If TVK MLAs and ministers are perceived as clean, or demonstrably cleaner than their predecessors, the credibility dividend will be enormous. The voter will feel rewarded, points out Ramesh Menon.
The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, a constituent of the Bhaatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, has staked claim to 32 seats for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with the aim to wrest the Samajwadi Party's stronghold of Azamgarh.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has refuted claims by the TMC that the BJP would ban meat and fish consumption if it wins the West Bengal assembly elections. Sarma clarified that only beef consumption is restricted in Assam and accused the TMC of wanting to continue cattle smuggling to Bangladesh for their own benefit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, citing misrule and corruption, and urged voters to elect the BJP for development and progress.
West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul announced that the state government will ensure women's freedom of movement at any time and prioritise their complaints. CCTV monitoring will be introduced across civic bodies to enhance transparency and curb corruption. The government also plans to address illegal activities such as toll plazas, sand extraction, and coal mining, while streamlining welfare schemes and improving infrastructure projects.
Madhya Pradesh BJP president Hemant Khandelwal has termed the land scam allegations against Yadav as "baseless", saying whenever the state has a CM from the backward class, the Congress attempts to weaken him.
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal of inciting post-poll violence by disguising its workers as BJP supporters. The BJP asserts its cadres have never engaged in violence after election victories and claims the TMC is acting out of frustration after suffering a crushing defeat in the assembly polls.
A close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was shot dead in West Bengal, leading to accusations of political violence and demands for investigation.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a severe leadership crisis as former minister Jyoti Priya Mallick resigned from all party organisational posts citing health, and senior North Bengal leader Goutam Deb stepped down as mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, amidst widespread internal rifts and electoral setbacks.
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.
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.
Senior Congress leader Arun Yadav has criticised the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, alleging neglect of farmers and the enabling of mafia activities.
According to pollster Pradeep Gupta, years of TMC "misrule" that created a "climate of fear", Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma and the organisational abilities of Amit Shah and the RSS brought the BJP to power in West Bengal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, accusing it of misrule and hindering the state's progress. He appealed to voters to remove the TMC from power in the upcoming assembly elections, promising development and a corruption-free government under the BJP.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of striking a Rs 1,000-crore deal to unseat the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from power in the state, alleging bribery, manipulation of electoral rolls, and disrespect towards women by central forces.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has criticised the BJP-led central government following ED raids on state minister Sanjeev Arora, alleging political harassment and misuse of central agencies.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin has pledged to change place names deemed antithetical to West Bengal's culture and address Bangladeshi infiltration if the party wins the state election.
'The BJP successfully merged governance with identity. That's a powerful combination in Assam's political context.'
'SIT means nothing because the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh and Ram Janmabhoomi Trust are the same people.'
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya advocated a new land policy to facilitate large-scale industrialisation and assured investors of a 'fearless' environment in the state.
A BJP MLA in Madhya Pradesh is facing criticism after his son was accused of injuring five people in a car accident. The MLA allegedly made disparaging remarks against an IPS officer who took action in the case, further escalating the controversy.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari denies political vendetta in the signature forgery probe involving TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, stating the investigation stems from complaints by TMC MLAs.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini predicts a BJP government in West Bengal, citing a desire for development and change among the state's residents.
A Punjab BJP delegation has requested a CBI investigation into the suicide of a Punjab State Warehousing Corporation official, alleging harassment and a cover-up by the state government.
A Congress leader in Madhya Pradesh has criticised the BJP government following the death of a forest guard, alleging the state is being run by mining mafias with political protection.
The 2026 election appears to have reinforced a new political formula in Assam: Strong organisation, continuous grassroots engagement, effective alliance management and welfare-based voter outreach.
Amid cross-voting from both ruling and Opposition ranks, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti on Monday swept 16 of the 17 Maharashtra Legislative Council seats from local authorities' constituencies even as Nashik delivered a surprise defeat to the governing bloc.
The NCERT has included in the class 9 social science textbook a section on Emergency, which it described as "one of the major challenges to democracy in India" with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailing the move saying future generations should know about the "dark deeds".
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that the building plan for the collapsed Kolkata warehouse, which killed 10 people, was approved despite a faulty design and bears the signature of former mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim. Adhikari announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the deceased's families and Rs 1 lakh for the injured, while also suspending all construction work in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area for four weeks for an audit of sanctioned plans.
A scheduled meeting of Trinamool Congress legislators was cancelled due to the absence of most MLAs, attributed to protests following attacks on party leaders. The party has announced further protests against the BJP government.
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.
In the remote tribal village of Pahadpur, preparations are in full swing as it looks to script history.
The TMC has refuted Prime Minister Modi's claim that high voter turnout in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls indicates a mandate for change, asserting it reflects support for Mamata Banerjee and her government's development agenda.
The appointment of senior IAS officer Rathan U Kelkar as secretary to Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has ignited a political controversy, drawing criticism from the CPI(M), CPI, and BJP.
Mr Pradhan is not an especially charismatic leader or a brilliant orator, but his understanding of realpolitik and organisational dynamics makes him the ultimate party man, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar has accused AAP workers of 'hooliganism' at BJP offices across Punjab, while Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini criticised the AAP government in Punjab for alleged corruption following recent ED raids.
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.
Political tensions are escalating in Uttar Pradesh as Samajwadi Party leaders strongly refute Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar's assertions of an impending split within the SP.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed confidence that the party would eventually capture power in the state, drawing parallels to the party's growth in West Bengal.
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.
