Building a party from scratch and leading it to electoral success is an entirely different challenge.
The BJP must respect Bengal's pluralistic ethos and with this historic mandate give the state the constructive change it truly deserves, expects Kolkata native Payal Singh Mohanka.
'...the enormous responsibility and faith the youth has put on his shoulders, that he is going to solve their problems.'
A TMC MP was allegedly attacked and a CISF jawan was shot in separate incidents of violence in southern West Bengal, ahead of the second phase of elections. The incidents have sparked political accusations and investigations.
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of fostering a 'mafia culture' and 'maha jungle raj' in West Bengal following the killing of an aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The party alleges the incident reflects institutionalised post-poll violence in the state and demands a CBI probe.
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.
Bangladesh is set to hold parliamentary elections with unprecedented security measures in place, following a period of interim governance and political changes.
The BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal has not merely redrawn the electoral map but overturned the operating logic of politics in the state, breaching the TMC's entrenched fortress despite a decade-and-a-half of dominance, minority consolidation, and a sustained "outsider" narrative.
In Tamil Nadu, the political landscape is shifting as the TVK party's attempt to form a government faces challenges from its potential allies. Both the DMK and AIADMK are experiencing internal divisions regarding extending support to the TVK, leading to uncertainty and speculation about potential realignments.
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
The BJP has secured a majority vote share across all categories in the recent local body elections in Gujarat, according to data released by the State Election Commission (SEC). The ruling party swept the elections, winning a significant number of seats across municipal corporations, municipalities, district panchayats, and taluka panchayats.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a decline due to renewed geopolitical concerns in the Strait of Hormuz, a strained US-Iran ceasefire, and the rupee hitting a record low against the US dollar.
Veteran Congress leader P J Kurien stated that the party has several qualified candidates for the Kerala CM post if the UDF wins the upcoming Assembly elections, but only three names are currently under consideration.
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.
Former CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran predicts the LDF will not secure a third term in Kerala, citing political failures within the Left party's leadership. He also highlights the Congress and UDF's potential for victory.
In West Bengal's political circles, it was widely believed that after Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikhari was perhaps the only leader with a truly significant mass base of his own.
NDA partner Bodoland People's Front (BPF) is expected to secure a majority of the 15 Assembly seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam, leading in 10 constituencies, according to Election Commission data. The BJP, a major partner in the ruling NDA, leads in three seats, while the UPPL and Congress are ahead in one seat each.
A 2008 court judgment has brought renewed focus on the provisions given to minority institutions in choosing their heads, amid a fresh tussle between Delhi University and St Stephen's College over the appointment of the college principal.
An RSP MP has expressed strong displeasure with the delay in the Congress party's selection of a Chief Minister for Kerala, calling the situation a 'political uncertainty' that is 'unfortunate'. The MP claims the delay is creating discontent among workers and the public.
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
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 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.
'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.'
What is missing in the BJP's armour is dominance over 50 percent of the electorate: Women. And this is a gamble Modi-Shah have indicated that they are willing to take, explains Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
As results of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry are declared, here's how the big names fared.
Ishan Kishan's impressive 70 and Pat Cummins's three-wicket haul led Sunrisers Hyderabad to a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings, securing their place in the IPL 2026 playoffs. Heinrich Klaasen's contribution of 47 runs also proved vital in the win.
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.
Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Saraogi supports Amit Shah's allegations that the TMC government in West Bengal is harbouring infiltrators and obstructing border fencing.
Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya expressed his joy over the BJP's victory in the West Bengal assembly polls, calling it a significant gift to the nation from PM Modi and Amit Shah, while also alleging the previous TMC government fostered anti-national activities.
Vinesh Phogat has voiced concerns about potential biased officiating at the upcoming National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, citing the influence of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the mental pressure of competing in a hostile environment.
The Bhabanipur assembly segment is Banerjee's political bastion, where she is locked in a prestige battle against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in what is being seen as a symbolic rematch of Nandigram, where he had defeated her in the 2021 assembly polls.
Courts cannot be the only hope for those fighting hate speech. Countering its effects on the ground takes more effort. With our political parties unwilling to put in that amount of effort, it's left to citizens to do so, points out Jyoti Punwani.
Political parties in Kerala, including the ruling LDF, opposition UDF, and BJP-led NDA, have reacted to the exit poll predictions for the Assembly elections, with varying degrees of confidence and skepticism.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth consecutive term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
The West Bengal government is set to investigate the chaotic scenes that marred Lionel Messi's visit to Kolkata last year, with concerns raised over ticket sales, security, and administrative lapses.
India emerged reasonably well from 2025. But now, the oil shock and war-related supply disruptions have again driven funds out of India and significantly weakened the rupee, points out Ajay Chhibber.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC of sheltering goons who torture women and promised citizenship to refugees in West Bengal. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to women's security by giving poll tickets to victims of violence.
'If the majority falls short of expectations, it may prompt initial adjustments in investor sentiment.'
Breaking the nearly three-decade-old dominance of the undivided Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday emerged as the single largest party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, and also triumphed in Pune, where it made mincemeat of the alliance of Nationalist Congress Party factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar.
VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan announced his party's decision to support Vijay's TVK in government formation to prevent President's rule in Tamil Nadu and also ensure people's mandate for TVK was fulfilled.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances