Dancer Dharmesh Yelande believes that emotional background stories in dance reality shows are effective only when genuine, as fabricated narratives destroy the core of the performance.
Dancer and Choreographer Dharmesh Yelande He believes that emotional background stories in dance reality shows only work if they are genuine, saying that fabricated stories take away the essence of the performance.Sharing his perspective, Dharmesh presents a balanced view. “Initially I loved it because I would connect with their stories,” he says, however, he also acknowledges the changing tastes of audiences today. He added, “I understand that now some people feel they want to see more dancing and less stories.”
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Dharmesh Yelande spotted at Filmistan Studio
Dharmesh draws a clear line when it comes to authenticity. According to him, the problem is the fabricated emotional narrative. He shared, “I don’t like it if the stories are fake. Some contestants have real stories, and I’d like to hear them. I also think there’s an audience for this too – people who enjoy hearing these stories along with the dancing.”Beyond television, Dharmesh also reflects on his brief experience with Bollywood choreography. After being given a chance by Farah Khan, she worked in the film Tees Maar Khan. He says, “Farah ma’am gave me that opportunity. And when I did that, I realized that I was not made for film choreography. I am not much interested in that field and after that I never did any other film.”
“At this moment, no one cares,” lamented a Mumbai cricket fan as the Indian Premier League 2026 final was once again allotted to Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. Ardent fans of the game will now once again pack their bags and travel to the familiar landscape where another pinnacle of the cricket tournament is about to be played.
This is the fourth time in five years IPL final is scheduled to be played in Ahmedabad. Traditionally, the defending champions, in this year’s case Royal Challengers Bangalore, have been given the privilege of hosting the summit clash.
However, over the past few years, that privilege has been taken away by Eden Gardens, home of 2024 champions Kolkata Knight Riders and of course RCB, which won the tournament in 2025.
The Indian cricket board has been very clear about why Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium is not hosting the summit clash this year. In an interview, BCCI secretary Devjit Saikia said that the board has given a green signal to the conduct of Karnataka’s political class. who allegedly demanded 10,000 free tickets Ahead of high-profile games.
This was on top of the 15 per cent allocation that the BCCI already gives to the state association hosting the match. With nearly 16,000 of the 40,000 tickets missing even before the public sale, the BCCI probably asked itself: why hand over such an iconic game to a venue that has time and again created unwanted controversies in Indian cricket – from the stampede issue to the repeated chaos around ticket allotment, which resurfaced right at the start. IPL Even 2026?
And that’s fair enough. If the BCCI feels that undue pressure is being put on the board, it has every right to rein in the state association. But then, how fair is it to move the 2025 final away from Eden Gardens?
The final match at Eden Gardens, an iconic venue in Indian cricket, was canceled by the BCCI citing weather concerns. The board had said that there was a possibility of rain in Kolkata during the IPL final and to be safe they had shifted the game to Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Ironically, the weather in Kolkata was bad on the day of the final in 2025, making the decision seem more harsh.
“I’m so tired of watching finals from the stadium. 2022. 2023 two finals. 2025. 2026 two finals,” one
Another said, “Despite being a proud Ahmedabad. Despite being proud of having a wonderful venue like Narendra Modi Stadium in our city. I believe there are a lot of big matches being played here.”
Why are all the cricket finals going to Ahmedabad?
RCB won the IPL final in Ahmedabad last year (Reuters Photo)
Let us argue that BCCI is allowing only one stadium in the country to host the big game.
If we consider this as a baseline, India is not the first country to allocate its biggest games to one place.
Australia has the Melbourne Cricket Ground. England has Lord’s. And if we focus on football, London’s Wembley Stadium has consistently hosted some of the biggest international matches over the years.
In a way, this is what the association or country is telling the world: This is the stability we are offering to domestic or traveling fans.
The second aspect is the capacity of the stadium. Narendra Modi Stadium can accommodate more than 1,00,000 spectators.
BCCI sources told IndiaToday.in that Ahmedabad has started becoming the preferred venue as a large number of tickets can be sold even after allotting passes to the host association and stakeholders.
There is also the question of optics. Ahmedabad simply looks gorgeous on television. Aerial shots, packed stands and large-scale celebrations help create the feeling of a mega event, something that broadcasters and administrators are naturally attracted to for finals.
And perhaps this is the real strength of Ahmedabad. It is no longer just a cricket stadium, but has become the default stage for the biggest events of Indian cricket.
Is this fair for the rest of the stadiums in India?
Ahmedabad perhaps does not yet carry the generational spirit and history of places like Eden Gardens, Wankhede or Chepauk.
And these venues not getting any finals is, of course, not good for the fans.
In recent years, frustration has also been expressed at the BCCI for not adequately compensating those centers with other major matches. If the board wants Ahmedabad to host the biggest game for whatever reason, the next tier of high-profile fixtures should at least rotate across major stadiums in the country.
But this should not absolve BCCI of its double standards.
The board did not allocate Women’s World Cup matches to centers like Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, saying it wanted to take the games to smaller centres.
But if we talk about Men’s T20 World Cup, Chennai and Delhi did not get a chance to reach even a single semi-final. And perhaps this underlines the unions’ frustration.
IPL was built on the identity of the city
One of the reasons the IPL became such a huge cultural force in India was that it never felt neutral. Was from Chepauk, Chennai. Was from Mumbai Wankhede. Kolkata’s heartbeat passed through the Eden Gardens, while Bengaluru turned the Chinnaswamy Stadium into an annual carnival.
The league was built, like cricket, on geography.
Fans didn’t just support teams, they also supported cities, local cultures, and home venues that gradually became extensions of the franchises themselves. The IPL final journey across the country was also part of that ecosystem. It allowed different fans to feel ownership over the league’s biggest night.
And perhaps this is where some inconvenience arises around Ahmedabad. If each major sport begins to move towards a single centre, the tournament risks gradually losing some of its regional texture.
And in a country as diverse as India, point A to point B is not at most a three-hour drive away. It probably feels very bad when the festival of cricket does not come around you for a long time.
And now the time has come for BCCI to look into this. It is fine if there are fixed centers for major international sports in India, but a competition like IPL should remain all-India.
London’s Heathrow Airport saw a sharp decline in passenger traffic in April, as the ongoing conflict with Iran caused disruption to the global aviation network.The UK’s busiest airport said about 6.7 million passengers traveled through its terminals during the month – a 5 percent decline from the same period last year, Reuters reports.Traffic bound to the Middle East was hardest hit, falling by more than 50 percent as airlines grappled with airspace closures, cancellations and longer flight routes amid the regional crisis. Heathrow said the decline reflected “short-term adjustments to travel plans” due to geopolitical tensions.
Transit traffic increases as passengers re-enter via London
Despite the overall slowdown, Heathrow saw a 10 percent increase in transfer passengers, with many passengers re-routed through London for onward flights to Asia and Oceania. The airport benefited as passengers avoided major Gulf transit hubs such as Dubai and Doha due to disruptions in the region.Airport officials noted that Heathrow has met some displaced travel demand, even as the conflict continues to impact international aviation.
Pressure on airlines has increased due to fear of fuel crisis
The conflict has also raised concerns over jet fuel supplies after disrupting the movement of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil shipping route.Jet fuel prices have nearly doubled from last year’s levels, according to industry data, raising fears of rising airfares and possible fuel shortages during the peak summer season.Last week, British Airways owner IAG indicated it may try to offset the steep rise in fuel costs through fare hikes and other cost-management measures. At the same time, some airlines are reportedly cutting ticket prices on select European summer routes to avoid weak bookings.
Heathrow to review forecast for 2026
Heathrow Chief Executive Thomas Waldby described the situation as a “short-term disruption”, stressing that underlying travel demand remains strong despite the volatility. He said April was Heathrow’s busiest month so far this year.However, the airport said it would re-evaluate and update its passenger forecast for 2026 next month as uncertainty remains over the conflict and the global travel outlook.
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Iran targets UAE, Kuwait after attack on US ship near Qatar, increasing tensions in Gulf
New Delhi: Opposition parties on Monday launched a front against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for urging citizens to reduce fuel and edible oil consumption amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia, claiming that fuel prices are certain to rise now that the assembly elections are over.This comes after PM Modi urged people to reduce the use of edible oil, adopt public transport, car-pooling and electric vehicles and move towards natural farming practices to reduce dependence on imports and save foreign exchange.Calling it a form of “economic self-defense”, PM Modi said patriotism today means responsible living and conscious consumption in the face of rising fuel prices due to global supply chain disruptions and conflicts in West Asia.who said whatRahul GandhiIn a social media post on Twitter, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said PM Modi’s appeal has exposed the limitations of his decade-long tenure.Rahul Gandhi said, “Yesterday, Modi ji asked the public to make sacrifices – don’t buy gold, don’t go abroad, use less petrol, cut down on fertilizers and cooking oil, take the metro, work from home. These are not sermons – these are testimonials to failure.”Also read: PM Modi emphasizes on reduction in fuel usage and gold purchase, supports WFHHe said, “In 12 years, he has taken the country to such a position that now the public has to be told what to buy, what not to buy, where to go and where not to go. Every time, he shifts the responsibility to the people so that they themselves can escape accountability. Running the country is no longer the purview of a compromised PM.”‘Modi ji will bear your burden till the elections’Responding to PM Modi’s remarks, AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged that common people are being asked to bear the burden in the name of patriotism.”Dear countrymen, Modi ji bore your burden till the elections, your usefulness ends as soon as the elections are over. Now stand in line in the name of patriotism. Gas becomes expensive; Now petrol and diesel will also become expensive. In the name of patriotism you will have to stop using petrol, diesel and gas; Don’t buy gold; Don’t even use cooking oil,” Singh said.He further alleged double standards in the government’s approach and criticized the Prime Minister’s public events and foreign visits.“But Modi ji will bring lakhs of people to his rallies, go on foreign trips, burn a lot of fuel; his people will not just buy gold – they will grab the wealth of the entire country – but you will keep being fooled. And yes, if you are not able to digest Modi ji’s inflation, then the blind devotee and broker media will declare you a Pakistani,” the AAP leader said.Akhilesh YadavMeanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP government has failed to handle both the economy and foreign policy, calling his appeal an “admission of failure”.In a post on X, Akhilesh said, “As soon as the elections were over, the government suddenly remembered the ‘crisis’. Actually, there is only one crisis for the country and its name is BJP.The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister questioned how the country would achieve its goal of becoming a “five trillion dollar economy” if the government was forced to impose multiple restrictions.“With so many restrictions being imposed, how will the much-touted ‘five trillion dollar economy’ become a reality? It appears that the BJP government has completely lost control,” he said.Claiming that the rupee is rapidly weakening against the dollar, Yadav alleged that the economic management of the BJP government has collapsed.“The dollar is skyrocketing while the Indian rupee is falling further,” he said.He also blamed the Centre’s foreign policy for the current economic situation and alleged that the BJP government has moved away from India’s traditional non-aligned approach.“The real reason behind these situations is the BJP government abandoning the country’s traditional policy of non-alignment and associating with certain groups due to specific pressures and interests,” he said.BJP hit backBJP hit back at Rahul Gandhi and claimed that Congress’s politics is limited to power and not nation building.In a post on Twitter, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said Modi had not asked people to make sacrifices but urged them to make conscious choices in the national interest such as energy conservation, promoting indigenous products, conserving foreign exchange and strengthening self-reliance.He said, “But this is actually the problem of the Congress. Any call for public participation in the national interest seems like ‘preaching’ to them, because their politics has been limited to power, not nation-building.”Referring to the impact of the West Asia conflict, Malviya said that every global crisis affects the entire world and cited India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for countering Gandhi’s attack.“If appealing to the public to fulfill their responsibility is considered ‘failure’, then was your dear Nehru also a ‘compromising PM’?” he asked.“Nehru himself had said that when wars break out in other countries, its impact is felt in India in the form of inflation. Was that also an ‘excuse’ then, or was it considered responsible leadership at that time?” Malviya said.He also shared an old purported video of Nehru in which the former Prime Minister can be heard saying that when there are wars in countries like Korea or America, the country is affected.He said that responsible leadership tells the truth to the people and appeals for collective participation in facing the challenges.
New Delhi: Mumbai Indians Became the second team to be eliminated from the Indian Premier League After losing to Royal Challengers Bangalore in a last over thriller on Sunday. The result means the powerful MI unit will go without silverware for the sixth consecutive season – the longest trophy drought in their history – and miss the playoffs for the fourth time since 2022.It has been a massive decline for the franchise after winning back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020. Now is the time for them to get their home in order before they begin the much-needed reset. As reported by TimesofIndia.com earlier this month MI’s dressing room is far from idealAnd inconsistent performances from star players haven’t helped the team’s cause.
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Mahela Jayawardene reflects on MI’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign
Some individual performances – Ryan Rickelton’s firepower at the top, Rohit’s early brilliance, Tilak VermaCorbin Bosh showed promise with two innings and the ball, but inconsistency has continued to drag the team down. Hardik Pandya has not been able to perform at his best with bat or ball.And he is often seen checking out every now and then. With the season effectively over, MI will have to make the most of their remaining fixtures against Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.Suryakumar YadavMI, who have been under pressure due to poor performance with the bat for a long time, need to make room for a young player in the playing eleven, the right-handed batsman has scored only 195 runs in 11 innings. Tilak Verma scored a fighting half-century against RCB, but the left-handed batsman’s returns have been erratic, which is reflected in his tally of 261 runs in 11 matches in the tournament. Of these, 158 runs were scored in only two innings, while only 103 runs were scored in the remaining nine innings.Whereas Jasprit Bumrah Having faced a lot of criticism for his low number of wickets, the veteran fast bowler has bowled his heart out without much support from the other end. With the campaign now almost over, Mumbai Indians should do Bumrah a favor and allow him to rest for the unimportant final three matches.
Jasprit Bumrah of Mumbai Indians bowling during the Indian Premier League 2026 match. (ANI)
Additionally, is it time to test the players on the bench and rest underperforming senior players? head coach Mahela Jayawardene It seems that he is not ready for this and continues to support the “core group”.“They’re trying to do their best, too. If I’d known it had anything to do with it, I would have talked to them. But the commitment and effort they’re putting in is incredible. So I was pretty firm with Roe. [Rohit Sharma] Getting injured and then the way he came back to bat, tells it all. I mean, the core group is very valuable to us. You can’t just keep changing.“We went in with confidence and trust in them. And then it is what it is.” Like I said, it’s hard for me to go beyond that. They had a really good World Cup, they won it and everything else. So I think it’s just that, as a unit, we are not good enough,” Jayawardene said after MI’s exit.MI are not accustomed to finding themselves in that position this season, and the real challenge now will be to avoid another tenth-place finish. If they don’t bring about some much-needed changes, the chances of a third wooden-spoon finish in the last five seasons are very high.
A Spanish passenger is sprayed with disinfectant by Spanish government officials before boarding a plane after disembarking from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at the airport in Tenerife, Canary Islands (Photo credit: AP)
An American passenger evacuated from a hantavirus-hit cruise ship has tested positive for the virus, US health officials confirmed on Sunday, with an update that he has not yet shown any symptoms.With the spread of this virus, many countries have started quarantining and monitoring the passengers returning by ship.The infected American, one of 17 US citizens evacuated from the ship, is showing no symptoms and will be transferred to a Nebraska biocontainment unit upon arrival in Omaha. Other passengers will also undergo assessment and monitoring at the National Quarantine Unit for precautionary purposes.The development came hours after French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that one in five French passengers developed symptoms during the flight and that flights to Paris had been reinstated. All five passengers were immediately placed in strict isolation testing.The MV Hondius—the hantavirus-hit cruise ship—docked off Spain’s Canary Islands, Canary Islands, on Sunday, after a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to the ship killed three people and infected at least five more passengers. More than 140 passengers from more than 20 countries were present during the emergency evacuation.The World Health Organization reassured that the outbreak does not pose a major threat to the public.“This is not another Covid,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom said. “The risk to the public is low. People should not panic.”Health experts say Hantavirus is spread primarily through contact with contaminated rodent feces and is not easily transmitted between humans. But in rare cases, the Andes strain found in this outbreak (a specific type of hantavirus found primarily in South America) can spread between people in rare cases. Further symptoms may appear anywhere between one and eight weeks after exposure.WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said countries receiving travelers have been advised to take active daily health surveillance and quarantine measures. Many countries have already imposed strict isolation protocols lasting up to six weeks
The Surya Kiran aerobatic team of the Indian Air Force performed aerial maneuvers during the Somnath Amrit Mahotsav at Somnath Temple on Monday.As part of the celebrations, Narendra Modi participated in the special Mahapuja, followed by the Kumbhabhishek and flag hoisting ceremonies, which included the consecration ritual and unfurling of the temple flag.PM Modi on Monday offered prayers at the Somnath temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, as part of the Somnath Amrit Mahotsav organized to commemorate 75 years of the inauguration of the renovated temple by India’s first President Rajendra Prasad.Before entering the temple complex, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during the road show in Somnath.Earlier in the day, PM Modi held a road show on the way to the temple, drawing large crowds of supporters amid tight security arrangements in key areas of the city.Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Shanghvi had said on May 9 that PM Modi is on a visit to Gujarat to participate in the Somnath Amrit Mahotsav and inaugurate the Sardar Dham in Vadodara.PM Modi on Friday shared an op-ed ahead of his proposed visit to the Somnath temple on May 11, highlighting the civilizational importance of the temple and paying tribute to the people who have preserved and restored it over the centuries.In a post on Twitter, Modi said, “Wrote an oped about his upcoming Somnath Yatra on May 11 and explained why this day will always be important with regard to the greatness of Somnath and our civilization. Also paid tribute to every person who faced all kinds of challenges, yet always protected Somnath and restored its glory.”In the op-ed, the Prime Minister said the visit will mark 75 years of the inauguration of the renovated Somnath temple by India’s first President Rajendra Prasad. PM Modi also referred to the Somnath Swabhiman Parv organized earlier this year to commemorate 1,000 years of the first attack on the temple and described the history of Somnath as a journey “from ruin to renewal” or “from scholars to creation”.
martin short‘Three Amigos!’ Iconic actor known for his roles in! and ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ recalled meeting his hilarious and warm ex-girlfriend, Gilda Radner. Reliving the memories, the actor-comedian shared that every girl wanted to be his best friend and every boy wanted to date him because of his infectious personality.
Martin Short recalls meeting Gilda Radner
Reminiscing about his days when he was still out of school, Short remembered meeting Radner in a 1972 production. “‘Godspell’ had opened on Broadway and become a big hit, so they were moving the production to Toronto,” Short said in ‘Netflix Is a Joke Presents: This Better Be Funny with David Letterman.’ Reflecting on his trip, Short noted that the callback was chaos among hundreds of people.
Martin Short remembers ‘funny’ Gilda Radner and Nancy Dolman
Highlighting Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989, the late ‘Saturday Night Live’ star claimed she was funny, vivacious and warm. “At the first rehearsal, she came up and said, ‘Hi, I’m Gilda. I’m really excited to meet you.’ She was absolutely funny,” he said. Meanwhile, he also met his then-future wife, Nancy Dolman, who was Radner’s pupil. “She was an incredible singer,” the ‘Father of the Bride’ star said. Tremendous talent.”
Martin Short talks about his daughter’s passing
Meanwhile, taking a closer look at the actor’s life, Martin Short recently spoke about his family and the horrific incident. Mentioning deep grief, the 76-year-old shared that the death of his daughter Kathryn Short due to suicide has been a nightmare. “And my daughter struggled with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder and other things for a long time, and she did her best until she couldn’t,” he said about Katherine during his appearance on CBS’s Sunday Mornings.
North Korea has amended its constitution to require the military to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike if leader Kim Jong-un is assassinated or incapacitated by a foreign adversary.The constitutional change comes after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several of his close advisers were reportedly killed in strikes during the initial phase of the joint US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.The amendment was adopted during the first session of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly, which began in Pyongyang on March 22. The changes were revealed on Thursday during a briefing by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) for senior government officials, The Telegraph reports.According to the NIS briefing, Kim retains command over North Korea’s nuclear forces, but a constitutional amendment formally defines procedures for retaliation if killed or rendered incapable of leading.The amended Article 3 of the Nuclear Policy Law states: “If the command-and-control system over the nuclear forces of a State is endangered by attacks by hostile forces… a nuclear strike shall be automatically and immediately initiated.”Professor Andrei Lankov, a Russian-born professor of history and international relations at Kookmin University in Seoul, said the change reflected growing concerns in Pyongyang following recent developments in Iran.“This may have been the policy earlier, but now it has been included in the Constitution and emphasized,” he said.“Iran was a wake-up call. North Korea saw the remarkable efficiency of US-Israeli decapitation attacks, which instantly eliminated large portions of the Iranian leadership, and they should now be horrified.”Experts believe that carrying out a similar operation in North Korea would be much more difficult than in Iran due to the country’s isolation and tight security controls. North Korea’s borders are largely sealed and foreign diplomats, aid workers and businessmen visiting the country are closely monitored, limiting opportunities for intelligence gathering.Reports have suggested that Israeli intelligence tracked Iranian leaders through hacked traffic cameras in Tehran, but such a strategy would be difficult in Pyongyang due to the limited CCTV network and tightly controlled intranet system.Kim Jong-un is also known for maintaining tight personal security. He is constantly accompanied by bodyguards, avoids air travel and usually travels by heavily armored train.Prof Lankov said Pyongyang’s main concern was likely to be satellite surveillance technology.He said, “Their biggest fear is the information they can get from satellite technology. And, overall, their concerns are not unfounded because removing the leadership at the beginning of any conflict is likely to be decisive.”He said North Korea’s military is loyal to its leadership and would likely retaliate in the event of an attack.“I don’t see any possibility of an attack from South Korea, so any retaliation would be aimed at the United States,” Prof Lankov said.Meanwhile, North Korea is also preparing to deploy a new type of artillery system near its border with South Korea, according to state media reports released on Friday.The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim recently visited a munitions factory to inspect the production of a ‘new type of 155-millimeter self-propelled gun-howitzer’.The KCNA said the artillery system has a range of more than 37 miles and will be deployed to long-range artillery units deployed along the border with South Korea this year.The new weapon could put central Seoul, about 35 miles from the border, within striking distance of much of Gyeonggi province, South Korea’s most populous region and a major industrial hub.
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What is your opinion on North Korea’s military stance towards South Korea?
The howitzer will provide significant changes and benefits to our military’s ground operations, KCNA quoted Kim as saying.Despite recent peace efforts by the South Korean government, North Korea continues to describe Seoul as its main rival and recently removed long-standing references to Korean unification from its constitution.North and South Korea are technically at war because the 1950–1953 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty.
New Delhi: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Questioning the outcome of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, it has been suggested that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists may have played a decisive role in the BJP’s victory in the state.Referring to the SIR exercise, Tharoor alleged that large-scale deletions from electoral rolls and delays in deciding appeals would have prevented millions of legitimate voters from casting their votes.“In the case of SIR, what I have said is a legitimate question to be answered. Look at the case of Bengal. 91 lakh names were removed from the list. 34 lakh of them are living human beings who have appealed that they are around and they are legitimately entitled to vote. The rules require each case to be decided individually, so only a few hundred cases were decided before voting,” he said at the ‘India, That’s Bharat’ roundtable on the sidelines of the Stanford India Conference in the US.“As of today, there are approximately 31,32 lakh people who could be found to be valid voters in the remaining years while the decision is on, but have missed the chance to vote,” he said.Tharoor further pointed to the BJP’s victory margin in Bengal, saying the numbers closely reflected unresolved appeals.He said, “And BJP won in Bengal by a margin of 30 lakh votes. Now you tell me is it completely fair and democratic? That’s the question I ask. To be honest, I have no problem in removing fake, removed, absentee, transferred voters.”The Congress MP also claimed that the voter list revision could have a distinct political impact in Kerala, where he suggested that removing duplicate entries could work against the CPM.“And especially in Kerala, I suspect the Congress benefited from deletions because the CPM had long been adept at double nominations, triple nominations, quadruple nominations – same people in four different booths, etc. This used to happen. And so they were eliminated by SIR, and as you said, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, there were very few appeals. But in Bengal, there was no doubt that there were 34 lakh appeals. And this is 34 lakh forms filled by 34 lakh persons. And of those, only a few hundred have been heard from,” Tharoor said.The BJP registered a historic victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, winning 207 seats and ending the 15-year rule of the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress in the state. TMC won 80 seats. Following the victory, the BJP formed its first government in West Bengal, with Suvendu Adhikari sworn in as the Chief Minister.
