Kolkata, May 4: Signalling a potential political churn in West Bengal, long dominated by TMC’s Mamata Banerjee, the BJP crossed the halfway mark on Monday, leading in 193 assembly seats against the TMC’s 94 as counting progressed, according to Election Commission data.
With the majority mark of 148 in the 294-member House breached in early trends, the BJP’s surge pointed to a possible breakthrough, while the ruling TMC sought to narrow the gap in what has emerged as a closely watched electoral contest.
The early numbers, indicating a possible outcome that could reshape the state’s political landscape following a fiercely fought election, also suggested a geographically split mandate, with the BJP pushing ahead in border, tribal and industrial regions, while the TMC held ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
Amid these trends, Banerjee urged TMC candidates and counting agents to remain vigilant and not leave counting centres, alleging a “game plan” by the BJP and the EC to project an early saffron lead.
In a video message, the TMC supremo appealed to party workers to stay put and not lose morale.
“I appeal to everyone that neither TMC candidates nor counting agents should abandon counting centres,” she said.
As trends on the Election Commission website showed the BJP leading in around 193 seats against the TMC’s 90-odd tally at that stage, Banerjee asserted that her party was ahead in a significant number of constituencies not fully reflected in the data.
“We are still ahead in 170 seats and there are around 70 to 100 seats where we are leading, but they are not sharing the data,” she said. Her remarks came against the backdrop of an uneven pace of counting across constituencies.
In many of the nearly 190 seats where the BJP was leading, only 5-6 rounds had been completed, and in some, just two rounds, while a few had reached 10-11 rounds.
Given that most constituencies typically go through 18-22 rounds, the process appeared far from the halfway mark even by around 2 pm, suggesting that early leads could still see significant shifts as counting progresses.
Even as the broader trend favoured the BJP, Banerjee was ahead in her Bhabanipur stronghold by 9,475 votes over BJP challenger Suvendu Adhikari after 11 rounds of counting.
The Bhabanipur contest witnessed sharp swings through the morning, with Banerjee leading in the first round, trailing in the second, and regaining the advantage in the third, underlining the volatility of early trends.
However, in Nandigram, the other marquee battleground, Adhikari was ahead by over 3,135 votes against TMC’s Pabitra Kar after two rounds of counting. Beyond the headline numbers, the trends indicated a deeper churn in the state’s political landscape.
For a party that has known uninterrupted power since 2011, the current numbers — with the BJP surging ahead in over 190 seats and the TMC trailing well behind — suggest the possible unravelling of a carefully constructed political machine that thrived on centralised authority, welfare outreach and relentless booth-level mobilisation.
The scale of the shift is reflected in emerging vote share patterns, with the BJP’s share rising to around 44.8 per cent, a sharp jump from 2021, while the TMC’s dipped to nearly 41.7 per cent, indicating erosion across segments that once formed its dependable base.
Perhaps more telling is the churn in the 177 constituencies where voter deletions had exceeded previous victory margins, a silent faultline that appears to have turned electoral.
The BJP was holding ground in all the seats it had won in this category in 2021 and making inroads into several of the 120 segments that the TMC had previously dominated, pointing to a deeper, more systemic shift rather than a transient swing.
Initial trends from across the state showed several TMC heavyweights trailing, triggering concern within the ruling camp.
In Cooch Behar district’s Dinhata, minister Udayan Guha was trailing by 6,259 votes against BJP’s Ajay Ray after four of the 24 rounds of counting. TMC’s Manas Ranjan Bhunia was trailing in Paschim Medinipur district’s Sabang constituency, where he has won seven elections earlier, with BJP’s Amal Kumar Panda ahead by 693 votes after the third round.
In Kolkata, BJP’s Purnima Chakraborty was leading by 1,430 votes over TMC minister Shashi Panja, signalling early cracks in some urban pockets for the ruling party.
In Monteswar, BJP’s Saikat Panja was ahead by 13,308 votes over TMC’s Siddiqullah Chowdhury, while in Asansol Dakshin, BJP leader Agnimitra Paul was leading by 18,812 votes.
Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee was trailing by 1,448 votes in Baruipur Paschim.
The BJP was also leading in a number of seats, including Dinhata, Gosaba, Baghmundi, Bankura, Durgapur Purba, Binpur, Nayagram, Rajganj and Bhagwangola, indicating traction across Junglemahal, north Bengal and industrial belts.
In contrast, the TMC retained leads in pockets such as Deganga, besides urban seats like Kasba, Ballygunge, Bhabanipur and Entally, and rural belts including Singur, Raina, Jamalpur, Khandaghosh, Sitai, Malatipur and Mothabari. The CPI(M) was leading in Domkal in Murshidabad district, while the ISF was ahead in Minakhan in South 24 Parganas.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party chief Humayun Kabir was leading in Nowda and Rejinagar, whereas the Congress was leading in Raninagar seat in Murshidabad district. (Agencies)
WB Polls: BJP Crosses Majority Mark, Leads In 193 Seats; Mamata Ahead In Bhabanipur
Roster Of Administrative Secretaries Issued For May 2026 At Jammu Secretariat
Jammu, May 4: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has notified the roster of Administrative Secretaries for the Civil Secretariat, Jammu, for the month of May 2026 to ensure smooth and efficient functioning of official work.
According to Government Order No. 859-JK(GAD) of 2026 dated May 3, the General Administration Department (GAD) has scheduled senior officers to remain available at the Civil Secretariat on a rotational basis during the summer session.
As per the roster, Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Power Development Department, along with Mohammad Aijaz, IAS, Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, will be present from May 4 to May 8.
From May 11 to May 15, Shaleen Kabra, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Jal Shakti Department, and Dr. Piyush Singla, IAS, Secretary, Information Technology Department, will be stationed at the Secretariat.
For the period from May 18 to May 22, Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Tourism Department, along with Naveen S. L., IAS, Secretary, Civil Aviation Department, have been assigned duty.
In the final phase, from May 25 to May 29, Shailendra Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Finance Department, and Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Administrative Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, will remain available at the Secretariat.
The order issued by the General Administration Department aims to maintain administrative continuity and ensure accessibility of senior officers during the summer functioning in Jammu.
CarInfo, The App That Stays With You From the Day You Buy Your Car to the Day You Sell It
Owning a car in India involves a lot more than just driving. There’s insurance to renew, challans to track, RTO paperwork to decode, service records to maintain, loans to manage, and eventually, a sale to navigate. Most people handle each of these things through a different app, website, or office, and it gets exhausting.
CarInfo was built with a simple idea: what if one platform could handle all of it? Not just the obvious stuff like checking your RC details, but the bigger moments too, like helping you buy the right car, financing it wisely, and selling it when the time comes. Here’s a closer look at what CarInfo actually offers, and why it’s become the go-to vehicle companion for millions of Indians.
Starting With the Basics, Your Vehicle, Instantly Decoded
The foundation of CarInfo is its Vehicle Info section, and it does exactly what it promises. Enter any vehicle registration number, and you get a complete picture: RC details, owner information, insurance validity, registration date, fuel type, and RTO records. It’s useful whether you’re verifying your own vehicle’s information or checking the credentials of a car you’re about to buy.
Speaking of RTO details, CarInfo gives you a dedicated look into RTO-specific records, which matters more than people realise. Knowing the exact RTO linked to a vehicle, its registration status, and any pending compliance issues can save you from some very unpleasant surprises, especially in a used car transaction.
Buying a Car? CarInfo Has Both Sides Covered
New Cars, Research Done Right
Planning to buy a new car is exciting, but the sheer number of options can quickly become overwhelming. CarInfo’s New Cars section brings together the latest models, variant-wise specs, and pricing across brands, from everyday hatchbacks and sedans to trending SUVs and electric vehicles. Whether you’re comparing the Hyundai Creta against the Tata Nexon, or trying to figure out whether the top variant of a Maruti Baleno is worth the premium, the information you need is right there.
What makes it practical is that it doesn’t just list specs in isolation. You get a real sense of what’s popular, what’s new, and what buyers like you are actually choosing, which makes the decision a lot more grounded.
Used Cars, Buy With Confidence, Not Guesswork
The used car market in India is massive, but it comes with real risks. Tampered odometers, hidden accident damage, undisclosed ownership changes, these are not rare exceptions. They’re common enough that CarInfo dedicated an entire section to addressing them.
The Used Cars marketplace on CarInfo connects you with verified listings, but what truly sets the experience apart is the Service History Report. Starting at just ₹199, this OEM-verified report gives you a car’s complete maintenance record, service dates, accident history, odometer readings, replaced parts, and previous ownership details. It’s sourced directly from manufacturers, which means the data is authentic and not self-reported by the seller.
Financing Made Simple, Loans Without the Headache
This is where CarInfo goes a step further than most vehicle platforms. Through its Loans section, CarInfo helps you explore financing options for new cars, used cars, and even new bikes. There’s also a refinancing option, useful if you want to unlock cash against your existing vehicle.
The process is designed to be quick, paperwork-light, and transparent, with lending partners like IDFC, L&T Finance, and others backing the platform. Seeing your loan options alongside the car you’re researching, rather than having to visit a bank separately, removes a real friction point from the car-buying journey
Insurance, Straightforward, Not Stressful
Car and bike insurance are both available through CarInfo, with plans from trusted names like ACKO, ICICI, and Axis. The platform lets you compare options and choose a policy that genuinely fits your needs, without being nudged toward the most expensive plan.
The real value here is timing and convenience. Whether you’re buying insurance for the first time, renewing a lapsing policy, or switching providers, everything can be handled in one sitting without calls, physical forms, or trips to an agent’s office. CarInfo also sends timely reminders for insurance expiry and PUC renewal, the kind of small nudge that prevents a lot of last-minute scrambling.
Challans, Check Them Before They Check You
Automated traffic enforcement across Indian cities means challans are now generated by cameras and sensors, without any immediate notification to the vehicle owner. You could have a fine sitting against your registration number right now and not know it.
CarInfo’s Challan section lets you check pending fines instantly by entering your vehicle number. And once you’ve found them, you can pay them directly on the platform, no separate government portal required, no queues, no delays. It’s a clean, closed-loop experience that takes minutes.
Selling Your Car, On Your Terms
When it’s time to move on from your current vehicle, CarInfo’s Sell Car feature helps you do it without undervaluing yourself. You get an instant valuation based on your car’s make, model, year, and condition, so you walk into any negotiation with a real number in mind rather than a guess.
The process is designed to be done from home. No showroom visits, no middlemen taking a cut just for making an introduction. Trusted partners like Spinny support the backend, which means the actual sale is handled by people who do this professionally.
And here’s a detail worth mentioning: sellers who share their CarInfo service history report with potential buyers often close faster. A documented, verifiable service record builds trust in a way that a verbal assurance simply cannot.
Why 5 Crore+ People Trust CarInfo
A 4.6+ rating on the Google Play Store, backed by over 5 crore downloads, tells you that CarInfo isn’t just a good idea, it’s a platform that delivers on its promises consistently. The diversity of services is matched by the quality of execution, whether you’re fetching an RC detail in 10 seconds or waiting for a service history report that arrives within 2 hours on express delivery.
Partners like Hyundai, IDFC, PolicyBazaar, CarDekho, and Spinny bring institutional credibility to each service area, so you’re never relying on an unknown third party for something as important as a loan or an insurance policy. If you own a vehicle, or are about to, CarInfo is worth having on your phone.
SC Seeks Centre’s Response On Plea Seeking Filling Of Vacancies In Armed Forces Tribunal
NEW DELHI, May 4: Taking note of vacancies in the Armed Forces Tribunal, the Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea seeking to complete the process of selection and fill the vacant posts in a time-bound manner.
While agreeing to hear the petition, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked Attorney General R Venkataramani to assist it in the matter.
The bench told the counsel appearing for the petitioner — Armed Forces Tribunal Bar Association (Regional Bench) — to hand over the petition to the office of the attorney general.
The bench posted the matter for hearing after two weeks. The advocate appearing for the petitioner said out of the 11 benches of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), only three would be functional by the end of the year if the vacancies were not filled.
The plea sought a direction to the Centre to complete the process of selection and fill the vacancies in the AFT in a time-bound manner so as to comply with Section 5 of the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007.
Section 5 of the Act deals with the composition of the tribunal and its benches. The petition has also sought a direction that the present judicial and administrative members of the tribunal shall continue to remain in office, subject to their consent for continuance, till such time the necessary appointments are made. (Agencies)
Schools Evacuated In Shimla After Bomb Threat; Nothing Suspicious Found
SHIMLA, May 4: Multiple schools in Shimla were evacuated on Monday after they received a bomb threat email, triggering panic among the school management, police said.
Several schools in Shimla received the email threatening to blow up the school buildings with explosives placed on their premises, they said.
The schools immediately informed the police, who carried out a thorough search of the school premises after evacuating them. No suspicious items were found during the searches, police said.
The parents of the students were informed about the threat mail following which many reached the schools to take back their children, while bomb disposal squads staged mock drills there, police said.
SSP Gaurav Singh said police are trying to find out the origin of the threat mail, which did not carry any names. (Agencies)
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‘Victory For PM Modi’: BJP Leaders Say People Of Bengal Have Voted For Change
KOLKATA, May 4: Exuding confidence about forming the next government in West Bengal, BJP leaders on Monday said people of the state have voted for change and in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP was leading in 171 seats against the TMC’s 83 as counting progressed for 293 assembly segments, signalling a political shift in the state.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari asserted that the BJP will form the next government in the state.
Adhikari is seeking a re-election from Nandigram and taking on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur.
“BJP will form the government. People have given the BJP a clear mandate,” Adhikari told reporters.
Maintaining that Muslim voters have not gone en masse with the TMC in this election, he claimed that Hindu votes, on the other hand, have consolidated in favour of the BJP.
“Hindus could not be divided in the name of language, religion and caste,” he said.
Adhikari said it will be a victory of PM Modi, who led the BJP’s campaign in the state.
“All Hindus have united in favour of PM Modi,” he said. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said he was confident of a landslide victory for the party.
“People of the state have already rejected the Trinamool Congress government, and in a few hours, the overwhelming majority of the seats will confirm that in the fight between Mamata Banerjee and the people, people have rejected
Mamata Banerjee,” Bhattacharya said outside a counting centre in Kolkata.
BJP’s Kharagpur Sadar candidate, Dilip Ghosh, claimed that people have voted for change.
“The counting will be conducted in the same manner as the polling. People have voted to bring a new government,” he said.
BJP’s Noapara candidate Arjun Singh said the election will blaze the trail for change.
“We firmly believe, with full confidence and trust, that this change will happen and the BJP will win the elections,” he said.
BJP’s Gaighata candidate Subrata Thakur said his party will get more than 180 seats.
“With Prime Minister Narendra Modi guiding us from Delhi, we will form a double-engine government. In past elections, there were strong-arm tactics. This year the EC ensured free and fair polls. People have voted for ‘poriborton’,” he said.
BJP leader Sishir Bajoria said his party will make a clean sweep in the elections. “Have you heard anything from Didi’s (CM Mamata Banerjee) side? They have fallen silent,” he said.
BJP’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said the verdict showed those who supported infiltrators, corruption, and could not stop violence against women have been rejected by people. “This victory also paid tribute to the 100 of BJP workers who sacrificed their lives under TMC terror,” he said. (Agencies)
Bengal Polls: BJP Leads In 152 Seats, TMC In 81; Mamata Banerjee Ahead In Bhabanipur
KOLKATA, May 4: The BJP maintained a strong lead in West Bengal on Monday, surging ahead in 152 Assembly seats against the TMC’s 81 as counting progressed steadily, signalling a potential political churn in a state long dominated by Mamata Banerjee and setting the stage for a high-stakes power shift.
With the halfway mark of 148 in the 294-member House within striking distance, the BJP’s early momentum pointed to a possible breakthrough, while the ruling TMC scrambled to close the gap in what is emerging as a fiercely contested and potentially game-changing electoral battle.
The early numbers suggested a geographically split mandate in the making, with the BJP pushing ahead in border, tribal and industrial regions, while the TMC held ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
Counting for 293 Assembly seats began at 8 am with postal ballots, followed by EVM votes.
The Election Commission has countermanded polls in the entire Falta constituency in South 24 Parganas district, citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations”.
The election is widely seen as a referendum on Banerjee’s bid for a fourth consecutive term against an aggressive BJP that has sought to convert its 2021 gains into a decisive breakthrough.
According to Election Commission data, Banerjee was leading in her Bhabanipur stronghold by 898 votes over BJP challenger Suvendu Adhikari after three rounds of counting, offering early comfort to the ruling party in a prestige seat even as the broader trend favoured the saffron party.
The Bhabanipur contest witnessed sharp swings through the morning, with Banerjee leading in the first round, trailing in the second, and regaining the advantage in the third — underlining the volatility of early trends.
However, in Nandigram, the other marquee battleground, television channels showed Adhikari ahead by over 3,100 votes against TMC’s Pabitra Kar after the first round, though the Election Commission was yet to upload official figures. “Out of the 14 booths counted in the first round, five were Muslim-dominated.
Even there, the TMC is struggling,” Adhikari claimed, asserting that the BJP was headed for a victory and was leading in over 135 of the 293 seats.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party chief Humayun Kabir was leading in the Nowda seat in Murshidabad district over his nearest TMC rival after the first round of counting, Election Commission figures confirmed. Kabir held a lead margin of 2,890 votes over TMC’s Sahina Momtaz Khan, with 19 counting rounds remaining.
The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), an ally of the TMC in the Darjeeling hills, was leading in Kalimpong, underlining the regional dynamics in the hills where alliances often play a decisive role.
Initial trends from various parts of West Bengal, according to Election Commission figures, showed several TMC leaders trailing their nearest BJP rivals, triggering concern among supporters and prompting party leaders to exercise caution in making claims of a landslide victory.
In Cooch Behar district’s Dinhata, minister Udayan Guha was trailing by 6,259 votes against BJP’s Ajay Ray after four of the 24 rounds of counting. TMC’s Manas Ranjan Bhunia was trailing in Paschim Medinipur district’s Sabang assembly constituency, where he has won seven elections earlier. BJP’s Amal Kumar Panda was leading by 693 votes in Sabang after the third round of counting.
In Kolkata, BJP’s Purnima Chakraborty was ahead by 1,430 votes over TMC minister Shashi Panja, signalling early cracks in some urban pockets for the ruling party.
In Monteswar, BJP’s Saikat Panja was leading by a substantial margin of 13,308 votes over TMC’s Siddiqullah Chowdhury, while in Asansol Dakshin, BJP leader Agnimitra Paul was ahead by 18,812 votes.
West Bengal Assembly Speaker and TMC leader Biman Banerjee was trailing by 1,448 votes in Baruipur Paschim constituency.
The BJP was also leading in a swath of constituencies, including Dinhata, Gosaba, Baghmundi, Bankura, Durgapur Purba, Binpur, Nayagram, Rajganj and Bhagwangola, indicating early traction across Junglemahal, north Bengal and industrial belts.
In contrast, the TMC retained leads in pockets such as Deganga, where Anisur Rahaman Bidesh was ahead by 2,184 votes, besides urban seats like Kasba, Ballygunge, Bhabanipur and Entally, and rural belts including Singur, Raina, Jamalpur, Khandaghosh, Sitai, Malatipur and Mothabari.
The CPI(M) was leading in the Domkal seat in Murshidabad district. Officials cautioned that trends could shift significantly as more rounds are counted, with clearer patterns expected only later in the day. (Agencies)
For Supporters, ”Thalapathy” Vijay Becomes ”Muthalamaichar” Vijay
CHENNAI, May 4: As actor-politician Vijay-led TVK appeared inching towards the majority mark of 118 Assembly seats out of the total 234 segments in Tamil Nadu, celebrations by party workers and fans erupted across the state.
Amid chants of ‘TVK’ and ‘Vijay,’ party workers gathered outside the party headquarters at Panaiyur near here and distributed sweets and hailed the party founder as “Muthalamaichar (Chief Minister) Vijay, who continues to be popular as “Thalapathy (Commander, his film title).”
Meanwhile, visuals of Vijay’s father Chandrashekar and some family members expressing joy and happiness appeared in some television channels. Vijay’s party is leading in at least 108 seats out of the total 234 segments.