Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has accused the BJP of orchestrating the recent blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar as part of their strategy for the upcoming assembly elections in the state, alleging the party seeks to create an atmosphere of fear to gain votes.
Two police constables in Chhattisgarh allegedly committed suicide in separate incidents, apparently due to family-related issues. One constable shot himself with his service rifle, while the other was found hanging at his residence.
Political parties in West Bengal react to the Election Commission's reshuffle of senior administrative and police officials ahead of upcoming elections, with TMC criticising the move and BJP and CPI(M) welcoming it.
Curfew imposed in Meghalaya's East and West Garo Hills districts has been relaxed to allow residents to procure essential items following violence related to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
Election officials in Tamil Nadu have seized cash, liquor, drugs, and other goods valued at 178.78 crore as part of efforts to curb illegal inducements during the election period.
'Tamil Nadu has 42% of its population in the 18 to 39 age group. The bulk of the population in this age group voted for Vijay and women voters too voted for him in big numbers.'
The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai announced that the Congress will be part of the new government in Tamil Nadu led by Vijay's TVK, with discussions underway for ministerial posts and a Rajya Sabha seat.
The Election Commission has deployed 432 counting observers across all 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal to ensure transparent and smooth counting of votes. Several districts have been assigned additional observers in view of their sensitivity and electoral significance. Enforcement agencies have carried out extensive seizure drives during the election period to curb illegal inducements, with total seizures valued at approximately Rs 561 crore.
The BJP has made significant gains in the Kerala Assembly elections, securing three seats and marking a potential breakthrough in a state where it has traditionally struggled.
In a momentous occasion after the Bharatiya Janata Party's win, the Durga temple in Asansol, reopened its doors to devotees after remaining shut for several years.
'When I asked Suvendu about the news that Didi was going to fight in his constituency, he said, 'Aami okhaney lorbo aar okhaney okey harabo (I will contest from there and defeat her there)' This was his comment while we were standing on the truck doing our roadshow.'
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.
Suvendu Adhikari and Dilip Ghosh are the top contenders for West Bengal Chief Minister.
The Gujarat High Court has disqualified former Indian cricketer Kiran More and three others from contesting the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) elections, citing a Supreme Court judgment on tenure limits and cooling-off periods.
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress of inciting post-poll violence in West Bengal by impersonating BJP supporters, warning that they will face legal consequences. The BJP asserts its members have never engaged in post-election violence and claims TMC cadres are using BJP symbols to create unrest.
Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a meeting of newly-elected MLAs of her party and stated she will not resign from her post in the wake of assembly poll results and the Centre can dismiss her.
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.
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.
TMC leader Mamata Banerjee has criticised the BJP's victory in the West Bengal state elections, calling it 'immoral' and alleging that the mandate in over 100 seats was 'looted'. She also criticised the Election Commission's role.
The BJP has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for refusing to resign after the party's decisive defeat in the assembly elections, calling her stance a 'laughing stock'. The BJP alleges that Banerjee's claims of irregularities are aimed at remaining in the spotlight.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated senior BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar at a swearing-in ceremony in West Bengal. Sarkar, 98, is an early grassroots figure associated with the nationalist movement. Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the state's first BJP Chief Minister after defeating Mamata Banerjee.
Women voters in West Bengal appear to be shifting their priorities beyond financial assistance, placing greater emphasis on governance and accountability, according to post-election analysis. This shift may have contributed to the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) losses in the recent assembly election, as the BJP's promises and other factors influenced voter sentiment.
The AINRC-led NDA has won the Puducherry Assembly elections and is set to form the government. Chief Minister N Rangasamy won both seats he contested.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has appointed Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, an astrologer and spokesperson for the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), as his Personal Secretary. The appointment has sparked controversy, with questions raised about the need for an astrologer in such a role.
D N Jeevaraj of the BJP has been declared the MLA for Sringeri after a recount of postal ballots, following a High Court order. This reverses the 2023 election result where Congress candidate T D Raje Gowda had won.
Despite recent gains, the BJP-led NDA is unlikely to achieve a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha in the near future, highlighting the challenges in passing key legislation requiring constitutional amendments.
Former CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran, now an Independent MLA backed by the UDF, has criticised Left leaders for targeting him over his late brother Bhuvaneswaran, considered a party martyr. Sudhakaran claims the CPI(M) lost votes by politicising Bhuvaneswaran's memory during the election campaign.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the proposal to increase the Lok Sabha's strength to 850, while BJP leaders defended delimitation as a democratic necessity at the Stanford India Conference 2026.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday sought a change in seating arrangement for its MPs in the Lok Sabha, saying their alliance with the Congress has ended and it would not be appropriate for its members to sit alongside those of the Congress.
Amidst ongoing uncertainty regarding the selection of the next Kerala chief minister, the Congress high command has summoned key party leaders to New Delhi for discussions.
'This is a major rupture in Tamil Nadu's political order.' 'For the Dravidian parties, the message is clear: The old DMK-AIADMK binary is no longer guaranteed a future.'
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay met with his predecessor, DMK President MK Stalin, at his residence in Alwarpet, Chennai, ahead of a crucial floor test for the government. The meeting, described as a courtesy call, occurred after Vijay's criticism of the previous DMK regime's debt burden.
The new BJP government also appointed IAS officer Shantanu Bala as the chief minister's private secretary, according to another notification.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has alleged large-scale irregularities in the West Bengal assembly polls, questioning the counting process and the role of election officials and security forces. He claimed EVMs could be replaced, influencing the election outcome.
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
By asking Vijay to produce letters of majority support before inviting him to form the government, the governor risks overstepping established Constitutional principles, notes Harishchandra.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed BJP workers after the party's performance in assembly elections, urging an end to political violence in West Bengal and a focus on the state's future.
Prateek Bordoloi's withdrawal after his father's BJP switch underscores Congress' mounting challenges ahead of the Assam elections.
West Bengal prohibits victory rallies following election result announcements and addresses concerns regarding agents' access to counting centres.
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