Incidents of violence and vandalism were reported from parts of West Bengal during the early hours of voting in the second phase of the assembly elections on Wednesday, police said. The incidents were reported from multiple locations, including Chapra, Shantipur, Nimtala and Bhangar, they said.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed confidence in the party's future in the state, drawing parallels with the BJP's growth in West Bengal. He highlighted the party's focus on development and its commitment to addressing people's issues in the Assembly.
Counting is underway for municipal corporations in Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat, with BJP mayoral candidates leading. Elections were held on Sunday for various municipal bodies across Haryana.
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.
SNDP Yogam leader Vellappally Natesan has claimed that the IUML's support for V D Satheesan as chief minister indicates the League will hold significant power if the UDF wins the Kerala Assembly polls.
Polling for West Bengal's remaining 142 assembly seats will be held in the second phase on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
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.
'India should hold several high-level chess tournaments that would attract the world's top players so that the country will have a say in the game.'
In Tiruppur (North), where the TVK victory margin of 69,992 votes was higher than the 61,760 votes polled by the major Dravidian parties combined -- DMK got 351 votes and AIADMK 61,409 votes.
Clashes between BJP and Congress workers briefly disrupted polling in the Mannadipet Assembly Constituency in Puducherry. Police intervened to disperse the crowd and restore order.
Actor-turned-politician and Trinamool Congress MP Rukmini Mallick, popularly known as Koel Mallick, on Thursday resigned from the Rajya Sabha, the fourth TMC MP to do so ever since the Mamata Banerjee-led party was ousted from power in West Bengal.
Clashes erupted between locals and security personnel in West Bengal's Birbhum district after allegations of EVM malfunctioning triggered tension during the first phase of the state assembly elections.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) reported a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in Q1 FY27 profit attributable to owners, reaching Rs 3,926 crore, surpassing analyst estimates, despite facing significant supply-chain disruptions in West Asia.
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.
India's youngest municipal chairperson, Diya Binu, on Tuesday lost office after a no-confidence motion moved by the Left Democratic Front was passed in Kerala's Pala Municipality with the support of rebel Congress councillors, ending the United Democratic Front's rule in the civic body.
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.
A parliamentary committee is actively working to establish a mechanism for implementing the 'One Nation, One Election' reform, with its chairperson, PP Chaudhary, indicating that it could be fully operational by the 2029 general elections. Chaudhary highlighted that nearly 99 per cent of civil society stakeholders consulted have supported the proposal, which aims to mitigate an estimated Rs 7 lakh crore economic loss due to frequent polls.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has alleged large-scale irregularities in the West Bengal assembly polls, questioning the counting process and the role of election officials and security forces. He claimed EVMs could be replaced, influencing the election outcome.
The campaign for elections to 51 urban local bodies, including four municipal corporations in Himachal Pradesh, concluded on Friday, with key issues including infrastructure, tourism, and fuel prices taking centre stage.
Commuters in Kolkata and surrounding areas are experiencing significant difficulties due to a shortage of buses, as many vehicles remain engaged in election duties related to the West Bengal polls. Normal service is not expected to resume until after the counting process on May 4.
The appointment of Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer as the Chief Minister's secretary has ignited a political firestorm, raising questions about election credibility and sparking accusations of hypocrisy among political parties.
West Bengal's final phase of assembly elections focuses on the TMC's southern stronghold, where the BJP aims to make inroads. The outcome will determine whether Mamata Banerjee's party retains its dominance or if the BJP can secure a path to power.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in Howrah and Haroa areas of West Bengal in the run-up to the second phase of polling. Clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters in Howrah, while a police sub-inspector was injured in Haroa during a clash between TMC and ISF supporters.
A Chhattisgarh Armed Force constable, recently returned from election duty in West Bengal, allegedly committed suicide at his rented house in Dhamtari city, following a dispute with his wife.
Dharmendra Pradhan's political career faced an unexpected jolt as he resigned as Education Minister following nationwide protests over the NEET paper leak, marking a significant departure from the government's initial dismissive response to the agitation.
The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday held its Martyrs' Day programme in Kolkata after several years, commemorating the youth wing workers killed in the 1993 police firing, and said the attendance at the gathering marked the party's revival in the state.
Chennai police arrested ten foreign nationals, including four women, for allegedly casting illegal votes in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections using fraudulent identity documents.
Infosys has revised down the upper end of its revenue growth target for financial year 2027 (FY27) to 1.5-3 per cent, from the earlier 1.5-3.5 per cent, attributing the change to persistent macroeconomic uncertainty and a one-time client impact.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to probe the recovery of 79 crude bombs in West Bengal following a directive from the Union Home Ministry.
West Bengal prohibits victory rallies following election result announcements and addresses concerns regarding agents' access to counting centres.
West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday saw a massive voter participation during the ongoing assembly elections, with turnout reaching 89.93 per cent and 82.24 per cent respectively by 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
The Election Commission of India has prohibited the conduct and dissemination of exit polls from April 9 to April 29 during the upcoming assembly elections in several states. Violators face imprisonment or fines.
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.
Chennai police arrested 10 foreign nationals for allegedly casting illegal votes in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections using fraudulent documents.
The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has completed one year, leading to the deletion of nearly six crore voters across 19 states and Union territories. This exercise, which began in Bihar, has faced opposition criticism but was upheld by the Supreme Court. The purification drive has significant implications, including linking voter data to social security benefits in some states.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the deployment of CRPF armoured vehicles during the Assembly elections, accusing the BJP-led Centre of using government resources to favour their party. She also addressed concerns of potato farmers and urged them to sell their produce in other states.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise the state and create an atmosphere of fear ahead of upcoming elections, following twin blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar.
NIA begins probe into Bhangar crude bomb case after 79 explosives recovered in West Bengal, raising serious security concerns ahead of elections.
Senior Congress leader M K Raghavan has criticised the party's decision to bar MPs from contesting in the recent Kerala Assembly elections, attributing it to the stubbornness of some party leaders rather than a high command directive.
A TMC MP was allegedly attacked and a CISF jawan was shot in separate incidents of violence in southern West Bengal, ahead of the second phase of elections. The incidents have sparked political accusations and investigations.
