Left, IUML rules out support to TVK as Congress backs Vijay; VCK yet to decide
Despite the break away from the DMK alliance, Congress leaders indicated that both sides could continue to remain part of the broader INDIA bloc at the national level. With the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) approaching political parties in Tamil Nadu seeking support to form a government, the VCK, an ally of the DMK, was yet to take a decision, party sources said on Wednesday. However, despite TVK’s invitation, the Left parties and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) ruled out their support for Vijay’s party. The VCK has won two seats. TVK had sought VCK’s support, sources said. VCK was yet to take a call on it. “It will be decided by our party president, Thol Thirumavalavan,” a senior party functionary said. Meanwhile, CPI(M) candidates R Chellaswamy and Latha and CPI members T Ramachandran and Marimuthu, who won on April 23 Assembly elections, met DMK chief M K Stalin at Anna Arivalayam, the party headquarters. Similarly, IUML MLAs-elect Syed Farooq Basha SSB and A M Shahjahan also met the DMK president. Later, the CPI(M), CPI and IUML legislators asserted that they would continue to support DMK. The development comes amid the Congress extended its support to Vijay’s TVK to form the next government in Tamil Nadu, while snapping its long-standing alliance with the DMK and setting conditions to keep “communal forces” out of the arrangement. Right after the Congress’ announcement, Vijay met Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Lok Bhavan in Chennai and staked a claim to form the next government. Earlier in the day, a delegation of Congress MLAs arrived for a high-profile meeting with the TVK chief at the party headquarters in Panaiyur. The visual of the legislators entering the TVK premises has sent ripples through the state’s political corridors, signalling a potential shift in traditional alliances ahead of the upcoming electoral cycles. The atmosphere at the TVK office remained charged, with supporters and onlookers gathering as the Congress leaders were ushered in for the closed-door interaction. The Congress leaders were welcomed by the TVK party chief and Chief Minister-designate with garlands and silk shawls. Announcing the decision, AICC Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar said the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) had resolved to back the TVK. “Our support shall be conditional upon the TVK keeping out of this alliance any communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution of India,” he said. In the recently concluded Assembly elections, the TVK emerged as the single largest party, winning 108 seats of the total 234, disrupting the decades-long dominance of the DMK and AIADMK. The DMK secured 59 seats, while the AIADMK won 47. Despite the breakaway from the DMK alliance, Congress leaders indicated that both sides could continue to remain part of the broader INDIA bloc at the national level. The Congress’s support adds five MLAs to Vijay’s tally, taking the TVK-led bloc to 112 seats. The party will still require at least six more legislators to cross the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Assembly. Vijay has already initiated talks with parties such as the VCK, CPI and CPM, whose backing could push the numbers past the halfway mark. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay receives a letter of support from Tamil Nadu Congress Committee leaders for government formation, in Chennai. The Congress underlined that its partnership with the TVK is intended to go beyond immediate government formation. “This alliance is not only for the formation of this government, but also for future elections to the local body organisations, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,” Chodankar said, describing it as one based on “mutual respect, appropriate share, and shared responsibility”. In its statement, the party invoked the legacies of K Kamaraj, Periyar E V Ramasamy and B R Ambedkar, positioning the alliance as rooted in social justice and constitutional values. The Congress also said Vijay had formally sought its support to form the government, adding that the electoral verdict reflected a mandate for a “secular, progressive and welfarist government”. The statement noted that Vijay and Rahul Gandhi had “jointly pledged to respect this historic verdict of the people of Tamil Nadu”. While the meeting was officially termed a “courtesy call”, the optics of established national party representatives engaging with the fledgling party’s top brass suggest a strategic warming of ties. Insiders indicate that the discussions touched upon the prevailing political climate in Tamil Nadu, though both camps have remained tight-lipped regarding specific tactical understandings. According to informed sources, TVK leaders have also reportedly met AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami in Chennai, signalling possible shifts in alliances and internal strains within the BJP-led camp. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Samajwadi Party drops I-PAC tie-up ahead of 2027 UP polls amid setback in West Bengal
I-PAC, which has been handling the TMC’s election campaigns since 2019, had pitched its services to the SP as it prepares for the upcoming electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh. LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party has reportedly decided to call off its proposed pact with political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The move comes in the wake of recent developments, including the Trinamool Congress’s poor performance in the West Bengal Assembly polls and the arrest of I-PAC director Vinesh Chandel by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the alleged Bengal coal smuggling case. Sources said the agreement between the SP and I-PAC was close to being finalised, with the firm having already presented its campaign blueprint to the party leadership. However, no formal arrangement had been concluded. Party insiders indicated that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was not particularly keen on engaging I-PAC and had only reviewed its presentation at the instance of the TMC leadership. With the firm now facing multiple challenges, the SP is unlikely to pursue further negotiations, sources added. I-PAC, which has been handling the TMC’s election campaigns since 2019, had pitched its services to the SP as it prepares for the upcoming electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, sources also claimed that I-PAC, grappling with crises on multiple fronts, is in no position to take up fresh assignments at present. During the poll campaign in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate raided the I-PAC office in Kolkata, leading to a showdown between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the agency. The firm, now led by Pratik Jain, was founded by Jan Suraj Party chief Prashant Kishor, who rose to prominence for designing election campaigns of political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in 2015, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2017, and the TMC. Prashant Kishor later left I-PAC to enter mainstream politics. His Jan Suraj Party made its electoral debut in the recently held Bihar Assembly elections but failed to open its account. Namita Bajpai Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Should we call them ghuspethiya?’: Rahul Gandhi alleges every sixth BJP MP won through ‘vote chori’
Gandhi also claimed that the BJP would not be able to win even 140 seats today in the Lok Sabha if fair elections are held. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that one in every six BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha had won through “vote chori” and questioned whether they should be called “ghuspethiya”, using the BJP’s own terminology. Gandhi also claimed that the BJP would not be able to win even 140 seats today in the Lok Sabha if fair elections are held. “Through vote theft, sometimes individual seats are stolen, and at other times, an entire government. Of the 240 BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha, roughly every sixth MP secured seat through vote chori,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post in Hindi on X. “They are not hard to identify – should we, in the BJP’s own parlance, label them ‘ghuspethiya’? And what of Haryana? There, the entire government itself is an ‘ghuspethiya’. The very institutions they keep in their pockets – the ones they manipulate to distort voter lists and the electoral process – are themselves ‘remote-controlled’,” Gandhi said, in a scathing attack on the BJP. “Their real fear is the truth. For if fair elections were to be held, they would not be able to win even 140 seats today,” he said. On Tuesday, Gandhi had termed the BJP’s victory in Bengal and Assam assembly polls a “theft” of the mandate, and a big step forward in the saffron party’s mission to “destroy” Indian democracy. Gandhi has also come out in support of the TMC, which has been trounced by the BJP in the polls, and urged those gloating over the loss of Mamata Banerjee’s party to put petty politics aside. “Some in the Congress, and others, are gloating about TMC’s loss. They need to understand this clearly – the theft of Assam and Bengal’s mandate is a big step forward by the BJP in its mission to destroy Indian democracy,” Gandhi had said in a post on X. “Put petty politics aside. This is not about one party or another. This is about India,” he said in his post. The BJP ousted Trinamool Congress from power in Bengal and captured power for the third time in a row in Assam in results of assembly polls declared on Monday. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
ECI, BJP played ‘nasty games’: Mamata says TMC was not defeated in Bengal, refuses to resign from CM post
Targeting the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Mamata described him as the “villain of this election” and accused him of “looting” the democratic rights of the people. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) and accused it of “looting” the democratic rights of the people, a day after the BJP registered a landslide victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference, the outgoing CM claimed that her party had won the election morally and stated that she would not resign from her position. “I will not resign, I did not lose, I will not go to Raj Bhavan…The question doesn’t arise. No. Now, I also want to say that we didn’t lose the election. Officially, through the Election Commission, they can defeat us, but morally, we won the election,” the TMC leader said. Targeting the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Mamata described him as the “villain of this election” and accused him of “looting” the EVMs and the democratic rights of the people. She also reiterated the allegation that the ECI worked for the BJP, facilitating their win in the crucial elections. “Two days before the election, they started arresting our people. They started raiding everywhere. They changed all IPS and IAS officers. They selected people from their party and BJP played the game directly with the Election Commission. It is a betting between the BJP and the Election Commission,” Mamata alleged. Speaking on the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls that reduced Bengal’s electorate by nearly 91 lakhs, Mamata said, “We fought against all machinery. PM and HM are also involved, direct interference… They played dirty, nasty and mischievous games. I have never seen this type of election in my life.” Mamata also repeated the allegation that she was attacked when she visited the counting centre where votes for the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency –which the TMC leader lost to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari– were being counted on Monday. “I went inside for a few minutes. They kicked me in my belly, backside and manhandled and assaulted me. That time CCTV was off…” she said. She also alleged manipulation and foul play in the counting process. “After first round of counting, they started saying that BJP is getting 195-200. You didn’t wait for the final result. You didn’t even wait for 5-6 rounds. After that campaign with the press media, BJP went inside the polling station and they started beating the people, counting agents,” Mamata alleged. “When I came to know that all counting agents are withdrawn, I was leading by about 30,000 and about 5 rounds were left. We should have got more than 32,000,” she added. Mamata also alleged that BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari brought around 200 goons from outside to beat up people. “Even women were not spared and they snatched away all forms. When I came to know, I went there. They stopped my car, but I took another route. When I entered, the CRPF told me that I was not allowed to go. I said that I am a candidate…Then I complained to the RO that counting should be stopped immediately until normalcy is restored. I saw the DEO. I know that he gave a message to someone 15 days ago that ‘counting mein khel hoga’…” she said. Mamata earlier said she would file formal complaints with the authorities concerned against the foul play at the Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ High School counting centre, where the votes for her constituency were counted. The race took a dramatic turn over consecutive rounds, with Mamata, who established a strong lead initially, being overturned by Adhikari, who took a lead of over 500 votes after the 16th round. Mamata also stated that several INDIA alliance leaders had reached out to her to express solidarity. “Sonia ji, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Uddhav Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Hemant Soren rang me up. All the allies of INDIA Alliance told me that they are totally and absolutely with me. I think our solidarity will be united and strong for the next days,” she said. She stressed that she would now work towards strengthening the opposition alliance. “My target is very clear. I will strengthen the INDIA team, just like a small person. I don’t have a chair now, so I am a commoner,” she said. Mamata also announced the formation of a 10-member fact-finding committee to visit areas “affected by post-poll violence” and assess the ground situation. The BJP registered a resounding victory in Bengal, winning 207 seats, well past the majority mark in the 294-member assembly and elbowing out the TMC government, which had been in power for three consecutive terms. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Congress seems willing as Vijay reaches out, Mamata returns Rahul gesture
TNCC to discuss TVK letter seeking Congress support to form govt, Mamata says will work for national alliance now. Would DMK be left out in the cold? Having suffered morale-sapping defeats in the recent Assembly elections, bickering INDIA bloc allies Congress and Trinamool Congress sent out first signals of rapprochement Tuesday. At the same time, a rupture in ties between the DMK and Congress in Tamil Nadu seems to be on the cards. After a meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and attended by Rahul Gandhi and AICC in-charge of Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal indicated Tuesday evening that the party was ready to support TVK president Vijay, the surprise winner of the Tamil Nadu elections, to form a government. Addressing the media, Venugopal said the party was “clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu was for a secular government committed to protecting the Constitution”, and that it should keep out “the BJP and its proxies”. “Thiru Vijay has spoken about drawing inspiration from perunthalaivar Kamaraj also. Accordingly, the Congress leadership has directed the TNCC to take a final decision… keeping in view the sentiments of the state reflected in the electoral verdict,” he said. Soon after, a meeting of the TNCC was called by Chodankar over Zoom on Tuesday night to decide on the matter. Gandhi is known to have been in favour of a pre-poll alliance with the TVK, and is reported to have made his unhappiness with Kharge known for having pushed the party to stay on with the DMK, which lost power to finish a distant second in the state. With 108 seats, the TVK is 10 short of a majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly; the Congress has 5 MLAs. Sources said a section of the Congress leadership in Tamil Nadu as well as newly elected MLAs favour extending support to the TVK. While a TVK-Congress deal may prompt an irate DMK to distance itself from the INDIA bloc, those in the pro-Vijay camp say the Congress can’t “go against the sentiments of youths” in Tamil Nadu, or ignore the reality of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The party has 9 MPs currently from the state. One solution being considered to placate the DMK is abstaining from voting when Vijay takes a majority test in the Assembly. In contrast with Tamil Nadu’s new strains stood the Congress’s striking outreach to the TMC, with Gandhi himself tweeting as soon as the results in Bengal confirmed the Mamata Banerjee-led party’s big defeat at the hands of the BJP. The ties between the Congress and TMC have been frayed for a while, and had been further strained by Gandhi’s attacks on Mamata personally during the Bengal campaign. However, on Monday, Gandhi was one of the first Opposition leaders to endorse Mamata’s “vote loot” claims. While thanking the people of Kerala for its mandate to the Congress and congratulating Vijay, he posted: “Assam and Bengal are clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the EC. We agree with Mamata ji. More than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal.” Linking it to the Congress’s previous claims, which incidentally not all INDIA bloc allies have been on board with, Gandhi said: “We have seen this playbook before: Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Lok Sabha 2024 etc.” Notably, Gandhi, who followed up this post with a phone call to Mamata as well as Vijay, was silent on the DMK’s defeat, including the loss personally of M K Stalin, with whom he once shared a close rapport. On Tuesday, in another post, Gandhi signalled to Congress leaders that the electoral wrangling with the TMC was to be put behind. “Some in the Congress, and others, are gloating about TMC’s loss. They need to understand this clearly – the theft of Assam and Bengal’s mandate is a big step forward by the BJP in its mission to destroy Indian democracy… This is not about one party or another. This is about India,” he said. In Kolkata, Mamata signaled a turn too, saying in her first post-result press conference, held Tuesday, that she had spoken with both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, and that several INDIA bloc leaders, including the Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, the JMM’s Hemant Soren, the RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, the AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal, and the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Uddhav Thackeray, had reached out to her in solidarity. Many of them had also campaigned for the TMC during the polls. Akhilesh may travel to Kolkata Wednesday to meet Mamata. Mamata also asserted that she would now focus on strengthening the Opposition alliance at the national level – a tie-up she has earlier expressed unhappiness with often. In 2024, the TMC chief had hinted that the Congress should not assume itself as the natural leader of the INDIA bloc. “I formed the INDIA bloc, now it is up to those leading the front to manage it… I would just say that everyone needs to be taken along,” she said in a television interview. Asked if she could take charge of the bloc, Mamata said: “If given the opportunity, I would ensure its smooth functioning.” The quick recalibrations by the INDIA bloc parties since Monday show that they realise the alliance is on the brink after the defeat of Mamata’s TMC and Stalin’s DMK – two of the strongest regional and foundational pillars of the Opposition bloc. Another INDIA constituent, the Left, now has no government anywhere in the country in nearly five decades. The Congress itself can barely take solace from the Kerala win as it coincided with a battering in Assam and all of two seats in Bengal. The Opposition remains unable to take forward its political planks centered around the Special Intensive Revision and the functioning of the Election Commission, as well as delimitation plans. The elation of a united Opposition thwarting the government’s women quota amendment Bill in Parliament is fast receding. Written by: Manoj C.G Courtesy
Congress calls late-night meeting to decide on possible support for Vijay’s TVK in Tamil Nadu
The move follows Congress leaving the final decision to its state unit after directing it to consider Vijay’s request and public sentiment in TN. NEW DELHI: The Congress is considering a possible alliance with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), with sources indicating that a power-sharing arrangement is under active discussion. An urgent meeting of the Tamil Nadu Congress Political Affairs Committee has been convened at 10:30 pm on Tuesday to take a final call on the matter, according to sources. The late-night meeting has been called by AICC in-charge Girish Chodankar and will be held virtually via Zoom. The move follows the central leadership’s decision to leave the final choice to the state unit, shortly after directing it to consider Vijay’s request for support in forming a government in Tamil Nadu, taking into account public sentiment in the state. All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar TVK led govt’s oath taking ceremony likely on May 7 even as uncertainity looms The decision to delegate the matter was taken at a high-level meeting attended by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi, general secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal, and Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Venugopal said TVK president Vijay had sought Congress support to form a government in Tamil Nadu. He added that the party remains committed to ensuring that the BJP and its allies are kept out of power in the state. “The INC is clear that the mandate in Tamil Nadu is for a secular government committed to protecting the Constitution in letter and spirit,” Venugopal said. All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Tamil Nadu Girish Chodankar Political observers see uncertain path ahead as TVK falls short of majority in Tamil Nadu Assembly The Congress leadership has instructed the Tamil Nadu unit to take a final decision based on the political situation in the state following the electoral outcome, he added. The TVK secured 108 seats, falling short of the 118 required to form a majority. The Congress, along with allies such as the DMK, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), and IUML, currently holds a fragmented position within the broader alliance structure. According to sources, there is growing support within the party for exploring an arrangement with TVK. However, the central leadership has placed responsibility on the state unit to avoid any impression that the decision is being imposed from above. Party insiders said this approach is also aimed at preventing strain in its long-standing relationship with the DMK. Sources also indicated that Rahul Gandhi is understood to be open to examining a potential understanding with Vijay’s party. Preetha Nair Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Systematic Exclusion: Caste-based atrocities across Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, MP, and UP
A spate of anti-Dalit incidents—from a youth killed over leftover food in Amreli to a suspicious death after an inter-caste relationship in Tamil Nadu, and social boycotts in Khargone—also includes temple bans and clashes over Dalit wedding processions The promise of Article 17, which abolished “untouchability” in all its forms, appears increasingly fragile when viewed through the lens of recent incidents across the geographical expanse of the nation. From Tamil Nadu to Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh, these incidents are not mere statistical anomalies; they are symptomatic of a deeply entrenched “graded inequality” where the assertion of dignity by a Dalit—whether through love, religious participation, or the simple act of a wedding celebration is met with lethal force or social asphyxiation. The following report synthesises five harrowing accounts of caste-based hate, meticulously documenting how the intersection of social dominance, administrative apathy, and ritual purity continues to deny the Dalit community their fundamental right to life and liberty. Dalit youth found dead in Tamil Nadu after going missing; family alleges killing linked to inter-caste relationship Tamil Nadu (Pudukkottai) On April 21, in Nadupatti village of Kulathur taluk in Pudukkottai district, 20-year-old R. Hariharan, a Dalit youth, went missing after receiving a phone call. Two days later, on April 23, villagers grazing cattle near a forest area found a body floating in a water-filled quarry. The body was identified as Hariharan. Hariharan had been in a relationship with a 19-year-old girl belonging to a dominant caste. Around five months earlier, the couple had attempted to elope. Following this, both families were called to Keeranur police station, where a compromise was reached and the couple was separated. After the recovery of the body, Vellanur police registered a case under Section 194 of the BNSS on April 24, treating it as a suspicious death, based on a complaint filed by Hariharan’s father, P. Rajkumar (50). The family refused to accept the body and demanded that a murder case be registered. A post-mortem examination was conducted, and the body was handed over to the family on April 27. Hariharan’s father, P. Rajkumar, stated that “The murder was committed by the family members of the girl belonging to another caste, because Hariharan had a love affair with her” as The Mooknayak reported On April 25, the FIR was altered to include Section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the BNS and Section 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST Act. The accused named in the FIR include the girl’s father Rajendran, her brother Shanmugasundaram, and another person, Krishnan. The case is currently being investigated by the Pudukkottai town Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Members of Dalit community asked to bring their own plates & water for temple Gujarat (Junagadh) On April 29, during the Pran Pratishta ceremony of a Ram temple in Bhutadi village of Visavadar taluk in Junagadh district, members of the Dalit community were invited to participate in the event. Approximately ten Dalit individuals were invited by the organising committee. However, the invitation included conditions requiring them to eat separately after others had finished and to bring their own plates and glasses. They were also told that “Bring your own plates and glasses from home… stay outside the temple premises during the core rituals” as reported by The Mooknayak Ajay Chatur Boricha, aged 25, filed an FIR at Visavadar police station regarding the conditions imposed. Following this, members of the Dalit community refused to attend the event. The planned mass feast in the village was cancelled, while the temple consecration ceremony proceeded as scheduled. Police registered a case against five individuals: Babu Uka Hapani, Narendra Bhanji Siroya, Ramnik Samji Sorathia, Atul Bhikha Siroya, and Phula Popat Siroya. The case was registered under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the BNS, 2023. Newly married Dalit couple were allegedly denied entry in temple Madhya Pradesh (Khargone) On April 26, in Khargone district, a Dalit couple, Nirmal Kanade and his wife, attempted to enter a Hanuman temple to offer prayers. The temple was initially found locked. After police intervention, the couple was allowed entry. Following this, a panchayat consisting of members from the Banjara and Patel communities held a meeting. The panchayat declared a social boycott against the couple and two other Dalit families associated with them. According to the New Indian Express, The decision included a financial penalty. “The panchayat announced that anyone engaging with the three families or selling anything to them would have to pay a penalty of Rs 11,000” as reported Following the announcement, local shopkeepers stopped selling goods to the affected families. Nirmal Kanade shared a video describing the situation and seeking assistance. Police later intervened and stated that the matter had been resolved through discussions, and restrictions were lifted. “Now, Dalits will also take out wedding processions riding a buggy” remark against Dalit wedding procession Uttar Pradesh (Shahjahanpur) On April 20, in Lai Kheda village under Tilhar police station area in Shahjahanpur district, a wedding procession arrived from Bareilly at a Dalit household. During the procession, a local individual, Rajpal Yadav, made a remark that now Dalits will also take out wedding processions riding a buggy. Following this remark, an argument took place which escalated into a physical clash between groups. Police stated that two processions had reached the same location at the same time, contributing to the situation. An FIR was registered against Rajpal Yadav and four others under provisions of the BNS and the SC/ST Act. Two individuals were detained in connection with the incident, as reported. Dalit youth dies after assault at Amreli hospital canteen following dispute over leftover food and caste inquiry Gujarat (Amreli) On April 20, at Shantaba General Hospital in Amreli district, 24-year-old Mahesh Premji Rathore from Gopalgram village died after being assaulted. Mahesh had been at the hospital to care for his 70-year-old uncle. While eating at a free canteen, he felt unwell and threw away a portion of leftover food. The canteen operator, Bharat Acharya, demanded a fine of Rs
Rahul Gandhi Congratulates Vijay After TVK Party Sweeps Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections
Rahul Gandhi speaks to Vijay after TVK victory in Tamil Nadu elections praising rising youth voice and reaffirming Congress commitment to public issues across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In a notable political development following the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi personally reached out to actor turned politician Vijay to congratulate him on the impressive performance of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Sharing the update on social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi said he had spoken directly with Vijay and appreciated the scale of the party’s victory. Describing the results as a reflection of changing political energy, Rahul Gandhi remarked that the growing influence of youth voices is clearly visible through this election outcome. He emphasized that such a shift indicates a new phase in regional politics where younger leadership and fresh narratives are gaining ground. The TVK party, under Vijay’s leadership, secured victory in more than 100 constituencies, marking a significant breakthrough in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. In comparison, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won over 70 seats, while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam managed to cross the 50 seat mark. Rahul Gandhi also took a moment to acknowledge Congress workers who contributed to the party’s efforts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. He thanked them for their dedication and assured that the Congress party would continue to raise and fight for public issues in the region. Looking beyond Tamil Nadu, the elections also saw varied outcomes across states. The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies performed strongly in states like West Bengal and Assam, while in Kerala, the Congress led United Democratic Front succeeded in forming the government. Reiterating his party’s stance, Rahul Gandhi affirmed that Congress remains committed to serving the people and addressing their concerns, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, in the days ahead. Courtesy : The South India Times Note: This news is originally published on https:/thesouthindiatimes.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
West Bengal election results 2026: BJP surges past majority as TMC loses edge
TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was initially trailing in her Bhabanipur turf, regained the lead over BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by 898 votes after the third round of counting. With more than four hours into vote counting, the BJP-led NDA has crossed the majority mark of 148 seats in West Bengal, securing a lead in over 180 seats. The incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) was restricted to 109 seats, while the CPI(M) led in just one seat. TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was initially trailing in her Bhabanipur turf, regained the lead over BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by 898 votes after the third round of counting. However, several TMC leaders, including ministers Udayan Guha and Sashi Panja, were trailing, initial trends showed. In Cooch Behar district’s Dinhata, minister Udayan Guha was trailing by 6,259 votes against BJP’s Ajay Ray after four of the 24 rounds of counting. In Kolkata’s Shyampukur, minister Sashi Panja was trailing BJP’s Purnima Chakraborty by 934 votes after two rounds of counting, with another 19 rounds left. Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir was leading in the Nowda seat in Murshidabad district over his nearest TMC rival after the first round of counting, according to the Election Commission. Kabir was leading by a margin of 2,890 votes over TMC’s Sahina Momtaz Khan after the first round of counting. The polls are seen as a crucial test for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her TMC’s bid for a fourth consecutive term, amid a stiff challenge mounted by the BJP. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress are also hoping to improve their tally after successive electoral setbacks. Exit polls present a sharply divided picture, with some projecting a BJP edge while others forecast a comfortable return for the All India Trinamool Congress, underlining an uncertain and closely fought contest. West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said he was confident of a landslide victory, as counting of votes for the assembly elections began on Monday morning. “People of the state have already rejected the Trinamool Congress government, and in a few hours, the overwhelming majority of the seats will confirm that in the fight between Mamata Banerjee and the people, people have rejected Mamata Banerjee,” Bhattacharya said outside a counting centre in Kolkata. The counting of votes for the state’s 293 Assembly constituencies began at 8 am, with postal ballots taken up first in keeping with Election Commission norms. Follow live updates on results and trends: Tamil Nadu Results, West Bengal Results, Kerala Resuts, Assam Results, Puducherry Results Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
VD Satheesan says Congress high command will soon decide on next CM
Satheesan said he was happy to have delivered on his promise given to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi while assuming the post of the Opposition Leader that he would guide the party to win. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader and potential chief minister candidate V D Satheesan on Monday said the party high command will soon take a decision on who will lead the state after consulting with various coalition partners of the UDF. Addressing the media after the UDF delivered a landslide victory in Kerala, elbowing out the CPI(M)-led LDF government, which ruled the state for two consecutive terms, Satheesan said it reflected the people’s strong decleration about the triumph of secular forces. Satheesan said he was happy to have delivered on his promise given to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi while assuming the post of the Opposition Leader that he would guide the party to win. The Congress leader said all communities and regions voted for the UDF, including traditional left voters and some party workers, letting the front breach several CPIM bastions. “We had told them that we are the ones upholding Nehruvian leftist view and the LDF has become the far right. The left sympathisers as well as some of their leaders accepted our perspective,” he said. Satheesan also said that the women and the youth have contributed to UDF’s win and assured to work towards fulfilling the front’s poll promises. Speaking on the UDF’s poll strategy that facilitated the historical win, Satheesan said, “In 2011, we came to power, but had won only 72 seats. Many social groups had veered off from the UDF, but we brought them back. We had planned several surprises, including in Ambalappuzha and Taliparamba. We had proudly welcomed G Sudhakaran to our fold.” G Sudhakaran, a veteran Communist leader, had resigned from the party and contested as an independent with UDF support in his traditional bastion, Ambalappuzha. He won by a margin of over 25,900 votes. Satheesan also reiterated the Congress’s allegation that the BJP and CPM leaders had entered into an electoral pact. The LDF suffered a major setback as results were declared for the crucial Assembly elections on Monday. The CPIM-led front was reduced to just 35 seats, while the UDF passed the majority mark with over 90 seats. The BJP, which has struggled to make a mark in the state politics for several years, delivered a surprising performance, winning three seats. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights