Special police observer Ajay Pal Sharma toured West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district during the second phase of Assembly elections, facing political controversy and allegations of intimidation from TMC leaders.
Under the TMC, Bengal has seen expansion of welfare, but not big-ticket private investment.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses political rivals of being BJP agents and promises to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens in West Bengal. He also criticises the BJP's poll promises and highlights the TMC's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha claims that leaders are leaving the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) due to disappointment and disgust, not fear. He cites the 'Sheesh Mahal' row as a key factor in AAP's potential defeat in future Delhi Assembly elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deleting over 9 million names from voter lists in an attempt to win the upcoming Assembly elections. She vowed to fight the alleged manipulation legally and politically.
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Lok Sabha Speaker reject opposition notices to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing insufficient grounds.
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.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who made "number 16" jibe at the treasury benches during his speech in Lok Sabha on Friday on three new bills, refused to elaborate on it in his brief interaction with reporters and said "it is a puzzle" and he "won't tell the answer just like that".
The Supreme Court has strongly criticised the West Bengal government's handling of an incident in Malda district where judicial officers were allegedly attacked. The BJP has accused the TMC of orchestrating the event to obstruct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and protect Rohingyas.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the Election Commission for allegedly failing to protect judicial officers involved in electoral roll revisions in Malda district. She accused the EC of lacking control over law and order and enabling the BJP's alleged attempts to disrupt the election process.
The high-intensity election campaign in Tamil Nadu concluded with accusations and counter-accusations between the DMK and AIADMK, while new entrant TVK made its presence felt. Key issues included state autonomy, corruption, law and order, and the delimitation bill.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee addressed a rally in Murshidabad, accusing political rivals of working for the BJP and promising to restore voting rights to disenfranchised citizens if his party returns to power.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee is urging voters in Murshidabad to support the TMC to thwart the BJP's influence in West Bengal. He criticised the Congress and other parties, accusing them of indirectly supporting the BJP, and highlighted the TMC's commitment to protecting minority voters and preventing the implementation of NRC in Bengal.
The Election Commission of India has issued directives to political parties and candidates in Kerala, restricting the publication of print advertisements on the eve and day of the Assembly elections without prior certification.
Over 700 citizens, including former civil servants, academics, activists, and journalists, have written to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national address on April 18 violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for elections. They are seeking an inquiry and remedial action.
In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
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.
A special court in Delhi has remanded I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel to ten days of ED custody following his arrest in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal.
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 RSS has filed police complaints against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for allegedly comparing the organisation and the BJP to a 'poisonous snake' during an election rally in Assam.
As industrial plants boost the village's profile, locals demand priority hiring, alongside better storage facilities and water security.
'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.'
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.
A Trinamool Congress delegation reported a contentious meeting with the Election Commission, alleging the chief election commissioner dismissed them abruptly, while the EC has accused the TMC of disruptive behaviour.
Chandrababu Naidu has reorganised the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), appointing his son Nara Lokesh as working president and emphasising a blend of experienced and new leaders to strengthen the party.
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.
Opposition MPs in India have moved notices in Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of bias, misconduct, and acting under the influence of the executive.
A Delhi court has sought responses from Sonia Gandhi and the police on a plea challenging a magistrate's order refusing a probe into allegations that she was included in electoral rolls before acquiring Indian citizenship.
Kerala Police have initiated a crackdown on misleading election-related news circulating on social media platforms, following a controversy over an Election Commission letter bearing the BJP Kerala unit's seal.
A new report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals a significant increase in donations to national parties in India, with the BJP receiving the overwhelming majority, surpassing the combined total of all other national parties by more than tenfold.
The Congress party has called on the BJP-led government to adopt a unified national approach to restore India's role as a voice for peace, criticising the government's foreign policy and its impact on India's global standing.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of attempting to illegally include voters from outside the state in West Bengal's electoral rolls, alleging a coordinated effort to interfere with democratic rights.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini predicts a BJP government in West Bengal, citing a desire for development and change among the state's residents.
Bhabanipur is set to be the focal point of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, with Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari preparing for a high-stakes political battle. The constituency will witness rival processions and symbolic gestures as both parties aim to assert their dominance.
'Are elections still fair in India, or are we all witness to a macabre style of 'selection' of lawmakers? The jury will be out on this for a long time because there is no definitive evidence on either contention, at least as yet,' notes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author, Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP and RSS for undermining the Constitution and accused the TMC of failing to deliver on job creation promises during rallies in West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the TMC will support the women's quota bill but opposes the delimitation bill introduced by the Modi government in the Lok Sabha. She also criticised the central government over central agency raids on TMC candidates.
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of crushing democracy and fostering lawlessness in the state. He highlighted alleged political violence, economic decline, and disrespect for constitutional posts under the TMC's rule.
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.
