Author: Md Nasimuddin
The Bharatiya Janata Party emerged as the principal winner in the biennial Legislative Council elections, capturing 13 of 28 Graduate and Teacher seats across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. While the BJP maintained dominance in Western UP and swept three seats in Karnataka, the Samajwadi Party scored key urban victories by retaining both Varanasi seats, the ruling Congress drew a complete blank in Karnataka, and Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party opened its account in Bihar’s Upper House by defeating Congress veteran Madan Mohan Jha in Darbhanga.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a historic fourth term as President of Brazil, winning a decisive 4% runoff victory powered by 10.4 million additional votes and an expansive digital mobilization. While conservative challenger Flávio Bolsonaro pledged to challenge the outcome over a last-minute extension of voting hours and US President Donald Trump claimed the election was ‘rigged’, Brazil’s supreme electoral authorities and regional leaders moved swiftly to recognize the results, cementing Lula’s return ahead of his January 2027 inauguration.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that 64 of the 80 MLAs elected on Trinamool Congress tickets would back the ruling BJP in a floor test, taking the government’s effective strength to 275 in the 294-member Assembly. The claim triggered sharp backlash from Mamata Banerjee loyalists, who labeled the rebel Democratic Trinamool Congress faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee as ‘BJP agents’, while the CPI(M) called for judicial intervention to challenge the rebel leader’s recognition as Leader of the Opposition.
The opposition INDIA bloc and civil society representatives on Tuesday announced a united ‘people’s resistance’ against the Centre over alleged voter roll deletions under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Addressing the media alongside Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, and student leaders following a strategy meeting at his residence, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and CEC Gyanesh Kumar of orchestrating ‘vote chori’, declaring that nationwide protests will persist until democratic accountability is restored.
Veteran actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty has been appointed as an Advisor to the Government of West Bengal with the rank of a Cabinet Minister in the Information and Cultural Affairs Department. Announced by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during the Uttam Kumar centenary celebrations, the appointment entrusts the three-time National Award-winning star with guiding the state’s cultural initiatives, film festival curation, and tourism development.
Legendary Indian actor and Padma Shri recipient Nana Patekar passed away on Thursday morning at the age of 75 following a severe cardiac arrest at his residence in Dona Paula, Goa. Celebrated for iconic performances in ‘Parinda’, ‘Krantiveer’, ‘Natsamrat’, and ‘Welcome’, as well as his philanthropic work for drought-hit farmers through the Naam Foundation, Patekar will be accorded a full state funeral in Pune as tributes pour in from across the nation.
Breaking from its conventional non-aligned stance, Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal joined INDIA bloc MPs in a protest march in New Delhi on Tuesday demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Led by Rajya Sabha leader Manas Mangaraj, the BJD flagged the disenfranchisement of 20 lakh voters in Odisha and over 13 crore nationwide under the Special Intensive Revision, citing unauthorized voter deletions in Dhamnagar and apex court observations on Form 6 modifications.
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman has warned that Indian democracy is in “great peril” due to the malfunctioning of the Election Commission and large-scale illegal voter deletions under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Speaking in Rajkot, Justice Nariman highlighted that 93% of decided appeals in West Bengal overturned voter deletions, urging the apex court to intervene immediately and reform the executive-led appointment process for election commissioners.
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke launched a sharp attack against the Election Commission in Pune, alleging that the BJP’s recent electoral gains outside traditional strongholds stem from institutional manipulation under CEC Gyanesh Kumar rather than popular mandates. Backing protesting MPSC students over examination leaks, Dipke called for the resignation of both the CEC and the MPSC chairman, even as the ECI dismissed reports of internal dissent over the ongoing SIR exercise.
Defending champions India stormed into the Asian Games cricket final with a comprehensive 124-run drubbing of Sri Lanka at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. An unbeaten 80 off 46 balls from Ishan Kishan and an explosive 38 from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi powered India to 169/7, before a devastating bowling assault led by Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel skittled Sri Lanka for just 45 runs in 9.5 overs, confirming a marquee gold medal final against Pakistan.