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NEW DELHI: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay was grilled for nearly six hours on Monday as he appeared before the CBI for a second round of interrogation in connection with the Karur stampede case.Vijay arrived at the CBI headquarters in the national capital at 10:20 am and left around 5 pm, news agency PTI reported. The Tamil superstar was questioned by a team led by a deputy superintendent–rank officer from the CBI’s anti-corruption wing.He was reportedly asked about the decision-making process behind the rally, the reasons for his delayed arrival at the venue, the continuation of his speech, his awareness of the chaos, the turnout, and alleged crowd mismanagement.The decision on fixing individual responsibility in the chargesheet would be taken only after a thorough analysis of statements recorded from Vijay, senior TVK members, and officials from the police and district administration involved in granting clearance for and managing the rally.The actor-politician was earlier questioned by the agency on January 12. He was asked to return the following day but sought a different date due to the Pongal festival. He was subsequently summoned to appear on January 19.The CBI took over the probe from a Tamil Nadu Police special investigation team following a Supreme Court order and has been collecting evidence related to the September 27, 2025 stampede in Karur, which claimed 41 lives and left more than 60 people injured.‘Vijay not called again’: TVK leader Nirmal KumarSenior TVK leader CT Nirmal Kumar, who was present outside the CBI office, told reporters, “We are cooperating with the agencies. Please refrain from spreading any misinformation. He (Vijay) has not been called again.”“Lots of rumours are being spread around which are not true. We all know what happened in Karur. MPs from Delhi had gone to Karur; even the Tamil Nadu BJP president has said what exactly happened in Karur,” he added.Vijay launched TVK in February 2024. Its first electoral test will be the Tamil Nadu assembly polls, expected to be held in April.
When results from Maharashtra’s long-delayed civic polls came on January 16, it became clear that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has made it to the top once again. The BJP swept 1,425 of 2,869 seats across 29 municipal corporations, a strike rate of nearly 50%. In Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a Shiv Sena citadel for 25 years, slipped out of regional control.Since 2014, the BJP’s rise has not dismantled regional politics outright. Instead, it has steadily shrunk the space in which regional parties operate, limiting their ability to convert votes into seats, state power into national leverage and identity politics into a sustained election issue. Let’s take a look at how that containment has unfolded, state by state.
Recent civic polls in Maharashtra offer a clear snapshot of regional parties containment in action.In the January 2026 civic elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party across major urban bodies. In Mumbai’s BMC, it won 89 of 227 wards on its own. With ally Eknath Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena adding another 29, the ruling Mahayuti crossed the majority mark. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) was reduced to 65 seats, down from more than 130 in 2017.
Across the state, the picture was bleaker for regional forces. In Pune Municipal Corporation, the BJP crossed 110 seats, while the combined strength of the two Pawars – Sharad and Ajit Pawar – remained in double digits. Pimpri-Chinchwad, another Nationalist Congress Party bastion, delivered 87 seats to the BJP.These civic polls were delayed for nearly nine years due to legal and administrative hurdles.The BJP framed its campaign around the idea of a “triple-engine sarkaar”, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Devendra Fadnavis at the state level. Welfare schemes such as ‘Majhi Ladki Bahin’ found traction among women voters, while youth backing was decisive: nearly 47% of voters aged 18–25 reportedly favoured the BJP. But the most decisive factor was political fragmentation. The 2022 Shiv Sena split turned Shinde into a BJP ally, hollowing out the party’s organisational spine. The 2023 NCP fracture left Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar competing for the same shrinking base. Even Uddhav Thackeray’s tactical alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) split Marathi identity votes in dozens of wards, indirectly benefiting the BJP.
In Bihar, the regional parties have not been eliminated, but absorbed and subordinated within a BJP-led political framework.In 2025 Bihar assembly elections, the NDA won over 200 of 243 seats, its most decisive victory in the state in decades. Within that, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, overtaking chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) in numerical strength for the first time. Seat data underlined the altered balance of power.The BJP secured 89 seats, while JD(U) followed with 85 seats. Smaller allies such as the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha added to the NDA tally. In contrast, the opposition collapsed. The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which had won 75 seats in 2020, was reduced to roughly 25 seats, while the Congress slipped to single digits.For regional parties in Bihar, this was not merely a defeat. It was a reordering.Nitish Kumar retained the chief ministership, but the arithmetic left little ambiguity. Power within the alliance now flows from the BJP outward, not the other way around. JD(U), once the pivot of Bihar politics and a perennial kingmaker in Delhi, now operates within limits defined by its larger partner.The RJD’s trajectory is equally telling. Tejashwi Yadav’s party got the highest vote share of 23% in the elections: BJP – 20.08%, JD(U) – 19.25%. Despite retaining a loyal base among Muslims and Yadavs, the vote share did not translate into seats. Welfare schemes, infrastructure expansion and caste-neutral messaging from the NDA fractured older social coalitions. Bihar results show a crucial feature of the BJP’s containment strategy: regional parties are allowed to survive, but not to dominate. Containment here does not mean extinction.It means subordination — a shift from being the senior partner to alliance dependents in a political order anchored firmly by the BJP.
In India’s most populous state, the BJP’s containment strategy has played out through electoral arithmetic. In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led NDA won 64 of 80 seats. On the other hand, Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, despite being opposition in the 2022 assembly with 111 of 403 seats, struggled to expand its footprint. The Bahujan Samaj Party, once a pivotal force, was reduced to near irrelevance, winning just one seat.Vote shares tell a revealing story. BJP got around 36% vote share in 2024, while Samajwadi part got near 29%.
This gap was widened by welfare politics. Schemes such as PM Awas Yojana, free rations and direct benefit transfers helped the BJP get more votes.Construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya also helped consolidate Hindu votes across caste.
The Trinamool Congress remains dominant in West Bengal, but the BJP is up for the challenge.In the 2021 assembly elections, TMC won 213 of 294 seats. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it retained 29 of 42 seats, getting around 45% of vote share. The BJP, however, consolidated itself as the principal challenger, holding roughly 23% of the vote share. The trajectory matters. BJP’s vote share surged from 18% in 2019 to nearly 38% in the 2021 assembly polls, driven by defections, organisational expansion and polarised campaigning. While welfare schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar helped TMC stabilise its base, urban Kolkata and tribal belts like Jangalmahal saw growing BJP penetration.Mamata Banerjee remains powerful within the state. But will she continue to enjoy this power for log? We will know in a few months as Bengal votes for its next assembly.
The 2025 Delhi assembly elections marked a turning point.The BJP won 48 of 70 seats, ending a decade of rule by the Aam Aadmi Party and reclaiming the capital after nearly 27 years. AAP’s vote share remained competitive, but BJP’s organisational depth, candidate spread and campaign scale ensured superior seat conversion.For AAP, the loss was existential. Once projected as a governance-driven alternative with national ambitions, it now faces questions about relevance beyond Punjab. Delhi’s verdict showed that even a high-visibility regional model can be overwhelmed by a national party’s machinery.
Odisha saw one of the sharpest collapses. In 2019, the Biju Janata Dal won 113 of 147 assembly seats. By 2024, BJP swept 20 of 21 Lok Sabha seats and won 78 assembly seats, ending Naveen Patnaik’s long rule. Leadership vacuum and BJP’s appropriation of Odia identity accelerated the fall.In Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress Party’s dominance evaporated in 2024, when a TDP-BJP-JSP alliance won 135 of 175 assembly seats, pushing YSRCP to the margins despite a significant residual vote share.Both states show how quickly regional dominance can collapse when organisational depth and narrative control shift.
Tamil Nadu remains the clearest exception.In the 2021 assembly elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won 133 of 234 seats. In 2024, the DMK-led alliance secured 22 of 39 Lok Sabha seats. BJP’s vote share remains in single digits.Strong linguistic identity, entrenched welfare politics and the legacy of Dravidian ideology have limited BJP’s expansion. Seat conversion for regional parties remains efficient, and internal splits have so far been avoided.
Kerala’s alternating Left and Congress coalitions continue to resist national consolidation. BJP’s vote share hovers around 11–15%, with limited seat gains despite a strong cadre base.High political literacy, entrenched welfare systems and cohesive minority blocs have constrained BJP’s growth. Yet even here, regional dominance remains confined within state borders, offering little national leverage.
Nationally, the BJP-led NDA governs 19 states and is currently at its highest-ever strength in atate assemblies. The BJP alone presently has 1654 MLAs across state assemblies. Regional parties together hold roughhly about 31% of MLAs.BJP’s containment strategy is consistent:
Urbanisation, aspirational voting and fatigue with dynastic feuds have amplified these effects.
India’s regional parties are not extinct. They still win elections and govern states. But the data since 2014 shows their power is increasingly bounded.Civic routs in Maharashtra, the fall of AAP in Delhi, and reversals in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh all point to the same conclusion: the pathway from state power to national influence has narrowed dramatically.As 2026 assembly elections approach in five states and UT, the challenge for regional parties is no longer survival alone. It is to reinvention in current political climate. Will Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin be able to hold their grounds or will the BJP push their parties to a wall? We will know by mid-year.
MUMBAI: IDBI Bank reported a net profit of Rs 1,935.5 crore for the quarter ended Dec 31, 2025, up 1.4% from Rs 1,908.3 crore a year earlier, aided by provision write-backs and improved asset quality. However, a sharp drop in core net interest income results in shares of the bank falling nearly 6%.Net interest income fell 24.1% year-on-year to Rs 3,209.4 crore, reflecting lower interest earned and elevated funding costs. Interest earned declined to Rs 7,073.6 crore from Rs 7,815.6 crore a year ago, while interest expended rose to Rs 3,864.1 crore from Rs 3,587.4 crore. Sequentially, NII slipped 2.3%.On the balance sheet, deposits rose 9% year-on-year to Rs 3.08 lakh crore, while advances grew 15.5% to Rs 2.39 lakh crore.Other income rose 61.3% to Rs 1,208.9 crore from Rs 749.4 crore a year earlier, providing a buffer to earnings. Operating expenses increased 15% to Rs 2,501 crore, driven mainly by higher employee costs.The bank reported a provision write-back of Rs 541.6 crore in the quarter, compared with a provision expense of Rs 165.6 crore in the year-ago period. Provisions for NPAs saw a reversal of Rs 603.4 crore. Tax expense declined 28.1% to Rs 523.4 crore.Asset quality improved, with gross NPAs declining to Rs 6,280.9 crore, or 2.57% of advances, from Rs 7,634.8 crore, or 3.57%, a year earlier. Net NPA ratio stood at 0.18%, unchanged from a year ago.The capital adequacy ratio under Basel III stood at 24.63%, with CET 1 at 23.53%. Net interest margin narrowed to 3.52% from 5.17% a year earlier.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will shift to a player auction system from its 11th season, moving away from the draft format that has been used since the league began in 2016. The change follows a model similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL).The total purse for each PSL franchise has also been raised to USD 1.6 million from USD 1.3 million for the player auction.PSL chief executive Salman Naseer said the changes ahead of the league’s 11th edition are aimed at strengthening the tournament.“The PSL will now transition from a draft to players auction system which should increase transparency and enhance the competitive balance of teams in the league,” Naseer said, as quoted by news agency PTI.He added that the new system would also offer players better earning opportunities.Under the revised rules, franchises will be allowed to retain a maximum of four players, with only one retention permitted in each category. Earlier, teams could retain up to eight players, along with a mentor and a brand ambassador, and use a right-to-match option to keep a ninth player during the draft.The PCB has removed the provisions for hiring mentors, brand ambassadors and the right-to-match option.Naseer said the two new teams, Hyderabad and Sialkot, will be allowed to pick four players each from the available pool before the auction.Each franchise will also be permitted one direct signing of an overseas player who did not take part in PSL 10.The 11th season of the PSL is scheduled to begin on March 26, with Faisalabad included as a venue.
MUMBAI: Noted author Devdutt Pattanaik this past week inaugurated the first edition of the VIBGYOR Literature Festival at VIBGYOR High, Malad East.Held by VIBGYOR Group of Schools, one of India’s leading K-12 education networks, the festival reflected the Group’s commitment to creating learning spaces that nurture curiosity, creativity and meaningful engagement beyond the classroom.Pattanaik also addressed students during the opening session and participated in a “Meet & Greet Author” interaction. The event featured many other speakers, including including Mickey Mehta, Savitha Rao, Sanaya Irani and Rahul Saini. They shared diverse perspectives on literature, creativity and learning through sessions conducted through the day.Designed as a celebration of literature and ideas, the VIBGYOR Lit Fest brought together students, parents, educators and creative professionals to engage with stories through interactive and participative formats. The festival focused on strengthening reading habits while enabling learners to think critically, articulate perspectives and explore storytelling across genres.Commenting on the successful conclusion of the festival, Kavita Kerawalla, Vice-Chairperson, VIBGYOR Group of Schools, said: “At VIBGYOR, we see literature as a powerful tool for shaping independent thought and expression. We were happy to see the VIBGYOR Lit Fest come alive as a space where literature, ideas, and conversations took centre stage, with students engaging deeply with stories and creativity. The festival was an extension of our belief in experimental learning, giving children the opportunity to imagine, question and create beyond the confined of textbooks and screens while nurturing a genuine love for reading.“
NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday urged Poland to not help fuelling the “terrorist infrastructure” in the Indian neighbourhood. The comments came during bilateral talks with the Poland deputy prime minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Monday.“Deputy prime minister, you are no stranger to our region and are more than familiar with the long standing challenges of cross-border terrorism. Poland should display zero tolerance for terrorism and not help fuel the terrorist infrastructure in our neighbourhood,” Jaishankar said.
“In the recent past, both in New York last September and in Paris this January, I have candidly shared our views on the Ukraine conflict and its implications. While doing so, I have also repeatedly underlined that the selective targeting of India is both unfair and unjustified. I do so again today,” the EAM said.The Poland deputy PM reacted to Jaishankar saying that he agreed on the “need to counter transnational trans border terrorism.”“I completely agree with you on the need to counter transnational trans border terrorism. Poland, as you may have heard, has been a victim of arsons and attempted, state terrorism when a Polish railway line was, blown up under a moving train just very recently,” he said. “I also completely agree with you on the unfairness of selective targeting, by tariffs. And we in Europe know something about that.. Also, we fear that, this is progressing to a global trade turbulence,” he added.The Polish deputy PM said that Europe hoped India would remain engaged with the region and welcomed New Delhi’s expanding diplomatic presence. “We’ve noticed that you are establishing embassies everywhere in Europe, which means that you are serious about relations with the European Union,” he said.
NEW DELHI: Eight Army personnel were injured on Sunday in a prolonged gunfight with terrorists in a remote forested area of the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.The encounter, which lasted for several hours, erupted when security forces came in contact with terrorists during a search operation in the general area of Sonnar, northeast of Chatroo. The operation, launched around noon, has been named Operation Trashi-I by the Army’s Jammu-based White Knight Corps.
In a post on X, the White Knight Corps said the search was part of ongoing joint counter-terror operations being conducted with the Jammu and Kashmir Police. “Operations remain underway with additional forces inducted to reinforce the cordon, supported by close coordination with civil administration and security agencies,” the Army said, praising the troops for their professionalism while responding to hostile fire in difficult terrain and conditions.Officials said one of the search teams encountered a group of two to three foreign terrorists, believed to be affiliated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). The terrorists allegedly opened indiscriminate fire and hurled grenades in an attempt to break the cordon. The troops retaliated, following which reinforcements from the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police were rushed to the area to tighten the cordon.Intermittent firing continued until around 5.40 pm. Eight soldiers sustained injuries, mostly splinter wounds from grenade blasts, and were evacuated to hospital. A massive search operation is continuing to track down and neutralise the terrorists.Advanced surveillance equipment, including drones, along with sniffer dogs, has been deployed to speed up the operation.This is the third encounter between security forces and terrorists in the Jammu region this year. Earlier gunfights were reported in the Kahog and Najote forests of the Billawar area in Kathua district on January 7 and 13.On December 15 last year, a police officer was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Soan village of the Majalta area in Udhampur district. The terrorists managed to escape by taking advantage of thick foliage and darkness.These encounters come in the wake of a major counter-terror operation launched across forest belts of the Jammu region in December last year to flush out nearly three dozen terrorists believed to be hiding in the area.Security operations have been further intensified ahead of Republic Day amid intelligence inputs of renewed attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push in more terrorists, officials said.
Former India international Suresh Raina has offered a detailed assessment of what makes Abhishek Sharma one of the most dangerous batters in modern T20 cricket, as the young opener continues to redefine India’s aggressive batting blueprint. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 just weeks away, Abhishek’s rise has emerged as a major talking point within Indian cricket circles.
India’s left-handed opener has quickly become the embodiment of the high-tempo, fearless brand of cricket the team plans to carry into the upcoming World Cup. At just 25, Abhishek has cemented his place at the top of the order, providing rapid starts that put opposition bowlers under pressure from the very first over.
India are set to open their title defence against the USA on February 7 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, and Abhishek’s presence adds a fresh edge to the batting unit. His ability to dominate both pace and spin early in the innings aligns perfectly with India’s intent to dictate terms rather than react.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Raina highlighted the technical traits that separate Abhishek from many of his contemporaries. According to Raina, it is not just raw power but refined shot-making that makes the young batter so effective.
The southpaw pointed to Abhishek’s bat swing and his exceptional ability to clear the ropes against spinners without stepping out of the crease. He also praised the way Abhishek pierces the off-side with authority, especially through the covers, and how confidently he drives full-length deliveries. His use of footwork, combined with a strong base, allows him to hit straight down the ground with remarkable consistency – a skill that limits bowlers’ margin for error.
“I think his bat swing, the way he hits sixes off spinners while staying in his crease, the way he plays through the covers, and the drives he hits off full balls all stand out. He uses his feet really well and is a strong hitter straight down the ground,” Raina said on JioHotstar.
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Abhishek’s statistics back up the growing praise. After making his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in July 2024, the left-hander has enjoyed a meteoric rise. In just 33 T20I matches, he has amassed 1,115 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 188.02, underlining his value as a momentum-setter.
His record includes two centuries and six half-centuries, rare achievements in the shortest format. The year 2025 proved particularly significant, as Abhishek finished as the top-ranked T20 batter in the ICC rankings after scoring 859 runs, further establishing himself as a global force.
As India prepare for another World Cup campaign, Abhishek’s role at the top of the order could be decisive. His aggressive intent allows middle-order batters to play with greater freedom, knowing the platform has already been set. This approach also forces captains to alter field placements early, often disrupting bowling plans within the powerplay itself.
With experienced voices like Raina endorsing his skill set and numbers reflecting sustained impact, Abhishek appears well-positioned to be one of India’s key match-winners.
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