Assembly election 2026 live: Amit Shah targets Mamata over ‘Babri Masjid-modelled’ mosque, ‘infiltrators’

ASsembly Elections 2026 unrecorded Updates: unification place government minister Amit shah of iran on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of protecting “infiltrators”, encouraging dynastic politics, and supporting efforts to build a “Babri Masjid-modelled mosque” in the state - something he said the BJP would oppose.Speaking at a rally in Salboni, Paschim Medinipur, ahead of the first phase of the Assembly elections, Shah positioned the contest as an ideological fight between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress.Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the TMC, on Tuesday attacked the BJP for “failing” to deliver on its promises, while asserting that West Bengal’s welfare schemes—especially Lakshmir Bhandar—will continue uninterrupted. Addressing a poll rally in Barjora, Bankura district, he said women beneficiaries “will continue to receive benefits under the scheme for life” in West Bengal.Meanwhile, Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president, welcomed the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, accusing the BJP of playing a “dangerous game” by linking women’s reservation to delimitation.Actor-turned-politician and TVK chief Vijay on Tuesday made a final appeal to voters ahead of the April 23 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, urging them to support his party’s “Whistle” symbol and promising to stand firm against pressure from established political forces. Positioning his party as a fresh alternative in the state’s political landscape, Vijay said his movement represents the aspirations of ordinary people and vowed that his leadership would not be influenced by entrenched interests.Meanwhile, echoing the high-stakes nature of the contest, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, campaigning for the (INDIA) bloc, launched a sharp attack on the BJP, alleging that it aims to install a “puppet” chief minister and run a remote-controlled government in Tamil Nadu. Addressing an election rally a day earlier, Gandhi asserted that the INDIA alliance would resist any such attempt, framing the election as a battle to protect the state’s identity and dignity.The states of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are set to vote on April 23. West Bengal will vote in two phases — the first phase on April 23 and the second phase on April 29. The counting of votes for all polling states and Union Territories will take place on May 4, 2026 (Monday).Mamata attacks Modi's ‘jhalmuri break’Campaigning is underway across West Bengal, with a war of words intensifying among political parties. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unscheduled stop to buy Bengal’s favourite snack ‘jhalmuri’ during poll campaigning in Jhargram was merely a “drama”.“How were cameras present when he made the unscheduled stop? The entire episode was scripted,” she alleged.The Prime Minister on Sunday posted a video on his official X account in which he was seen buying ‘jhalmuri’, a popular Bengali street food made of puffed rice, green chillies, and spices, from a nondescript shop in Jhargram.Mamata Banerjee also alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had planted its “cherry-picked” officers at the airport to deliberately delay her flight.The Chief Minister said her flight was kept waiting on the runway for 30 minutes, adding that a similar delay occurred with Hemant Soren’s chopper.Also Read | Over 700 citizens write to EC alleging PM Modi's address to the nation violated MCC, seek actionYogi slams opposition over stance on women's reservation billUttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Monday slammed the Congress, DMK, Trinamool Congress, and Samajwadi Party over their stance on the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, alleging that they have no agenda for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.Also, speaking at a press conference, Congress' KC Venugopal said the election is a contest between Tamil culture and secularism versus Prime Minister Modi’s “dictatorial rule.”Addressing an election rally, he said people would respond to opposition parties over their stance on the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill.“Congress, TMC, and the INDI alliance ruled India for over 60 years, but they had no agenda for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. These people insulted Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. They violated protocol during the President’s visit to Bengal and insulted her. The people of India will not accept this,” he said.Stalin says this election is a fight between Tamil culture vs Modi's dictatorial ruleTamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday hit out at the Centre over the proposed delimitation exercise, calling it an attempt to “punish” progressive states like Tamil Nadu.In a video message posted on X, Stalin framed the issue as one that threatens the state’s growth model, linking it to population control and industrial success.The remarks come days after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in Parliament, effectively stalling the delimitation-linked reforms.Also Read | TN Elections 2026 – Is this a Battle between Tamil Nadu and New Delhi ?Taking a direct swipe at the Centre, Stalin said, “Last week, the delimitation Bill introduced by the BJP-led Union government appeared to be an attempt to punish us — a state that has controlled population growth and is among the best-performing in industrial development. As soon as this Bill was introduced, I was the first to oppose it and lead protests, including burning copies of the Bill. The fire we lit has reduced that Bill to ashes.”“This election is actually between Tamil culture and the ideology of secularism on one side, and the divisive and dictatorial rule of PM Modi on the other. The BJP wants to hijack the entire election, and they have chosen the AIADMK as a weapon,” he said.Piyush Goyal calls TMC, Congress, and DMK 'family-run private limited companies'Union minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said people in both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are fed up with their respective governments, alleging an “absolute breakdown” of law and order in both states.Speaking to reporters, Goyal called the TMC, Congress, and DMK “family-run private limited companies.”“We are three days away from the elections in Tamil Nadu and the first phase of polling in West Bengal. Very clearly, the wind has changed in both these states. The massive corruption of the DMK government and the Mamata Banerjee government, along with the deteriorating law and order situation, has led to tremendous anger among the people,” the Commerce Minister said.