The results of the assembly elections 2026 of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry have created a shocking political picture everywhere. On one hand, BJP made a strong comeback in West Bengal and Assam and formed the government, while on the other hand, Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) returned to power in Kerala after a decade. Amidst this entire election turmoil, the performance of Muslim candidates remained an important question. Out of the total 824 assembly seats in these five states, Muslim candidates have won about 107, but BJP does not have a single Muslim MLA in its account.

West Bengal: Maximum 40 Muslim MLAs, but TMC’s base slipped

This time 40 Muslim candidates have reached the assembly after winning the elections in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. However, in the 2021 elections this number was 44, that is, the number of Muslim MLAs of TMC has reduced from 43 to 34. At the same time, the number of non-TMC and non-BJP Muslim MLAs has increased from 1 to 6. These include two MLAs from Congress, two from Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), one from CPI(M) and one from ISF. This time BJP did not give ticket to even a single Muslim candidate, which directly benefited the opposition parties.

Kerala: 35 Muslim MLAs, UDF’s dominance increases

35 Muslim candidates won in the 140-seat Kerala Assembly, which is 25 percent of the total MLAs. Of the 35 MLAs, 30 Muslim MLAs are from the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), which includes 8 from Congress and 22 from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Four Muslim MLAs from the opposition CPI(M) and one from the CPI have also been elected. The number of Muslim MLAs in Kerala has increased by three seats compared to last time, which shows the strong hold of UDF.

Assam: 22 Muslim MLAs, 18 Muslim candidates of Congress get a chance

In the elections held on 126 assembly seats of Assam, 22 Muslim candidates have become MLAs. In the last assembly this figure was 31, which means this time a decline of 9 seats has been recorded. The most surprising thing is that out of total 19 Congress MLAs, 18 are from Muslim community. Apart from this, two MLAs from All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), one from Raijor Dal and one Muslim MLA from Trinamool Congress have reached the Assembly. According to political experts, political equations and delimitation rather than statehood are considered to be the major reasons behind this change.

Tamil Nadu: 9 Muslim MLAs, representing DMK and AIUML

This time 9 Muslim candidates have won in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. These include three from DMK, two from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), one from Congress and three Muslim MLAs from Vijay Thalapathy’s party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). As compared to 5.86 percent Muslim population of the state, their share in the Assembly is about 3 percent, which is very low.

Puducherry: Only 1 Muslim MLA elected out of 30

This time only one Muslim candidate has been able to register victory in the 30-member assembly of the Union Territory Puducherry. DMK candidate A.M.H. Nazim has become the only Muslim MLA. He has won from Karaikal South seat. In this state with 6.05 percent Muslim population, this situation is believed to be the result of political parties not giving representation to Muslim candidates.

What do the total figures say?

State	total seats	Muslim MLA
west bengal	294	40
Kerala	140	35
Assam	126	22
Tamil Nadu	234	9
Puducherry	30	1
Total	824	107

Including the five states, 107 Muslim MLAs have been elected, which is about 14.40 percent of the total 824 (currently declared) MLAs. However, not a single one of them is a BJP candidate as the party had not given ticket to any Muslim. In Kerala and Assam, the victory rate of Muslim candidates was more than 80 percent, while in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Muslim representation was very weak. These figures show that Muslim voters have adopted different attitudes according to regional and national circumstances, but there is still a huge gap in the number of candidates they get from political parties.

Today a decisive turn has come in the politics of India when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a historic victory in the 2026 assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. These results broke the strongholds of regional parties and clearly indicated that the era of ‘politics of satraps’ is coming to an end. It has become clear from the results of 2026 assembly elections that voters are now giving preference to development and good governance rather than traditional parties. Due to this, the political hold of the regional satraps is weakening.

West Bengal: End of 15 years of ‘Didi’ rule and historic rise of BJP

In West Bengal, BJP did what once seemed impossible. BJP won 202 out of 294 seats, ending the 15-year rule of Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC). BJP easily crossed the majority mark of 148. TMC was reduced to just 71 seats. This change symbolized not just a change of power, but a structural change in the politics of Bengal.

An important aspect related to the election process was that the names of about 27 lakh voters in the state were arbitrarily removed from the voter list, which was challenged in the Supreme Court and was seen as a serious attack on the basic principles of democracy. Critics believe that this move affected the election results and will remain a matter of concern in the future.

This victory of BJP strengthened the party’s penetration in a state which had been opposing its expansion for a long time. The party secured 45% vote share in this election as compared to 38% vote share in 2021, while TMC’s vote share fell from 48% to 40.94%. It is clear from this that now the popularity of ‘Didi’ and the attraction of TMC led by her is fading.

Assam: BJP’s victory for the third consecutive time and Congress’s defeat

In Assam, BJP led NDA created history by forming the government for the third consecutive time. NDA achieved two-third majority by winning a record 102 seats in the 126-member assembly. BJP contested 90 seats and won 82, while its allies Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and Assam Gana Parishad (AGP) won 10 seats each. This is the first time that BJP has won majority on its own in the state.

Earlier in 2021 and 2016 it had got 60-60 seats. On the other hand, Congress’s performance was very poor and it was leading in only 23 seats. Allies like AIUDF and Raijor Dal got 2 seats each.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma won his Jalukbari seat with a lead of 40,000 votes, while state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi lost his Jorhat seat. This victory of BJP has proved that the hold of regional parties is no longer that strong and voters are expressing confidence in the national party.

Puducherry: NDA’s return and Rangasamy’s rising stature.

BJP led NDA returned to power in Puducherry also. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy’s All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) won 12 seats, while BJP won 4 seats. In the total 30-seat assembly, NDA crossed the majority mark by winning 18 seats. This is the first time that a government in the Union Territory has been re-elected for the second consecutive time.

Rangasamy won from two seats – Thattanchavady and Mangalam. His victory established AINRC as the largest party in the state and gave it an opportunity to strongly raise the demand for full statehood for Puducherry in the future. This result shows that even in small states, regional parties now have to coordinate with national forces like BJP, otherwise they will be marginalized.

End of satrapy politics and new political reality

The results of these three states have made it clear that the ‘politics of satraps’ is now counting its last breaths:

• The crushing defeat of Mamata Banerjee, who was once the face of the opposition at the national level, has not only put her party’s existence in jeopardy but has also created a leadership void in the entire opposition camp.
• In Assam, Congress is going through its worst phase and regional parties have become completely dependent on the crutch of NDA.
• Even in Puducherry, AINRC’s success would not have been possible without the alliance with BJP.

Numerology: Numerology is not just a game of numbers, rather it is a mirror of our personality through our Radix and Bhagyank. This scripture tells the story of a person’s nature, struggle and success.

Today, when the election stir is intense in the big states of India, let us meet three great personalities from the fields of power, cinema and science. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Vijay Thalapathi and Shashi Tharoor Let’s analyze a person’s career and planetary movements through his/her date of birth.

1. Leadership of Radix 1: Himanta Biswa Sarma (Sun of Power)

Birth of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma 1 February 1969 happened on. According to numerology, both his radix number and destiny number are 1, whose lord is ‘Sun’.

• born leader: People with radix number 1 are blessed with innate leadership abilities. This is the reason why he has become MLA for five consecutive times since 2001.
• Confluence of Sun and Moon: While the Sun makes them ambitious and determined, being born in February the Moon gives them diplomacy and sensitivity.
• Speciality: This yoga is so powerful that such people do not like to work under anyone. Their strong Sun gives them the strength to make their own way even in difficult times.

2. Radix 4 and influence of Rahu: Vijay Thalapathi (from cinema to politics)

Birth of Vijay Thalapathy, superstar of South Indian films and now entered into politics. 22 June 1974 happened on. His radix number and destiny number is 4, whose lord is considered to be ‘Rahu’.

• Signs of sudden change: There are sudden major changes in the lives of people with radix number 4. The journey from an actor to a politician shows the influence of this ‘Rahu’.
• Glamor and discipline: Being born in June (number 6 – Venus) they have got glamor and charm, due to which they rule millions of hearts. At the same time, 22nd (2+2=4) creates in them unwavering passion and discipline towards work.
• Success Mantra: The influence of Rahu helps them to think out of the box and achieve gradual but solid success.

3. Conjunction of Mars and Venus: Shashi Tharoor (rich in knowledge and diplomacy)

Birth of Shashi Tharoor, rich in multifaceted personality 9 March 1956 happened on. His radix number is 9 (Mars) and destiny number is 6 (Venus).

• Courage and Charm: Number 9 gives them the energy and courage of Mars, while number 6 gives them a popular and diplomatic personality.
• Knowledge of Jupiter: Being born in March (number 3), there is influence of Devguru Jupiter in their life, which leads them towards knowledge and perfection.
• Global Identity: The combination of courage of Mars and popularity of Venus has been helpful in giving him a unique identity on the international stage.

The secret of the future is hidden in numbers

It is clear from the lives of these three personalities that if a person applies the energy of his date of birth, radix number and destiny number in the right direction, then he definitely achieves success. Numerology indicates the struggles of life, but with the correct understanding of the planets and the combination of karma, a person can set records in any field.

Tamil Nadu Election 2026: Is history being repeated after 52 years? Know those 3 secrets of Thalapathy’s horoscope which shook the power of Tamil Nadu!

Disclaimer: The information provided here is based only on assumptions and information. It is important to mention here that ABPLive.com Does not constitute any endorsement or verification of information. Before implementing any information or belief, consult the concerned expert.

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?

For the last 50 years, the politics of Tamil Nadu was divided in the name of DMK or AIADMK, but on May 4, 2026, a new name emerged – Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). Vijay Thalapathy’s party is near the magic majority figure of 118. In such a situation, the most important question being asked is which camp of old politics will Vijay form the government with and what is the ‘inside story’ of this power equation.

Question 1: First of all, tell me, what do the latest election results say?

answer: The assembly elections held in May 2026 have almost brought an earthquake. TVK is leading on more than 106 seats in its very first election. The biggest blow came from state Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who is trailing in his traditional seat Kolathur also. The situation of his son and Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin is also similar. However, AIADMK has also made a comeback with a lead on 67 seats, while DMK seems to be limited to 62 seats.

Question 2: Then with whom will Vijay go to form the government?

answer: It seems that the picture is disturbing. In fact, Vijay neither accepted being in any alliance before nor has talked directly to anyone now. They are constantly being presented as a ‘free choice’. At present, Vijay, being the leader of the largest party and the single largest party, can stake claim to form the government first, without any support. But if they fall short of majority, they are left with the option of DMK or AIADMK.

Question 3: Can Vijay forge an alliance with AIADMK?

answer: This path is as complicated as it looks simple. There are 3 big reasons for this:

1. Equation of power sharing: AIADMK is already building a strong base with allies like BJP and PMK. The alliance of TVK, AIADMK and NDA can cross the majority mark.
2. Formula of Practical Politics: Experts believe that after spending years out of power, a post-poll alliance could be a golden opportunity for the AIADMK to make a comeback. If AIADMK is not able to form the government on its own then it would be wise to join hands with TVK.
3. Political mathematics of the fight: This is possible only by defeating old wounds. AIADMK Chief E. Palaniswami had earlier publicly said that there would be no alliance with TVK. Apart from this, in the initial statements, Vijay had allegedly demanded the face of CM and 50% seats, which was not acceptable to AIADMK at all.

Question 4: Can Vijay move towards DMK?

answer: The possibility of this is very less. In fact, during the election campaign, Vijay has criticized DMK in the strongest terms. His entire election rallies were against ‘corruption’ and nepotism, which was targeted at DMK. In such a situation, joining DMK immediately after the elections will spoil their entire election agenda. Politically, this would seem very awkward and not credible. However, both AIADMK and DMK are completely rejecting the speculations of alliance with TVK. Vijay’s party is also calling it a ‘rumour’.

Question 5: Right now both are clearly refusing, then how will the situation develop in the end?

answer: This is exactly like a chess move. Even if everyone is denying everything, the real mathematics always comes into play in the post-poll scenario.

• Number Game: Suppose TVK wins 100 seats, then it will need 18 seats. In such a situation, he can seek support of 18-20 seats from AIADMK (67) or DMK (62). He can run the government with only ‘external support’ without forming a complete alliance. This would be the most practical solution.
• Political pressure: If TVK comes close to majority, there will be pressure from voters and leaders to form the government with the largest party. In such a situation, arithmetic will matter more than old enmity or cordial relations.
• Master stroke of victory: Since TVK had contested all 234 seats, it would not be against its political identity for the party to seek external support. He will be able to play the role of a strong opposition or bargain for the CM post.

Apart from this, other small parties like PMK (7 seats) and Congress (3 seats) can also play the role of ‘kingmaker’, but the real ball is in Vijay’s court.

The decision on who will get the keys to power in the assembly elections held in four states and one union territory will be taken within a few hours. The initial trends of the election results will be revealed a few hours from now. Counting of votes will start from 8 am. Let us know when and where you can watch the live streaming of counting.

Voting was held in April for all the assembly seats of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Voting was held in a single phase in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on 9 April. At the same time, in Tamil Nadu also voting was held in a single phase on 23 April. Apart from this, voting was held on all the seats of West Bengal Assembly in two phases on 23 and 29 April. The results of 293 out of 294 seats of West Bengal Assembly will come on Monday, because the Election Commission has decided to conduct re-polling on Falta seat. Voting on this seat will be held on May 21 and the election results will be declared on May 24. The majority figure to form the government in the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly is 148.

Similarly, the majority figure in the 126-seat Assam Assembly is 64. The majority figure in the 140-seat Kerala Assembly is 71. In the 234-seat Tamil Nadu Assembly, the majority mark for any party to form the government is 118. At the same time, the majority figure in Puducherry Assembly with 30 seats is 16. According to the data, record voting percentage was also recorded in these states. The voting percentage in the elections held in Assam was 85.38.

Similarly, the voting percentage in Kerala was 78, in Tamil Nadu the voting percentage was 85.1, in Puducherry the voting percentage was 89.08 and in West Bengal the voting percentage was 92.47. Before counting of votes, strict security arrangements have been made at the counting centres. All counting centers in West Bengal have been converted into high-security zones. Central forces have also been deployed on a large scale to maintain peace and order.

You can see the election results of all five states here.

Counting will start from 8 am on the official website of the Election Commission, results.eci.gov.in. By selecting the state you will be able to see seat wise election trends. Election results can also be seen by visiting voters.eci.gov.in.

You can also see the election results of the five states here.

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After the end of the assembly elections in Kerala, now everyone’s eyes are fixed on the results coming on 4th May. Most exit polls show a resounding victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. Along with this, the stir within the Congress regarding the CM of Kerala has also intensified. Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar said that if KC Venugopal is interested in becoming the Chief Minister of Kerala, he will have to go through the necessary process if the United Democratic Front (UDF) wins the assembly elections.

What did Congress leaders say about the CM in Kerala?

Former in-charge of Kerala and MP from Katihar, Bihar, Tariq Anwar expressed confidence that UDF will win in Kerala and this is clear from the exit polls. He said on Friday (1 May 2026), ‘There is no doubt that Congress will win in Kerala.’ When asked about the Chief Ministerial candidate of Congress, he said that only the high command of the party will select the suitable person to take over the power.

Giving details of the process, Tariq Anwar said that the high command will appoint an observer, who will call a meeting of the legislature party and if after discussion a consensus is reached on the chief ministerial candidate, it will be informed to the All India Congress Committee (AICC). He said, ‘The high command will take the final decision.’

When asked whether Venugopal can become the Chief Minister despite not contesting the assembly elections, to which Anwar said that if the Congress General Secretary (Organisation) is interested, then he will have to follow the necessary procedure. He said, ‘If the legislature party gives the power to the high command to take the final decision, then it will be considered.’

Vote counting process completed: Election Commission

The Election Commission said on Friday that all the processes related to counting of votes cast in the assembly elections held on April 9 in Kerala have been completed. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Kerala Ratan U. Kelkar said in a statement that the counting of votes will begin at 8 am on May 4 at 140 centers located at 43 locations and a total of 15,465 personnel will be involved in the process. He said that these personnel include 140 election officers (ROs), 1,340 assistant election officers, 4,208 observers, 4,208 counting supervisors and 5,563 counting assistants.

The CEO said that the counting of votes will start from postal ballots and EVMs of maximum 14 booths will be counted in one phase. He said that the chambers where the voting material is kept will be opened in the presence of the candidates or their authorized representatives, observers appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and concerned officials and video recording will be done.

Also read: 7 year old boy from Ranchi made a world record, swam across the 29 KM Pak Strait between India and Sri Lanka in 10 hours.

Congress has changed the entire game in Kerala. This is not what we are saying but the recent exit poll figures are saying this. Among these, Chanakya Strategy and Materise’s survey have indicated the return of the UDF government i.e. the Congress coalition government. Meaning the Left alliance is not able to score a hat-trick this time. However, a tough fight between both the alliances has been predicted in all the polls. In the Kerala Poll of Polls, everyone is seen forming the UDF government.

Exit poll data of Chanakya Strategies

According to the figures revealed in the exit poll of Chanakya Strategy, the Congress alliance is getting between 72 to 80 seats. So the Left seems to be getting between 58 to 64 seats. Others are expected to get 3 to 7 seats.

In Materise’s survey, Left has 60 to 65 seats.

According to the survey of Materise, the Left is expected to get 60 to 65 seats, while the Congress alliance is expected to get between 70 to 75 seats. However, the results of both the exit polls are not one-sided.

UDF gets majority in Vote Vibe survey

Apart from this, in the survey of Vote Vibe, LDF is expected to get 58-68 seats, UDF is expected to get 70 to 80 seats, and others are expected to get between 0 to 4 seats.

What does Axis My India’s survey say?

Apart from this, in the survey of Axis My India, LDF is expected to get 49 to 62 seats, while UDF is expected to get 78 to 90 seats. Others are expected to get between 0 to 3 seats.

UDF is expected to form government in these two polls also
In the People’s Pulse survey, LDF is expected to get 55 to 65 seats, while UDF is expected to get 70 to 85 seats. Others are expected to get 0 to 3 seats.

According to the exit poll of P. Mark, LDF is expected to get 62 to 69 seats, while UDF is expected to get 71 to 79 seats. Among these, others are expected to get seats between 1 and 7.

Also read:

Tamil Nadu Exit Poll: Stalin’s influence continues in Tamil Nadu! Vijay’s party TVK spoiled AIADMK’s game?

On 21 September 2023, Parliament passed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’ (Women’s Reservation Act). This means that 33 percent seats in the Lok Sabha and all state assemblies will be reserved for women. This law has been notified in the Gazette on 20 April 2026, but was not passed in the Lok Sabha because first nationwide census and delimitation is necessary. Its real benefit will be seen in the elections around 2029. Meanwhile, it is important to know how much the political parties have increased the share of women in ticket distribution in the last 3 years? Know in the explainer…

Question 1: After the law was made, how much did the parties increase in giving tickets to women?
answer: After the enactment of the Women’s Reservation Act, there was a very slow and slight increase in giving tickets to women. Most parties are still fielding very few women. In many states the number of tickets has become less than before. Overall, parties increased the proportion of women 38 times, but also decreased it 24 times. Only 10 times there was an increase of 5 percentage points or more. Barring a few small cases, no party has yet reached more than 30%.

Question 2: What is the situation in poll-bound states this year?
answer: In Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, most parties have increased only slightly or some have reduced it.

• West Bengal (2026 elections): Congress gave tickets to 35 women, which were only 7 in 2021. But in 2021, Congress was fighting only on 92 seats, now on 294. Therefore the percentage increased from 7.6% to 11.9%. TMC has fielded 52 women, which were 48 in 2021. TMC’s percentage increased from 16.55% to 17.86%. BJP reduced 5 tickets. That means reduction from 38 to 33.
• Tamil Nadu: DMK had given tickets to 14 women in 2021 and now 19 women are candidates. There were 17 women candidates from AIADMK in 2021 and now there are 19. The percentage of both is around 11%.
• Kerala: BJP and Congress gave less women in 2021. There was a slight increase in CPI(M). BJP’s percentage decreased from 13.9% to 14.3%, Congress from 10.8% to 9.9%, CPI(M) from 14.7% to 15.6%.
• Assam: Congress fielded 13 (9 in 2021) candidates, which is an increase of 13.3%, while BJP gave a chance to 6 (7 in 2021) women, which is only 6.7%.

Question 3: What is the record of the parties in major state elections?
answer: In the elections after the 2023 law, only 6 times did a party give tickets to more than 20% women:

• Sikkim Elections 2024: Congress gave tickets to 33.3% more women.
• Jharkhand Election 2024: AJSU had 30%.
• Odisha Elections 2024: BJD expressed confidence in 23.8% women.
• Jharkhand Election 2024: Congress gave opportunity to 23.3% women.
• Kerala Elections 2026: CPI has given opportunity to 20.8% women.
• Chhattisgarh Election 2023: Congress gave tickets to 20% women.

BJP’s best performance was in Jharkhand with 17.6% and Chhattisgarh with 16.7%. Earlier its highest was 15.6% (Chhattisgarh 2018) and 15.4% (Mizoram). BJP’s biggest increase was in Jharkhand by 8.8 percentage points, but there was a decline of 7.5 percentage points in Andhra Pradesh. In Puducherry, BJP did not field any women candidate in both 2024 and 2021. Congress’s record in Sikkim, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Arunachal has been good.

Question 4: What did the parties running schemes for women do?
answer: Where parties launched or promised cash transfer schemes for women, tickets increased slightly. Like in Madhya Pradesh (2023), Maharashtra (2024) and Bihar (2025). But in Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) reduced the percentage of women in the ticket, even though his entire campaign was focused on women.

According to the report of Indian Express, the parties are still in the old thinking. They are giving tickets to women only on ‘safe’ or low-risk seats. No party is aiming for 33%. There is no compulsion as the law is not yet implemented. As a result, there was an increase 38 times, but a decrease 24 times.

Question 5: What effect is this on common people, women and politics?
answer: Political expert Rashid Kidwai says that the purpose of the law was to provide equal opportunities to women, but very little has happened voluntarily. Only 14% women became MPs in 2024 Lok Sabha. The average in state assemblies is not more than 9-10%. Due to this, women’s representation in politics remained low. Common people are seeing that despite big promises, parties are lagging behind in giving tickets to women. This is affecting women’s confidence and participation in politics.

Rashid Kidwai said, ‘Around 2029, when the law will be fully implemented after delimitation, then 33% reservation will become a compulsion. Then the parties will have to give tickets to women. The current modest increase is just an initial indication. If the parties make preparations from now, a big change can come, but at present the parties are very slow in giving tickets to women.

BJP on Friday released its election manifesto for the West Bengal Assembly elections, which the party has named ‘Bharosa Patra’. Union Home Minister Amit Shah released this manifesto at a program organized in Kolkata. All major sections including women, youth and farmers have been kept in mind in the manifesto. It also includes promises of many schemes and cash assistance.

Voting for assembly elections took place in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on Thursday. Till 6 pm, 89.87 percent voting took place in Puducherry, 85.91 percent in Assam and 78.27 percent in Kerala. After bumper voting, the fate of the candidates is now sealed in EVMs. Now people are waiting for Bengal elections and voting in Tamil Nadu.

Bengal: Kolkata Police takes strict action before elections, orders patrolling at night

Kolkata Police has increased strictness to maintain law and order before the assembly elections in West Bengal. Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand has instructed senior police officers to patrol the streets from 10 pm to 2 am. In the meeting held on Thursday, the Police Commissioner asked the officers to be actively present and inspect the areas during night time. He asked to ensure strict monitoring in all election related matters, so that after understanding the seriousness of the incidents, necessary instructions can be given immediately.

City Joint Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner level officers were also present in the meeting. They have also been instructed to monitor the entire operation by being present during night patrolling and naka checking. Senior officers have been asked to work in coordination with the central forces. Before the assembly elections, special emphasis is being laid on investigation and monitoring of sensitive areas.

Voting will be held in two phases on 294 assembly seats of West Bengal on 23 and 29 April. Voting will be held on 11 seats of Kolkata on 29th April, while the counting of votes will take place on 4th May. At present the police system of the state is under the control of the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, after the unrest during the nomination of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in Bhawanipur, the Election Commission had also questioned the Police Commissioner’s ability to handle law and order. After this, Ajay Nand held a special meeting with the officials at Lalbazar headquarters regarding security arrangements. It is noteworthy that before the elections, the Election Commission had removed Supratim Sarkar from the post of Kolkata Police Commissioner and appointed Ajay Nand.

At the same time, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed displeasure over the role of police on Thursday. It is alleged that he did not get adequate security during his nomination march. In this situation, Kolkata Police has appealed to the public to maintain peace and assured that voting will be conducted in a fear-free and fair environment. Strict action will be taken against any kind of disturbance or attempt to jam the booth. The police have appealed to the people to vote without fear and said that if anyone is stopped from voting, then immediately complain to the nearest police station.

After the elections in Assam, Himanta claims – the government will be formed again.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed satisfaction over the voting percentage in the assembly elections held on Thursday. He said that the enthusiasm shown especially among the Hindu and indigenous communities shows a strong commitment to the democratic process. After the completion of voting, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a clear increase in participation has been seen among local and indigenous voters. Describing it as a positive sign for democracy, he said that such active participation strengthens the electoral system and reflects public confidence in governance.

The Chief Minister said that the increasing voting percentage is an indication that people are now more aware and eager to exercise their democratic rights. He said that the peaceful voting and enthusiasm of the voters reflects the vibrant democratic culture in the state. Sarma also expressed confidence about the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance and said that the alliance can win more than 90 seats in the 126-member assembly. He said that the public support received from various areas clearly indicates that the public mandate is in favor of the ruling coalition.

The Chief Minister also said that more voting will strengthen the democratic system and a more representative government will be formed. He said that the final results will reflect the aspirations of the people of the state, as this time Assam witnessed one of the highest participation elections in recent years.

According to the Election Commission, this time there was a record voting percentage of 85.38 percent in Assam, which is more than the previous record of 84.67 percent in 2016. Officials described the voting as overall peaceful, with only minor incidents reported from a few places. According to preliminary data, the participation of women voters (85.96 percent) was slightly higher than that of men (84.80 percent), while the percentage of third gender voters was 36.84 percent.