The BJP has achieved significant victories in the Haryana municipal corporation elections, securing wins in Ambala and Sonipat, and leading in Panchkula. The party also won the president's post in Sampla, a stronghold of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, where the Congress did not field a candidate.
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.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government of diverting resources to 'Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators' and warned of losing Bengal if she remains in power.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini celebrated the BJP's victory in the recent civic body elections, attributing the win to public confidence in the party's development-focused governance and rejection of the Congress' negative politics.
The chief minister is 'more upset with the Assam police than with Pawan Khera.'
The BJP has secured significant victories in the Haryana municipal corporation elections, winning in Ambala and Sonipat, and leading in Panchkula. The party also won the president's post in Sampla, a stronghold of former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, where the Congress did not field a candidate.
The government has appointed Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani (Retd) as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who shall also function as the secretary to the government of India, department of military affairs, with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated senior BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar at a swearing-in ceremony in West Bengal. Sarkar, 98, is an early grassroots figure associated with the nationalist movement. Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the state's first BJP Chief Minister after defeating Mamata Banerjee.
The bail application of Shyamkanu Mahanta, a key accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death case, was heard by the Special Fast Track court in Guwahati, with the prosecution opposing it due to discrepancies in his statements and evidence related to alcohol supply to the late singer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Northeast's first Emergency Landing Facility in Assam, boosting regional defense and disaster response capabilities.
A downsizing in the prime minister's convoy was implemented in his recent domestic visits, official sources said.
The AINRC-led NDA has won the Puducherry Assembly elections and is set to form the government. Chief Minister N Rangasamy won both seats he contested.
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Officials said the digital ban was intended to disrupt ideological channels that facilitate cross-border radicalisation, particularly in areas where socio-economic vulnerabilities are exploited by extremist networks.
Women voters in West Bengal appear to be shifting their priorities beyond financial assistance, placing greater emphasis on governance and accountability, according to post-election analysis. This shift may have contributed to the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) losses in the recent assembly election, as the BJP's promises and other factors influenced voter sentiment.
The Election Commission reports a significant increase in seizures of inducements during recent assembly elections, with Tamil Nadu leading in cash seizures and West Bengal in liquor and drugs.
Amritpal Singh, chief of 'Waris Punjab De', will be formally arrested again by Punjab Police after his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) ends. He will remain in Dibrugarh Central Jail, where he has been lodged for three years, and face trial via video-conferencing in the Ajnala police station attack case.
'General Subramani's appointment as military adviser in the NSCS has given him insight into decision-making at the apex level prior to formally taking over as CDS.'
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
'Once demographic fear becomes campaign language, it legitimises social targeting.'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of corruption and land grabbing, promising action if the Congress party wins the upcoming elections in Assam. Gandhi also criticised the BJP's governance and economic policies.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered that Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, currently detained in Dibrugarh jail, Assam, will appear virtually before a trial court in Amritsar for the 2023 Ajnala police station attack case.
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.
The Trinamool Congress has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to experience West Bengal's 'Maa Canteen' during his visit for election campaigning, offering a meal for Rs 5. The TMC also criticised Modi's remarks on infiltration, linking it to the Home Minister's responsibilities.
By asking Vijay to produce letters of majority support before inviting him to form the government, the governor risks overstepping established Constitutional principles, notes Harishchandra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to citizens to adopt austerity measures, including avoiding destination weddings abroad and reducing edible oil consumption, to mitigate the impact of the West Asia crisis on India's economy.
The Left Democratic Front's defeat in Kerala marks a historic moment as Left parties are without power in any state for the first time in decades, highlighting their diminishing political influence across India.
Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani (retd) has been appointed as India's next Chief of Defence Staff, succeeding Gen Anil Chauhan. Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been named the next Chief of the Naval Staff, succeeding Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi. Lt Gen Subramani's primary mandate will be to implement the military theaterisation plan and bolster tri-services synergy.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly criticised the Congress party for making what he claims are unverified allegations against him and his family, including accusations of undeclared assets and multiple passports held by his wife. Sarma has vowed to pursue legal action against Congress leaders, including Pawan Khera, and has accused them of spreading misinformation.
The Gauhati High Court has established a fast-track court to expedite the trial proceedings in the Zubeen Garg death case, following the singer's death in Singapore. The court will be headed by Sharmila Bhuyan, and the decision aims to ensure timely justice.
Senior Congress leader Arun Yadav has criticised the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, alleging neglect of farmers and the enabling of mafia activities.
A day after the Assam police searched his Delhi residence, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday moved the Telangana high court seeking anticipatory bail in a case filed in Guwahati in connection with his allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.
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.
The situation in Kokrajhar escalated late on January 19 after a Scorpio vehicle carrying three Bodo individuals hit two Adivasi persons at Mansingh Road under the Karigaon police outpost.
The Congress party has accused the government of using women's reservation as a pretext to push through delimitation, arguing that the women's quota law should be implemented immediately based on the current Lok Sabha strength.
The Narcotics Control Bureau, in coordination with Assam Rifles and Manipur Police, seized drugs worth Rs 8.5 crore from Manipur's Churachandpur district and arrested two individuals involved in the trafficking.
This is the time for India to plan forward fully, with the goal of Atmanirbharata, and energy security. The Persian Gulf is no longer a reliable source, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister defends the demand by Congress MLAs for VIP IPL tickets, asserting their entitlement as part of the government.
The government has dismissed speculation of an imminent increase in petrol and diesel prices, assuring citizens that there are no plans for a hike despite rising crude oil costs.
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