In a fresh setback for the AIADMK, three party MLAs resigned from the Tamil Nadu Assembly and joined Chief Minister Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on Monday. Maragatham Kumaravel, Jayakumar and Sathyabama submitted their resignations to Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar, who accepted them. The three legislators were part of the rebel AIADMK faction that had earlier backed the TVK government during the May 13 floor test. AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami’s camp regained support from five rebel MLAs, taking his backing in the Assembly to 27. AIADMK had won 47 seats in the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. (PC: India Today)

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has directed district magistrates to establish holding centres for suspected illegal immigrants as part of the state government’s “detect, delete and deport” policy. The order follows the BJP government’s election promise to act against illegal infiltration. Officials said detained foreign nationals and released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation will be housed in these facilities temporarily. The move has drawn comparisons with immigration policies promoted by Donald Trump during his US election campaign. Opposition leaders are expected to raise concerns over implementation and detention procedures. (PC: HT)

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called for a meeting of the INDIA opposition alliance following the Trinamool Congress’ major defeat in the 2026 Bengal Assembly election. The party won 80 seats, sharply down from 215 previously, while Banerjee lost the Bhabanipur seat to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The move comes amid growing tensions within the opposition bloc involving the Congress, DMK and other allies. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had criticised the Trinamool during campaigning but later expressed support after the results. Opposition parties are now assessing whether a June INDIA bloc meeting will take place. (PC: NDTV)

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a popular Instagram meme page, is creating political debate across India. Founded by student Abhijeet Dipke, the page has gained millions of followers through memes and political posts. Young people in Jaipur and Odisha recently held peaceful protests dressed as “cockroaches” against corruption and unemployment. Police were deployed outside Dipke’s family home in Maharashtra after reported threats. BJP leaders claimed the movement had foreign links, but Dipke denied the allegations. Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the group’s alleged commercial use of court remarks. Punjab Police also warned people about fake CJP scam links online. (PC: Insta/@cockroachjantaparty)

Debangshu Panda won the Falta Assembly repoll in West Bengal by a margin of 1.09 lakh votes, marking the biggest victory margin in the 2026 state elections. The BJP candidate secured 1,49,666 votes after 22 rounds of counting. CPI(M) candidate Sambhu Nath Kurmi finished second, while Congress candidate Abdur Razzak Molla came third. Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan finished fourth despite remaining on the ballot after withdrawing from the repoll campaign. The repoll was ordered following allegations of voter intimidation and EVM irregularities. (PC: India Today)

The BJP government in West Bengal has removed a controversial football-themed sculpture near Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium. The structure was designed by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and installed in 2017 before the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Many football fans had criticised the sculpture’s unusual design for years. The demolition came days after Sports Minister Nisith Pramanik called it “grotesque” and promised to remove it. BJP leaders welcomed the decision, while the government said it plans to improve infrastructure around the iconic football stadium in Kolkata.

The rapid rise of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has left founder Abhijeet Dipke’s parents deeply anxious, fearing legal trouble and possible arrest amid the outfit’s growing political visibility. Speaking from Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Bhagwan and Anita Dipke said they do not want their son entering politics and have lost sleep over his sudden fame. Anita Dipke said she wanted Abhijeet to focus on building a career instead. The party, formed after controversy surrounding Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s remarks on unemployed youth, has gained massive traction online, crossing 19 million Instagram followers. After its X account was withheld in India, a new handle, “Cockroach is Back”, quickly gained thousands of followers.

The parents of Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said they are worried about his growing popularity on social media. His father, Bhagwan Dipke, said he fears his son could face trouble or even arrest because he is now famous. His mother, Anita Dipke, said she does not want him to join politics and wants him to focus on his career instead. The satirical party has gained millions of followers online. Its X account was recently withheld in India after a legal demand. The party was formed after controversial remarks about unemployed youth by Chief Justice Surya Kant.

The X account of the viral satirical collective “Cockroach Janta Party” has been withheld in India after the Intelligence Bureau reportedly flagged it over “national security concerns”. According to reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology invoked Section 69A of the IT Act, citing concerns linked to India’s sovereignty and integrity. The meme-driven movement emerged after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s controversial remarks about unemployed youth and “parasites” attacking institutions. Founded by Boston University student Abhijeet Dipke, the collective rapidly gained popularity among Gen-Z users with anti-establishment humour and political satire. Despite the restriction, a new account titled “Cockroach Is Back” was launched within hours by the founders online. (PC: X)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is set to expand his cabinet by inducting two Congress MLAs — Rajesh Kumar and P. Vishwanathan — as ministers. The move marks the Congress party’s return to the Tamil Nadu government after a gap of 59 years. Congress general secretary K. C. Venugopal called it a “historic occasion” and confirmed the swearing-in ceremony. The cabinet expansion strengthens the alliance supporting Vijay’s minority government, which came to power after the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections with backing from Congress and several regional parties. (PC: X)