Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday shared the popular Bengali snack jhalmuri with NDA leaders during a meeting in New Delhi held to celebrate 12 years of the alliance government at the Centre. A video posted by the Prime Minister showed West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari serving jhalmuri to him before PM Modi asked that it be offered to other leaders as well. The snack had become a symbol during the BJP's West Bengal campaign. The NDA meeting also marked PM Modi becoming India's longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru's record.

Congress has said that any proposal for a merger with the Trinamool Congress must come from Mamata Banerjee's party, amid speculation over closer ties within the INDIA bloc. The statement came after Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi for nearly 90 minutes. Sources said the Trinamool wants a stronger opposition alliance and accepts Rahul Gandhi's leadership. The meeting followed Mamata Banerjee's recent talks with Sonia Gandhi and comes as the Trinamool faces internal unrest, with several leaders and MPs distancing themselves from the party. (PC: NDTV)

The West Bengal BJP government on Wednesday allocated portfolios to its 41-member council of ministers, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari keeping charge of key departments, including Home and Hill Affairs, Land and Land Reforms, Power, and Information and Cultural Affairs. Former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta has been entrusted with the Finance ministry, while BJP MLA Dr. Sharadwat Mukherjee will head the Health department. Former Union minister Nishith Pramanik received North Bengal Development and Water Resources, and senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh was assigned Panchayats, Rural Development and Agricultural Marketing in the new Cabinet. (PC: HT)

Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh, once one of Mamata Banerjee's strongest supporters, has reportedly joined the party's rebel camp amid the ongoing political crisis. Sources claim the Jadavpur MP is among the leaders backing a separate parliamentary bloc led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.   Ghosh had earlier projected Mamata Banerjee as a future prime minister and frequently defended the party against the BJP. Her reported shift comes after several senior TMC leaders and MPs distanced themselves from the party following its Assembly election defeat, deepening the crisis within the organisation. (PC: NDTV)

Trinamool Congress faced another political setback after Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev resigned from the Upper House and the party's primary membership. The move comes just days after senior leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy quit the party, deepening the crisis for Mamata Banerjee.   A former Congress MP from Assam, Sushmita Dev joined the TMC in 2021 and later became the party's national spokesperson before entering the Rajya Sabha. Soon after her resignation, she met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Delhi, fuelling speculation that she may join the BJP. Sources also suggest she could contest a Lok Sabha by-election from Assam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister, completing 4,399 consecutive days in office and surpassing the record of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The milestone is being marked at a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) conclave in New Delhi, attended by chief ministers, deputy chief ministers and senior coalition leaders. The meeting is expected to pass a resolution congratulating Modi and discuss governance priorities, welfare schemes, infrastructure development and the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted India’s expanded global engagement during the past 12 years, while leaders from India and abroad, including US Senator John Cornyn, offered congratulatory messages recognising Modi’s tenure and leadership. (PC: X)

The BJP has adopted a measured stance toward the growing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a newly formed movement campaigning against paper leaks and examination-related controversies. Senior party leaders described the demonstrations as a legitimate part of democracy and rejected characterisations of Gen Z protesters as “anti-establishment”. While acknowledging that concerns raised by students and young people deserve attention, BJP leaders indicated there was no immediate need for the government to formally engage with protest organisers. The remarks come amid increasing pressure from sections of the opposition and activists demanding accountability over examination irregularities and calls for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the issue. (PC: Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)

The ongoing internal crisis within All India Trinamool Congress has drawn three prominent Indian cricket figures into separate camps. Kirti Azad, now a TMC MP, has strongly defended Mamata Banerjee and dismissed rebel claims of support from 20 MPs, alleging a BJP-backed narrative. Meanwhile, Yusuf Pathan, a TMC MP from Baharampur, has come under scrutiny amid reports linking him to the rebel faction, though he has not publicly commented. Separately, former India captain Sourav Ganguly denied reports suggesting he acted as an intermediary in the party’s political dispute. (PC: AP, PTI)

The West Bengal CID on Tuesday visited former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence, which also serves as the Trinamool Congress headquarters, and Abhishek Banerjee's office as part of its probe into the alleged forgery of TMC MLAs' signatures.   The investigation is linked to a proposal submitted to the Assembly Speaker seeking recognition of the Leader of Opposition. CID officials said the visits were based on Abhishek Banerjee's statement that the signatures were collected at the party's central office. The controversy has triggered a major political crisis within the TMC after rebel MLAs backed Ritabrata Banerjee over the party's official nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay. (PC: India Today)

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee met Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday as her party battled a deepening internal crisis. The meeting came amid claims by rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar that nearly 20 TMC Lok Sabha MPs have decided to support the BJP-led NDA.   As the political turmoil intensified, a CBI team visited Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kolkata, adding another layer to the high-profile developments. TMC has accused the rebel camp of siding with the BJP, while the dissident leaders have questioned the party's functioning and leadership. (PC: HT)