A sharp exchange of words has erupted between West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal. After the CEO lectured officials on “service rules,” the Minister hit back by citing a past CBI chargesheet involving his family’s assets. Mr. Agarwal has dismissed the claims as an attempt to “give a dog a bad name and hang him,” pointing to a court acquittal and decades of transparent tax filings.
Bangladesh heads into its most pivotal election in decades on February 12, 2026, with youth voters, new political forces, and everyday economic anxieties shaping the contest. Nearly half the electorate is under 37, demanding accountability and jobs, while the absence of the Awami League has opened space for rivals and protest-born parties to compete in a truly competitive race.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai Party has secured a commanding lead in Thailand’s snap election, bolstered by nationalist sentiment over a border dispute with Cambodia. While the reformist People’s Party prepares for the opposition, voters also overwhelmingly backed a referendum to draft a new constitution, signaling a major shift in the country’s political landscape.
