Sports Minister V. Abdurahiman will contest from the Tirur Assembly constituency instead of Tanur in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, the CPI(M) said today while releasing a fresh list of candidates.

The party earlier announced the list of 81 candidates.

Mr. Abdurahiman, who won from Tanur in 2021, had sought the Tirur seat this time and will contest as an independent backed by the CPI(M).

He was initially allotted Tanur in the earlier list and had waited for the revised list before launching his campaign.

-PTI

The Pradyut Bordoloi factor dominated the third list of 22 Congress candidates released for the Assembly polls.

The party had announced the names of 65 candidates in two instalments earlier.

Congress leader Karti Chidambaram today said the party would release its election manifesto for Tamil Nadu within 10 days, describing the upcoming document as a blueprint for the party’s action plan over the next five years.

Speaking to reporters after the first preliminary meeting of the manifesto committee, Mr. Chidambaram said that the party had held a free and frank discussion to identify the primary problems facing the people of the State.

“The first meeting has taken place. In this, everyone has shared their preliminary opinions. After this, we intend to conduct meetings in many places, gather the public’s opinions, and prepare the election manifesto. We plan to prepare the election manifesto within the next 10 days,” the Sivaganga MP said.

He noted that while the timeframe is short, the committee intends to conduct meetings in various locations to gather public feedback effectively before finalising the draft.

-PTI

Ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor today said he is not a Chief Ministerial probable as he is not a candidate in the election and believes that ideally the Chief Minister should be picked from among the elected MLAs.

Mr. Tharoor said since he is not a candidate, he does not have to worry about one particular constituency and that his role in the state polls is a “mixed bag”.

He added that he is looking forward to going “up and down the length and breadth of the state” to campaign.

Mr. Tharoor also referred to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s advice to UDF leaders recently, in which he metaphorically asked them to “dance together”, and said it was a “good message” to give, and now “everyone is dancing together”.

Mr. Tharoor also said that while he would be happy with a majority, a figure between 85-100 seats would be good for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the 140-member assembly.

-PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielding seven Christian candidates for the Kerala elections reflects the party’s gambit to woo the Christian community, traditionally supporters of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), in the State.

According to Census 2011, Christians make up around 18.4% of Kerala’s population.

The Left Front today announced its second list of 32 candidates for the West Bengal assembly elections, with CPI’s Shanti Giri from Nandigram and CPI(M)’s Dr. Pulin Behari Baskey from Nayagram among key nominees.

During the announcement of the candidate list, CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim described the current judicial review of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as the “initial victory”, and asserted that the Left leaders will not rest till every genuine voter figure on the list before the two-phase assembly polls.

The elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.

CPI(M) leaders - Afrin Begam from Ballygunje, Monirul Islam from Metiabruz and Himangshu Giri from Khejuri, and Samarendra Nath Naiya from Nandigram - are among the 32 candidates.

The Left Front had yesterday announced its first list of 192 nominees.

-PTI

Chadayamangalam has long been recognised as an impregnable bastion of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), specifically the Communist Party of India (CPI). Historically referred to as a “red fort”, the constituency’s political identity is deeply intertwined with its working-class roots, drawing immense support from the agricultural and cashew labour sectors. 

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he will file his nomination papers for the assembly elections tomorrow.

He will file his nomination papers for the Jalukbari seat at the Kamrup District Election Office.

“Tomorrow, with the blessings of the people of Jalukbari, I will be filing my 7th nomination to represent the constituency which has given me everything. Do join me tomorrow morning,” he said in a social media post today.

Mr. Sarma, who was earlier with the Congress, has represented Jalukbari since 2001.

He first contested this seat in 1996, losing to AGP’s Bhrigu Kumar Phukan. He wrested the seat from him in 2001.

Mr. Sarma’s winning spree continued, and the victory margin kept increasing in each poll. In 2021, he won the seat by a record margin of 1.01 lakh votes.

-PTI

The BJP today released its first list of 88 candidates for Assam Assembly polls, fielding Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from the Jalukbari seat.

Mr. Sarma will contest from Jalukbari constituency in a bid to retain it for the sixth consecutive term.

Sitting BJP MP Hitendra Nath Goswami has been fielded against state Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi from Jorhat.

Congress leaders Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah, who recently joined the BJP, will contest from Dispur and Bihpuria, respectively.

Among other recent entrants from the Congress, Sashi Kanta Das has been fielded from Raha (SC), while Kamalakhya Purkayastha has been shifted from Karimganj (North) to Katigorah.

Former AGP MLA Bhupen Roy, who recently joined the BJP, will contest from Abhayapuri.

-PTI

In a setback to NDA ally Twenty20 in Kerala ahead of the polls, the party today withdrew two actress-candidates after their names were found missing from the voters’ list.

The party withdrew the candidature of Lakshmi Priya from Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district and Veena Nair from Ettumanoor in Kottayam district.

Party sources said both candidates did not have their names in the voters’ list, despite having voted in previous elections.

Twenty20, in a statement, announced that Jibi Pathiykkal would replace Lakshmi Priya in Perumbavoor.

“The change was made after Lakshmi Priya’s name was not found in the voters’ list, prompting the party to withdraw her candidature,” the statement said.

-PTI

With the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in force in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, some stakeholders have raised concerns over the ₹50,000 cash-carrying limit prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Those carrying cash above this limit would have to satisfactorily explain its source.

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The Communist Party of India (Marxist) remains unrelenting in its demand for six Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu, though the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is prepared to offer only five.

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The Election Commission of India has kept in abeyance its earlier decision to depute five IPS officers from West Bengal to other states as police observers for the upcoming assembly elections here, an official said today.

The poll panel yesterday issued a notification announcing the transfer of 15 IPS officers, including Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Muralidhar Sharma and Siliguri Police Commissioner Syed Waqar Raza, to serve as observers in elections outside the state.

However, within 24 hours, the Commission revised its decision for five of them. The remaining 10 officers will proceed to other states as scheduled to take up their roles as police observers, officials said.

“Orders in respect of five officers have been kept in reserve for now. They are not required to move out immediately,” a senior ECI official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

-PTI

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal today voiced support for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying she is fighting to save democracy and accusing the BJP of using the Election Commission (EC) to win the upcoming Assembly polls in the State.

The former Delhi Chief Minister said the situation in West Bengal is similar to that in the national capital before the Assembly polls four years ago.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lost power to the BJP in the Delhi Assembly polls held in February 2022. Several big guns of the party, including Mr. Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, were defeated in the election.

“The BJP has turned the Election Commission into its weapon to win elections through deceit. What is happening today in West Bengal is exactly what happened in the Delhi elections as well,” Mr. Kejriwal said in a post on X.

PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party (BP) Kerala State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has a clear political strategy for at least six or seven constituencies in the upcoming Assembly elections in the State.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today announced candidates for 112 seats, which included three former MPs, but maintained silence on the candidature of Abhaya’s mother.

Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, today launched the BJP’s campaign for the high-profile Bhabanipur seat in south Kolkata, where he is set to take on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mr. Adhikari reached Kolkata in the morning from Delhi and headed to Chakberia Road, where he inaugurated the party’s Bhabanipur election office and then took part in a rally.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Adhikari said he was encouraged by the rally’s response and asserted that he would campaign in every part of the constituency.

“I am hopeful that people will accept me,” he said, describing the turnout at the rally as extraordinary.

Expressing confidence, he said, “I will win by a margin of 25,000 votes. People have shown today that there is no challenge here.” Attacking Banerjee, Mr. Adhikari said, “The leader of infiltrators, corruption should be defeated.”

-PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today expressed alarm over the “arbitrary removal of more than 50 senior officials” in the poll-bound state, terming it a “political interference of the highest order”.

Continuing with her tirade against the Election Commission of India, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo claimed that such action amounted to “systematic politicisation of institutions” and a “direct assault on the Constitution”.

After announcing the schedule for the assembly polls, the Election Commission of India has ordered several reshuffles of senior officers, including the transfer of Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, and the removal of DGP Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.

Yesterday, the poll body ordered a fresh reshuffle of senior officers, posting two secretaries to other poll-bound states as observers, and deploying 13 IAS and five IPS officers in key poll management roles.

-PTI

The DSJP today announced unconditional support to the NDA for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections.

Describing itself as a secular party that prioritises the interests of forward communities, Democratic Social Justice Party (DSJP) leaders, in a press conference here, said that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi had implemented the 10% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation for forward communities.

The party alleged that successive Left and Right fronts in the state have been engaging in minority appeasement, while poor sections among forward communities continue to face neglect.

DSJP president KSR Menon said that forward communities, including Christians who constitute around 20% of Kerala’s population, face discrimination in education and employment, and asserted that a change in government is necessary to address these issues.

Criticising the current reservation system, he said that benefits are often availed by economically well-off sections, leaving the most deserving among the poor deprived.

-PTI

Tiruchirappalli: In view of the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) following the announcement of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, flying squad teams have intensified vehicle checking across various parts of Tiruchirappalli district.

Officials from the district administration and the Election Department conducted inspections at key junctions and the highways. Intensive vehicle checking is under way along the Trichy-Madurai National Highway.

Joint checking operations by Flying Squad and Static Surveillance Teams (SST) are also being carried out on the Trichy-Chennai National Highway. Vehicles are being stopped and thoroughly inspected to prevent the illegal transport of cash, liquor, gifts, or other inducements meant to influence voters.

Static Surveillance Teams have been deployed at strategic locations, while Flying Squads are conducting mobile inspections across the district. The district administration has warned of strict action against violators. - ANI

Thiruvananthapuram: As the BJP released its second list of candidates for the Kerala Assembly election, State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar hailed it as a strong and competitive list of candidates which reflects the party’s seriousness to give the people a change. 

“We have an extremely strong and competitive list of candidates announced in the list. In my opinion, this tells the people of Keralam that we are very serious about the election and we are determined to give the people of Keralam a change,” he said. - ANI

Kolkata: Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, launched the BJP’s campaign for the high-profile Bhabanipur seat in south Kolkata, where he is set to take on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mr. Adhikari reached Kolkata in the morning and headed to Chakberia Road, where he inaugurated the BJP’s Bhabanipur election office and took out a rally. Speaking to reporters on his first day of campaigning, Mr. Adhikari said he was encouraged by the rally’s response.

“I am hopeful that people will accept me,” he said, describing the turnout at the rally as extraordinary. Attacking Ms. Banerjee, Mr. Adhikari said, “The leader of infiltrators and corruption should be defeated.” He also alleged that small shopkeepers had complained of harassment by the Chief Minister’s nephew, referring to Trinamool Congress’ national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. - PTI

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi held a closed-door meeting with newly appointed Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariyala, Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh, and senior police officers at Lok Bhavan, a well-placed source said.

The meeting, which lasted around 30 minutes, was also attended by DGP Siddh Nath Gupta, ADG (Law and Order) Ajey Mukund Ranade, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand. It was described as “only a courtesy meeting,” the source said, adding that the meeting started around noon and was over in 30 minutes.

A day after announcing the poll dates for the West Bengal elections, the Election Commission transferred several senior administrative and police officers in the State. - PTI

Kochi: The Democratic Social Justice Party (DSJP) announced unconditional support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections.

Describing itself as a secular party that prioritises the interests of forward communities, DSJP leaders, in a press conference in Kochi, said that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi had implemented the 10% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation for forward communities. - PTI

Former Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi expressed gratitude towards the BJP after the party announced him as a candidate from Dispur constituency for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections and said he will work to build a positive rapport with the people.

Mr. Bordoloi, who joined the BJP after resigning from the Congress, said he did not ask the BJP for anything other than a platform to play a meaningful role. He added that he would like to build an effective partnership with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also happens to be his former colleague.

“... I am grateful. I did not ask anything from the BJP when I decided to join, because what I needed was a platform to work and play a more meaningful role. I have had a long association with public life, having served as an MLA four times and as a Minister for 15 years,” he said.

“The present Chief Minister of Assam and I were colleagues, and together we achieved remarkable progress. If I get another opportunity to work with him, I will be very happy, because together we can play a meaningful role...,” he added. - ANI

Thiruvananthapuram: V. Muraleedharan, former Minister of State for External Affairs and a senior BJP leader, had been focussing on the Kazhakkoottam constituency - an urban seat in Thiruvananthapuram with a strong presence of IT companies - even before the dates for the Kerala Assembly polls were announced.

Having remained active in Kazhakkoottam with the aim of contesting the seat after putting up a tough fight in the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 elections, Muraleedharan eventually received the green signal from the party’s central leadership to enter the fray.

What may have attracted Muraleedharan to the Kazhakkoottam seat, currently held by CPI(M) leader and former State Minister Kadakampally Surendran, is its high vote share - ranking among the top three Assembly segments in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency - where BJP State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar secured more than 40% of the vote in the Parliamentary polls. - PTI

Communist Party of India (CPI) has finalised its seat-sharing agreement with the DMK for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, scheduled for April 23. Under the agreement, signed in the presence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Tamil Nadu CPI Secretary M. Veerapandian, the CPI will contest five Assembly constituencies as part of the DMK-led alliance.

Additionally, the Congress has also reached a seat-sharing arrangement. It will contest 28 Assembly constituencies. The DMK had allocated a Rajya Sabha berth to the Congress. Another alliance partner, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), will contest on four seats in the 234-member State Assembly. - ANI

Former Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Ranjana Nachiyaar joined Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam ahead of the Assembly elections. She met with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin after joining the DMK.

The actor attributed her switch to TVK leader Vijay’s alleged hypocrisy, unapproachable nature, and alleged disrespect of women. She further said, being a party in power with public trust, DMK is a more comfortable choice. - ANI

On Vijay-led TVK’s claim that the party was offered the Chief Minister’s post for 2.5 years and up to 90 seats for the election as part of a poll pact, BJP Tamil Nadu chief Nainar Nagenthran said he had no idea who set these narratives.

“I have been saying from the beginning that the BJP never held any alliance talks with the TVK. As the party president I have not held any discussions in this regard,” he stressed.

Further, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Kanyakumari and Coimbatore, but the dates were yet to be finalised. - PTI

BJP Tamil Nadu chief Nainar Nagenthran denied any hitch in the seat-sharing talks with ally AIADMK ahead of the April 23 Assembly polls and said the number of constituencies will be finalised soon.

His assertion comes in the wake of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, who heads the NDA in the State, rushing to Delhi to discuss seat-sharing with the BJP Central leadership. Election will be held for 234 Assembly segments.

“There are no issues affecting the seat-sharing talks which are smooth… we will finalise the numbers soon,” Mr. Nagenthran told reporters in Tirunelvei. - PTI

Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) released the party’s manifesto for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in Chennai, presenting a governance model rooted in Tamil identity, self-sufficiency, and ecological preservation. 

Emphasising the vision, Party Chief Seeman said the party is moving steadily towards its long-held goals for the State. He said, “Tamil Nadu needs a change in governance, not just a change of party.”

Highlighting agriculture as the backbone of the State, the manifesto proposes declaring farming as a “National Occupation” and integrating it as a government service. It outlines large-scale restoration of waterbodies using traditional methods, along with planting palmyra trees to protect groundwater. The party also plans to establish cold storage facilities in every district to safeguard farmers from losses, while promoting natural farming, to ensure poison-free food production.” - ANI

Congress stalwart A K Antony on Thursday (March 19, 2026) said he has urged party strongman K. Sudhakaran to abide by the high command’s decision, however difficult it would be, to ensure the defeat of the CPI(M)-led LDF.

Mr. Antony’s request to Sudhakaran comes amidst reports of his discontent with the party over not being considered as a candidate for the Kannur constituency in the upcoming assembly polls in Kerala on April 9.

Speaking to reporters here, the Congress stalwart said that Sudhakaran is someone who fought against the Marxist “at the expense of his life”.

“So, I told him that whatever difficulty he faces, he should ensure that they (CPIM-led LDF) do not get a third term by accepting the party’s decision,” Mr. Antony said.

- PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday (March 19, 2026) announced Geetesh Naik as its candidate for the Ponda Assembly byelection in Goa scheduled on April 9.

Mr. Naik joined AAP on Wednesday in the presence of the party’s national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, at Ponda in South Goa district.

Bypoll to the Ponda Assembly segment has been necessitated due to the death of sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and then Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik on October 15 last year.

- PTI

Senior Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya on Thursday (March 19, 2026) said that “tacit understanding” between the ruling TMC and opposition BJP is dominating the political narrative in West Bengal ahead of the assembly polls, even as the “manufactured binary” involving the two parties is shrinking the space for the Left and the grand old party.

Speaking to PTI in an interview, Mr. Bhattacharya, a former West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president and an ex-MP, described the upcoming state polls as “a very, very tough election” where “nobody can predict what exactly will happen”.

“The entire discourse has been reduced to the TMC-versus-BJP narrative. This binary has marginalised the Congress and the Left, but people in West Bengal are very conscious and sensitive. They understand what is happening,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.

- PTI

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan filed his nomination papers as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate from the Dharmadam Assembly constituency in Kannur on Thursday (March 19, 2026).

Mr. Vijayan submitted the nomination papers at 11 a.m. before Returning Officer Sachin Krishna, becoming the first candidate to file nomination in the constituency. The formalities were completed within 15 minutes, after which he left the venue.

Read more here

Assam CM seeks to retain Jalukbari Assembly seat which he has won since 2001, the first three terms for Congress.

The BJP list of 88 candidates for the Assam Assembly election has 6 women, including Minister Ajanta Neog.

- Rahul Karmakar

After Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the BJP, his son Prateek Bordoloi announced that he won’t contest on a Congress ticket from Margherita in the upcoming Assembly polls.

In a letter to Congress president and chairman of the Central Election Committee Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday, Prateek said he would continue to remain a party member.

Following his father’s decision to join another party, it would not be appropriate for him to continue as a Congress candidate from Margherita, Mr. Prateek said in the letter, which was shared with reporters on Thursday (March 19, 2026).

“With utmost respect and a deep sense of responsibility towards the party, I wish to convey my decision to withdraw my candidacy from the Margherita Assembly Constituency,” he said.

Mr. Prateek asserted that he will continue to work for the party in whatever capacity the leadership deems appropriate.

His father, a Congressman for over five decades, had resigned from the grand old party on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) and joined the BJP the next day.

- PTI

Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi, who quit Congress a couple of days ago, is in the BJP list of 88 candidates for April 9 Assembly polls. He is contesting the Dispur seat.

- Rahul Karmakar

Ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday (March 19, 2026) said he is not a chief ministerial probable as he is not a candidate in the election and believes that ideally the CM should be picked from among the elected MLAs.

In an exclusive interview with PTI, Mr. Tharoor said since he is not a candidate, he does not have to worry about one particular constituency and that his role in the State polls is a “mixed bag”. He added that he is looking forward to going “up and down the length and breadth of the State” to campaign.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Partha Bhowmick on Thursday (March 19, 2026) criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI), following recent decisions regarding the transfer and posting of election officers.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Bhowmick characterised the Commission as a “BJP agent” and described its office as an extension of the Bharatiya Janata Party, while mentioning that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remains firmly rooted “in the hearts of the common people.”

“Ordinary people vote. The military does not vote, SPs do not vote, and Police Commissioners do not vote. Common people vote, and Mamata Banerjee is in their hearts. We have already said on behalf of the party that this Election Commissioner is an agent of the BJP. The Election Commission office is like a BJP party office. We knew this would happen,” said Mr. Bhowmick.

- ANI

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V.D. Satheesan on Thursday (March 19, 2026) announced that the Congress party has completed the candidate selection process for all 95 seats it is contesting in the upcoming state elections.

He said, “We have decided on all the 95 candidates in the Kerala Assembly elections... We declared 55 seats the day before yesterday, and we decided on the rest of the 40 seats now. The selection of the candidates is over, now we are going to campaign...”

- ANI

Trinamool Congress (TMC) senior leader Dr. Nirmal Majhi on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) asserted confidence in the victory of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led party in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI at a campaign rally in Goghat, the TMC leader highlighted the government’s healthcare facilities and affirmed that party MPs will continue developmental efforts. He said that the party will win 270 seats, forming the TMC government for the fourth time.

- ANI

BJP leader N.V. Subash on Thursday (March 19, 2026) said that Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi’s move to leave Congress and join the party is a “feather in the cap for BJP”.Speaking to ANI, he said, “This is a feather in the cap for the BJP because many people from different walks of life and now from different political parties, especially Congress, are joining the BJP. It means that people have faith in the BJP that it will work for the people. This MP felt suffocated in the Congress party. We welcome him joining the BJP.”

Ahead of the Assam Assembly election, Mr. Bordoloi joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia. He tendered his resignation to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, ending his lifelong association with the Congress party amid allegations of internal mistreatment.

- ANI