Actor-turned-politician Vijay crossed his first major political hurdle after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), secured support from smaller parties to touch the crucial 118-seat majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. TVK had initially won 108 seats in the 2026 elections and later gained backing from Congress, CPI, CPM, and VCK to form the government. The development ended days of political uncertainty and strengthened Vijay’s claim before Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The victory is being seen as a dramatic shift in Tamil Nadu politics, challenging the long-standing dominance of DMK and AIADMK. (PC: X)

Suvendu Adhikari thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah after being named the next Chief Minister of West Bengal on Friday. Speaking at the BJP legislature party meeting in Kolkata, Adhikari called Shah the “modern-day Chanakya” of India. He also thanked BJP workers for their efforts during the Assembly elections and remembered 321 party workers who allegedly died during the Trinamool Congress rule. Amit Shah said the BJP would work to improve democracy, law and order, and national security in Bengal. Adhikari is set to take oath as Chief Minister on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground.

Suvendu Adhikari will become the first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Friday. Shah made the announcement after a meeting with newly elected BJP MLAs in Kolkata. Suvendu Adhikari is set to take oath as Chief Minister at 11 A.M. on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to attend the ceremony. The BJP won 207 seats in the Assembly elections, ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee. (PC: PTI)

Suvendu Adhikari was elected as the BJP legislature party leader on Friday, clearing the way for him to become the next Chief Minister of West Bengal. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Kolkata. The oath-taking ceremony for newly elected BJP MLAs will take place on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground. The BJP recently won a historic victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee. Governor RN Ravi dissolved the Assembly on Thursday. (PC: ANI)

Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has warned that all its 107 MLAs will resign if the DMK or AIADMK tries to form the government in Tamil Nadu. TVK emerged as the single-largest party but is short of the majority mark by 10 seats. Governor RV Arlekar refused to invite Vijay to form the government, saying he lacked enough support. TVK claims it is in talks with Congress, Left parties and smaller groups for support. Meanwhile, reports suggest the DMK and AIADMK are discussing possible alliance options. Several opposition leaders have criticised the Governor’s decision and backed TVK’s demand for a floor test.

West Bengal may soon get two Deputy Chief Ministers as the BJP prepares to form its first government in the state, sources said. The BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, defeating Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, which won 80 seats. Governor RN Ravi has dissolved the Assembly, clearing the way for the new government. Several BJP leaders are likely to join the cabinet, including Suvendu Adhikari, Dilip Ghosh and Agnimitra Paul. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached Kolkata on Friday for the BJP legislature meeting. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Saturday at Brigade Parade Ground.

Sixteen members of seven families displaced from Sandeshkhali’s Sarberia area for nearly a decade returned home on Wednesday, describing it as the end of fear linked to Trinamool strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides. The return, facilitated by the BJP after the political shift in Bengal, was attributed by police to improved law and order. Several returnees alleged they fled after the 2016 Assembly elections for opposing the entry of alleged criminal elements into the Trinamool Congress. Many later joined the BJP. Newly elected BJP MLA Sanat Sardar said more displaced residents are expected to return. Sandeshkhali had gained national attention in 2024 over protests alleging intimidation, land grabbing and exploitation. (PC: Pashupati Das)

R. N. Ravi on Thursday dissolved the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, officially ending the tenure of the outgoing government and paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to form its first government in the state following its sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections. The dissolution order came into effect from May 7 under the Governor’s constitutional authority after the Assembly’s term concluded amid intense political confrontation and post-poll unrest. The BJP, which secured a decisive mandate in the elections, is now expected to begin the formal government formation process. The move marks a major political shift in West Bengal after years of rule by Mamata Banerjee and the All India Trinamool Congress. (PC: X)

Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is reportedly considering a mass resignation of all 107 MLAs if either the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is invited to form the government amid the ongoing Tamil Nadu political deadlock. Sources said the move reflects mounting frustration within TVK as negotiations remain stalled despite the party emerging as the single largest force with 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly, still short of the majority mark. The development follows reports that the DMK initiated backchannel discussions with the AIADMK to prevent TVK from taking power after the closely contested Assembly elections. (PC: PTI)

West Bengal Police said vehicles with fake number plates were used in the murder of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide Chandranath Rath, who was shot dead near Kolkata airport days after the Assembly election results. Investigators believe the attack was a planned ambush involving multiple bike-borne assailants armed with sophisticated weapons. Police recovered a seized bike with erased chassis details and traced one fake registration number to a North Bengal resident unrelated to the crime. The CID has taken over the high-profile investigation amid rising political tensions between the BJP and Trinamool Congress, with both parties accusing each other over escalating post-poll violence in the state. (PC: The Hindu)