TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release the pending central dues to West Bengal before professing his love for the state. Banerjee also criticised BJP leaders and defended the 'Jai Bangla' slogan.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the Union government over the hike in commercial LPG prices, accusing the Centre of taking from the people while the Mamata Banerjee administration provides relief. He challenged the Prime Minister to release a white paper detailing central funds allocation in Cooch Behar.
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.
'...the enormous responsibility and faith the youth has put on his shoulders, that he is going to solve their problems.'
'Narendra Modi -- a man with deep and vital experience of Indian politics -- has seen the BJP lose many elections between 1975 and 2015, and with every defeat, he learned lessons that made sure he would never allow his party to be defeated so easily again.'
The delimitation in Assam has quietly changed the political scene, raising questions about whether new constituency boundaries helped the BJP by spreading out Muslim-majority voters.
The real surprise in these results came from Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM. Of the 29 Muslim candidates who got elected to the 227-strong BMC, the Congress and the AIMIM between them bagged 22.
'They will have to adjust themselves to the new reality. Because if they don't understand this changed political perception, their future will be difficult.'
The BJP must respect Bengal's pluralistic ethos and with this historic mandate give the state the constructive change it truly deserves, expects Kolkata native Payal Singh Mohanka.
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).
A 2008 court judgment has brought renewed focus on the provisions given to minority institutions in choosing their heads, amid a fresh tussle between Delhi University and St Stephen's College over the appointment of the college principal.
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.
Courts cannot be the only hope for those fighting hate speech. Countering its effects on the ground takes more effort. With our political parties unwilling to put in that amount of effort, it's left to citizens to do so, points out Jyoti Punwani.
The Bhabanipur assembly segment is Banerjee's political bastion, where she is locked in a prestige battle against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in what is being seen as a symbolic rematch of Nandigram, where he had defeated her in the 2021 assembly polls.
What is missing in the BJP's armour is dominance over 50 percent of the electorate: Women. And this is a gamble Modi-Shah have indicated that they are willing to take, explains Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
The BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal has not merely redrawn the electoral map but overturned the operating logic of politics in the state, breaching the TMC's entrenched fortress despite a decade-and-a-half of dominance, minority consolidation, and a sustained "outsider" narrative.
In Tamil Nadu, the political landscape is shifting as the TVK party's attempt to form a government faces challenges from its potential allies. Both the DMK and AIADMK are experiencing internal divisions regarding extending support to the TVK, leading to uncertainty and speculation about potential realignments.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the schedule for the second board examinations for Class 10, which will take place from May 15 to May 21. The exams are optional and offer students a chance to improve their scores or clear failed subjects.
Following their success in the West Bengal assembly elections, BJP leaders are now focusing on winning the Punjab assembly polls in 2027, promising to rid the state of corruption and drugs under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In West Bengal's political circles, it was widely believed that after Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikhari was perhaps the only leader with a truly significant mass base of his own.
'We should expect extreme heat, extreme rains, floods, landslides and maybe cyclones. Not just this year, in the coming year as well.'
A BJP government in Bengal inherits more problems than it might care to admit at its moment of triumph, points out Ramesh Menon
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the BJP would not allow any intruders into West Bengal if they win the state election, and would selectively root out illegal immigrants already present.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the BJP of using central agencies to undermine Mamata Banerjee in the West Bengal elections, alleging a lack of public support for the saffron party.
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.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticises the Union government over the hike in commercial LPG prices, accusing the Centre of 'taking' from people while the Mamata Banerjee administration provides relief. He also challenged the BJP to present a report card of its work in Rajganj constituency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee will hold a virtual meeting with counting agents to ensure there are no lapses during the vote counting process.
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.
Actor-politician Vijay's newly formed party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has made a surprising and strong showing in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, leading in nearly 100 constituencies and leaving established Dravidian parties like DMK and AIADMK trailing.
Ishan Kishan's impressive 70 and Pat Cummins's three-wicket haul led Sunrisers Hyderabad to a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings, securing their place in the IPL 2026 playoffs. Heinrich Klaasen's contribution of 47 runs also proved vital in the win.
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.
The Congress and BJP in Uttarakhand are engaged in a war of words over the alleged Champawat rape case, which police have now deemed a fabricated incident stemming from a long-standing dispute. Both parties accuse each other of political manipulation and attempting to tarnish the other's image.
An analysis of seats across the five states shows that the race was won on tighter margins than five years ago, except for Punjab and Uttarakhand.
'She was not a yes person. She would tell the truth and her feelings to Indira Gandhi, and Indira Gandhi would value her opinion. The same was the case with Rajiv Gandhi who would value her opinion.'
The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
India emerged reasonably well from 2025. But now, the oil shock and war-related supply disruptions have again driven funds out of India and significantly weakened the rupee, points out Ajay Chhibber.
Kerala recorded a high voter turnout in the Assembly elections, with over 77 per cent of eligible voters casting their ballots. The election is crucial as it will determine whether the LDF secures a rare third consecutive term, the UDF stages a comeback, or the NDA makes deeper inroads into Kerala's political landscape.
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.
'The entire party is centred around one man and that is Arvind Kejriwal.' 'Till the time you are in Kejriwal's good books you are powerful. The day you are not with him, you are no one in the party.'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised to resolve the decades-old Gorkha issue within six months if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal, addressing a rally in Kurseong, Darjeeling district.
