The outcome of the assembly elections will not only determine AIUDF's immediate relevance but could also shape its long-term role in Assam's political landscape.
Launched in 2024, the TVK has Vijay's shift into politics was not sudden as he had been doing groundwork since 2009, when he launched his fan club, the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gifting 'Melody' toffees to Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, calling it a 'gimmick' while India faces an 'economic storm'. He accused Modi of prioritising public relations over addressing the struggles of farmers, labourers, and youth, a sentiment echoed by other Congress leaders.
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 Supreme Court has permitted the NIA to file its charge sheet upon completion of the investigation into the incident in West Bengal where judicial officers were illegally confined by a mob.
'I repeatedly contacted the party leadership, but they didn't take my calls. The District Congress Committee offered no assistance.' 'I waited for a long time, and when no response came, I decided to quit the party.'
BJP president Nitin Nabin has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and opposition parties like the Congress for the setback in implementing women's reservation in legislatures.
Hearings under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were underway in West Bengal, focusing on 'unmapped' voters who are unable to establish linkage with the 2002 electoral roll. Many people are being asked to prove their citizenship.
'What we are witnessing is a massive anti-incumbency wave that has cut across all social and political divides.'
A Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and increasing Lok Sabha seats was defeated in Parliament, marking a setback for the government's efforts to empower women in politics.
'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...'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused central forces of searching her car and criticised the BJP for alleged election misconduct during a rally in Islampur, Uttar Dinajpur district.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserts the BJP will form a government in West Bengal and address the issue of infiltration, accusing Mamata Banerjee of allowing it for vote-bank politics.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Mamata Banerjee government of favouring infiltrators over the native population in West Bengal, asserting that the upcoming assembly election is a battle to save the state's identity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC of sheltering goons who torture women and promised citizenship to refugees in West Bengal. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to women's security by giving poll tickets to victims of violence.
'Among the leaders whose names are going around, V D Satheesan is the leader who will fit this kind of situation.'
The TMC's defeat in West Bengal signals an institutional breakdown, highlighting the collapse of its organisational core and raising questions about its sustainability beyond its top leadership.
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is on track for a significant victory in Nepal's general elections, potentially reshaping the country's political landscape.
The high-intensity election campaign in Tamil Nadu concluded with accusations and counter-accusations between the DMK and AIADMK, while new entrant TVK made its presence felt. Key issues included state autonomy, corruption, law and order, and the delimitation bill.
Aranmula, Kerala, prepares for Assembly elections with a focus on development, health sector performance, and religious sentiments, as incumbent Health Minister Veena George faces challenges from Congress and BJP candidates.
Congress leader K Muraleedharan criticises blaming communities for voting choices in Kerala, responding to BJP leaders' remarks about the Catholic church. He also expresses confidence in the UDF's prospects in the upcoming election and criticises the Election Commission's arrangements.
'The AIADMK will lose a lot of votes simply because it is aligned with the BJP.'
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.
'EPS exposed all the traitors. The DMK has given them political asylum. They are political orphans.'
'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.
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.
A recount of postal ballots in the Sringeri Assembly constituency has resulted in a reduction of votes for Congress MLA T D Raje Gowda, following a High Court order. The Election Commission has been notified for further action.
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.
'The BJP's tally may dip, but the NDA is likely to retain power.'
Whether Vijay has the political spine to stitch together a stable government from this patchwork of conditions, demands, and midnight drama is the question Tamil Nadu is living through right now.
Intense lobbying is underway in Kerala as V D Satheesan, K C Venugopal, and Ramesh Chennithala vie for the chief minister's post, with their camps citing popularity, MLA support, and experience as key factors for the Congress high command's decision.
'If the BJP becomes our political identity, our political face, if we are represented by the BJP, then what happens to our identity as Bengalis?'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Mamata Banerjee government of favouring infiltrators over the native population, asserting that the upcoming assembly election in West Bengal is a battle to save the state's identity.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
The BJP, especially in its current edition under the prime minister, is clear that it seeks total exclusion of India's largest minority against whom it holds historical resentment, points out Aakar Patel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the ruling TMC in West Bengal, alleging corruption and appeasement politics, while promoting the BJP's development agenda ahead of the assembly elections.
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.
'Samrat Chaudhury's limited independent standing within the party, his reliance on the central leadership for his elevation, and his lack of a personal mass base all point toward this outcome.'
