newly elected MLA of AIADMK The party said on Wednesday that he has been transferred to neighboring Puducherry.AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said the party MLAs have been shifted to Puducherry, but did not say how many MLAs have been shifted or the reasons behind the decision, as quoted by PTI. Edappadi K Palaniswami-led AIADMK was ready to extend unconditional support to help Vijay-led TVK form the government, sources said, with discussions reportedly going on between the two sides.However, according to sources, after a long silence from the TVK camp since Wednesday afternoon, the AIADMK decided to withdraw the proposal. Party leaders ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the DMK.

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According to sources, communications between the AIADMK and TVK began early Tuesday, with senior leaders exploring possible post-poll arrangements after the TVK fell short of securing a majority.A senior leader close to Palaniswami said, “We offered unconditional support for a stable government. For us, compromise can be made on anything, provided there is mutual respect. However, there has been no response from the TVK since Wednesday afternoon.”Talks between the two camps ended abruptly around Wednesday afternoon, soon after the Congress offered conditional support to the TVK, urging it to stay away from “communal forces that do not believe in the Constitution”.“Victory Is unresponsive. He insulted us. There has been no proper response to our voluntary support. Therefore, we canceled the talks. Now, we have to keep our bunch together and show our political experience,” said a senior AIADMK leader familiar with the developments.Sources said the AIADMK leadership was dissatisfied with the way TVK handled post-poll options, while remaining open to smaller parties may not be able to provide stability during a political crisis.

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The development comes as TVK is trying to gain majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. The Indian National Congress, which has five MLAs, has already extended support to the party.In the assembly elections, TVK emerged as the largest party with 108 seats, followed by DMK with 59 and AIADMK with 47 seats.Congress won five seats, while PMK won four. IUML, CPI, CPM(M) and VCK won two seats each.BJP, DMDK and AMMK won one seat each.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Updated his officialOperation Sindoor“In a post on Twitter, PM Modi also said, “A year ago, our armed forces displayed unparalleled courage, precision and resolve during #OperationSindoor. He gave a befitting reply to those who had the audacity to attack innocent Indians in Pahalgam. The entire country salutes our forces for their bravery.”“Today, one year later, we remain as steadfast as ever in our resolve to defeat terrorism and destroy its enabling ecosystem,” he said.Read this also PM Modi said, Operation Sindoor is a befitting reply to those who dared to attack innocent Indians in Pahalgam.Many senior leaders including Foreign Minister S JaishankarUnion Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also updated their profile pictures.The updated profile pictures prominently mention “Operation Sindoor”, indicating the remembrance of the operation and its significance for India.Meanwhile, Defense Minister… -Rajnath Singh paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of indian armed forces.After this Operation Sindoor was launched pahalgam terrorist attack 26 people lost their lives in this, following which there was a strong military response from India. On May 7, 2025, Indian armed forces struck terrorist targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). During the operation, India destroyed nine major terrorist launchpads Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed And Hizbul Mujahideen.Indian armed forces killed more than 100 terrorists during the operation.Pakistan responded with drone strikes and shelling, leading to a four-day standoff between the two neighbours. India retaliated and destroyed radar installations in Lahore and radar facilities near Gurjanwala.

New Delhi: Days after the assembly elections, the murder of Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath in North 24 Parganas of West Bengal sparked a political storm in the state.Rath was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants who chased his vehicle, forced him to stop and opened fire in public view at around 10.30 pm before fleeing.The incident occurred in Doltala area of ​​Madhyamgram when Rath was returning home.The murder comes at a time when Bengal is in political danger after one of the most tightly contested assembly elections in recent years. BJP and this TMC In many districts each other is being accused of threats, attacks and retaliatory violence.what we know so farmotorcycle rider attackerAccording to eyewitnesses, Rath’s car was first stopped by a four-wheeler at Dohariya Junction near Dolatala, after which a person riding a motorcycle came near the vehicle and started firing.The people traveling in the four-wheeler left the vehicle on the spot and ran away in a two-wheeler.Rath was seriously injured in the firing and was taken to a nearby private hospital. According to the party, doctors declared him dead on arrival.A doctor said, “The victim was brought dead, two bullets hit him on the chest, which pierced his heart and another bullet hit his stomach area. There was no chance of reviving him.”As news of the murder spread, hundreds of BJP supporters gathered outside the hospital, raising slogans against the ruling TMC and demanding immediate arrest of those behind the attack.‘The attackers wanted to give a political message’The atmosphere outside the medical facility turned emotional as senior BJP leaders, newly elected MLAs and party workers reached there overnight.Heavy police contingent was deployed outside the hospital and on Jessore Road to prevent any untoward incident.Supporters burst into tears, while party workers accused the ruling government of spreading “terrorism” following the assembly election results.The officers also reached the hospital around midnight.State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya alleged that the incident was a planned and targeted attack and the attackers wanted to send a political message.Bhattacharya said, “This was not unexpected. We do not know how far TMC’s culture of violence will stoop. This is evidence of the complete criminalization of politics now prevalent in Bengal. This was a planned and targeted attack. By killing the PA of the outgoing opposition leader, the attackers wanted to send a political message.”“People must take to the streets to protest and stop this never-ending violence. After our government comes to power, we will take strict steps as per the law.BJP leader and elected MLA Kaustav Bagchi said that Rath’s body will not be cremated until the culprits are identified.“It was a targeted attack. The attackers followed Rath’s car for a long time before firing bullets at him. This is the handiwork of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. We will not rest until the criminals are identified. We will not cremate the body till then.”Newly elected BJP MLA Tarunjyoti Tiwari said, “We are propagating peace, but TMC has made the biggest mistake.”TMC demands CBI investigationMeanwhile, Trinamool Congress also condemned Rath’s murder.“We strongly condemn the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram along with the killing of three other TMC workers in incidents of post-poll violence allegedly carried out by BJP-backed miscreants in the last three days, despite the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct,” the party said in a statement.“We demand the strongest action possible, including a court-monitored CBI investigation in this matter so that those responsible are identified and brought to justice without any delay,” it said.broader political conspiracyDGP Siddhanath Gupta, who visited the hospital, said police have recovered the used cartridges from the crime scene.“The small car used in the crime has also been seized. The registration number of the vehicle appears to be that of the Siliguri Regional Transport Office, but our initial impression is that the number plate may have been tampered with,” he said.Barasat police district SP Pushpa said efforts were on to identify the attackers, examine CCTV footage of the surrounding areas and find out the motive behind the attack.Meanwhile, investigators were also trying to find out whether Rath was specifically targeted because of his proximity to the officer or whether the attack was part of a wider political conspiracy.According to news agency PTI, forensic teams collected samples from the vehicle while investigators scanned nearby surveillance footage late Wednesday night to reconstruct the sequence of events.Who was Chandranath Rath?According to PTI, Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel who later took over as an assistant to the BJP leader, played a key role in Adhikari’s campaigns in the Bhabanipur constituency, where the BJP leader won over former chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.Rath formally became part of Adhikari’s official team around 2019, when Adhikari was serving as a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government.He initially handled the responsibilities related to Adhikari’s ministerial office and later continued in the same role even after Adhikari switched to the saffron camp.Over the years, Rath emerged as a key figure in Adhikari’s political operations, coordinating organizational work, managing logistics and maintaining communication with party workers.BJP insiders described him as someone who had the full confidence of Adhikari and who was often involved in sensitive tasks related to campaign management and political coordination.He was also part of the core team during several high-voltage political battles, including the BJP’s Bhawanipur campaign.Within some sections of the BJP organisation, there was also speculation that Rath could be handed a bigger administrative responsibility if he plays a bigger role in the government after the assembly elections.

New Delhi: According to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), at least 32,602 cases were registered for crimes against senior citizens (above 60 years of age) in 2024, showing a 16.9% increase in registrations compared to 2023 (27,886 cases). Overall, 27,049 cases of murder were recorded during 2024 as against 27,721 cases recorded in 2023. Apart from murder for profit, personal rivalries and disputes were the main motives. During 2024, 96,079 cases of kidnapping and abduction were recorded, showing a decrease of 15.4% compared to 2023 (1.13 lakh cases). Of the total crimes, 35.4 lakh cases were registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Indian Judicial Code (BNS), which were implemented in 2024, and 23.4 lakh cases were registered under special and local laws. The NCRB also released crime data comparing 19 metropolitan cities and said there were 8.4 lakh cognizable crimes in 2024, which is 10.9% less than in 2023 (9.4 lakh cases). A total of 1,987 murder cases were recorded in these cities during 2024, showing a decline of 0.8% compared to 2023 (2,004 cases). The data also shows that 8.21 lakh fake Indian currency notes with a face value of Rs 54.6 crore were seized during 2024. On the enforcement side, officials managed to seize 3.62 lakh kg of explosives, including RDX and TNT, compared to 10 lakh kg in 2023. The data shows that 55,698 cases were registered in crimes against Scheduled Castes (SC), showing a decrease of 3.6% compared to 2023. (57,789 cases). At least 9,966 cases were registered for crimes against Scheduled Tribes (STs), showing a decrease of 23.1% compared to 2023 (12,960 cases). With 63,564 cases, there was a decline in Arms Act cases in 2024 compared to 73,388 cases in 2023. There was also a sharp decline in “injury” cases, but the report clarified that this could be linked to legal changes introduced under the BNS which made it a non-cognizable offence.

Chandranath Rath and Suvendu Adhikari (Image/Agencies)

New Delhi: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday described the murder of his close aide Chandranath Rath as ‘heart-wrenching’ and alleged that it was a ‘premeditated murder’ carried out after several days of surveillance. This happened as police continued to investigate the murder in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.Speaking to reporters after the incident, the officer said, “The murder of my colleague Chandranath Rath is heartbreaking; we condemn it. We appeal to everyone not to take the law into their own hands.”The officer also said that he was informed by senior police officers. “The DGP assured me that the police will investigate the brutal murder of my colleague Chandranath Rath. Apart from my colleague, one of our cadres was shot in Basirhat and another was stabbed in Baranagar.”He further alleged that the attack was carefully planned. According to him, both Home Minister Amit Shah and party president Nitin Nabin have been informed about the incident. “This is a pre-planned murder, and this is what the DGP has said. Recce was conducted for 2-3 days and the murder was completely planned. The police have started investigation… We are saddened and have no words to condemn this incident. Our entire leadership from Delhi has taken information about this. Union Minister Sukant Majumdar spoke to (the deceased’s) family and the police… Various leaders and elected MLAs have come here from their constituencies...Police have found some evidence and will investigate,” he said. Taking aim at TMC, Adhikari said, ‘This is the result of 15 years of Maha-Jungle Raj. BJP will start the work of eliminating goons here.Chandranath Rath, the officer’s executive assistant, was shot dead near Dohariya on Jessore Road in Madhyamgram area late on Wednesday night. Police said he was traveling in a car when assailants riding a motorcycle stopped the vehicle and fired at close range.He was taken to a private nursing home where doctors declared him dead.The incident caused huge political reaction with BJP leaders alleging that it was a ‘planned and targeted attack’.BJP leader Sujay Kumar Dey said, “As per our information, four to five people were riding on the motorcycle when they shot the victim… Moreover, four to five motorcycles were involved in the incident.”Read this also Chandranath Rath, close to Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead in Madhyamgram, West Bengal.He said it appeared that the chariot was specifically targeted: “Suvendu Adhikari’s personal assistant and driver were both present in the car; however, only his personal assistant was targeted and killed.”Another BJP leader Keya Ghosh alleged political motives, saying, “He was targeted out of anger and frustration.”

TMC demands CBI investigation, calls violence ‘unacceptable’

Trinamool Congress (TMC) has condemned the killing of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram and alleged that several violent incidents happened to its workers after the recent elections.In an official statement posted on Twitter, the party said: “We strongly condemn the brutal murder of Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram tonight, as well as the killing of three other TMC workers in incidents of post-poll violence allegedly by BJP-backed miscreants in the last three days despite the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.”Calling for strict action, the party demanded an investigation into the incident. The statement further said, “We demand the strongest action including a court-monitored CBI investigation in this matter so that those responsible are identified and brought to justice without any delay. Violence and political killings have no place in a democracy and the culprits must be held accountable as soon as possible.”

Police recovered evidence, investigation continues

West Bengal DGP Siddha Nath Gupta said that the police have started a full investigation and have recovered evidence from the spot. “We have started investigating the case. We have seized the 4-wheeler used in the crime… We have recovered live cartridges and spent cartridges from the spot.”Officials said it appeared that the number plate of the vehicle had been tampered with and the CCTV footage was being examined. No arrests have been made yet.

Who was Chandranath Rath? Former Air Force officer becomes chief aide of officer

Chandranath Rath, a close associate of Suvendu Adhikari, was a resident of Chandipur in East Medinipur district of West Bengal. Before entering politics, he served for nearly two decades in the Indian Air Force, where he pursued a career in disciplined administrative and operational roles.After taking voluntary retirement from the armed forces, Rath worked in the corporate sector for some time before gradually shifting to political and organizational responsibilities in Bengal politics.Over time, he became a trusted aide of Suvendu Adhikari and became closely involved in the day-to-day coordination of the office of the leader of the opposition.Party sources said Rath was part of Adhikari’s core team and handled key backroom responsibilities including organizational planning, communication with local party workers and campaign logistics during key election battles in the state.He played an active role in high-level political campaigns, including constituency-level strategies, during crucial elections in West Bengal and was regarded as a reliable and discreet coordinator in party circles.