Tamil Nadu: After several days of uncertainty, actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has secured the outside support needed to form a government in Tamil Nadu. TVK emerged as the single largest party in the recent state election with 108 seats in the 234-member assembly, short of the 118 seats required for a majority. Early disputes over government formation followed when Governor Rajendra Arlekar said the party had not yet demonstrated majority support and insisted it produce written proof before being invited to form a government.
Negotiations continued through the week. The Congress had already pledged support, bringing TVK’s tally to 113 seats, and on Friday three more parties — the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) — announced their backing. With those commitments, TVK has reached the numbers needed to stake a claim. Vijay was due to meet the governor to formally present his claim to form the government. Rival parties and some critics had urged that, rather than demand letters of support, the governor should invite the largest party to form a government and allow a floor test in the assembly.
West Bengal: Separately, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named Suvendu Adhikari as its choice to become the party’s first chief minister in West Bengal after the BJP won a landslide victory in the state election. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, appointed central observer for the selection process, traveled to Kolkata to oversee the choice and is expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony alongside senior party leaders. The BJP captured 207 of the 294 assembly seats in the poll.
Foreign relations: New Delhi rejected as “baseless imputations” allegations of foreign interference reported by Canada’s intelligence service. Foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India, a democracy that respects international norms, does not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs and urged Canada to address concerns about extremist Khalistani activity on its soil through proper channels. Tensions between the two countries have risen since Canada accused agents linked to India in the 2023 killing of naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar; India has dismissed those allegations.
Other headlines:
– Bihar school food incident: More than 150 children in Saharsa district fell ill after consuming a midday meal at a government-run middle school. Students reported stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness; many were admitted to hospital and officials said their conditions were improving. Authorities have not yet publicly identified a cause.
– Environment and urban wildlife: A DW video feature highlights Delhi’s black kites and the role these raptors play in the megacity by feeding on waste and interacting with people.
– Regional tensions: Coverage marks one year since deadly India–Pakistan clashes that brought the nuclear-armed neighbors close to all-out war, assessing how the conflict has frozen relations and the risks that remain.
This summary draws on live updates from DW’s New Delhi studio covering the political developments, diplomatic rows and other breaking stories across India.