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.
The Election Commission of India has prohibited the conduct and dissemination of exit polls from April 9 to April 29 during the upcoming assembly elections in several states. Violators face imprisonment or fines.
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.
TVK candidate Vinoth Ravi is using a 3D hologram of actor-turned-politician Vijay to campaign for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, aiming to reach voters across the state.
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.
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is on track for a significant victory in Nepal's general elections, potentially reshaping the country's political landscape.
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.
Congress leader P T Ajay Mohan has discouraged discussions on who should be the CM before the Assembly poll results, expected on May 4.
'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.
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.
Sonia Gandhi criticises the government's proposed delimitation, claiming it's a politically motivated move to delay the caste census and gain an unfair advantage, rather than genuinely promoting women's reservation.
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.
'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.'
BJP's Panihati candidate Ratna Debnath faced protests by TMC workers when she visited a booth in the assembly constituency in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district where polling was underway. She also accused the ruling party activists of preventing her from leaving the booth premises, following an altercation with them over an allegation of influencing voters.
'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.'
Fresh tension gripped Bhangar and adjoining areas of South 24 Parganas during the second and final phase of West Bengal Assembly elections, with the ISF alleging intimidation of polling agents and attempts to influence voters by TMC workers.
The AIADMK has released its final list of candidates for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, including nominees to contest against prominent DMK leaders. The party is contesting in alliance with the BJP, AMMK and PMK.
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.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Jay Kamdar, a Kolkata businessman, for alleged money laundering. The ED claims Kamdar had close ties with police officers and misused his influence in land-related matters. The investigation is linked to an alleged criminal syndicate led by Biswajit Podder.
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.
'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 Enforcement Directorate arrested a Kolkata-based businessman, Jay Kamdar, following searches against him and a Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged criminal syndicate.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has denied allegations made by the Congress party that his wife possesses multiple passports and concealed property information, vowing to take legal action against the Congress leader who made the claims.
Nath's comments came amid the Congress party's continuous attack on Centre for the recent hike in commercial LPG cylinders and the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee will hold a virtual meeting with TMC counting agents to prepare for the vote counting of the assembly elections.
West Bengal's final phase of assembly elections focuses on the TMC's southern stronghold, where the BJP aims to make inroads. The outcome will determine whether Mamata Banerjee's party retains its dominance or if the BJP can secure a path to power.
Kerala is set to hold its Assembly election, with the ruling LDF aiming for a historic third term, the UDF seeking a comeback, and the NDA striving to gain a foothold in the state's political landscape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee engaged in a war of words during election rallies, with Modi accusing the TMC of supporting divisive forces and Banerjee alleging the BJP plans to divide the state.
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.
Trinamool Congress supporters protested against an Election Commission-appointed IPS officer in West Bengal, accusing him of intimidating party workers ahead of the second phase of polling.
After being wrongly deported and labelled as Bangladeshis, migrant workers in West Bengal's Murshidabad are heading to the polls to reclaim their Indian identity and fight for their right to belong.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a boat ride on the Hooghly river in Kolkata, reaffirming his commitment to the development of West Bengal and the prosperity of its people. He shared photographs of the trip on social media, highlighting the cultural significance of the Ganga river for Bengalis.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has accused the TMC government of turning Kolkata into a 'city of slums' and using infiltrators as a vote bank, sparking a strong reaction from the TMC, which accused him of insulting the people of Bengal.
The Congress-led UDF is closely monitoring CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran's decision to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming Assembly election. UDF leaders are considering supporting Sudhakaran, while the CPI(M) expresses disappointment and denies mistreatment.
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground, a historic venue for political rallies and demonstrations, is set to host the swearing-in ceremony of Bengal's first BJP government, marking a significant shift in the state's political landscape. The ground has been a stage for political heavyweights and pivotal moments in Bengal's history.
The BJP experienced a mixed bag of results in the West Bengal Assembly elections, with several heavyweight candidates securing victories while others faced defeat. Key wins included Dilip Ghosh, Suvendu Adhikari, and others, but some prominent faces failed to win.
A personal assistant to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was shot dead in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, triggering political tensions and a police investigation.
In a state known for high political literacy and ideological mobilisation, the Congress' inability to quickly settle on a leader after securing a massive mandate has fed a narrative that the party remains excessively dependent on Delhi, deeply faction-ridden and vulnerable to internal sabotage
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.
