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.
'We ourselves hadn't heard it initially. Many people called us. The entire village was overjoyed.'
Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj alleges the BJP filed an FIR against him for naming a private school in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a three-year-old girl. He claims the FIR is an attempt to silence him and suppress the case due to the school's alleged political connections.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told INDIA bloc leaders that despite public anger indicating a win for the opposition, the main challenge is the alleged lack of free and fair elections due to the BJP's control over state institutions. He urged unity and a strategy of 'resistance' against what he termed election 'theft'.
A Calcutta High Court judge, Gaurang Kant, disclosed that his elder brother is a national spokesperson for the BJP while hearing Mamata Banerjee's petition challenging the Bhabanipur assembly seat poll result. Despite the disclosure, Banerjee's lawyer expressed full confidence in the judge.
The alliance between Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and AIMIM in West Bengal has collapsed following allegations of a multi-crore deal with the BJP, leading to AIMIM's withdrawal and both parties planning to contest the elections independently.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has launched a new political movement focused on 'common man politics,' rejecting personality cults and hereditary power, aiming to position Tamil Nadu as the premier state in India.
Ideology is dead; long live the numbers game that is being played with the sole intention of securing a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha for the NDA, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led a protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in examinations and recruitment tests, while criticising the government for focusing on their social media activity instead of addressing their demands.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Harsh Malhotra as the president of its Delhi unit, sparking speculation about an imminent reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers. This move follows the BJP's 'one person, one post' principle and comes as the party prepares for upcoming elections and a review of ministerial performance.
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of fostering a 'mafia culture' and 'maha jungle raj' in West Bengal following the killing of an aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The party alleges the incident reflects institutionalised post-poll violence in the state and demands a CBI probe.
'You will have the President's rule for 7 to 8 months, And Annamalai will be the hero in those 7 months.'
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a deepening internal crisis marked by fresh resignations and an escalating rebellion, even as its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss opposition coordination and the future of the INDIA bloc.
'Now if you break the party under the 10th Schedule you have to join another party.' 'You cannot join the NDA as it is not a party. You can only join another party, and that is the BJP.' 'So the question to ask is that these so-called 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs who are parting ways with the TMC, are they ready to join the BJP and accept Narendra Modi as their leader?'
The Opposition had the numbers to win one Rajya Sabha seat from Bihar. As it turned out, four MLAs skipped the voting, helping the NDA to sweep the polls.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay's meeting with Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and allegedly with Home Minister Amit Shah has ignited fresh political speculation about his potential defection and the formation of a dissident parliamentary faction, further deepening the turmoil within the Mamata Banerjee-led party.
Tension prevailed in parts of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district after a BJP leader's close aide was shot dead, prompting increased security measures and protests.
A former principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Bhagwandev Israni, has claimed that Congress nominee Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha poll nomination was wrongly rejected, arguing she was not required to disclose information as no FIR or chargesheet had been filed against her.
Suvendu Adhikari and Dilip Ghosh are the top contenders for West Bengal Chief Minister.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has clarified that saffron shawls are not permitted in educational institutions, while existing practices such as hijab, turbans, rudraksha beads, and sacred threads will continue to be allowed.
A complaint was submitted by BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat, contesting the third Rajya Sabha seat, to the Returning Officer alleging that Natarajan deliberately hid information about a case filed against her in Telangana.
Bharat Tiwari, a self-proclaimed social worker, was shot by an STF team after he surrendered near his Bilauti village but succumbed to injuries few hours later on June 17.
'As the Bihar government's focus is on development and infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores, Rishu Sinha created a network to pay a decent commission to government officials for securing tenders.'
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.
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.
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).
'Shivraj Chauhan is coming with a secret slip in which the next chief minister's name is mentioned, it will be known on Tuesday.'
'In the (election) affidavit, he had declared Rs 1,400 crores as his assets. He has educational institutions, real estate, malls, etc.'
In south-eastern Kolkata's Patuli, hundreds of residents gathered outside the local police station to protest against Councillor Bappaditya Dasgupta, who was arrested on Saturday evening, on charges, including extortion, criminal trespass, criminal intimidation and attempted arson.
'We can never trust the BJP when it comes to elections.'
West Bengal's Bharatiya Janata Party government has moved to institutionalise its "detect, delete and deport" policy by directing all district administrations to set up "holding centres" for suspected illegal foreigners and foreign prisoners awaiting repatriation -- a step that appeared to give administrative shape to one of the party's most potent political themes in the state.
Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane sparks controversy by alleging 'corporate jihad' and urging companies to prioritise hiring Hindu candidates to combat perceived religious conversion efforts.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) conducted extensive voter awareness campaigns and small group meetings across West Bengal, encouraging people to vote without fear, while also providing valuable feedback to the BJP on public sentiment and rival strategies.
Rahul Gandhi alleges he is being repeatedly stopped from speaking in the Lok Sabha, during a debate on the resolution to remove the Speaker. He asserted that the House belongs to the entire country, not just one party.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Sanjay Raut claimed on Sunday that many newly elected Shiv Sena corporators, who originally belonged to the Bal Thackery-founded party before its division, do not want a Bharatiya Janata Party mayor in Mumbai.
Sweet shops across West Bengal are preparing themed sweets in anticipation of the election results, reflecting the charged political atmosphere.
'The situation globally is quite challenging, but we have the confidence and courage of conviction that we will come out winners even in this challenging time.'
'When I asked Suvendu about the news that Didi was going to fight in his constituency, he said, 'Aami okhaney lorbo aar okhaney okey harabo (I will contest from there and defeat her there)' This was his comment while we were standing on the truck doing our roadshow.'
The NDA government has gradually nuanced its position on the issue of demographic challenge.
