A week in the life of India: Twin Surprise

Four Indian states and Puducherry voted in April and the results on May 4 threw up more than a few twists. BJP ended its long struggle to win West Bengal by securing 207 of 292 seats, ending fifteen years of Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as chief minister. Banerjee herself lost to Suvendu Adhikari in Bhowanipore and her Trinamool Congress was reduced to 80 seats. In Assam, BJP retained power for a third straight term. But Tamil Nadu was another state that changed the script as actor-turned-politician Vijay shattered the Dravidian duopoly that had governed the state since 1967. In Kerala, the Congress-led UDF swept up 102 seats, ending a decade of Left rule. That last result meant that for the first time since 1977, not a single state in India has a communist party in power. The Left is now a party without an address.

Back to Violence

BJP’s historic victory in West Bengal was followed by violence, in keeping with the state’s political culture. Mamata Banerjee’s refusal to resign— she had to be dismissed by the governor— did not help matters. While reports of attacks on TMC workers and offices came in, the ugliest incident was the murder of Chandranath Rath, a close aide to Suvendu Adhikari. Rath was shot dead in North 24 Parganas. The killing came hours after he had urged BJP cadres to show restraint. The investigation traced Rath’s killers to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar

Judge Better

The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to raise the strength of Supreme Court judges by four, taking the number from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India. The last increase in the number of judges took place six years ago. The objective is to help the apex court deal with rising pendency, heavier daily listings, and the growing pressure on benches handling constitutional, civil and criminal matters.

Killer Watermelon

The mystery surrounding four deaths in the Dokadia family of Mumbai’s Pydhuni on April 26 was, at least partly, solved. Forensic analysis confirmed that zinc phosphide, a compound used in rat poison, was present in the viscera of all four victims and in the watermelon they consumed after their dinner guests had left. The guests were unaffected. Zinc phosphide, when ingested, releases phosphine gas inside the body. There is no antidote. The question that remains is how it got there: police are examining both accidental contamination during storage or transport and deliberate tampering.

Austerity 2.0

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to cut fuel usage, prioritise work from home, and avoid overseas travel, among suggestions meant to reduce fuel consumption and protect India’s foreign exchange amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. Modi also urged people to avoid buying gold, adopt Swadeshi products, cut down on cooking oil consumption, and prioritise natural farming. Calling it an “act of patriotism”, he said such measures would conserve foreign currency reserves as high oil prices are weighing down on several countries, including India.

Flavours of UP

Uttar Pradesh has prepared a list called ‘One District One Food’ that aims to give every district a cuisine that reflects its local food traditions. The list includes local sweets, snacks, breads, pulses, and spice-based preparations and is being presented as an effort to promote local cuisine and tourism. Officials have described the project as a way to celebrate food heritage while giving local products a boost. But one aspect that caught attention is that the final selection does not include any non-vegetarian dish, that in a state boasting galauti kebabs and Awadhi biryani.

Art Meets Crime

Journalist Suparna Sharma and visual artist Anand RK, along with Bloomberg’s investigative reporter Natalie Obiko Pearson, won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category for their work ‘trAPPed’. The work illustrates the account of a neurologist who was held under “digital arrest”, one of the many cyber scams plaguing India. The Pulitzer committee said that it “cast light on the growing global challenges of surveillance and digital scams”. The award comes with a prize of $15,000.

Heat Map

Large parts of northern and central India faced intense heat, with daytime temperatures climbing well above seasonal averages. Outdoor workers and commuters bore the brunt of heatwave-like conditions. Warm nights and harsh sunlight added to the discomfort. Weather officials issued advisories in multiple regions and hospitals reported a rise in heat-related cases. Schools in some districts adjusted timings while residents sought relief in shaded public spaces and through altered work schedules. For many, the week was a premonition of the summer to come.

Off the Pitch

IPL has always had more drama off the pitch than most tournaments manage on it. RCB’s Andy Flower was penalised for swearing at the fourth umpire while batter Tim David was fined for an obscene gesture, making RCB the only team to field a coach and a player who needed to be told simultaneously to calm down. Franchise owners have been warned for wandering into restricted areas and texting players mid-match. BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit, meanwhile, flagged “excessive proximity” of cricketers to social media influencers and unauthorised late-night visitors in hotel rooms. The cricket, as ever, is almost beside the point.

Quote Worthy

“With BJP’s Bengal victory, the lotus has bloomed from Gangotri to Gangasagar.” - Prime Minister Narendra Modi