The government has dismissed speculation of an imminent increase in petrol and diesel prices, assuring citizens that there are no plans for a hike despite rising crude oil costs.
The Sri Lankan government has taken over the administration of the country's cricket board following the resignation of its president and executive committee amid allegations of financial irregularities and poor team performance.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav criticised the BJP government's record on women's safety, alleging increased crimes and discrimination.
Social activist Anna Hazare has criticised Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha for allegedly leaving the Aam Aadmi Party and joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, stating that such political switching for personal interests goes against constitutional values.
A forum of swamijis has urged the Congress high command to immediately appoint D K Shivakumar as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, warning of consequences if the demand is not met.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the nation regarding the women's quota bill and plotting to push through the delimitation exercise by using women as a shield.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of conspiring to delete 2.7 million voters from West Bengal's electoral rolls, urging support for the Trinamool Congress to protect citizenship rights.
In West Bengal's electoral chessboard, governments are rarely made in the hills of North Bengal or the forested region of Jangalmahal. Power is usually decided in the crowded plains of South Bengal, where elections are won less by momentum and more by mathematics.
Opposition leaders have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, calling it politically motivated and a misuse of official platforms during ongoing elections.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and West Bengal Election Watch reveals that nearly 23% of candidates in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narayana Ramachandran has died in Chennai after a prolonged illness at the age of 77. He served as IOA president from 2014 to 2017 and held key positions in international squash federations.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh has guaranteed Vinesh Phogat's safety at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, addressing her concerns about potential bias and security issues related to the venue's connection to former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Wrestling Federation of India president Sanjay Singh has guaranteed Vinesh Phogat's safety at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, dismissing concerns about the venue's association with former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
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 implement similar initiatives in their ruled states.
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.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising jobs for youths and an 'infiltrator-free' state if the BJP wins the assembly elections. He also pledged to restore industrial glory, end syndicate raj, and ensure women's safety.
Police in Surat are investigating an alleged interstate hawala-linked political funding network involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionaries, with Rs 1.25 crore reportedly routed from Delhi to Surat ahead of Gujarat local body polls. The AAP has dismissed the claims as a conspiracy by the ruling BJP.
Sri Lanka Cricket's chief Shammi Silva and his executive committee resigned following calls for a new administration from the country's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Former MLA Estamur Mominin surrendered to police in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district after evading arrest related to violence following tensions over the GHADC elections.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat confirms her participation in the upcoming ranking tournament in Gonda after initial registration issues with the Wrestling Federation of India.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the schedule for the second board examinations for Class 10, which will take place from May 15 to May 21. The exams are optional and offer students a chance to improve their scores or clear failed subjects.
Last time, assembly polls in West Bengal were held in eight phases -- by far the maximum. In Assam, elections were held in two phases, and in a singular phase in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
Kerala's Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan, has accused the state government of inaugurating a township for 2024 landslide victims in Wayanad to mislead the public, citing issues with the construction and timing of the inauguration.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the TMC government in West Bengal, alleging the closure of numerous industries and a decline in the state's cultural and economic status.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the BJP for not fulfilling its promises to the people of West Bengal, highlighting the success and continuation of the state's 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to resolve the long-standing Gorkha issue within six months if the BJP wins the West Bengal elections. He criticised previous governments for failing to address the aspirations of the Gorkha people and promised a solution acceptable to them.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) has launched its 'vision document' outlining its ideological direction and commitment to the rise of the 'Panth' and the progress of Punjab. The 'Akali Declaration 2026' addresses issues concerning youth, farmers, women, and other sections of society, with a focus on education, health, and internal party reforms.
'The AIADMK front comes second, and then the TVK.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused central forces of attempting to search her car while en route to Kolkata airport, alleging misuse of central machinery by the BJP ahead of state elections.
Under the TMC, Bengal has seen expansion of welfare, but not big-ticket private investment.
The Bihar government, led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, has renamed the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park as 'Patna Zoo' and the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology as 'Bihar State Institute of Dairy Technology'. The cabinet also approved significant allocations for electricity subsidies, college establishments, and infrastructure projects.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda launched a scathing attack on the TMC in West Bengal, accusing it of appeasement politics, shielding infiltrators, and presiding over a corrupt and lawless regime.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of betraying women by obstructing the passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which aimed to reserve 33 per cent of seats in Parliament and state assemblies for women. Modi asserted that women in West Bengal would punish the TMC in the upcoming assembly elections.
The Supreme Court has declined to intervene in a petition concerning the deletion of names from voter lists in West Bengal, directing the petitioners to seek redressal through established appellate tribunals.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused central forces of searching her car and criticised the BJP for alleged election misconduct during a rally in Islampur, Uttar Dinajpur district.
'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?'
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has voiced its support for V D Satheesan as the potential Chief Minister of Kerala if the Congress-led UDF alliance wins, drawing criticism from SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, who suggests this indicates the IUML would effectively rule the state.
The Income Tax Department conducted searches at multiple locations in Kolkata, including the residence of TMC MLA Debashis Kumar and Miraj Shah, a proposer of Mamata Banerjee's candidature. The TMC alleges the raids are politically motivated.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has strongly condemned the arrest of Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of I-PAC, alleging it is a politically motivated act of "electoral sabotage" ahead of the West Bengal elections.
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