West Bengal is heading into a high-voltage election as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeks a fourth straight term. TMC is banking on welfare schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyashree, and Swasthya Sathi, while emphasizing Bengali identity and local pride. The BJP, meanwhile, is pushing an aggressive booth-level campaign and hopes anti-incumbency will work in its favor, making the contest a fierce TMC?BJP face-off.
In Delhi politics, actor-turned-MP Kangana Ranaut?s comments about Rahul Gandhi triggered a sharp backlash from Congress. Party leaders criticized her remarks as derogatory and inappropriate, reiterating that political criticism should stay within democratic boundaries.
The BJP?s Central Election Committee continues late-night meetings to finalize candidates for upcoming state polls. Senior leaders including PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh reportedly reviewed names from multiple states, with Assam, Kerala, and West Bengal featuring prominently in the discussions.
Middle East tensions escalated as Qatar ordered Iranian military and security officials to leave within 24 hours, declaring them persona non grata. The move comes after Iranian strikes and counter-strikes in the Gulf, and ahead of a major Muslim nations? meeting in Riyadh.
A U.S. intelligence report has raised alarm that Pakistan, with support from China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, is working on advanced missile systems capable of striking targets far beyond the region. The report referenced the Pahalgam attack and broader India?Pakistan tensions as part of the evolving security landscape.
Qatar also reported damage to a key petroleum facility after Iranian retaliatory strikes, further destabilizing energy markets. A separate missile incident near a refinery in Riyadh underlined the risk of wider regional spillover.
In Telangana, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy launched an attack on former CM K. Chandrashekar Rao, questioning his absence from the Assembly despite drawing allowances as Leader of the Opposition. Reddy argued that public office must carry accountability, not just privileges.
