The government has asked the Congress party to vacate its 24, Akbar Road office by Saturday, party sources said. The bungalow served as the party’s headquarters for 48 years. Congress had opened its new office, Indira Bhavan, last year but still uses the old site. The party has also been told to vacate the Indian Youth Congress office at Raisina Road. Congress is exploring legal options for relief. “The emotional connection will remain strong,” leaders had said earlier. The Akbar Road office has historic value and was central to the party’s work for decades after the 1970s split.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will not attend the Centre’s all-party meeting on the West Asia crisis. The meeting has been called to discuss the Iran-US conflict. Gandhi said he has a prior programme in Kerala. “I would not be able to attend because I have a programme in Kerala,” he said. He also criticised the government’s handling of the crisis, calling it a “structural blunder.” He alleged the Prime Minister follows the United States in decisions. The meeting will be chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to attend. The government has urged parties to present a united stand. (PC: HT)

The NDA has finalised its seat-sharing plan for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. AIADMK will contest 178 seats, while BJP will fight 27 out of 234 seats. PMK has been given 18 seats and AMMK 11. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami called it a “victory alliance” and expressed confidence of forming the government. He said talks within the alliance were smooth. BJP leader Piyush Goyal said people will reject the DMK-Congress alliance. He added voters want development and better governance. Elections in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 23. Further seat talks with allies may continue.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi warned that India may face rising inflation due to a weak rupee and higher fuel costs. He said, “These are clear signals of the inflation to come.” The rupee recently fell to a record low against the US dollar. Gandhi said this could raise prices of daily goods and hurt small businesses. He added that production and transport costs will increase. He also claimed fuel prices may rise after elections. He criticised the government, saying it has “no strategy.” The concerns come as global tensions push up oil prices and affect India’s energy supply. (PC: AICC)

The Supreme Court questioned what happens if a Chief Minister enters a raid site, while hearing the I-PAC case linked to Mamata Banerjee. The court said this was not a “happy situation” and asked if the Enforcement Directorate can be left without a remedy. “What if tomorrow some other Chief Minister barges into such a raid?” the bench said. The ED called Banerjee’s actions a “gross abuse of power” and sought a police case. The state argued that allowing central agencies to sue states could harm the federal structure. The court said such “unusual” cases should not create a legal vacuum. (PC: X)

Mamata Banerjee said her party Trinamool Congress will win over 226 seats in the 2026 West Bengal elections. She said, “We will win more than 226 seats.” The party will contest 291 of 294 seats. Three seats are left for ally BGPM. Banerjee will contest from Bhabanipur. She faces Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP. She said those not given tickets will get roles in the organisation. She also said the BJP’s tally will fall. Voting will take place in two phases in April. (PC: HT)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the Election Commission of India after several senior officials in the state were removed ahead of the assembly elections. “Anti-Women, Anti-Bengali”: Mamata Banerjee Attacks Election Commission Over Removal of Top Bengal Officers The reshuffle included Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty. The poll body appointed IAS officer Dushyant Nariala as her replacement. Banerjee alleged the move was done at the request of the Bharatiya Janata Party. “A Bengali woman, Nandini Chakraborty, was serving as the chief secretary. You are not merely anti-Bengali; you are also anti-women,” Banerjee said at a rally in Kolkata. She also criticised the removal of the state police chief and other officials before the polls. (PC: NDTV)

The Election Commission has replaced West Bengal’s Chief Secretary and Director General of Police ahead of the Assembly elections. Senior IAS officer Dushyant Nariala will take charge as Chief Secretary. He replaces Nandini Chakravarty. IPS officer Siddh Nath Gupta has been appointed as the new Director General of Police. He replaces Peeyush Pandey. Gupta is a 1992-batch IPS officer with over three decades of service. The Commission also transferred three other senior officers, including the Kolkata Police Commissioner. Ajay Kumar Nand will now lead the Kolkata Police. The poll body said the decision followed a review of election preparedness. Voting in West Bengal will take place on April 23 and April 29. (PC: India Today)

The BJP has offered actor-politician Vijay the post of Deputy Chief Minister if the NDA wins the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, sources said. As part of a possible alliance, the BJP has also offered around 80 seats to Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Talks between the two sides have reached the final stage ahead of the polls, sources added. Vijay is also said to be aiming for the Chief Minister’s post, which remains a key point in discussions. BJP leaders believe Vijay’s large fan base could help the alliance in closely fought constituencies. However, some of Vijay’s advisers have expressed concern about joining a national alliance so early. (PC: India Today)

The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Voting will begin on April 9 in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, while Tamil Nadu will vote on April 23. West Bengal will hold elections in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes for all states and the union territory will take place on May 4. The elections will cover more than 800 assembly seats, and political parties are expected to intensify campaigning as the race for power begins across these key states. (PC: India Today)