Election 2026 LIVE: Amit Shah slams Mamata over women’s safety in West Bengal; Rahul calls Assam CM ‘most corrupt’

ELection 2026 unrecorded: us congress leader Rahul indira nehru gandhi called Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma as the to the highest degree demoralize CM in the country while also lending support to party spokesperson Pawan Khera. The Assam police was chasing Khera to arrest him after booking him in a case of alleged defamation, forgery and criminal conspiracy. Khera had accused Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan of holding multiple passports and not disclosing assets in foreign countries, ahead of the Assam elections, the polling for which had already taken place on April 9.With the West Bengal elections just around the corner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi intensified his attack on the ruling All India Trinamool Congress, accusing it of corruption, appeasement politics, and neglecting North Bengal. Addressing a rally in Siliguri, he asserted that the BJP is poised to form the next government in the state.Modi said that people have witnessed “nothing but ruin” during the TMC’s 15 years in power, adding that a new generation of voters now has the opportunity to shape Bengal’s future through their votes."The ruthless TMC government has completed 15 years in power. Over these 15 years, you have witnessed nothing but ruin. I see many young people here; my young friends, 15 years ago, you were likely studying in the first grade. In this election, you are going to cast your votes--votes that will determine the future of Bengal," he said.Union home minister Amit Shah too slammed Mamata ‘Didi’ over safety of women in the state. Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP has entered into a “ ₹1,000-crore deal” aimed at toppling her government. She referred to a viral video in which Humayun Kabir was purportedly heard claiming links with BJP leaders and mentioning an advance payment of ₹200 crore as part of a larger plan to split minority votes.Polling for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4. The first phase will cover 152 constituencies, followed by 142 constituencies in the second phase.In Tamil Nadu, Hindi imposition debate intensifiesDMK candidate from Dindigul, IP Senthil Kumar, on Sunday reiterated Tamil Nadu’s firm opposition to the three-language formula, asserting that the state will continue to follow its two-language policy.Speaking to ANI, Kumar said the two-language system remains most suitable for Tamil Nadu and alleged that the three-language formula is being imposed on students, something the state will not accept.Earlier, chief minister MK Stalin had also criticised Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the issue, accusing the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi through the three-language policy. Stalin maintained that as long as the DMK remains in power, the policy will not be implemented in the state, expressing confidence of sweeping all 234 constituencies in the elections.Meanwhile, union minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal targeted the ruling DMK over the law and order situation, claiming that public anger is growing against Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin. He added that people are looking towards a strong NDA alliance, accusing the Congress-DMK partnership of internal discord.The first phase of the 2026 Assembly election cycle has concluded, with voting completed in Kerala, Puducherry and Assam. Political attention is now at the high-stakes contests ahead in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Tamil Nadu will go to polls in a single phase on April 23, with votes to be counted on May 4.