The electorate did not vote for the BJP as much as they voted against the TMC. This is an important distinction that the new government will ignore at its own peril, points out Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
'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.'
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of resorting to 'dramabazi' in front of a counting centre. Adhikari claims Banerjee's actions are futile and will not alter the election outcome.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged BJP candidate Ratna Debnath to appeal to PM Modi to ensure the Aparajita Bill, aimed at time-bound punishment for rape convicts, is enacted.
What lessons opposition parties need to learn post defeat of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal elections? The election saw spectacular victor of BJP which rose from 3 seats in 2016 to 206 seats in 2026 assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Jangipur, West Bengal, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and addressing concerns about infiltration and demographic changes in the state.
The mother of Chandranath Rath, who was murdered shortly after the Assembly poll results, is demanding life imprisonment for those responsible, alleging the killing was revenge for Mamata Banerjee's defeat against Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deploying its entire machinery, including Union ministers and NDA-ruled state CMs, to defeat her party in the West Bengal assembly elections. She also criticised the BJP's promises to migrant workers and alleged the misuse of central forces during the polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that the BJP would form the next government in West Bengal after the assembly polls, asserting that he would return to the state for the oath-taking ceremony after results are announced on May 4.
Thirty-five BJP MLAs were sworn in as ministers as part of an expansion of the Suvendu Adhikari-led cabinet in West Bengal. The oath-taking ceremony took place weeks after Adhikari was sworn in as chief minister.
Polling for West Bengal's remaining 142 assembly seats will be held in the second phase on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
The TMC and BJP have engaged in a blame game following a chaotic Lionel Messi event at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, which saw spectators storming the field and the main organiser being arrested for alleged mismanagement.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals that a significant number of candidates contesting the first phase of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who won both the Nandigram and Bhabanipur seats in West Bengal, has announced he will vacate one of the constituencies within 10 days, leaving the decision to the party leadership.
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.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee has commented on the Supreme Court judgment regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, emphasising its specific application to the Bihar case and highlighting the Election Commission's limited authority in determining citizenship.
West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday suspended its Bharatpur MLA Humayun Kabir, who had triggered a storm with the proposal to build 'Babri Masjid' in Murshidabad district.
The Election Commission has directed the police to take strict action regarding an objectionable social media post allegedly targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
A political controversy has erupted in West Bengal following the emergence of an alleged video of Humayun Kabir, purportedly claiming links with senior BJP leaders and efforts to defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Suvendu Adhikari's rise within the BJP in West Bengal has been marked by strategic victories and relentless opposition to the TMC, culminating in his leadership role within the party's legislative wing.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses political rivals of being BJP agents and promises to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens in West Bengal. He also criticises the BJP's poll promises and highlights the TMC's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly refusing to accept the electoral mandate, claiming democracy is being 'held at gunpoint' in the state.
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.
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.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur believes PM Modi's purchase of 'jhalmuri' in Jhargram will influence the West Bengal Assembly polls, contrasting it with CM Mamata Banerjee's actions. He also criticised the TMC government for blocking central schemes and failing to ensure women's safety.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, promising development, accountability, and an end to corruption if the BJP wins the upcoming assembly elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP-led central government of using the proposed amendment to the women's quota law as a front for the Delimitation Bill, which she claims will divide the country. She asserted that her party will fight this move at every step.
The West Bengal government will resume the rural employment scheme under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen) Act in all districts of the state, barring Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas, where allegations of irregularities in its implementation are being investigated.
The Congress party has alleged that the death of a party worker in Asansol, West Bengal, was a political murder, while police say it was the result of an altercation over car parking.
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.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has expressed the state government's desire for the Tata Group to return to Singur, viewing it as an economic necessity and a signal that West Bengal is open for business. The move aims to reverse the negative perception created when the Nano project was forced out of the state.
The West Bengal government has further scaled down security arrangements for several political leaders, former officials, and other prominent individuals after a review of threat perceptions.
The West Bengal government has mandated the singing of 'Vande Mataram' at assembly prayers in all madrassas with immediate effect. This decision follows a similar directive for all schools in the state and aims to bring uniformity in assembly practices across institutions.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused central forces of attempting to search her car while en route to Kolkata airport, alleging misuse of central machinery by the BJP ahead of state elections.
The EC also underlined that for electors whose enumeration forms have not returned, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) would identify a probable cause, such as absent, shifted, dead and duplicate entry based on an inquiry from the nearby electors and would note the same.
Five BJP supporters were injured in a bomb blast in Panihati, West Bengal, following the shooting of a BJP leader's aide. Police are investigating the incident and have increased security in the area.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP for not fulfilling its promises, highlighting the continuation of West Bengal's welfare schemes and challenging the BJP to match them in their ruled states.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state government will introduce a new recruitment policy in the next Budget session to address irregularities and scams that occurred during the previous Trinamool Congress government.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP for not fulfilling its promises, highlighting the continuation of West Bengal's welfare schemes and challenging the BJP to implement similar initiatives in their ruled states.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has written to Mumbai authorities, urging them to stop the offering of namaz on public roads, claiming it causes traffic disruption and inconvenience. Trinamool Congress leader Majeed Memon agreed that namaz on roads should not be allowed due to inconvenience but attributed it to a lack of mosque space.
