Suvendu Adhikari has been announced as the next Chief Minister of West Bengal. The decision was made on Friday after a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 207 winning candidates, presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Shah declared Adhikari as the leader of the BJP legislative party, confirming him as the state’s new Chief Minister. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground.

The selection process took place at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in New Town under the supervision of Amit Shah, the chief observer, and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the assistant observer. Shah stated that eight proposals were received, all naming Adhikari, and no alternative name was submitted. Following the meeting, Adhikari is expected to meet Governor R.N. Ravi to formally request permission to form the government.

Adhikari’s selection was widely anticipated within the party, as he had previously defeated Mamata Banerjee twice in electoral contests, including in Nandigram in 2021 and again in Bhabanipur by a larger margin.

South Indian film star Thalapathy Vijay is on the verge of making political history in Tamil Nadu, as strong indications suggest he will become the state’s next Chief Minister with coalition support. In last month’s assembly election, his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), contested for the first time and won 108 of 234 seats, ending the 62-year dominance of the DMK and AIADMK. However, lacking the 118-seat majority required to form a government, a tense political standoff followed.

Governor R. V. Arlekar insisted that Vijay must prove his majority before being invited to form the government. After several rounds of talks, the Congress broke ties with the DMK and offered support for five seats, on the condition that TVK would not ally with communal parties like the BJP. TVK then secured backing from Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI(M), and CPI, bringing the coalition’s total to exactly 118 seats.

According to reports, each coalition partner may receive representation in the new cabinet. Supporters gathered outside Vijay’s Chennai residence on Friday evening, chanting in celebration as the political uncertainty appeared to settle.

Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan stated that education will serve as the bridge between China and Bangladesh. He said the goal is to further strengthen the connection between the two nations, with education as its core element. The minister made these remarks on Friday at a roundtable titled ‘China-Bangladesh Round Table on Governance Experience Exchange,’ organized by the Center for China Studies (CCS) at a hotel in Dhaka.

He highlighted that Bangladesh and China share a long-standing relationship, which was emphasized by late President Ziaur Rahman. According to the minister, this relationship will play a vital role in shaping the future of Bangladesh, particularly in improving the education sector where China can contribute significantly. He added that Bangladesh, being a densely populated country, must transform its population into a skilled human resource.

The minister stressed the importance of focusing on technical education and enhancing joint cooperation with China in education and technical sectors to develop globally competent human resources.

Former Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Tazul Islam, stated that Islamic scholars and Muslims are the true bearers and protectors of Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty. He made this remark on Friday while speaking at a discussion organized by Shapla Smriti Sangsad to commemorate and evaluate the May 5 massacre.

During his speech, Tazul Islam argued that the May 5 killings were not intended to suppress the rise of Islam but were instead an attempt by what he called a fascist government to remove faith from the nation’s culture. He said the goal was to create an environment where people would fear expressing their religious identity, such as wearing caps or keeping beards.

He further warned that if Muslims do not take an active role in protecting their beliefs and values, the country may face repeated confrontations similar to the Shapla Chattar incident.

Rashed Pradhan, vice president and spokesperson of the National Democratic Party (JAGPA), said that India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had sought Dhaka’s cooperation to repatriate Bangladeshis staying illegally in India. Speaking at an event at the National Press Club on Friday, Pradhan stated that his party was willing to help India, but first India should send back Sheikh Hasina, whom he described as a fascist responsible for mass killings.

The event was organized to welcome new members from various political and social organizations joining JAGPA. During his speech, Pradhan referred to Indian leader Suvendu Adhikari’s remarks about Hasina being the legitimate prime minister of Bangladesh and said she should be sent to Dhaka to face justice. He added that families of those killed in the July uprising and the general public were waiting to see her trial.

Pradhan also criticized the current BNP leadership, alleging that it was acting under Indian influence and warned that the government would face a mass movement if the July referendum mandate was not implemented.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he will not step down despite early local election results showing significant losses for the ruling Labour Party. Preliminary counts indicate Labour is losing multiple council seats across the country, marking a major setback for the party. Starmer accepted responsibility for the disappointing outcome but stated that resigning would only create instability.

He described the results as very difficult and said they could not be taken lightly. Starmer added that the government would review the results carefully. Referring to Labour’s landslide victory in the July 2024 general election, he reminded that the party had been given a five-year mandate to transform the country.

Starmer said he would outline the next steps for the Labour Party in the coming days, signaling a focus on internal assessment and future strategy.

About 300 leaders and activists from different political parties and organizations have joined the National Citizens Party (NCP) Dhaka North unit. The announcement was made on Friday afternoon at a press conference held at the party’s temporary office in Banglamotor, Dhaka. NCP Senior Joint Convener and Dhaka North Convener Ariful Islam Adib welcomed the new members with flowers.

The event was attended by NCP Joint Member Secretary Shahreen Ira, Joint Chief Coordinator Rafid M Bhuiya, and Central Organizer Abdullah Al Monsur. Rafid M Bhuiya stated that around 100 garment workers from Uttara are also expected to join soon and will work with the party’s labor wing, Jatiya Sramik Shakti. Ariful Islam Adib said that the names of 35 key leaders among the new members would be announced as part of the party’s ongoing membership drive.

The newly joined 35 leaders include representatives from several political and social organizations, such as Dr. Ashiqur Rahman Shuvo of the July Revolutionary Alliance and Nakibur Rahman, former secretary of Up Bangladesh Dhaka North.

Preliminary results from the United Kingdom’s local elections indicate severe setbacks for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. Early counts show that many Labour candidates have been rejected by voters across England, with the party reportedly losing around 250 council seats. In contrast, Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist Reform UK Party has gained more than 300 seats out of roughly 5,000 contested positions nationwide.

Opinion polls in recent months had predicted a difficult outcome for Labour, reflecting declining public support for Starmer, described as one of the least popular British leaders in modern history. If the polling trends hold, Labour could lose up to 2,000 local council seats in England and risk its long-held dominance in Wales, where it has won every general election since 1922.

The preliminary results also show gains for the left-leaning Green Party and centrist Liberal Democrats, which have secured 26 and 35 council seats respectively. These developments have increased pressure on Starmer and further weakened the political influence of the Conservatives.

Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has sharply criticized the Trump administration for initiating war with Iran, claiming that Russia has been the biggest beneficiary of the conflict. Speaking at a Democratic event in Las Vegas, Harris said that the American people did not want the war and that Congress had not authorized any attack.

Harris argued that the war allowed Russia to profit from oil sales after sanctions were lifted, something she said would not have been possible without the conflict. She emphasized that the decision to start the war had strengthened Russia economically while undermining U.S. interests.

The former vice president also described Donald Trump as dangerous, rejecting the idea of dismissing him as merely foolish. Her remarks were reported by CNN and reflect ongoing Democratic criticism of Trump’s foreign policy decisions regarding Iran and Russia.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman stated that Bangladesh’s media institutions experienced unprecedented attacks during the one and a half years of the interim government. He made the remarks on Friday, May 8, at the opening of the two-day Bangladesh Journalism Conference held at the Radisson Blu Water Garden in Dhaka. He said that since August 2024, several incidents had occurred, including attacks on two established media houses, which he described as rare in global history.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman criticized the interim government for failing to act effectively during the assaults, noting that law enforcement and military personnel were present but did not intervene. He added that some lawyers, activists, and even media professionals appeared to celebrate the attacks, which he found deeply concerning. He emphasized the need to discuss both internal and external challenges facing the media.

Citing global data, he said over 500 journalists had been killed worldwide in the past decade, including 26 in Bangladesh. The conference gathered journalists and experts from ten countries for more than twelve sessions, with 61 journalists receiving fellowships.

Results from five Indian state assembly elections have reignited debate over Muslim representation in national politics. Out of 723 total seats, only 104 Muslim legislators were elected, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not field or elect a single Muslim candidate. Analysts argue this reflects a deliberate political strategy to marginalize Muslims, particularly in states like West Bengal and Assam, where the BJP focused on consolidating Hindu votes through communal narratives.

In West Bengal, 39 Muslim legislators were elected, 34 of them from the Trinamool Congress, while the BJP had none. Assam’s Muslim-majority constituencies fell from 35 to 22 after boundary changes, which opposition parties claim reduced Muslim political influence. Kerala and Tamil Nadu showed similar trends, with limited Muslim representation despite significant populations. Puducherry elected no Muslim legislators.

According to The India Forum, even opposition parties are becoming more conservative in nominating Muslim candidates. Analysts warn that declining proportional representation and the exclusion of Muslims from major parties threaten the democratic inclusivity of India’s political system.

In Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Vijay has urged Governor R.N. Ravi to allow his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), to form the government after emerging as the single largest party in the state assembly elections. However, the governor has not given any assurance. Vijay warned that if TVK is not invited to form the government, all 107 of his party’s elected legislators will resign.

The 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly requires 118 seats for a majority, but no party or alliance has reached that mark. TVK won 108 seats, though Vijay’s dual victories reduce the party’s legislative strength to 107. The DMK-Congress-Left alliance secured 74 seats, while the AIADMK-BJP alliance won 53. Outgoing Chief Minister M.K. Stalin lost his seat, and the Congress has already declared support for Vijay. Governor Ravi has stated that he will not invite TVK to form the government without written support from 118 legislators.

Political speculation has grown that the DMK and AIADMK could unite to block Vijay’s path to power, leaving the state’s government formation uncertain.

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to meet the 207 winning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in West Bengal on Friday to select the state’s next chief minister. The meeting will determine who will lead the new government, which is set to take oath on Saturday at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata.

The BJP has not yet clarified who will be chosen as chief minister, and speculation continues within the party. Some believe that Suvendu Adhikari, who twice defeated Mamata Banerjee in elections, could be named for the post. The meeting will also be attended by state BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya, Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar, BJP central observer Sunil Bansal, and state general secretary Amitabh Chakraborty. After consulting the elected members, the party will decide its legislative leader, who will become the next chief minister.

According to reports, the selected leader will visit the Raj Bhavan in the evening with the newly elected legislators to seek the governor’s approval to form the government, completing the process before the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday.

A major dispute over proportional representation (PR) has become the central obstacle in Bangladesh’s ongoing constitutional reform process. Since the start of the 13th Parliament, the ruling and opposition parties have remained sharply divided on implementing the July Charter and the referendum verdict. The disagreement intensified after the February 12 election, with opposition members accusing the government of delaying or undermining the reform agenda. The government’s position on the July Charter’s full implementation has created further uncertainty, prompting Jamaat-e-Islami and an 11-party alliance to strengthen their protest programs.

According to the July Charter’s Article 18, the proposed upper house would be formed through proportional representation based on votes received in the lower house election. While 24 parties, including Jamaat and BNP, signed the charter, seven parties expressed dissent, arguing that the upper house should reflect seat proportions instead. The ruling BNP’s refusal to take the constitutional reform council oath and its proposal for a special amendment committee have deepened mistrust. Opposition leaders accuse the government of political maneuvering and demand full implementation of the referendum’s mandate.

The dispute over PR and the July Charter’s interpretation has stalled progress, leaving the timeline and mechanism for constitutional reform uncertain.

Republican Congressman Tom Barrett from Michigan has introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives seeking to restrict and eventually end ongoing American military operations in Iran. The bill, presented last Thursday, authorizes limited military actions only until July 30 and imposes strict conditions on their scope. It effectively challenges President Donald Trump’s earlier claim that the 'Iran war is over.' Barrett, a former military officer, said the proposal aims to uphold Congress’s constitutional authority and ensure transparency in the conflict.

The bill prohibits any large-scale ground operations in Iran, allowing force only to destroy nuclear facilities, counter imminent threats to US forces, maintain naval blockades at ports, and secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Barrett emphasized that while the president holds command authority, Congress must define the war’s objectives and timeline. Despite Trump’s assertion that the conflict ended with an April 7 ceasefire, thousands of US troops remain deployed in the region, and recent skirmishes have occurred.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski has also announced plans to draft a similar measure, reflecting growing unease among Republicans over the prolonged military engagement in Iran.