This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
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.
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.
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.
The mother of Chandranath Rath, who was murdered shortly after the Assembly poll results, is demanding life imprisonment for those responsible, alleging the killing was revenge for Mamata Banerjee's defeat against Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur.
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.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly refuted Rahul Gandhi's claims of collusion between the LDF and BJP in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, accusing the Congress leader and his party of being the BJP's 'B-team'. The Congress has retaliated, alleging that Vijayan is trying to appease Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah.
For over a decade, the TMC's dominance in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur rested on a near-complete consolidation of Muslim votes, a bloc that accounts for 50 per cent or more of the population in large parts of this belt.
The campaign for elections to 51 urban local bodies, including four municipal corporations in Himachal Pradesh, concluded on Friday, with key issues including infrastructure, tourism, and fuel prices taking centre stage.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP-led central government of planning to increase fuel prices after the West Bengal assembly elections. He challenged the BJP to promise no price hikes for LPG, petrol, and diesel over the next five years.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, has died at the age of 79. Leaders across the political spectrum have expressed their condolences.
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.
Former Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta has announced that the Lokayukta has dismissed a corruption complaint filed against him. The complaint, which accused Gupta of availing luxury vehicles and encroaching public land, was rejected by the Lokayukta court.
The Punjab Police has reportedly withdrawn the security cover for Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh after he switched from AAP to BJP. This follows protests by AAP workers outside the residences of Singh and other defectors.
Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee claims 64 dissident TMC MLAs have submitted their names to the Speaker, constituting over two-thirds of the party's Assembly strength, and has called for a floor test to verify their claims of support amidst a widening split within the Trinamool Congress.
Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is grappling with an unprecedented political crisis following its recent electoral defeat, which has seen a significant number of its legislators openly challenging her authority and forming a rebel faction.
Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has called for a special session of the Haryana Assembly to address the state's deteriorating law and order situation. Citing central government and NCRB reports, Hooda highlighted Haryana's unsafe status, high organised crime rates, and alarming statistics on rapes, murders, and suicides, alleging the BJP government's negligence.
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for thanking US President Donald Trump, arguing that India's sovereignty and national interest should be paramount. Kejriwal questioned the basis of Modi's gratitude, citing incidents involving attacks on ships carrying Indians and the deaths of Indian nationals, and called for strong leadership to protect India's interests.
Amidst the INDIA bloc conclave in Delhi, a significant number of Trinamool Congress MPs convened a closed-door meeting, signalling a deepening internal rebellion and discontent within the party's parliamentary ranks following recent electoral setbacks.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has stated that the ban on the Cockroach Janata Party's social media handles is a symptom of widespread frustration among India's youth regarding employment, competitive examinations, and economic pressures, urging the government to address these concerns through policy changes.
Citing Indian culture, the minister said that he considered women as a "form of goddess".
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.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Dina Patil allegedly abused and threatened journalists, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to ask him to express regret. The incident occurred after journalists questioned Patil about a letter from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and his daughter's political stance, leading to a political controversy.
BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar dismisses Rahul Gandhi's charge of a BJP-CPI(M) understanding in Kerala as baseless, asserting the NDA is competitive and criticising Congress's performance.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said there are some parties that have expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons.
The Kerala High Court has admitted an appeal by CMRL against a single-judge verdict allowing the ED to continue its money laundering investigation into the company's dealings with Veena T, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Odisha Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the attack on a BJD leader and chairperson in the Ganjam district. The incident sparked political reactions and protests, with investigations ongoing to determine the exact cause.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly attacked by locals during a visit to Sonarpur, West Bengal, to meet families affected by post-poll violence.
West Bengal Police intensify their investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, recovering a second motorcycle and searching for a car suspected to be involved in the crime.
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.
A 32-year-old man from Barabanki has been arrested for allegedly posting objectionable remarks on social media against BJP MLA Anupama Jaiswal, who sustained injuries while burning effigies of opposition leaders at a public event.
Assam Police conducted a search operation at the residence of Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi following an incident on polling day in the Khowang constituency. The search was related to allegations against the BJP and a subsequent physical altercation between AJP and BJP workers.
The protest was triggered by alleged attacks following the BJP's victory in recent assembly elections.
A man was detained at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Assam government after being found with live bullets during security screening. The incident occurred shortly before the oath-taking ceremony, attended by high-profile BJP leaders and other dignitaries.
An elephant ran amok in a residential area of Thrissur, Kerala, causing damage to vehicles and property and creating panic among residents before being subdued by its mahouts.
A Goa Congress MLA has filed a new complaint against right-wing leader Gautam Khattar, citing an old video of him allegedly making derogatory statements about St Francis Xavier.
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata residence was raided by police and central forces for over four hours in connection with a financial fraud case, targeting his close aide Sumit Roy, whose mobile phone was last traced to the property.
The BJP will focus on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development agenda in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, rather than projecting a chief ministerial candidate, according to state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya.
A political controversy has erupted in West Bengal following the emergence of an alleged video of Humayun Kabir, purportedly claiming links with senior BJP leaders and efforts to defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Assembly elections.
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.
