Political narratives, if left unchallenged, can tilt the balance in elections. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami appears more cognisant of this than anyone else in the electoral field in Tamil Nadu this election season. Ever since he reluctantly returned to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last April at the behest of the BJP’s principal … Read more
TMC National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee during a public rally ahead of West Bengal Assembly Elections, at Daspur, in Paschim Medinipur on March 25, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI Taking the electoral contest to Nandigram, the stronghold of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee held a … Read more
Image used for representation | Photo Credit: The Hindu A Trinamool Congress worker has been shot dead in Kolkata ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. Kolkata Police have arrested four people in connection with the killing. Tensions also rose in the Basanti area of South 24 Parganas district, where a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) poll rally was … Read more
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. File picture | Photo Credit: PTI A “friendly fight” with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in Sibsagar constituency has diverted attention from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) not-so-friendly contest with another NDA constituent — the National People’s Party (NPP). The NPP has fielded candidates in three constituencies for the … Read more
Dinhata residents Manmohan Barman and Md. Mujjamel Khandakar are among India’s newest voters, with their citizenship recognised through an international agreement, but that has not stopped the Election Commission of India from putting them into the uncertain category of “electorate under adjudication” ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election. Follow | West Bengal election updates … Read more
Congress leaders K.C. Venugopal, Sunny Joseph, V. D. Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala in Thiruvananthapuram. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu The intra-party speculation over who would be the Congress’ next prospective Chief Minister if the United Democratic Front (UDF) wins the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala keeps popping up like a jack-in-the-box despite the best efforts … Read more
Flying squad check vehicles in Chennai on Thursday (March 26, 2026) before Assembly elections to intercept illicit cash, liquor, drugs, weapons, and campaign materials aimed at inducing voters. | Photo Credit: Velankanni Raj B. The Election Commission on Thursday (March 26, 2026) said over ₹408.82 crore worth of illicit inducements, including ₹17.44 crore in cash, … Read more
Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday (March 25, 2026) dismissed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s allegations linking him and his wife to Pakistan as a “wild theory existing in his head”, and said such claims expose the CM’s “weakness” and the extent he can go to over a matter as serious as national security. … Read more
A polling official demonstrates how to use electronic voting machines during training for government employees ahead of the Assam legislative assembly election in Guwahati, India, on March 25, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP The “non-aligned” political parties may be the dark horses in Assam’s electoral battle between two blocs — the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) … Read more
People pay floral tributes and light earthen lamps at a portrait of the late singing icon Zubeen Garg to mark six months since his passing, in Guwahati. File. | Photo Credit: ANI A Singapore coroner’s inquiry report has fuelled the debate over Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg’s mysterious death in poll-bound Assam. In a judgment … Read more
People wait in a queue during hearings under the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, at a centre, in Kolkata. File | Photo Credit: PTI A decision has been made on 32 lakh voter records of the 60 lakh under adjudication in West Bengal till Wednesday, according to sources in the State’s Chief Electoral Office. … Read more
Premallatha-Vijayakant led Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam has been allocated 10 seats in the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Photo: Special Arrangement The ruling DMK on Tuesday (March 24, 2026) almost wrapped up seat-sharing for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections by allocating as many as 10 seats to its new … Read more
The AIADMK, which ruled Tamil Nadu for the highest number of years since 1977, is battling an adverse perception – amid its phase of frequent electoral setbacks – that it is fast becoming a sub-regional party. Also Read | Tamil Nadu updates A look at the party’s strength, as measured in the 2021 Assembly election, reveals … Read more
With just a few weeks left for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, political parties across the State are gearing up for the single phase of polling to be held across all 140 Assembly constituencies on April 9, 2026. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, 2026. The United Democratic Front or UDF is … Read more
The tenure of the 16th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which began on May 11, 2021, was marked by several distinctive developments including sustained confrontation between the Governor and the State government, historic resolutions, and notable administrative innovations. The House was constituted following the DMK’s return to power with a clear majority after a gap of … Read more
Transfer and posting of returning officers are approved, including for Bhabanipur, the constituency represented by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Image for representative purposes only. | Photo Credit: PTI The Election Commission of India (ECI) approved the transfer and posting of returning officers for the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls, including for Bhabanipur, the constituency represented … Read more
The BJP candidate from Bidhannagar, Sharadwat Mukherjee, canvassing with a fish in West Bengal on March 22, 2026. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying hard to convince the electorate in the poll-bound state that it is not opposed to fish eating, distancing itself from the … Read more
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder Thol. Thirumavalavan. File | Photo Credit: M. Vedhan Upset over the allocation of just one Assembly seat in Puducherry, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder Thol. Thirumavalavan on Tuesday (March 24, 2026) announced that the party will contest alone in the Union Territory (UT). It will field candidates in three constituencies … Read more
A high-octane political battle is all set in Assam as the state gears up for the Assembly Elections 2026. The ruling BJP-led alliance, headed by Himanta Biswa Sarma, is hoping for an electoral return. Opposition parties, including the Congress, are hoping for a return to power. Over the past 15 years, the State has witnessed … Read more
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal. File | Photo Credit: PTI Kolkata Almost half of the cases kept under adjudication after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal have now been settled, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said on Monday (March 23, 2026). But, the CEO did not specify how many … Read more
Congress candidate from Dispur constituency Mira Borthakur waves to supporters during her nomination rally ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, in Guwahati on Monday (March 23, 2026). | Photo Credit: PTI The battle of the ballot in Dispur, Assam’s seat of power, is turning out to be a contest between the “new BJP” and “old … Read more
Kerala Congress shared on its ‘X’ handle a copy of a 2019, ECI letter bearing the BJP seal. Photo: X/@INCKerala The presence of a seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala unit on a 2019 Election Commission of India (EC) letter on poll-related guidelines, which was distributed to political parties recently, sparked a row in the State on Monday, the … Read more
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Peravur MLA Sunny Joseph said the United Democratic Front (UDF) will make the Sabarimala gold theft case and alleged irregularities linked to Global Ayyappa Sangamam central election issues in the upcoming Assembly election. He accused the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) of shielding the accused and eroding … Read more
Nandita Gorlosa with Assam Congress general secretary Nirmal Langthasa. Photo credit: X/@JitendraSAlwar Former BJP leader and Assam Minister Nandita Gorlosa joined Congress on Sunday (March 22, 2026) after being denied a ticket for the single-phase Assam Assembly polls scheduled to be held on April 9, 2026. Her decision came shortly after she submitted a formal … Read more
The BJP is seeking a third consecutive term in Assam in Assembly polls on April 9, 2026, while the Congress is fighting to make a comeback after 10 years in the wilderness. In 2021, the coalition of BJP, AGP and UPPL won 75 of 126 seats, with the BJP alone winning 60. Communal mobilisation and … Read more
The 2026 Assembly elections are set to take place across four States and one Union Territory in India. With elections spanning 824 constituencies, roughly 17.4 crore eligible voters will participate in the democratic process. The voting process will involve 2.18 lakh polling booths, managed by approximately 2.5 million election officials. The Model Code of Conduct … Read more
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay. File | Photo Credit: PTI Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay on Sunday (March 22, 2026) announced candidates for all 30 Assembly segments in the Union Territory of Puducherry as the party is going alone to face the upcoming elections on April 9. In an official statement, … Read more
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. File | Photo Credit: PTI All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)leader Asaduddin Owaisi has announced that his party will contest the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections in alliance with Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP). The announcement assumes significance as it indicates a new political grouping of minority forces in West … Read more
Poll graffiti displaying the names of candidates of major fronts in Thrikkakara. | Photo Credit: H. VIBHU With a fortnight left for the crucial Assembly polls, electioneering has gathered momentum in the district. Ignoring the searing summer heat and humid climatic conditions, the candidates and their supporters are busily engaged in campaigning in all 14 … Read more
Alliances forged during elections often unravel within months of the results being declared. Parties routinely downplay such arrangements, describing them as mere “seat-sharing” exercises. This pattern has largely held true in Tamil Nadu as well. An exception, however, has been the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, which has held together for … Read more