Congress leader K Muraleedharan has dismissed the BJP's influence in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections, accusing the party of failing to fulfil its promises to the state.
Suvendu Adhikari's rise within the BJP in West Bengal has been marked by strategic victories and relentless opposition to the TMC, culminating in his leadership role within the party's legislative wing.
West Bengal is on edge as it awaits the results of its recent election, with the TMC and BJP vying for control. The counting process will be conducted under tight security, with the Election Commission implementing stringent measures to ensure a fair and transparent process.
'Vijay entered politics at a much better age compared to Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan. His fans are young and he has at least 2-3 decades ahead of him.'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that central forces will remain deployed in West Bengal for at least seven more days after the assembly elections, assuring voters of security during and after the polls.
In Puducherry, where constituencies have fewer than 30,000 electors on average, it is usual for N Rangaswamy to call out people he knows by name during his roadside election meetings.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence regarding Pakistan's defence minister's threat to attack Kolkata. Banerjee accuses Modi of prioritising election campaigns over national security concerns.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has approached the Delhi High Court seeking a ban on AI-generated deepfake videos that purportedly show him praising Pakistan. The court has issued summons to social media platforms and the Centre, indicating it may pass an interim order in Tharoor's favour.
'Look at the way SIR that was implemented in Bengal. They wanted to entirely curate the voter list in order to suit their purposes and victory.' 'Look at the targeted deletions and the targeted voting list.' 'The difference between the TMC and the BJP was only about 4% but that 4% vote was done so selectively that the difference ultimately showed up as 100 seats!'
TVK national spokesperson Felix Gerald expressed confidence that the party would form the government in Tamil Nadu with an absolute majority as initial election trends showed the party 'scaling high'.
Kerala's voters are sophisticated, educated, and unforgiving. They have once again made it clear that no government is entitled to remain in power. The Congress would do well to remember this, points out Ramesh Menon.
Prateek Bordoloi's withdrawal after his father's BJP switch underscores Congress' mounting challenges ahead of the Assam elections.
'The AIADMK front comes second, and then the TVK.'
Ruling Congress in Karnataka on Monday retained Bagalkot and Davanagere South assembly seats, giving a respite to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the party leadership, amid the ongoing power tussle over the leadership issue.
'If the BJP becomes our political identity, our political face, if we are represented by the BJP, then what happens to our identity as Bengalis?'
Already, within the week of the election results it became apparent that the Congress' DNA has not changed from its traditional approach to politics as but a game of thrones, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Himachal Pradesh government is set to implement stringent measures, including mandatory drug testing for government jobs and 'bulldozer action' against drug smugglers, to combat the growing menace of 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) in the state.
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.
Vijay's TVK party is on the verge of forming a government in Tamil Nadu, drawing parallels to NTR's earlier success in Andhra Pradesh. Both achieved electoral success shortly after forming their parties, highlighting the potential for film popularity to translate into political gains.
'He worked over time to become the natural claimant,' a senior UDF leader observed. 'Others had organisational stature, but Satheesan had momentum.' For the Congress, it may signal the beginning of a new leadership template -- one where performance, communication and grassroots credibility increasingly outweigh inherited power structures in deciding who leads the party into its next phase.
'The TVK might form a minority government.'
Unlike films that end with the underdog becoming winner and being sworn in at a public ceremony, Vijay's trial by fire is only about to begin, predicts Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Ministers and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav visited BJP MLA Anupama Jaiswal in hospital after she sustained burn injuries during a protest. The incident occurred while she was setting fire to an effigy during a demonstration in support of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'.
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal, marking the end of the Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state.
The Supreme Court has granted anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in a case registered against him for alleging that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife possessed multiple passports and undisclosed properties abroad.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have allowed their allies in a direct duel in 21 constituencies in the April 23 assembly election to prove their strength in their respective strongholds.
Former Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam was released from jail after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged tender scam. He was arrested in May 2024 after a large sum of cash was seized from premises linked to his aide.
Suvendu Adhikari has been elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in West Bengal, paving the way for him to become the state's first BJP chief minister.
One of the standout stories of the TVK victory was that of 30-year-old R Sabarinathan, the son of Vijay's driver from Virugambakkam.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has dismissed speculation about leadership changes within the Congress party, asserting that the government will remain in power until 2028. His statement comes amid ongoing power tussles and speculation about a possible change of chief minister.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested a Kolkata-based businessman, Kamdar, after conducting searches against him and a Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged criminal syndicate in West Bengal.
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.
'If you read the TVK manifesto, it is doles and much more doles. But the state has been habituated to this.' 'In no way is he distinct or different from the DMK regime.'
Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan said the party high command was likely to take a final decision on Kerala's next CM within 24 hours as lobbying intensifies among the three top contenders for the chief minister's post.
Political leaders and candidates should not use children for campaign activities in any manner including holding a child in their arms, carrying a child in a vehicle or in rallies, the poll watchdog said.
Hopefully, the BJP will realise that it's the right time for parivartan (change) in its polarising poll strategies after achieving the impossible-looking goal of winning West Bengal, argues Sheela Bhatt.
'The real fault line in Assam is not Hindu versus Muslim. It is Assamese versus Bengali -- and within that, the specific anxiety about undocumented Bangladeshi settlers claiming land and altering the demographic balance of the state.'
President Donald Trump and other White House officials were evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Association dinner after a shooting outside the venue. A suspect has been apprehended, and Trump addressed the incident in a press conference.
'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.'
Aranmula, Kerala, prepares for Assembly elections with a focus on development, health sector performance, and religious sentiments, as incumbent Health Minister Veena George faces challenges from Congress and BJP candidates.
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