2022 assembly elections

West Bengal may have convinced the BJP that even difficult states can be conquered. But crossing from two seats to the halfway mark in a Sikh-majority state is another proposition altogether

BJP Fought In Fewer Seat, Polled 17L More Votes Than Cong

Sunetra Pawar stands at a pivotal moment in the Baramati bypoll, with early reports showing her leading by over 70,000 votes—a remarkable feat that might eclipse the historic wins of both Ajit and Sharad Pawar. Projections are not only optimistic but hint at her surpassing the current national assembly election victory margin.

This victory gives BJP more than a new state. It gives Modi an eastern anchor to complement his dominance across the Hindi heartland and the West.

Two FIRs, reportedly under non-bailable charges, have been filed against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak in Punjab, shortly after he switched from AAP to BJP. Political leaders from BJP and SAD have decried the move as "political vendetta" and an attempt to intimidate party members. Security was heightened at Pathak's Delhi residence.

The BJP's political dominance across India is undeniable, governing most states and the Centre. However, this influence varies significantly, with strongholds like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat contrasting with regions where alliances are crucial. The party continues to expand its footprint, but challenges remain in the South and West Bengal, making upcoming elections a key test of its growth trajectory.

Thrikkakara, a Kerala constituency, is a UDF stronghold held by the INC since its 2008 creation. The upscale urban seat, home to IT professionals and middle-class suburbs, faces issues like monsoon flooding, traffic congestion, and rising housing costs. Current MLA Uma Thomas won a landslide by-election in 2022, continuing the INC's dominance.

Since 2008, Rajasthan’s politics has been shaped as much by the street and the party backroom as by the ballot box. The Gujjar reservation agitation showed how mass mobilisation could force policy shifts, while the Congress years exposed how internal rebellion—most dramatically Sachin Pilot’s 2020 breakaway—could threaten govts from within. Even as power kept alternating between Congress and BJP, new regional forces began altering local equations. Ashok Gehlot’s creation of 19 new districts redrew administrative and political maps, and BJP’s 2023 return ended with an unexpected leadership choice: Bhajan Lal Sharma.

In a striking twist of fate, Tej Pratap Yadav, son of the prominent politician Lalu Prasad, has turned to the very religious figure he once openly criticized, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, for guidance in his beleaguered political career.