As Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Assam for a second term on Tuesday, BJP leaders congratulated him and thanked voters for giving the party a third consecutive mandate in the state. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed gratitude to the public, stating that the government would work to meet their expectations. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also congratulated Sarma and said the BJP remains committed to Assam's development. He highlighted the significance of the occasion, noting the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union ministers, and leaders from various NDA-ruled states, and added that Assam would be developed into one of the most advanced states under Sarma’s leadership.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also extended her best wishes, acknowledging the BJP's third consecutive term in the state. West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that Assam’s development would continue under the leadership of PM Modi and Sarma. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis praised Sarma’s work for public welfare, saying the BJP’s “double-engine government” would help Assam reach new heights. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini congratulated Sarma and credited public trust under PM Modi’s leadership. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also welcomed the outcome, saying it reflected people’s support for development-oriented governance.

Rajasthan Deputy CM Diya Kumari noted Assam’s visible progress under Sarma and PM Modi's vision, while Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya expressed confidence in BJP’s future electoral success in UP as well. BJP MP Baijayant Panda called the occasion historic and credited PM Modi’s focus on Assam’s development.

The oath-taking ceremony took place at the Veterinary College ground in Khanapara in the presence of PM Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, BJP president, Union ministers, and NDA leaders from various states. Along with Sarma, four ministers were also sworn in from BJP and allied parties, including AGP and BPF representatives. Ranjeet Kumar Dass was named the NDA’s candidate for the post of Speaker of the Assam Assembly, marking the continuation of the NDA government in the state.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay left Raj Bhavan in Chennai on Thursday after holding his second meeting in two days with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. He was accompanied by senior TVK leaders as political activity intensified in the state following Wednesday’s earlier meeting. During the discussions, Vijay reportedly staked claim to form the government, stating that TVK, in alliance with Congress, has the support of 113 MLAs. The alliance still falls short of the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Assembly by five seats.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan urged the Governor to invite Vijay to form the government and allow him to prove his majority on the Assembly floor. He also accused the BJP leadership of interfering in Tamil Nadu politics and creating confusion. He said TVK, as the single largest party, should be allowed to assume office as per constitutional norms, with its majority tested in the Assembly rather than before swearing-in.

Thirumavalavan further added that the Governor should not demand proof of numbers before the swearing-in process, and emphasized that legitimacy must be established on the floor of the House. The Communist Party of India (CPI) also urged the Governor to follow constitutional procedure, stating that it is inappropriate to require TVK to prove its majority before forming the government. The party cited constitutional principles and Supreme Court judgments, including the S. R. Bommai case, arguing that the single largest party should be given a chance to prove its strength in the Assembly.

CPI (M) leader P. Shanmugam said the party has received a letter from Vijay seeking support, and a decision will be taken after internal discussions. TVK, which emerged as a strong force in the recent elections by ending the long-standing DMK–AIADMK dominance, secured 108 seats. With Congress support, the alliance stands at 112 seats, still short of a simple majority.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.

Following the West Bengal Assembly election results, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav is expected to visit the state tomorrow for a key meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. His visit comes amid heightened political activity after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a major victory in the state.

Yadav is scheduled to leave Lucknow airport at 11 a.m. and is likely to engage in discussions focused on the election outcome and strategies for upcoming polls. The meeting is also expected to centre on strengthening coordination among opposition parties, especially as the BJP’s expanding influence pushes rival parties to consider greater unity.

The political atmosphere in West Bengal has become tense following the election results, which marked a dramatic shift in the state’s power balance. The BJP emerged with a strong majority, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was pushed into second place. Outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to resign, alleging irregularities and accusing both the Election Commission and the BJP of undermining the democratic process. She maintained that although her party lost numerically, it remains the “moral winner” of the election.

Banerjee also claimed support from several INDIA bloc leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Tejashwi Yadav, Uddhav Thackeray, and Hemant Soren, stating they stood in solidarity with her and the alliance. The BJP has marked a historic milestone with its performance in the state elections, further reshaping West Bengal’s political landscape and intensifying national-level political realignments.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, along with AAP legislators, left for Delhi on Tuesday morning to meet President Droupadi Murmu over the recent defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP. On April 24, the Aam Aadmi Party faced a major setback when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs—Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney, and Swati Maliwal—resigned and merged with the BJP, claiming the party had drifted away from its founding principles, values, and ethics. Six of these MPs were from Punjab.

Mann is expected to meet the President at 12 noon at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. Before leaving for Delhi, he said that all AAP MLAs remain fully united with the party and that only he has been granted an appointment with the President. He also described the President as the constitutional guardian of the country.

Ahead of the visit, ministers and MLAs assembled at the Chief Minister’s residence in the morning, carrying placards reading “Punjab Mann De Naal” and “Punjab’s Traitors.” They later travelled to Delhi in buses. The Chief Minister had earlier requested time to meet the President along with party MLAs to demand the recall of the defected MPs, but only he was allotted a meeting slot. Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak confirmed that the MLAs would accompany Mann and raise the demand for recalling the MPs.

Mann had stated that he would strongly represent Punjab’s concerns before the President, emphasizing the need to protect the people’s mandate and democratic values. He also plans to present a copy of the confidence motion passed by the Punjab Assembly on May 1. Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Monday approved the merger of the MPs with the BJP, reducing AAP’s strength in the Upper House to three members.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Business Standard.

A 31-year-old man has been accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump following a foiled plot linked to Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Soon after the incident, false claims began circulating online suggesting the attempt was staged. This week, Jonathan Freedland discusses the rise of such conspiracy theories surrounding the US president with journalist Rachel Leingang.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing has been sworn in as president, marking a continuation of his authority from a civilian position five years after seizing power in a military coup. The ceremony, held in the capital Naypyidaw, was presented as a celebratory parliamentary event, where the 69-year-old took the presidential oath, pledging to uphold the enduring values of justice, liberty, and equality. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman discuss potential policy shifts and international reactions to his reappointment with CNA’s ASEAN Senior Correspondent Leong Wai Kit.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has been earning substantial income by sending paid personalized videos on Cameo. Over five years, he has made at least £374,893 from these recordings, often producing several videos per day. While many use Cameo for lighthearted messages, an investigation of over 4,000 of Farage’s videos revealed concerning content. Some videos included endorsements of neo-Nazi events, repetition of extremist slogans, and references to antisemitic conspiracies. He even made a £155 video for a man reportedly sentenced to 16 months for participating in a far-right riot. Farage also made misogynistic remarks about left-wing politicians, including a comment about US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. A spokesperson for Reform UK emphasized that these videos were informal, not political statements, and that Farage opposes extremism and political violence. They also noted that occasional mistakes are inevitable given the volume of videos he records. Investigations correspondent Henry Dyer told Helen Pidd that the videos reveal what Farage is willing to say or do for money — raising questions about the judgment of someone who aspires to be prime minister.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

On Tuesday morning, the prime minister revealed that Australia will be deploying aircraft, missiles, and personnel to the Gulf amid ongoing conflict in the region. However, Anthony Albanese insists this does not imply that Australia is participating in the war or officially at war. Reged Ahmad discusses with Josh Butler whether Australia is being drawn into what he calls Trump’s “war of choice.”

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian