KPCC chief Sunny Joseph on Saturday (April 4, 2026) alleged that the boxes being used in the north Kerala district for collecting votes of home voters have wide mouths through which the ballots can be taken out, and sought the intervention of the CEC and CEO to ensure free and fair polls.

Mr. Joseph claimed that when he took the issue to the attention of the district collector, the official got angry at him, instead of assuring him that he would look into the matter.

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president alleged that the collector was “acting as an agent of the ruling front” and sought the intervention of the Chief Election Commission (CEC) and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state to ensure free and fair polls.

He made the allegations at a press conference, where he claimed that the mouth of the ballot box was too wide and, therefore, anyone could take out the ballots from it.

“It needs to be answered why such a wide slit was created on the box. This can be misused or tampered with. The ballot papers can be changed after taking them out. It is an attempt to sabotage the polling process,” Joseph alleged. The Assembly polls will be held in Kerala on April 9. -- PTI

The upcoming Assembly polls in West Bengal could see a “revival” of the Left, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said on Saturday (April 4, 2026), adding that he would not speculate about outcomes.

As his party gears up for polls along with the Left Front in the state, Bhattacharya told PTI in an interview that he expected the vote share of the Left to go up, while dismissing concerns over the Congress’ decision to fight separately.

“We are looking at some prospects of Left revival in Bengal. I am not going to speculate about any number of seats,” he said. “But first of all, in terms of vote share, because the Left vote share is now in single digit, it has come down to below 10. If you have to check the BJP’s growth in Bengal, the Left will have to recover.” Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation [CPI(ML) Liberation] is contesting 10 constituencies across West Bengal with support from the Left Front.

Highlighting the significance of the arrangement with the Left Front, Bhattacharya said ideological differences with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] remain, but cooperation has become necessary.

“We have a lot of differences with the CPI(M); that’s why we are not part of the Left Front. We are an independent communist party. But we are cooperating with them for this common purpose of bringing about some Left revival in West Bengal,” he said. -- PTI

Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir on Saturday (April 4, 2026) termed the arrest of a former candidate of his ally AIMIM for the gherao of seven judicial officers in Malda “unjust and politically motivated”.

He claimed that the police had in fact arrested the person who “helped in restoring peace in the area”.

The West Bengal Police on Friday (April 3, 2026) arrested two persons, including advocate Mofakkarul Islam, who has been described by the force as the “mastermind” of the gherao.

Reacting to the police action, Kabir, in a social media post, said, “The action by the Bengal CID following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s instruction is unjust and politically motivated.” Islam was arrested on the charge of instigating the Malda incident.

Kabir, who was suspended from the Trinamool Congress in December last year, claimed the “facts of the incident are being misrepresented and twisted”.

He claimed that Islam had addressed a gathering at Danga in Sujapur Assembly constituency, in front of Al-Sifa Hospital on National Highway 12, where a peaceful protest had been underway since morning, quite a distance from Mothabari. -- PTI

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team on Saturday (April 4, 2026) visited the office of the Malda Superintendent of Police (SP) and later investigated the Block Development Officer’s (BDO) office in Kaliachowk, Malda. The probe was related to the gherao of seven judicial officers that took place on April 1.

- ANI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (April 4, 2026) raised local issues including agriculture, land rights and human-animal conflict to target the ruling LDF at an election rally in Kattappana.

Addressing the gathering as part of his campaign for the April 9 assembly elections, Gandhi alleged that the agriculture and plantation sectors had collapsed under the LDF government.

Idukki is a district with a large number of farmers and plantation workers “If they were truly Left, workers and plantation sectors would not have been suffering,” he said.

He claimed that crops such as tea, rubber and cardamom were on the decline in Kerala.

“In the last election, the LDF promised to raise the rubber MSP (minimum support price) to ₹250 but did not fulfil it. Now the BJP-controlled Rubber Board is unwilling to raise MSP to ₹300,” he said.

- PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday (April 4, 2026) held a roadshow in support of BJP candidate Dilip Ghosh for the upcoming assembly elections in Kharagpur Sadar constituency.

Speaking to ANI, CM Rekha Gupta said, “This time, the people of Bengal have resolved to uproot and throw out this [Trinamool Congress] government, and the enthusiasm among the people here indicates that Mamata Banerjee will be ousted and this time a Modi government will be formed.”

She added, “This is not just an issue of protecting Bengal; it is an issue of protecting the entire country. The infiltrators who come to Bengal not only rob our Bengali brothers and sisters of their rights but also pose a threat to the security of the country. Once our government comes to power, the infiltrators will be stopped,” she asserted.

- ANI

Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Saturday (April 4, 2026) backed Chief Minister MK Stalin’s remarks on the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) three-language curriculum, asserting that the State government remains committed to its long-standing two-language policy introduced by Periyar and will not “compromise” on its principles.

Speaking to ANI, Mr. Poyyamozhi emphasised that the message conveyed by the Chief Minister was clear that Tamil Nadu would not yield to what it perceives as attempts to impose policies contrary to its established educational framework.

“The Chief Minister has firmly upheld the two-language policy set by Periyar, refusing to compromise. Even when offered ₹3,458 crores, the state declined, insisting that ideology cannot be imposed. The message is clear that the state will not bend. The Chief Minister’s words underline that the state board and its principles remain uncompromised,” said the Tamil Nadu Education Minister.

- ANI

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Nabin on Saturday (April 4, 2026) took a dig at opposition leaders in Silchar, describing them as “part-time” politicians who only appear during elections.

The BJP National President further asserted that the BJP leadership works full-time and remains committed to the region’s development at all times.

Addressing a public gathering, Nitin Nabin said, “I am seeing these days that some part-time leaders have come now that elections are here, so they are roaming around. BJP leaders and leadership work full-time. They work committed to the people of the region at all times... You are going to form a government that will move forward in the direction of how to make Assam developed by 2047.”

- ANI

Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir on Saturday (April 4, 2026) termed the arrest of a former candidate of his ally AIMIM for the gherao of seven judicial officers in Malda “unjust and politically motivated”.

He claimed that the police had in fact arrested the person who “helped in restoring peace in the area”.

The West Bengal Police on Friday (April 3, 2026) arrested two persons, including advocate Mofakkarul Islam, who has been described by the force as the “mastermind” of the gherao.

Reacting to the police action, Mr. Kabir, in a social media post, said, “The action by the Bengal CID following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s instruction is unjust and politically motivated.” Islam was arrested on the charge of instigating the Malda incident.

- PTI

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, speaking at a poll rally in Malda’s Manikchak, asked the people not to “fall for any provocation” by the BJP. “BJP wants to stoke violence, use central agencies to target people as they did in Malda’s Mothabari,” she said.

She urge women to guard EVMs, VVPAT machines once polls are over.

Addressing the Malda gherao, she said, “Two communal parties gheraoed judges and escaped. The NIA is now harassing local youths.”

“I challenge Amit Shah to hold meeting in Malda, speak to people whose names deleted from electoral rolls” she said.

The battle for Dispur, the seat of power in Assam, has taken a dramatic turn for the 2026 Assembly elections. In a high-stakes irony, the constituency is set to witness a fight between a former Congress heavyweight now wearing saffron and a veteran BJP loyalist fighting as a rebel independent.

Former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi is now set to contest the seat as a BJP candidate, facing a direct challenge from ex-BJP veteran Jayant Kumar Das. Despite being a “newcomer” to the party, he has been given the ticket to leverage his administrative experience and appeal to a broader base.

Das, who was recently expelled from the BJP for six years, is now campaigning as an independent candidate, setting the stage for an intense “rebel versus turncoat” showdown. After being denied a ticket to accommodate Bordoloi, he resigned from the party. He claims the BJP has become a “version of the Congress” and is running on a platform of “original ideology.”

- ANI

West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya on Saturday (April 4, 2026) demanded a CBI investigation into the recent Malda incident.

He accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of making statements that incite unrest and said statistics over the past three years show minorities have suffered under Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule.

Speaking to ANI, Mr. Bhattacharya said, “The Chief Minister is shifting stance and now, turning under pressure. Her statements are seen as attempts to incite unrest, but the people of Bengal will reject such conspiracies. Statistics from the past three years show that many minorities have suffered under TMC rule. We call for a CBI investigation in the Malda case.”

- ANI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (April 4, 2026) alleged that the Modi government is putting the security of every Indian at risk by attempting to “cover up its own failures” and concealing the reality of foreign surveillance through Chinese cameras installed at vital locations.

“This is a deliberate conspiracy to keep India in the dark,” he said in a post in Hindi on Facebook.

Mr. Gandhi said the government recently banned the public use of Chinese CCTV cameras.

- PTI

Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (April 4, 2026) targeted the ruling LDF in Kerala and the BJP, alleging that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is in a partnership with people who “attack minorities” in other parts of the country.

Addressing an election gathering in Alappuzha, Mr. Gandhi reiterated his allegation of a BJP–LDF understanding and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not speaking about the Sabarimala issue during the election campaign.

Referring to former CPI(M) leader G. Sudhakaran, who shared the stage with the Congress leader, Mr. Gandhi said his presence reflected a deeper shift within the CPI(M)-led LDF.

- PTI

Neither Congress nor BJP could give statehood to Puducherry despite holding power in Centre, said TVK chief Vijay in a campaign meeting with candidates at Thattanchavady, Puducherry.

“TVK candidates stand for people, with people,” he said.

He also promised medical insurance of ₹25 lakh will be provided to every family in the Union Territory, and the construction of Puducherry University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

- PTI

Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday (April 4, 2026) appealed to the people to defeat the Delhi team as it was “hostile” to the needs or development of the State.

Addressing a poll campaign in support of the DMK candidate and State Cooperation Minister K R Periyakaruppan in Singampunari in the district, Udhayanidhi, who is the DMK youth wing secretary, said the April 23 Assembly election is very crucial as it is a contest to extend the development and good work done by the DMK and the Delhi team which is “hostile” to the needs or development of Tamil Nadu.

“So, we must defeat the Delhi team, the Sanghi group, and prove that they have no space in Tamil Nadu. Ensure Dravidian model 2.0 regime for more development and welfare initiatives,” Udhayanidhi said, highlighting the numerous schemes, including free bus travel for women, the monthly grant for women heads of families, and free laptops to college students.

- PTI

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday (April 4, 2026) slammed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his claims that Pakistani media was campaigning for Congress, while taking a dig at the CM’s earlier remark on Rahul Gandhi’s alleged body double during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2024.

Speaking to ANI, Mr. Gogoi said the Chief Minister is growing increasingly desperate as “the ground is slipping beneath his feet” and ridiculed Mr. Sarma for raising the issue of a body double.

“The Chief Minister even dreams of seeing Rahul Gandhi’s body double. It is sad that the Chief Minister of a state has so many problems... the ground is slipping beneath his feet,” Mr. Gogoi remarked.

Earlier, CM Sarma had alleged that Gogoi and Congress were backed by Pakistani media, claiming those involved were a “left-wing liberal gang who want to finish the Sanatana.”

- ANI

As the 2026 Assam Assembly elections heat up, the Sibsagar (Sivasagar) constituency has emerged as one of the most-watched battlegrounds.

Incumbent MLA and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi is looking to retain his stronghold in the historic Ahom capital, but the challenge has taken a complex turn with a “friendly contest” between the ruling NDA allies.

Mr. Gogoi is fighting to retain his seat against two NDA alliance candidates: Prodip Hazarika (AGP) and Kushal Dowari (BJP).

- ANI

Congress candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday (April 4, 2026), during his election campaign in Murshidabad, alleged that he was attacked by TMC workers while canvassing in the Berhampore Assembly constituency.

Mr. Chowdhury, who was earlier an MP from Behrampore, said he had raised concerns with the administration over security arrangements during the ongoing election campaign.

Earlier on Thursday (April 2, 2026), he expressed strong confidence in securing public support in Berhampore, saying his long-standing relationship with the people remains unshaken despite his official responsibilities.

- ANI

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, on Saturday (April 4, 2026), during his morning walk in Kanniyakumari, interacted with locals and the fishing community while carrying out campaign activities.

Meanwhile, earlier today, he criticised the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) new curriculum framework, calling it a “calculated attempt at linguistic imposition” that prioritises Hindi over regional languages.

- ANI

BJP leader K. Annamalai, who returned from Kerala amidst his poll campaign there to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on Saturday (April 4, 2026), said that he is not in the electoral race.

He was neither on the party’s list of probable candidates sent to the high command for approval for the April 23 election, as he chose to campaign this time, the former BJP TN chief said.

Had he decided he could have contested in any constituency in Tamil Nadu, but his focus now was to campaign for the BJP and the NDA candidates, he stressed.

“I am not in the race or list. In this election, my role is to campaign for the candidates across Tamil Nadu. Right now, the party has given me the responsibility to campaign in Puducherry and Kerala till April 7 and from then till April 23 in Tamil Nadu. This is the responsibility given to me by the party. I will be fulfilling that responsibility,” the former State chief told reporters upon his arrival at the airport from Kannur.

- PTI

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday (April 4, 2026) termed the Centre’s proposed FCRA Amendment Bill 2026 “draconian”, and alleged it targeted minorities, especially Christian organisations and demanded that it be dropped.

Addressing a rally here, Stalin alleged that the BJP-led Centre failed to protect Tamil Nadu fishermen and it has failed in its foreign policy.

Furthermore, the Dravidian party chief alleged that PM Modi has created a situation of no influence for India, even among smaller neighbouring countries.

The FCRA Amendment Bill is tantamount to taking away rights provided by the Constitution and it was a serious assault on the freedom of religion and also on the people who wish to do social service, he said.

- PTI

Photo: Rajesh N.

The Election Commission approved the creation of 4,660 auxiliary polling stations in West Bengal, a senior official said on Saturday (April 4, 2026).

The auxiliary polling stations will be set up alongside booths that have more than 1,200 voters, he said.

With this, the total number of polling stations in the state rose to 85,379, he said.

The EC also cleared the relocation of 321 polling stations, he added.

- PTI

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The All India Congress Committee (ECI) has moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s Kerala mouthpiece channel, Kairali, for allegedly disseminating fabricated pictures seeking to defame AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, MP. 

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Kerala on Saturday (April 4, 2026) as part of the NDA’s election campaign, BJP sources said.

The PM is scheduled to attend a public meeting in Thiruvalla and take part in a roadshow in Thiruvananthapuram, they added.

Mr. Modi will arrive at Thiruvananthapuram airport at around 2.30 pm and will travel by helicopter to Changanassery NSS College ground in Kottayam district, where he is expected to land at 3 pm.

From there, he will travel by road for a public meeting at the Thiruvalla stadium where party leaders and NDA candidates from nearby constituencies are expected to be present, the sources said.

Assam Police is keeping a close watch on social media ahead of the Assembly elections, with a special cell ensuring that malicious posts or content that could trigger law and order problems are promptly checked, a top officer said on Saturday (April 4, 2026).

The special cell, formed under the police’s criminal investigation department (CID), has ensured 100 per cent content removal in cases where complaints were received or suo motu action initiated, he said.

“There are legal provisions already under which fake news, defamatory posts, and content which can lead to a law and order situation can be reported and taken down even in normal times. This becomes more important and urgent during election times,” Special Director General of Police (SDGP), CID, Munna Prasad Gupta, told PTI.

- PTI

Twenty months after the rape and murder of a young doctor inside Kolkata’s State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital triggered nationwide outrage, the politics of that crime has caught up with Bengal’s election battlefield.

In Panihati, a constituency that for nearly six decades changed hands only between the Left and the Congress and later TMC, the April 29 contest is no longer just another election.

In this north Kolkata suburb, now regarded as a safe TMC seat, voters are being asked less about local grievances and more about a question that has haunted Bengal since August 2024: “Who failed the RG Kar victim, and who can still deliver justice?” With the BJP fielding the victim doctor’s mother, the TMC defending a fortress built over three decades, and the CPI(M) trying to reclaim a protest movement it helped lead, Panihati has become the constituency where Bengal’s most emotionally charged issue is headed for its fiercest political test.

- PTI

Kerala CEO Rathan U. Kelkar has said that the EC is taking strict action against anyone violating the MCC or other election rules both in the physical space and the digital world.

The Chief Electoral Officer said that immediately after the elections were announced, it was made clear to all political parties and candidates that they shall abide by the Model Code of Conduct and “any violations will be dealt with strictly”.

Kelkar said that an FIR has been lodged and an investigation is going in connection with the recent allegedly communal remarks by BJP’s Guruvayur Assembly seat candidate B Gopalakrishnan.

- PTI

Free Uber rides, halwa and rice flour at ₹1 may sound like an advertisement to attract customers to a store, but are actually initiatives by the EC to encourage young electors to vote in the Assembly polls in the state on April 9, by turning the exercise into a celebration, rather than a tedious activity.

The extensive measures to attract young voters to polling booths also include possible discounts by coffee houses like Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day, positive messages by food and grocery delivery services like Blinkit, Swiggy, Zomato and Domino’s as well as the use of AI-videos, reels, competitions and a ‘gen-z anthem’ that was recently launched by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

“Everybody wants to do something, so we will see how they come out with their innovative ways. If they come and do something, that is good. A positive message will come out and it might have an effect,” Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar said in an interview to PTI.

- PTI

Continuing his campaign for the upcoming elections, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay left his residence for Puducherry on Saturday (April 4, 2026).

He seeks a victory against the incumbent All India N.R. Congress government, which is part of the NDA alliance. The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is contesting independently in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly elections. 

- ANI