Assembly Election 2026 Highlights: Will defeat Mamata Banerjee again, Suvendu Adhikari predicts Bengal sweep

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday launched a sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, alleging widespread lawlessness and asserting that strict action would follow after May 4.

"There is a reign of goons and terror throughout Bengal. This is going to end on May 4. We will tell the goons and criminals to come to the police station and surrender. After May 4, there will be no one to save them," Sarma said while speaking to reporters in Tamulik. 

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday called on voters to reject what he described as a "slave alliance" and secure a strong victory for the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in the April 23 Assembly elections.

"Ensure the defeat of the slave alliance in Tamil Nadu. April 23 is the time to give a fitting reply to the BJP government," he urged the people, apparently referring to the AIADMK's alliance with the BJP as a 'slave' alliance.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that his unscheduled stop during poll campaigning in Jhargram to buy the local snack 'jhalmuri' was merely 'drama'. Banerjee suggested that the gesture, which drew attention during the campaign trail, was staged rather than spontaneous.

"How come cameras were present when he made the unscheduled stop? The entire episode was scripted," she alleged. Cameras were placed there beforehand. The SPG (the force responsible for providing proximity security to the prime minister) had arranged for the whole thing. He was seen carrying a Rs 10 note in his pocket. Is it believable? It's all drama," she claimed. 

Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday warned voters in Tamil Nadu against supporting the NDA in the April 23 polls, saying they would 'repent' such a decision. Drawing a parallel with Delhi, Kejriwal alleged that the BJP had "stopped all the good work" carried out by his party in the national capital, and cautioned that a similar situation could unfold in Tamil Nadu if the alliance came to power.

"A year ago, the people made a mistake by voting for the BJP and now all the good work that we have done in Delhi, has been stopped by the BJP. The schools we started in Delhi, the clinics, free medicine and treatment in hospitals, free electricity and free water have all been stopped by the BJP," he said.

Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari on Monday asserted that a political shift was underway in the state, predicting a decisive victory for his party.

"A change is going to come under the leadership of PM Modi. The tide has turned, TMC is on its way out. It will be a clean sweep, Mamata Banerjee will once again have to accept defeat in front of me," Adhikari said while speaking to reporters in Jhargram. 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin and AAP national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a joint roadshow in Chennai on Monday. The two leaders were seen addressing supporters and greeting crowds in the Pulianthope area of Chennai, in a show of political outreach.

West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Monday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress, claiming that the BJP would 'easily' form the next government in the state.

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned actor-turned-politician Nusrat Jahan in connection with a ration scam case, officials said. Jahan, a Trinamool Congress leader, has been asked to appear before the agency at its office in the CGO Complex on April 22.

The summons is part of the probe agency's ongoing probe into alleged irregularities linked to the ration distribution system in Kolkata.

BJP chief Nitin Nabin on Monday alleged the Trinamool Congress betrayed women by opposing the Centre's bid to implement women's quota in legislatures from 2029 and said that had it been a matter of "minorities' reservation, Mamata Banerjee would have walked miles in its support".

Addressing an election rally in Purba Medinipur's Mahishadal, he asserted the time has come for the women of the state to punish a government that "protects infiltrators while leaving its own daughters unsafe."

The BJP national president highlighted the contrast between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to provide a 33 per cent quota for women in legislatures and the TMC "obstructing" it.

Source: PTI

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday launched a sharp attack on the DMK and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, accusing them of doing “injustice to women and South India” by opposing the proposed delimitation and women’s reservation initiatives.

Addressing a public gathering, Naidu questioned Stalin’s opposition, asking what Tamil Nadu had gained from resisting the move. “You didn’t defeat Delhi, you defeated South India’s share. What is your problem, Mr Stalin?” he said. Naidu also recalled that leaders like him had been fighting for such reforms for over three decades, and noted that the Congress had opposed similar measures as far back as 1996.

Backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for reforms, Naidu said the Centre intended to roll out the changes ahead of the 2029 elections and had proposed a 50 per cent increase in seats across states. He alleged that Stalin’s stance had “demotivated women across the country” and stalled progress. “This is a betrayal of women and India,” Naidu said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the broader INDIA alliance, accusing them of neglecting the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes despite being in power for decades. Addressing a public gathering, he alleged that these parties had “no agenda” for marginalised communities and claimed they had repeatedly insulted BR Ambedkar. He also accused them of violating protocol and disrespecting the President during her recent visit to West Bengal.

Adityanath further alleged that parties including the TMC, Congress, DMK and Samajwadi Party obstructed key legislative business in Parliament, including amendments linked to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act proposed for implementation by 2029. Claiming that such actions reflected a broader pattern, he said these parties had made “insulting the tribal population, youth, farmers and the poor” their political nature. He asserted that the public has now become aware and would no longer accept governments “engaged in corruption and misconduct.”

TVK Chief Vijay held a roadshow in Ponneri in Tiruvallur district. 

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the AIADMK leadership has "surrendered" to the BJP due to "corruption". Addressing an election rally in Kanniyakumari, he claimed that now the AIADMK has become a vehicle for BJP's entry into Tamil Nadu.

"The RSS, which hates Dravadian ideology, also plans to rule Tamil Nadu," he alleged.

"People of each state should run their state. But the BJP does not think like this. it believes is one tradition, one language and one history," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a roadshow for BJP candidate Khokan Das in Birbhum district's Nanoor constituency in West Bengal. 

Referring to his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said he walked the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to promote unity across the nation. He said the idea behind the yatra was to bring people together and reinforce that India is a blend of diverse ideas, languages, traditions, religions and histories, all of which must coexist in harmony, love and mutual respect.

In Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the party is engaged in an ideological battle with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), asserting that they hold a fundamentally different vision of India. Gandhi emphasised that his party believes India is a “union of states,” as clearly stated in the Constitution, and that all states, languages and traditions must be treated equally.

The Congress on Monday alleged a “blatant misuse” of central agencies after Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai was allegedly confined by the Income Tax Department in Sriperumbudur during a search operation. The party claimed the action coincided with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s arrival in the state for election campaigning, preventing the state unit chief from carrying out his political responsibilities at a crucial time.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday strongly refuted AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami’s remarks on women’s reservation, terming them “wrong out of ignorance” and “an absolute lie.” Chidambaram asserted that the women’s reservation has already been enacted through the 106th Constitutional Amendment, which was passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in September 2023.

He said the amendment is now part of the Constitution and has been translated into all regional languages, urging Palaniswami to read the provisions, including Article 344A introduced through the amendment. “He’s absolutely wrong. But if he insists on saying that we did not support the women’s reservation, it’s an absolute lie,” Chidambaram added, dismissing the AIADMK leader’s claims.

 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is set to begin a two-day campaign tour in Tamil Nadu from Monday as part of the NDA's intensified outreach ahead of the April 23 state assembly elections.

"Naidu will undertake a two-day campaign tour in Tamil Nadu on Monday and Tuesday as part of the NDA's intensified outreach ahead of the state elections," a source from the Andhra Pradesh government told news agency PTI. 

Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday launched a sharp attack on actor-politician Vijay, alleging that he is “inaccessible” to the public unlike DMK candidates. Taking aim at Vijay’s campaign style, Udhayanidhi called the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader “lazy” and urged voters not to be swayed by what he described as “film set politics.”

He further claimed that such leaders would “disappear into their bungalows” after the elections, contrasting them with the DMK’s grassroots presence. Praising MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi said the Chief Minister is the “real hero”. 

Input by Pramod Madhav

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said his party, the DMK, is not concerned about actor-politician Vijay’s relentless attacks on the ruling party, asserting that any new entrant to Tamil Nadu politics must target the DMK to gain visibility.

“You are asking me about Vijay. As far as the DMK is concerned, anyone who wants to grow in Tamil Nadu politics has to speak against the party. The DMK is not concerned about that. When I travel across Tamil Nadu, I hear people say they have gained employment through the DMK’s reservation policies. Wherever you go in the world, people are praising the DMK. Any new entrant needs to speak about the DMK to grow, but much of what is being said is incorrect. The DMK is an efficient party, and many industries have come to Tamil Nadu because of its governance," he said. 

Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee urged Ratna Debnath, the BJP candidate from Panihati and mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, to appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that the Aparajita Bill, which is awaiting the President's nod, sees the light of day. Addressing a gathering after a roadshow in favour of party candidate Tirthankar Ghosh at Panihati in North 24 Parganas on Sunday, the TMC national general secretary said the proposed legislation seeks to ensure time-bound punishment for rape convicts within 50 days.
 

Source: PTI