Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik’s governance, describing his uninterrupted tenure since 2000 as the “lost years”. Addressing an election rally in Sonepur, Shah urged people to oust Naveen’s BJD govt and help form the state’s first BJP govt for accelerated development.

Setting a new trend to make party presidents accountable for alleged violation of the model code of conduct by their candidates and star campaigners, Election Commission on Thursday issued notices to the chiefs of BJP and Congress seeking their response to alleged violations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. EC sought their replies by Monday morning.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended a key suspect in connection to the attack on the Indian High Commission in London last year. Identified as Inderpal Singh Gaba, a resident of Hounslow in the UK, he was taken into custody for involvement in unlawful activities during protests on March 22, 2023, in London, as per the agency's statement.

Indian PM Narendra Modi recently had a phone call with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni to mark Italy's 79th Liberation Day. Modi expressed gratitude for the G7 Summit invitation in June in Puglia, Italy. The leaders focused on carrying forward India’s G20 Presidency initiatives, particularly in support of the Global South, during Italy’s G7 Presidency.

Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a joint search operation in Uri, Baramulla on Thursday and one suspected individual was apprehended. The search operation was initiated based on specific inputs from intelligence agencies, Indian Army's Chinar Corps said. The security forces also found one pistol and other war-like stores.

Amid the speculations that Congress might field him from the Hamirpur parliamentary seat against BJP’s Anurag Thakur, the deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Thursday made it clear that neither he nor his daughter Aastha Agnihotri are going to contest the election. Mukesh Agnihotri, while hitting out at people tossing his name without any basis, said that he has won 5 assembly elections and he is at such a level in politics that no one can impose election on him.

Kalpana Soren, wife of Hemant Soren will be contest Gandey bypoll in Giridih. Kalpana, who is a homemaker, holds both MTech and MBA degrees. She completed her schooling in Baripada, Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, and pursued her engineering and MBA education at different institutions in Bhubaneswar. The seat, located in Giridih district, became vacant after JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad resigned.

The Met office said high humidity could add to people's inconvenience in Tripura, Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, Meghalaya and Goa. Voters in 88 Lok Sabha constituencies in 13 states and Union Territories will exercise their franchise during the second phase of the elections on Friday. It has issued a red warning for West Bengal and Odisha and an orange alert for Bihar and parts of Karnataka.

Enforcement Directorate claims Arvind Kejriwal's involvement in excise policy case, demanding kickbacks from liquor businessmen. Kejriwal's arrest not mala fide, linked to money laundering in AAP's Goa campaign. Kejriwal refused to share phone password during investigation.

Siddaramaiah criticizes PM Modi for false claims of Congress transferring reservation quota to Muslims. He demands an apology and challenges Modi's allegations, emphasizing the inability to amend constitutional reservations.

BJP's Kerala challenge, Modi's Congress attack, Lok Sabha polls for 89 seats, key leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Uddhav Thackeray, and heatwave impact on voter turnout in focus.

Founder of Tipra Motha and royal scion of Tripura, Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Wednesday hit back at the Congress party after allegations were raised against her sister's surname and stated that it is Indian tradition to take the surname of husband after marriage.