Assembly Elections highlights: Left Front releases third list of 15 candidates for Bengal polls

The Congress connected Monday (March 23) expressed interest implicit state Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) deciding to contention 21 seats successful the upcoming Assam Assembly elections independently, saying the determination could divided anti-BJP tribal votes.

The JMM earlier successful the time announced 21 candidates for the April 9 elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly.

Congress person Rakesh Ranjan said the enactment had hoped JMM would contention the polls arsenic portion of the absorption coalition. “We wanted to contention the Assam elections together. Assam Congress main Gaurav Gogoi had visited Jharkhand on with different elder leaders, and we expected an confederation with JMM. However, the enactment chose to tract 21 candidates connected its own, which whitethorn divided tribal votes,” helium said.

- PTI

Sunny Joseph dismisses concerns of interior dissent wrong the Congress implicit granting electoral berth to erstwhile CPI(M) leaders, says the UDF’s determination to enactment specified leaders volition fortify the coalition; results of section assemblage elections bespeak beardown anti-incumbency sentiment, helium adds

Puducherry sitting Congress MP, V. Vaithilingam, filed his information connected Monday (March 23) for the Thattanchavady constituency here, mounting the signifier for a confrontation with incumbent Chief Minister and AINRC person N. Rangasamy.

A two-time CM (from 1991 to 1996 and 2008 to 2011) and existent Lok Sabha MP, Vaithilingam, filed his information today.

His introduction arsenic a sitting MP signals the Congress-DMK alliance’s intent to reclaim the ground.

Senior Congress person V.D. Satheesan has declared assets worthy astir ₹3 crore, including movable and immovable properties, successful his affidavit filed earlier the Election Commission connected Monday (March 23) for contesting the polls from North Paravoor.

Mr. Satheesan has movable assets worthy ₹53.82 lakh, portion his woman has movable assets worthy ₹68.45 lakh.

His immovable assets, including onshore and different properties, are valued astatine ₹2.42 crore, portion his wife’s immovable spot is valued astatine ₹1.85 crore.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Congress connected Monday (March 23) reached a seat-sharing pact for the 2026 Puducherry Assembly elections.

30 constituencies successful Puducherry volition acquisition polls, with Congress to contention 16 and the DMK to contention connected 14 seats.

“We volition stock seats among the confederation parties successful the 14 seats allotted to DMK,” the party’s Puducherry predetermination in-charge Jagadrakshagan said.

- ANI

After days of hard bargaining, the CPI-M connected Monday (March 23) nighttime yet accepted the 5 seats offered by the DMK for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and CPI-M State caput P. Shanmugam signed the statement astatine the Anna Arivalayam successful Chennai. 

“Though not satisfied, we accepted the seats due to the fact that we bash not privation to make a favourable information for the AIADMK-BJP combine,” said Mr. Shanmugam.

- The Hindu Bureau

The beingness of a seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala portion connected a 2019 Election Commission of India (EC) missive connected poll-related guidelines, which was distributed to governmental parties recently, sparked a enactment successful the State connected Monday, the last time for submitting nominations for the April 9 Assembly polls successful the State.

Ahead of the April 9 Assembly polls successful Kerala, immoderate of the defining moments from the State’s affluent electoral past person been compiled successful ‘Vottarivu,’ a compendium connected Kerala elections published by the Thiruvananthapuram portion of the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

V. Palanichamy, Additional Director General (Region), PIB Thiruvananthapuram, released the measurement by handing implicit a transcript to Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Rathan U. Kelkar present connected Monday (March 23).

The Congress and DMK connected Monday (March 23) reached an accord for the upcoming Assembly polls successful the Union Territory, wherever the Congress volition contention 16 seats.

The DMK has been allotted the remaining 14 seats. The DMK, from its kitty, volition allocate seats to the INDI bloc constituents VCK and CPI.

DMK delegate and Lok Sabha subordinate S. Jagathratchagan and Puducherry PCC president V. Vaithilingam announced the seat-sharing statement astatine a property league here.

- PTI

The ECI connected Monday (March 23) has clarified that the missive from the Election Commission, bearing the seal of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been circulated crossed assorted Malayalam quality channels, was purely a clerical error.

The ECI has said, “The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) hereby clarifies that this was purely a clerical error, which was identified and rectified immediately.” 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 1 of the cardinal constituents of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) successful Tamil Nadu, has been allocated 27 seats for the Assembly election, 7 higher than successful 2021. 

The Election Commission is aiming to execute a elector turnout exceeding 85% successful the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, CEO Ratan U. Kelkar said connected Monday (March 23).

He was speaking astatine the merchandise of ‘Vottarivu’, an predetermination notation manual prepared by the Press Information Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram, for journalists covering the 2026 Assembly polls.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the State witnessed 75.60% elector turnout.

- PTI

The CPI (M) successful Kerala connected Monday (March 23) slammed the Election Commission’s determination not to see elector database inclusion applications submitted aft March 15 and said the determination amounts to an “infringement of the law close to vote”.

The ruling enactment besides urged the ECI to adhere to its earlier assurance allowing applications till the past day of filing nominations.

In a connection issued by its authorities Secretariat, the enactment said the canvass sheet should guarantee that applications submitted up to the last day of information are considered for summation to the voters’ list.

- PTI

A ‘Hot Air Balloon’ run was launched successful the Tiruchi district, urging citizens to registry themselves successful the voters’ database and workout their franchise successful the upcoming election.

- The Hindu Bureau

The AIADMK-led NDA successful Tamil Nadu connected Monday (March 23) finalised a seat-sharing statement for cardinal constituents of the confederation for the April 23 Assembly polls, with the Dravidian enactment allotting 27 seats for BJP, 18 for PMK, and 11 for AMMK.

AIADMK wide caput Edappadi K. Palaniswami, addressing a crowded property league astatine enactment office Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Maaligai, here, said talks continued with different allies arsenic well, and it volition beryllium concluded by tonight.

The names of Constituencies to beryllium contested by confederation parties volition beryllium identified soon, helium said, adding the seat-sharing talks were cordial.

- PTI

The Election Commission connected Monday (March 23) questioned the locus standi of the petitioner successful filing a PIL challenging the transportation of respective officers of the West Bengal Government aft the announcement of Assembly elections successful the State.

The petitioner, a lawyer, claimed successful the PIL that 79 officers, 63 constabulary personnel, and 16 civilian servants person been shifted by the ECI since the announcement of the Assembly polls connected March 15.

- PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) campaigner K. Ranjith connected Monday (March 23) filed his information from the Dharmadam Constituency successful Kannur territory for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections.

The information papers were submitted earlier District Registrar Sachin Krishnan astatine the Thalassery Registrar’s Office, marking the ceremonial introduction of the BJP-led NDA into a cardinal electoral contest.

Dharmadam holds governmental value arsenic it is presently represented by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, making the constituency 1 of the astir intimately watched electoral battlegrounds successful the State.

- ANI

Puducherry BJP president V.P. Ramalingam connected Monday (March 23) filed his information from Raj Bhavan Constituency for the Assembly elections to beryllium held connected April 9.

The Raj Bhavan spot is presently held by All India NR Congress (AINRC) Minister K. Lakshminarayanan, and has present been transferred to the BJP successful NDA’s seat-sharing statement for the upcoming polls.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Tamil Nadu BJP in-charge and histrion Khushboo were contiguous during the filing of nomination.

-ANI

BJP’s Odisha portion volition grip canvass absorption enactment successful 36 Assembly segments of neighbouring West Bengal, which votes successful 2 phases connected April 23 and 29, a elder enactment person said.

Odisha BJP main Manmohan Samal, who was precocious elected to the Rajya Sabha, said, “They [West Bengal unit] are looking aft the large portion of the electioneering. We person been assigned to look aft absorption successful lone 36 Assembly segments, and our radical person been deployed successful each of the assigned areas.” Mr. Samal said the State portion has drawn up a roadmap to actively run crossed six confederate districts of the neighbouring State.

- PTI

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M] and the Congress connected Monday (March 23) accused each different of attempting to fragment the accepted Left Democratic Front (LDF)-United Democratic Front (UDF) duopoly successful Kerala by covertly seeking to assistance the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) successful cardinal Assembly constituencies successful Kerala. 

The 53-year-old AIADMK, the main Opposition enactment successful the Tamil Nadu Assembly, is hoping that the April 23 predetermination volition extremity its thin signifier successful electoral politics, which began successful December 2017 with the party’s decision successful the R.K. Nagar by-election.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) connected Monday (March 23, 2026) announced its database of 21 candidates for the elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly.

“After a elaborate deliberation, the JMM has decided to contention 21 seats successful the upcoming assembly elections successful Assam,” JMM wide caput Vinod Kumar Pandey told PTI.

Mr. Pandey said the enactment has fielded Priti Rekha Baria from Mazbat, Teharu Gour from Biswanath, Amit Nag from Khumtai, Bhuben Murari from Chabua, Phedricson Hasda from Gossaingaon, Baldev Teli from Sonari, Peter Minj from Duliajan, Paban Sautal from Rongonadi, Bharat Nayak from Digboi and Prabhat Das Panika from Bhergaon, among others.- PTI

Lt Governor of Puducherry has declared April 9 a nationalist vacation nether the Negotiable Instruments Act successful presumption of the predetermination to the territorial Assembly that day.

An bid of the Home Department of Puducherry Administration issued connected Monday (March 23) said that the vacation has been declared for each authorities offices, institutions, section bodies, commercialized and concern establishments successful the Union Territory (UT) to alteration voters employed therein to workout their franchise.- PTI

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has raised questions astir the “apolitical” quality of histrion Ramesh Pisharody, the United Democratic Front (UDF) campaigner successful the Palakkad constituency successful Kerala, pointing astatine his statements dismissing protests successful Kerala against the deaths successful Gaza.

Union curate Sukanta Majumdar claimed that “rapid demographic changes” nether the TMC’s regularisation successful West Bengal could soon crook Hindus into a number successful respective districts, making it “very difficult” for candidates belonging to the assemblage to triumph elections successful the future.

In an interrogation with PTI, the erstwhile authorities BJP president said the enactment has recalibrated its run aft failing to travel to powerfulness successful the 2021 assembly polls and is present banking connected strengthening booth-level organisation, pushing a much “Bengal-centric” narrative, and cleansing electoral rolls done the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which helium believes could change the electoral arithmetic.

He framed the 2026 assembly polls arsenic a demographic turning constituent for the state.

“The census has not happened yet, but Mamata Banerjee herself said Muslims represent astir 33 per cent of the population. It could beryllium 33–35%. This percent volition summation successful the adjacent 5 years. After that, it volition go precise hard for Hindus to triumph elections,” helium said.

-PTI

Ramesh Pisharody, Congress campaigner successful Palakkad for the April 9 Assembly poll, connected Monday said helium would not respond successful the aforesaid code to elder CPI(M) person T.M. Thomas Isaac’s remarks connected fielding a comedian actor, asserting that helium has “culture”.

Speaking to reporters successful Palakkad, Mr. Pisharody said helium was not consenting to reply to a elder person similar Isaac astatine the aforesaid level.

Mr. Isaac, reacting to the UDF’s allegation that CPI(M) and BJP person entered into a woody successful the Palakkad constituency, had said specified claims were being made due to the fact that the Congress had fielded a comedian alternatively of a wide accepted candidate.

“Congress, which ruled the country, has fixed the state to explicit opinions. We person the close to remark connected others. Let him marque his comments utilizing that freedom,” Mr. Pisharody said.

-PTI

TMC person Jyotipriya Mallick, erstwhile considered among West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s astir trusted lieutenants successful North 24 Parganas, believes a “record victory” successful the Assembly polls would beryllium his reply to “conspiracy that led to his imprisonment” successful the alleged ration organisation scam case.

Mr. Mallick, popularly known arsenic ‘Balu’ among enactment workers, told PTI successful an interrogation that people’s verdict would beryllium his reply to those who “tried to decorativeness him disconnected politically”.

“My triumph with a grounds borderline volition beryllium the reply to the conspiracy that enactment maine down bars,” the five-term MLA said.

The Habra spot successful North 24 Parganas territory has emerged arsenic 1 of the astir intimately watched constituencies successful the 2026 assembly polls, not lone due to the fact that Mallick is attempting a comeback aft spending months successful jailhouse pursuing the Enforcement Directorate’s probe into the alleged ration scam but besides due to the fact that the BJP has turned the contention into a run centred astir corruption allegations.

-PTI

Aam Janata Unnayan Party main Humayun Kabir yesterday announced the names of candidates for assorted constituencies of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.

Addressing a gathering successful Murshidabad, Kabir said that helium volition beryllium contesting elections from Bhabanipur against CM Mamata Banerjee & LoP Suvendu Adhikari.

“In Rejinagar of Murshidabad, 154 candidates volition contention successful assorted constituencies crossed Bengal. I volition beryllium contesting successful Rejinagar & Nowda Assembly constituency, and Punam Begam is contesting from Bhabanipur against CM Mamata Banerjee & LoP Suvendu Adhikari. Asif Iqbal is contesting successful Berhampore. AJUP volition contention successful 182 seats successful Bengal; the remainder of the names volition beryllium announced soon,” helium said.

-ANI

District Collector Anu Kumari and her squad took portion successful a paragliding and parasailing lawsuit astatine Varkala connected Sunday arsenic portion of the run to guarantee maximum elector information successful Thiruvananthapuram territory successful the April 9 Assembly elections.

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A lawsuit has been registered against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State vice-president and party’s campaigner successful the Guruvayur Assembly Constituency B. Gopalakrishnan by the Guruvayur temple constabulary for his alleged communal remark successful a run video.

Sources said the lawsuit had been registered pursuing the involution of the Election Commission of India (EC). Acting connected the instructions of Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Rathan U. Kelkar, the Thrissur District Collector initiated enactment against Mr. Gopalakrishnan for alleged usurpation of the Model Code of Conduct.

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As the 2026 State Assembly elections approach, the spotlight has shifted to the sitting Ministers wrong the Left Democratic Front (LDF) successful Kerala.

The Cabinet includes 11 Ministers from the CPI(M) and 4 from the CPI, with the Kerala Congress (M), Janata Dal (S) which has since been merged with Indian Socialist Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), Congress (Secular), National Secular Conference, and Kerala Congress (B), each contributing 1 Minister.

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For the archetypal clip successful implicit 5 decades, an Assembly predetermination successful Kerala is unfolding without Oommen Chandy successful the fray, a beingness that had agelong defined the governmental bushed of his constituency, Puthuppally, arsenic good arsenic the state.

The Congress stalwart’s lack is not simply electoral; it is profoundly idiosyncratic for galore successful this cardinal Kerala constituency.

Nearly 3 years aft his demise, a dependable watercourse of visitors continues to get astatine his tomb astatine St George Orthodox Church adjacent his ancestral location here, offering quiescent prayers -- a testament to the enslaved helium shared with mean people.

That affectional transportation present forms a important portion of the Congress-led UDF’s entreaty among voters crossed the state.

In the bypoll that followed his death, his son, Chandy Oommen, stepped into the governmental abstraction his begetter had occupied for decades, securing the spot and, successful the process, reaffirming the family’s clasp implicit the constituency.

-PTI

With a fortnight near for the important Assembly polls, electioneering has gathered momentum successful the district.

Ignoring the searing summertime vigor and humid climatic conditions, the candidates and their supporters are busily engaged successful campaigning successful each 14 Assembly constituencies of the district. Almost each the candidates were retired successful the tract connected Sunday (March 22), gathering voters and salient citizens of the constituencies.

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The All India Trinamool Congress has fielded an Assam MLA who stirred a hornet’s nest by suggesting a Miya Museum astatine a taste centre successful Guwahati 5 years ago.

Sherman Ali Ahmed figured successful the database of 7 candidates announced by the Trinamool connected yesterday. He is contesting from Mandia, a Muslim-dominated constituency successful occidental Assam’s Barpeta district.

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The Election Commission of India is apt to people the archetypal supplementary voters’ database for poll-bound West Bengal contiguous evening arsenic portion of the ongoing SIR exercise, officials said.

The database volition beryllium released successful the aforesaid mode arsenic the last electoral roll, with copies sent to territory predetermination officers and subsequently displayed astatine polling booths crossed the state, they said.

“The adjudication process has been extensive, and a important fig of cases, implicit 27 lakh, person already been resolved aft owed verification. The supplementary database transparently incorporates these outcomes,” an EC authoritative said.

These 27 lakh voters were among 60 lakh who were marked arsenic “under adjudication” successful the last voters’ database published connected February 28.

-PTI

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)leader Asaduddin Owaisi has announced that his enactment volition contention the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections successful confederation with Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP).

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Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay yesterday announced candidates for each 30 Assembly segments successful the Union Territory of Puducherry arsenic the enactment is going unsocial to look the upcoming elections connected April 9.

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