Assembly Election 2026 highlights: Opposition's petty politics derailed women's quota bill, says PM Modi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched a sharp attack on AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami during campaigning, accusing him of failing to defend the state’s rights.

Stalin alleged that AIADMK has “submitted” to the BJP and challenged Palaniswami to ask his alliance partner to implement women’s reservation without conditions. He said this would test whether the AIADMK truly has the courage to stand up for Tamil Nadu’s interests.

"Our noble efforts were derailed by the Opposition's petty politics. But the people of Tamil Nadu will teach them a lesson in the polls," said PM Modi. 

"The BJP and the NDA will keep fighting for the rights of women," said PM Modi during his rally in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore. 

Speaking at a rally in Coimbatore, PM Narendra Modi slammed the DMK and Congress for derailing the Women's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha. "The DMK has been exposed. The party can't hide its true face now," he said. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi intensified his attack in Tamil Nadu, alleging that leaders of the AIADMK have been compromised due to corruption.

He claimed central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, and the Income Tax Department have been used to exert pressure on them, adding that corruption remains their biggest political weakness in the ongoing Assembly election battle.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, campaigning in Tamil Nadu, launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing it of spreading hatred and inequality across the country.

He alleged that the BJP backs a handful of large corporations to fund its electoral machinery. Gandhi also said the party is uncomfortable with Tamil Nadu’s legacy of social justice, claiming it opposes the state’s emphasis on equality and fairness, particularly towards marginalised communities.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, campaigning in Tiruchirappalli, alleged that the BJP attempted to use the women’s reservation Bill as a cover to advance the delimitation proposal.

He claimed the move was aimed at altering India’s electoral map and reducing representation of southern states, smaller states, and the Northeast. Gandhi added that a united opposition came together in Parliament to defeat what he termed a “nefarious design”.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the Prime Minister’s address to the nation, saying the need for such a speech reflects political weakness.

Without naming him directly, she said “the decline has begun since yesterday” and claimed the government is dependent on outside support. She asserted that opposition unity had already weakened the BJP and warned that once support is withdrawn, the government would collapse.

BJP candidate Naresh Chandra Roy asserted that the party holds a strong position in Dhupguri as campaigning intensifies.

He accused the TMC government of widespread corruption and lack of development, claiming that while other states are progressing, Bengal has lagged due to alleged governance failures.

BJP MP Jayanta Kumar Roy, addressing a rally in Dhupguri, vowed strict action against corruption if the party comes to power in West Bengal.

He said a “bulldozer-style” crackdown, similar to Uttar Pradesh, would be implemented against those involved in wrongdoing, while accusing Mamata Banerjee of shielding infiltrators.
 

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka voiced strong support for the DMK-led alliance while campaigning in Ranipet.

He said Tamil Nadu has a long-standing commitment to secular values and expressed confidence that Chief Minister MK Stalin, along with alliance partners, would return to power with a decisive mandate.
 

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee urged voters to rally behind his party, warning that any vote not cast for TMC would indirectly benefit the BJP.

Addressing a rally, he sought to consolidate support in a district once considered a Congress stronghold, framing the election as a direct contest between TMC and BJP.
 

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, campaigning in Kalimpong, attacked Mamata Banerjee over her opposition to the SIR process, claiming it would include genuine citizens while excluding illegal infiltrators.

He also accused Rahul Gandhi and the opposition of disrespecting women, saying it has angered mothers across the country and could lead to Congress’s political decline.

In a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday alleged that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo sold her state to "Bangladeshi Muslims for votes." 

"She has to be removed from power else we'll lose Bengal," the BJP leader said while addressing an election rally in Kalimpong in West Bengal, per news agency PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)

Addressing a poll rally in Tamil Nadu's Ponneri, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says that the people and the land of the souhern state hold a special place in his heart. Launching an attack against the BJP and the RSS, he said, "When I see RSS, BJP trying to attack Tamil Nadu and Tamil language and culture, I feel like I'm a Tamilian."

(Based on inputs from Anagha)

Video: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin's wife, Durga Stalin, campaigns for the party in Chennai's Anna Nagar.

(With inputs from Apoorva)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has said that the backlash ignited by him successfully "scorched Delhi's arrogance", alluding to the BJP-led Centre's unsuccessful attempt at an early implementation of the Women's Reservation Act with a proposed delimitation exercise.

This was perhaps the first defeat faced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his twelve years in office, Stalin claimed, and said the "massive defeat" was just the beginning, and that total annihilation would follow in the upcoming Assembly election in Tamil Nadu.

"With the responsibility of chief minister of Tamil Nadu, given to me by you (people), the fire ignited by Stalin has 'scorched' Delhi's arrogance. Our struggle (against delimitation) succeeded. Black shirt force has defeated the saffron brigade," Stalin said on Friday, reacting to the defeat of the delimitation bill in Parliament.

(With PTI inputs)

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday accused the BJP-led Centre of not releasing funds for Tamil Nadu, alleging that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was "snatching" the state's rights.

Addressing an election rally in Erode district, the DMK leader claimed the Centre has not released funds to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore for education. "They (union government) have snatched all our rights," he charged.

(With inputs from PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to address four back-to-back election rallies across West Bengal on Sunday, April 19. The said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rallies will take place in Bishnupur (11 am), Purulia (12.45 pm), Jhargram (02.45 pm), and Medinipur (04.30 pm). Voting for Assembly elections are slated to be held in two phases across the state on April 23 and April 29.

(With inputs from Piyush Mishra)

Ahead of addressing three back-to-back poll-related events across West Bengal on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack against the state's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging it had given patronage to sand, cattle, and land mafias.

"The aware public—the people here—knows that there's only one remedy for all this... the double-engine BJP government. To further strengthen this sentiment and faith, today I will engage with the common people through public meetings in the Mathabhanga and Dhupguri assembly constituencies, and a roadshow in the Bankura assembly constituency," the BJP leader said in a tweet.

Claiming that West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) had conspired to include names of infiltrators in electoral rolls in the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that while the party was objecting to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, people whose names had been deleted for "rightful reasons" had not protested.

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata on Friday, Fadnavis claimed the border areas of West Bengal have witnessed a demographic shift due to cross-border infiltration.

"Those whose names were deleted for rightful reasons did not protest. Why does only the TMC have an issue? The Supreme Court made certain observations about SIR but did not stop it, yet the TMC wanted to halt the process altogether," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is slated to lead three separate poll rallies in West Bengal today. First, he will lead a campaign event in the Mathabhanga Assembly constituency. He will then address a gathering in the Jalpaiguri district. The senior BJP leader will also lead a roadshow in Bankura.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to hold an election rally in Tiruchirappalli in favour of nine candidates of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, of which the Congress is also a part. The rally is set to begin at 4 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address a public gathering in poll-bound Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore today. The rally is reportedly slated to begin at 6 pm.