Election-related freebies and populist measures are other factors crimping the revenue profile of these states.
CBSE exams and unemployment are divergent concerns for the middle class and the poor, and the idioms of protest don't speak to all of India's young people, points out Kanika Datta.
US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday generated significant online traction after making a light-hearted reference to two "very, very important" Indian and Pakistani people in his life - his wife Usha Vance and Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir, on the sidelines of the US-Iran diplomatic deliberations in Switzerland.
Eighteen of India's 28 states exceeded the fiscal deficit ceiling of 3 per cent of GSDP in FY25, a deterioration comparable to the Covid year of 2020-21, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The report also noted a decline in states reporting a revenue surplus, with Bihar, Mizoram, and Telangana moving into deficit.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told INDIA bloc leaders that despite public anger indicating a win for the opposition, the main challenge is the alleged lack of free and fair elections due to the BJP's control over state institutions. He urged unity and a strategy of 'resistance' against what he termed election 'theft'.
'Can you believe there are over 26,500 deaths linked to heatwave-driven ozone in 2024?'
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has acquired a 10 acre plot in Assam, paving the way for construction of the first Sri Venkateswara temple in North East India.
Indian liquor brands are increasingly focusing on Hindi heartland states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana as the next major growth engine for premiumisation, driven by expanding luxury portfolios, craft spirit launches, and upgraded retail experiences, as state governments embrace reforms.
Anujkumar Chandraprakash Trivedi has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly defrauding over 25 vulnerable women across multiple states. Posing as a prospective groom through matrimonial ads, he cheated them of crores of rupees, often targeting physically challenged individuals and divorcees. His son is also implicated in the fraudulent activities.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over a probe from Andhra Pradesh police concerning an alleged extremist network. Twelve suspects were arrested across several states for their links to banned terror organisations like AQIS and ISIS, involved in radicalisation and recruitment through online platforms.
Delhi Police have arrested Suman Kumar Jha, accused of murdering Ramesh Yadav in northwest Delhi. The arrest came after a two-month-long manhunt that involved tracking Jha across multiple states and to Nepal, where he had fled. Jha confessed to attacking Yadav with a stone after a quarrel.
A new study indicates that India's monsoon season could experience a significant increase in uncompensable heat stress under a 2 degrees Celsius global warming scenario, extending the duration of extreme heat conditions.
State-owned enterprises in India are projected to significantly increase their overseas borrowings, potentially exceeding $15 billion in FY27, driven by the Reserve Bank of India's new concessional forex swap facility which offers a 3 per cent funding-cost advantage.
The West Bengal government has transferred 142.79 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to facilitate the construction of outposts and barbed-wire fencing along the India-Bangladesh border, according to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The NDA government has gradually nuanced its position on the issue of demographic challenge.
Most north Indian states reported below-normal temperatures on Monday, with rain and thunderstorms lashing parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. The southwest monsoon is expected to arrive in Kerala in the next two to three days.
A key suspect linked to a cross-border drug trafficking network has been apprehended in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Goa Police.
The Indian government has deployed two battalions of the CRPF's CoBRA unit to Manipur to help restore peace in the region, which has been affected by ethnic violence.
Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Myanmarese territory would not be allowed to be used against India's security interests, as the two leaders held wide-ranging talks to boost bilateral ties in trade, defence, and energy.
Indian states significantly increased their reliance on market borrowings to finance gross fiscal deficits in 2025-26, with the share of market borrowings rising to 76.3 per cent, even as the weighted average cut-off yield on State Government Securities (SGS) and spreads over central government securities also increased.
As time went by, different facets of the Hindi cinema started showing the complicated identity of Muslim -- sometimes tendentious and at other times perverse and unreliable.
Bihar's greatest resource is not beneath its soil but above it -- its people. With a population approaching 140 million and one of India's youngest demographic profiles, Bihar possesses an asset many societies would envy, explains Bihar Governor Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
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.
Several parts of India are experiencing a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring past 44 degrees Celsius. States are issuing alerts and taking measures to protect people and animals from the extreme conditions.
'Why are we deliberately taking apart an electoral system that has worked?' 'There is no answer to that, and there is no data and has never been any on the absurd slander that foreigners are voting here,' asserts Aakar Patel.
If TVK MLAs and ministers are perceived as clean, or demonstrably cleaner than their predecessors, the credibility dividend will be enormous. The voter will feel rewarded, points out Ramesh Menon.
According to pollster Pradeep Gupta, years of TMC "misrule" that created a "climate of fear", Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma and the organisational abilities of Amit Shah and the RSS brought the BJP to power in West Bengal.
In answer to a question posed in Parliament, March 2025, details of India's forest cover, were highlighted, state-wise. Madhya Pradesh, with its enviable 11 national parks and plethora of flora and fauna, is the Indian state that boasts the most forest cover. Arunachal Pradesh, however, has the highest percentage of forest.
A fugitive wanted in a major narcotics case was brought back from Azerbaijan by the Special Cell of Delhi Police, who secured his extradition in coordination with the CBI.
Newly appointed Kerala CM V D Satheesan seeks guidance from senior Congress leaders A K Antony and V M Sudheeran, receiving advice on navigating the challenges of leadership and addressing the state's financial and developmental issues.
The Congress-led UDF has swept back to power in Kerala, sparking celebrations and discussions about forming the new government. Senior leaders are vying for the Chief Minister's post, while the defeated CPI(M)-led LDF grapples with the reasons for their loss after 10 years in power.
Initial vote counting in the Kerala Assembly elections indicates a significant lead for the Congress-led UDF, suggesting a potential shift in power.
The Congress party's delay in naming the next Chief Minister of Kerala has drawn criticism, particularly from key ally IUML, which warns of potential political fallout from the prolonged uncertainty.
India's unincorporated non-agricultural sector, excluding construction and corporate enterprises, added approximately 7.5 million workers in a single year, reaching 128.1 million employed in 2025, according to the NSO's ASUSE 2025 report.
Already, within the week of the election results it became apparent that the Congress' DNA has not changed from its traditional approach to politics as but a game of thrones, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Gujarat Police have achieved the third position among major states in India for recovering stolen mobile phones, returning 53,564 devices to their rightful owners in the 2025-26 financial year. The Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system, implemented by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), enables the blocking and recovery of lost or stolen mobile devices across telecom networks nationwide.
Kerala's voters are sophisticated, educated, and unforgiving. They have once again made it clear that no government is entitled to remain in power. The Congress would do well to remember this, points out Ramesh Menon.
Unlike films that end with the underdog becoming winner and being sworn in at a public ceremony, Vijay's trial by fire is only about to begin, predicts Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
Exit polls suggest significant shifts in Indian state assembly elections, forecasting BJP gains in West Bengal and Assam, a DMK comeback in Tamil Nadu, and a tight race in Kerala.
