VD Satheesan Net Worth: Actually, BJP has been dominant in the assembly elections held recently in five states. But there is also a state where Congress government has been formed. In Kerala, Congress has won the assembly elections with majority. After which the name of CM was being discussed here for the last several days. Now this name has also been decided, after all the discussions and speculations, the name of Congress leader VD Satheesan has been approved for the post of CM of Kerala.

Know the net worth of VD Satheesan
After becoming CM, there is a lot of discussion about the net worth of VD Satheesan. According to the affidavit submitted before the 2026 assembly elections, Satheesan is the owner of property worth about Rs 6 crore. According to the affidavit, VD Satheesan and his wife Lakshmipriya together have assets worth Rs 6.69 crore, which include both movable and immovable properties.

Also read: Petrol- Diesel Price Hike: How are the prices of petrol and diesel decided in India? When is the rate reviewed, understand the complete mathematics here

Satishan is the owner of so much property
In his affidavit, Satheesan has declared movable assets worth Rs 53.82 lakh. The Congress leader told that he has Rs 64,000 in cash, bank shares worth Rs 25,000 and 35 grams of gold. Satheesan’s immovable assets, including land and residential property, are worth Rs 2.42 crore. This includes inherited and self-purchased properties in Paravur and Netur.

Wife and daughter have so much property
Whereas the worth of movable property of Satheeshan’s wife Lakshmipriya is Rs 68.45 lakh. Which also includes cash, bank balance, gold and shares. According to the affidavit, Lakshmipriya has 1,128 grams of gold. Apart from this, his wife has inherited land worth about Rs 1.85 crore. It has also been said in this affidavit that the family also has a car worth Rs 9.61 lakh in the name of their daughter.

Also read: Reduction in WFH and foreign trips, this giant company took a big step on the appeal of PM Modi

How much debt is Satheesan in?
Talking about Satheesan’s liabilities, loans and liabilities worth about Rs 24 lakh, including home and car loans, are in his name. His wife has a loan of Rs 17.45 lakh.

There is still suspense in the Congress regarding who will become the next Chief Minister of Kerala. Even after continuous meetings and discussions in New Delhi, the party high command has not yet taken the final decision. Meanwhile, lobbying by different camps has intensified in support of KC Venugopal and VD Satheesan. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and senior leader AK Antony are believed to play an important role in this decision.

Discussion can also be held with UDF allies
According to sources, the Congress leadership may also talk to key allies of the United Democratic Front (UDF) before announcing the name of the Chief Minister. At present, the round of talks and opinion polls has been completed and the three main contenders KC Venugopal, VD Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala are waiting for the final decision of the high command.

What is the claim of Venugopal camp?
Supporters of KC Venugopal believe that the Congress leadership can give importance to the opinion of the majority of the legislature party and the national level organizational experience of Venugopal. He also claims that there is a positive atmosphere in favor of Venugopal in a section of the party high command.

Satishan camp’s argument
On the other hand, supporters of VD Satheesan say that the public mood in Kerala and the support of many UDF allies is making their case stronger. However, it is being told that the central leadership has expressed displeasure over the public demonstration and show of strength of Satishan supporters. Despite this, the Satishan camp says that the party cannot ignore the ground environment.

Chennithala also presented his stand strongly

The third contender, Ramesh Chennithala, has also presented a strong claim before the high command on the basis of his seniority and long administrative and political experience. Sources say that Chennithala is still hopeful that the leadership can finally give him the responsibility of the post of Chief Minister.

What did Rahul Gandhi say to the three leaders?
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi told the three leaders that all are capable candidates and the final decision will be taken keeping in mind the merit as well as larger political equations. However, he also indicated that the current political environment is not suitable for an immediate announcement.

Also read: Suspense on the name of CM in Kerala, these 3 names are in the race, know who will put the final seal of approval

Also read: Complete Vande Mataram song sung at Tamil Nadu CM’s swearing-in, what message did Thalapathy Vijay give to BJP?

High command gave strict instructions for discipline
After meeting Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, all three claimants have maintained silence in public. The party high command has given strict instructions to the supporters to maintain discipline and avoid any kind of public campaign, rally or show of strength.

What did KPCC President say?
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Sunny Joseph said that the Congress leadership will soon announce the name of the next Chief Minister. Speaking to reporters after returning from New Delhi, he said that the talks between the high command and the three claimants have been positive and at present there is no need for another round of discussions with state leaders.

He said, “Everyone has been asked to avoid controversial steps. A good decision will be taken and everyone will move forward together.” However, he refused to give a deadline.

Muraleedharan appealed to the workers to maintain peace
Senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan also appealed to the party workers to exercise restraint. He said that it is the responsibility of every Congress worker to accept the final decision of the high command. Muraleedharan said, “Such differences in the party are natural. Let the leadership take the decision and everyone should stand united behind it.” He also said that Congress has a set process for choosing the Chief Minister, in which the final decision is taken by the central leadership after consulting MLAs and senior leaders.

Decision may come in a few days
Congress leaders say that the name of the Chief Minister may be announced in the next few days. However, according to party sources, after the election victory of UDF, the high command is moving very cautiously to prevent factionalism and internal tension from increasing further in Kerala Congress.

Many unusual incidents have happened in Indian politics, but it is very rare for the same leader to become Chief Minister twice without becoming an MLA. Veteran Congress leader A.K. had done this in Kerala politics. Antony—and that too in two different periods, in the midst of two major crises. This story is not just about reaching power, but about the trust that the party leadership reposed in a leader who himself was never seen in the race for office.

1977: Antony emerged amid crisis

April 1977—Kerala politics was in turmoil. After the verdict of Rajan case, the then Chief Minister K. Karunakaran had to resign. The biggest challenge before the Congress was – who is the Chief Minister now? There was no clear face in the legislative party. Consensus was not being reached. In such a situation, the party high command sent senior leader C. Subramaniam to Kerala. And this is where the story takes a turn. Subramaniam met the then KPCC president A.K. Antony was chosen – a name which was not at the forefront in the race for power. Just 36 years of age, clean image and hesitation about the position – all this made him an “unusual choice”. But the party needed stability at that time—and Antony lived up to that trust. On 27 April 1977, he took oath as the Chief Minister and became the youngest CM of the country.

First test: winning the election in 6 months

According to the Constitution, it was necessary to become a member of the Legislative Assembly within six months after becoming the Chief Minister. Seat searched for Antony – Kazhakottam. The MLA there, Thalekunnil Bashir, resigned so that Antony could contest the elections. Bashir later said that this suggestion was his own, when the discussion regarding the seat was dragging on.

But this by-election was not easy. Memories of the Emergency were fresh. Rajan case had given vent to public anger. The situation was so sensitive that Rajan’s father T.V. Ichara Warrier himself reached Kazhakottam and campaigned against Antony. The election had become completely political and emotional. Despite this, Antony won by more than 8,000 votes and confirmed his place in the assembly.

1995: History Repeated

Nearly two decades later, Kerala politics was again in a crisis. Due to ISRO espionage scandal in 1995. Karunakaran once again had to resign. Congress again needed a trustworthy face. This time too the party’s attention fell on Antony – who was a Rajya Sabha MP at that time. He took oath as Chief Minister again—again without becoming an MLA. He then contested the by-election from Tirurangadi seat, which was won by Muslim League MLA V.K. Ibrahim Kunju had vacated. Antony also won this election and once again fulfilled the constitutional requirement.

2001 Kerala Congress rebellion

Congress had won the elections on the face of AK Antony but there was an ongoing tussle within the party regarding leadership. Ghulam Nabi Azad and Motilal Vohra were sent from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram. AK Antony was the choice of the high command so the tussle ultimately ended faster than expected. The party appointed A.K. Antony was unanimously elected as the leader of the legislative party, paving the way for government formation.

Former Chief Minister K Karunakaran had a condition to make his son the party president. However, former Chief Minister K. The demand of Karunakaran group that his son K. Muraleedharan should be made the state president. After the elections, Azad clarified, “The decision of the state president has been left to party president Sonia Gandhi.” He described Antony’s selection as a “very happy” and “very smooth” process.

Interestingly, Karunakaran, who was openly opposed till before the elections, was present in the meeting but did not make any public comment. Calling it a sign of party unity, Azad said, “We know when to fight and when to unite.” UDF returned to power with two-thirds majority and was now forming the government under the leadership of Antony.

However, negotiations continued behind the scenes. It is believed that to satisfy the Karunakaran group, an agreement was reached to make Muraleedharan the state president.

Not just luck, politics of trust

A.K. Antony becoming Chief Minister twice without becoming an MLA is not just a coincidence, but a strong example of trust politics. At a time when Kerala politics was going through a crisis, instead of a powerful lobby or pressure, the Congress leadership chose a face whose identity was associated with a clean image and balanced leadership.

Antony was never a contender for power. This was the reason that when the party needed stability and reliable leadership, he was looked to. When given the responsibility, he left no stone unturned in fulfilling it – be it the political upheaval of 1977 or the crisis of 1995.

Senior Congress leader A.K. Antony has now distanced himself from active national politics. Antony, who once stood with Sonia Gandhi during big announcements, is now living a quiet life on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. He said, “Congress is a reality, it will remain, I am optimistic about it.” On the role of the Nehru-Gandhi family, he clearly said, “Congress cannot exist without the leadership of this family.” Expressing concern over the current situation in the country, Antony said, “Today’s scenario is very painful… diversity is under threat.”

After Congress won the elections, today AK Antony reached the Congress office in Thiruvananthapuram, where he saw an atmosphere of enthusiasm among the party workers, and this incident came to mind. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has secured a clear majority in the state assembly elections. With this victory, UDF is all set to form the government in the state. Antony’s presence is being considered strategically important, because he will provide guidance in the process of organization and government formation. Now everyone’s eyes are on the date of selection and swearing in of the next Chief Minister.

#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam | Senior Congress leader AK Antony arrives at the office of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) secured majority in the state assembly elections and is set to form the government in the state. pic.twitter.com/2lmR7wst9f

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2026

Who is today’s Antony?

Sometimes A.K. Antony was the face of that balanced, clean and trustworthy politics, which remained universally accepted even amidst factionalism. Today comparisons are being made regarding the same space – do VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and KC Venugopal seem to be filling that space. Does Shashi Tharoor’s name make this equation more complicated? All four were seen together in the press conference on May 4 and hugged each other. But everyone also knows in politics that what happens in front of the cameras often does not match what happens behind closed doors.

VD Satheesan has emerged as the face of “Parivartan”. As leader of the opposition, his aggressive attitude and clean image give him an edge. But lack of administrative experience and the challenge of balancing factions could be a big obstacle for him. In contrast, Ramesh Chennithala promises stability with experience and organizational acumen, although the 2021 defeat and the image of an “old face” weaken his case.

The case of KC Venugopal is different. Being close to Rahul Gandhi, his claim is directly linked to the politics of the high command. He could be a compromise candidate, but not being an MLA and the perception of being a “representative of Delhi” makes him a risky option. Rest of the names are stuck only in Kerala, Venugopal has reached near Delhi and has moved towards Delhi the very next day of the results. Besides, he also has a good influence among the elected MLAs because even during the distribution of tickets, he was the only one who went before the “high command”.

This is where Shashi Tharoor adds an interesting dimension. International image, intellectual appeal and hold on the urban middle class make him a different kind of leader. He may present the Congress with a “new narrative”—but his limited ground hold in the state organization and distance from traditional factions make his path difficult.

Kerala Election Result 2026: : The picture of the results of assembly elections in Kerala has become clear. In Keralam, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is leading by 104 seats against the ruling Left alliance LDF. According to the data released by the Election Commission, the Congress Party has so far won 62 assembly seats. At the same time, he is maintaining his lead on one assembly seat. After defeating the 10-year-old Left government in Kerala, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has thanked the people of the state for this decisive mandate.

Rahul Gandhi expressed gratitude to the people of Kerala

After registering victory in the Keralam Assembly elections 2026 on Monday (May 4, 2026), Congress MP Rahul Gandhi expressed his gratitude to the people of the state by sharing a post on social media platform X. He said, ‘Heartfelt thanks to my brothers and sisters of Kerala for this decisive mandate. Congratulations to every leader and worker of UDF for this hard work and well-organized campaign.

Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate.

Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign.

As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential and now Keralam has a UDF government with a…

—Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 4, 2026

He said, ‘As I said earlier, Kerala has talent, Kerala has immense potential and now Kerala has a United Democratic Front (UDF) government which has the vision to realize both. I look forward to meeting my Keralam family soon.

Left power in Kerala dealt a huge blow

The Left Democratic Front (LDF), a coalition of leftist parties, has been ruling Kerala for the last 10 years. Left parties ruled the state for 10 years under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, but this time the results of the assembly elections have given a huge blow to the leftist government of CM Pinarayi Vijayan. This time in the elections, UDF has been reduced to only 35 seats and the workers and leaders of UDF, the alliance led by Congress Party which has returned to power in the state after 10 years, are celebrating the victory.

Also read: Tamil Nadu Election Result 2026: Whose hand will Vijay hold to become CM in Tamil Nadu? Who will tie the knot with TVK – DMK or AIADMK?

Counting of votes has started after the assembly elections of five states including West Bengal, Kerala and Assam. The initial trends in Bengal have seen a tough contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress. BJP and TMC are ahead on 5 seats each. Whereas BJP’s dominance has been seen in Assam. The trends of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have also come to the fore.

Bhawanipur seat of Bengal has been much discussed. Mamta Banerjee has contested elections from this seat. She is leading in the initial trends. Good performance of BJP has been seen in Malda. According to the trends, BJP is leading on 3 seats of Malda. Talking about Assam, BJP is leading on 3 seats. While Congress is leading on one seat. If we talk about Tamil Nadu, DMK and its allies are leading on 9 seats. Whereas AIADMK is leading on only 3 seats.

#ResultsOnABP | First trend of West Bengal came out#ResultsOnABP #ElectionResults2026 #AssemblyElections2026 #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/Qt8JADXEY7

— ABP News (@ABPNews) May 4, 2026

Assam Assembly Elections: First trend revealed #ResultsOnABP #ElectionResults2026 #AssemblyElections2026 #Assam pic.twitter.com/Vk1upmr0yz

— ABP News (@ABPNews) May 4, 2026

Bharatiya Janata Party’s dominance in Puducherry!

Counting of votes is going on after the assembly elections in Puducherry also. In the initial trends, Bharatiya Janata Party is leading on 13 seats. While Congress and its allies are leading on 4 seats.

Kerala’s first trend also came to light

Counting of votes is going on in Kerala also. LEFT is leading on 61 seats in the state. While Congress is leading on 64 seats. There is currently a tough competition going on in Kerala. Other parties are leading on 5 seats.

Also read: Bengal Election Results 2026: Whose government in Bengal? First trend has arrived, know who is ahead TMC or BJP

In the exit polls after the elections in 5 states of the country, the position of the left parties appears to be quite weak. Even in the states where the Left was once considered to have a strong hold, the situation seems to be changing this time. In these five states, there was actually only two places where left parties had hope: Kerala and West Bengal. There has been a Left government in Kerala for a long time and Pinarayi Vijayan has been the Chief Minister. In West Bengal, the Left had ruled the government continuously for about 35 years, so there is a historical basis there too.

This time in the exit polls, the position of the Left in West Bengal appears to be very weak. According to the poll of polls, the left parties are seen getting only 2 seats there. Since 2016, the Left has been continuously weakening in Bengal and this time too the same trend seems to be continuing.

Also read: TVK in Tamil Nadu, BJP in Kerala and is Congress clean in Bengal? Where is the danger of zero in exit polls?

Challenge for Left in Kerala

Even in Kerala, the picture is not looking good for the Left. Where earlier the Left government was being formed, now according to exit polls the Congress led alliance seems to be ahead. It is estimated that the Left may get around 59 seats in Kerala, while the Congress alliance is expected to get around 77 seats, indicating a change in government. However, if these exit polls prove to be correct, it would mean that the Left parties may lose power even in their strongest bastion Kerala. The Left has already lost its hold in states like Bengal and Tripura, and now the situation seems to be weakening in Kerala too.

What are the exit polls indicating?

Exit polls are indicating that leftist politics in the country is shrinking much more than before. If the same trend is visible in the final results, then in the coming time the left parties will face a big challenge to re-consolidate their position.

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Exit polls of Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 are presenting a clear picture that Congress led UDF is not only ahead but also seems to be standing close to power with a comfortable lead. According to Poll Mantra’s exit poll, the estimate of 88 to 92 seats takes it much above the majority figure of 70. In comparison, the ruling LDF seems to be limited to 42 to 46 seats, which is a sign of its weakness in many areas. NDA and other parties seem to be marginalized this time too, but the story is not just about seats. The real interest is in the leadership race, where the contest still remains open and tough.

What is the wind saying on the ground?

If we talk about Poll Mantra’s exit poll, the signals coming from different parts of the state are not one-sided but definitely show a clear inclination. UDF has gained a strong hold on the narrative in the Malabar region. This increase seems to be increasing further in Central Kerala. There is definitely competition in Travancore, but it is not enough to change the picture of the entire state.

These trends clearly mean that there is no longer a close fight here, rather a clear inclination of public opinion is visible. The LDF still has some strong pockets, but the statewide wave seems to be moving away from it.

Who is making the narrative?

According to Poll Mantra, in the last 60 days the election discussion has not revolved around any one face. Many leaders have together created a political environment. In this period, KC Venugopal (21.4%) has emerged as the most influential leader, who gave direction to the narrative. After him, the influence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (18.6%) continues, while V.D. Satishan (16.2%) also remains close. Apart from this, leaders like Shashi Tharoor (12.5%) and Shafi Parambil (10.1%) have also registered a strong presence. Here UDF is ahead not only in seats but also at the level of discussion. At the same time, the influence of LDF seems to be mostly limited to Pinarayi Vijayan.

CM face: open and tough contest

The interesting thing is that despite such a clear lead, the picture regarding the Chief Minister’s face is not clear. According to Poll Mantra’s survey, this contest remains completely open and competitive. V.D. Satheesan is in a slight lead with 21.2%, but Pinarayi Vijayan is close behind with 20.5%. KC Venugopal is in third place with 17.8% and this makes him the ‘dark horse’ of this race. At the next level K.K. Shailaja and Ramesh Chennithala are tied with 11.2%, while Rajeev Chandrasekhar is in the contest with 10.5%.

Political signals of Kerala elections

The biggest indication is that voters are not standing behind any one face. The three top leaders are very close to each other, which means the final decision is still open. This situation can be beneficial for UDF, because it has many strong faces. Whereas LDF still seems to be more dependent on the leadership of Pinarayi Vijayan.

Also read: West Bengal Exit Poll 2026: Congress’s ‘balle-balle’ in this Exit Poll, five times the gain of seats in Bengal, TMC-BJP kept watching

With the end of assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Keralam, Assam and Puducherry, the biggest concern has arisen – the prices of petrol and diesel. For the last one month, there has been discussion that after the elections, oil prices will increase by Rs 25 to Rs 28. Due to this news, panic buying was seen in Andhra Pradesh, where more than 400 petrol pumps dried up. On the other hand, there has been a ceasefire between America and Iran, but tension remains on Hormuz. The general public is troubled by the shortage of oil at the ground level. Now that the elections are over, can it be assumed that the prices of petrol and diesel will increase?

Question 1: Did the prices of petrol and diesel increase immediately after the last elections?
answer: In the last 8 years, prices of petrol and diesel have increased rapidly after elections:

• 2022 assembly elections: This was the latest and biggest shock. After the elections ended on March 10, 2022, the process of increase in prices started after the ban imposed for 137 days was lifted from March 22. On March 22, 2022, there was a huge increase of 80 paise per liter on both petrol and diesel simultaneously. This was the biggest one-day increase since the start of daily price revision. After this, there was an increase of only 80 paise every day for four consecutive days. Within just 5 days, petrol and diesel had become costlier by Rs 3.20 per litre.
• 2021 assembly elections: After the election results were announced on May 2, 2021, prices started rising daily for the last 18 days from May 4. In the first three days (4, 5 and 6 May), petrol became costlier by 25 paise and diesel by 30 paise per liter every day. In these three days itself, petrol increased by 59 paise and diesel by 69 paise. During this period, prices went up continuously and by July of the same year petrol had crossed Rs 100 per liter.
• 2019 Lok Sabha elections: As soon as the elections ended on 19 May 2019, prices started rising the next day after about 30 days of stability. On May 20, 2019, petrol increased by 9 paise and diesel by 15 paise per litre. The initial increase may seem small, but after this the prices increased for 16 consecutive days and overall petrol and diesel became costlier by about Rs 3.5 per liter.
• 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections: After voting on 12 May 2018, the wait of 19 days from 14 May ended. On May 14, 2018, petrol became costlier by 17 paise and diesel by 21 paise per litre. It is estimated that during the period when the government companies did not increase the prices, they had suffered a loss of about Rs 500 crore, which was gradually compensated later.

Question 2: So will the prices of petrol and diesel increase by Rs 25 after the elections?
answer: No, the Central Government has completely declared it ‘fake news’. On April 23, 2026 itself, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had clearly stated through a post on social media platform X that no proposal to increase the prices of petrol and diesel is under consideration of the government. The ministry termed such news as ‘mischievous and misleading’, which are being spread to create fear and panic among the citizens.

FAKE NEWS!

An order circulating on social media claims to be issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, stating that petrol and diesel prices have been increased by ₹10 and ₹12.50, respectively.#PIBFactCheck: :

This order is #FAKE .

The Government of India… pic.twitter.com/tMmJa0Y4qA

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 29, 2026

On 28 April 2026, i.e. a day before the end of the elections, Sujata Sharma reiterated the same thing again in the press briefing. He said in clear words, ‘There is no proposal to increase the prices of petrol and diesel.’ He appealed to the people not to believe in rumors and avoid panic buying.

However, due to tension on Hormuz, the situation is saying something else.

Question 3: What is going on in the Strait of Hormuz and what is its impact on us?
answer: The increasing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, especially the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US-Israel, have affected the Strait of Hormuz. This is a narrow sea route, through which a large part of the world’s oil supply passes. Since Iran’s threat to shut it down, concerns about the impact of crude oil supply in the global market have increased.

The direct result of this was that the prices of crude oil started touching the sky. On March 30, 2026, crude oil had crossed $115 per barrel and the average price of the Indian crude oil basket during March was around $117 per barrel. Since India imports 88 to 90 percent of its crude oil requirement, this surge in global prices is a major blow to our economy.

Question 4: How much loss are Indian oil companies running?
answer: Government oil marketing companies (OMCs) like Indian Oil (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) are incurring huge losses. They are forced to buy expensive crude oil from the international market and sell it at a much cheaper price in India.

According to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, at the end of March 2026, companies were incurring losses of about Rs 24 per liter on petrol and Rs 30 per liter on diesel. At the same time, on April 28, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary of the Petroleum Ministry, quoted a report and said that now this loss on diesel has increased to about Rs 100 per liter. Overall, the daily loss of these companies is about Rs 2,400 crore.

Question 5: Despite such losses, why is the government not increasing the prices?
answer: The main objective of the government is to protect the general public and the economy from the volatility of global oil prices so that inflation can be controlled. For this, instead of increasing the prices, the government itself decided to bear the huge loss of revenue.

The government reduced the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per liter. If this cut continues for the entire financial year 2026-27, the government is expected to suffer a revenue loss of Rs 1.3 lakh crore to Rs 1.7 lakh crore. Apart from this, the government also imposed additional duty on the export of diesel and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to ensure that the supply in the domestic market is not affected and unnecessary profits are not made abroad.

The government says that it is reviewing the situation every two weeks, but at present there will be no increase in retail prices. The prices of petrol and diesel in India have been stable for the last four years, which is a record, whereas there was a lot of fluctuation in the international market during this period. The government has also taken steps to deal with the situation like increasing oil imports from alternative sources like Russia and using its strategic storage.

Question 6: So what will ultimately happen to the prices of petrol and diesel?
answer: At present, the government says that consumers are relieved because prices are not going to increase. In Delhi, petrol is being sold at a fixed rate of Rs 94.77 and diesel at Rs 87.67 per litre. However, this situation completely depends on the tensions in West Asia and the status of the Strait of Hormuz. But price trends during the last elections tell a different story.

If global supply normalizes and crude oil prices come down, the pressure on the government and companies will reduce. If the tension continues for a long time, it may be difficult for the government to bear the revenue loss and for the companies to bear this loss for a long time. However, the government has clearly refused the proposal of any increase.

Kerala Assembly Election 2026: Kerala Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ratan U Kelkar on Tuesday said all preparations have been completed for the assembly elections to be held on April 9, in which 883 candidates will try to garner the support of the state’s 2.71 crore voters.

Kelkar said that 30,495 polling stations have been established in the state. He said that these also include 24 auxiliary polling stations, which were required after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list.

According to Kelkar, new polling stations will be set up in Kasaragod, Kannur, Palakkad, Malappuram and Ernakulam districts of Kerala. He said that out of these polling stations, 352 will be operated by women and 37 will be operated by disabled persons.

According to Kelkar, 140 distribution and collection centers have been set up and counting of ballot papers will be done in 140 ‘strong rooms’.

He said, ‘As part of the management of the election process, we have deployed 1.46 lakh trained election officers. 76,000 police personnel and central forces personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order and ensure peaceful voting.

Ahead of the assembly elections to be held in April, the strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) presents a different picture in five important states – West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry. At some places the party is in a strong position, while at others it is still searching for ground.

Strong role of opposition in Bengal

BJP is not in power in West Bengal, but its hold as the opposition remains. The party had won 77 seats in the 2021 elections, but with time, due to some MLAs leaving the party and by-elections, this number came down to 64. Suvendu Adhikari is the leader of the opposition in the state and the party is constantly trying to strengthen its base.

Power and strong organization in Assam

Assam remains the strongest fort for BJP. There is a party government here and governance is going on under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa. The number of BJP winning 60 seats in 2021 has now reached 64, which shows its political strength.

Still zero in Kerala

In Kerala, BJP has not been able to make a place in the assembly till now. The party could not win a single seat in the 2021 elections and its position remains the same even today. The main contest here remains between LDF (Left Democratic Front) and UDF (United Democratic Front).

Limited scope in Tamil Nadu

BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu is small at present. In 2021, along with ally AIADMK, it was able to hold only 4 seats. Due to DMK’s dominance in state politics, BJP will have to work harder here.

Strength of alliance in Puducherry

Whereas in the Union Territory of Puducherry, BJP may not be a major party directly, but it is a part of the power. Here it has 6 MLAs and the party is running the government in collaboration with AINRC. This number also plays an important role in a small state. This time in the 2026 elections, BJP is aiming to win 10 seats with 9 candidates.

What next?

It is clear from these figures that the influence of BJP is not the same in every state. While the party is in a strong position in Assam, it is yet to make its debut in Kerala. The party is trying to expand in states like Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Now it will be interesting to see how BJP strengthens its position in these states in the coming elections and where it is able to create new ground.