the TVK to form the government, AICC Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar said in a statement citing TVK chief Vijay's request seeking support.
The TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member strong Tamil Nadu assembly in the recently held elections. 118 is the majority mark to form the government.
DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin reiterated his call for the abolition of Sanatana Dharma, claiming it divides people, during his maiden speech as the Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. He also addressed concerns regarding the positioning of the Tamil invocation song in government events.
If current trends persist, the Congress risks becoming increasingly regionally concentrated, dependent on a handful of states rather than functioning as a truly pan-India political force.
AIADMK MLAs have been moved to Puducherry amid TVK's efforts to secure a majority in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, according to an AIADMK spokesperson.
A professor at Anna University in Chennai has been arrested following allegations of sexual harassment and stalking, sparking student protests and calls for improved campus safety measures.
The DMK has strongly criticised the Congress party for exiting their alliance in Tamil Nadu, accusing them of betrayal and opportunistic behaviour. The DMK claims the Congress has undermined the stability of the state government and risked the progress made in the last five years.
As results of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry are declared, here's how the big names fared.
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