Counting of first-preference votes underway in Jabalpur for the 23-member council; officials caution that preferential voting system could shift final rankings.

Initial ballot scrutiny completed in Jabalpur

The State Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh election has entered its crucial next phase, with the official counting of votes currently underway at the council headquarters. The process follows the statewide polling that was successfully conducted on May 12, 2026, to elect 23 members to the apex regulatory body for lawyers in the state.

According to ground-level inputs from election officials, the counting is being executed in structured, multi-tier phases. By the conclusion of the third day of counting, ballots from 27 tehsils had been fully processed.

Early trends place Bhadauria ahead

Preliminary trends from the counting center indicate a highly competitive race among several veteran legal professionals. Senior advocate Rakesh Singh Bhadauria has emerged as the frontrunner in the initial phase, securing the highest number of first-preference votes counted so far.

However, election monitors have explicitly cautioned candidates and observers against treating these early leads as definitive. Given the vast volume of ballots yet to be processed, the current standings remain highly fluid.

High rejection rate raises eyebrows

Chief Election Officer S.K. Palo confirmed that out of the total 3,210 ballots scrutinized by the end of the current round, 3,091 votes were validated. Interestingly, a significant chunk of 119 ballots had to be outright rejected by the returning officers after they were found non-compliant with the strict voting guidelines laid down by the Bar Council.

Top 10 Candidates After Round 1:

┌─────────┬──────────────────────────┬────────────────┐

│ Ranking │ Candidate Name           │ Valid Votes    │

├─────────┼──────────────────────────┬────────────────┤

│ 1       │ Rakesh Singh Bhadauria   │ 216            │

│ 2       │ Shailendra Verma         │ 167            │

│ 3       │ Narendra Kumar Jain      │ 150            │

│ 4       │ R.K. Singh Saini         │ 142            │

│ 5       │ Dinesh Narayan Pathak    │ 141            │

│ 6       │ Manish Tiwari            │ 140            │

│ 7       │ Vijay Kumar Chaudhary    │ 121            │

│ 8       │ Dinesh Kumar Dixit       │ 99             │

│ 9       │ Hitoshi Jai Hardia       │ 94             │

│ 10      │ Khiladi Lal Gangore      │ 92             │

└─────────┴──────────────────────────┴────────────────┘

Complex preferential matrix in play

Sources familiar with the matter noted that the State Bar Council employs a proportional representation system via a single transferable vote mechanism. Because voters mark their preferences numerically, candidates who fall short of the primary quota in the first round can still rally in subsequent rounds.

As the lower-preference votes undergo systematic elimination and redistribution, the middle and lower tiers of the leaderboard are expected to experience heavy volatility before the final 23-member roster crystallizes.

Transparency measures and next steps

In an effort to maintain absolute transparency and eliminate counting-room disputes, the entire verification process is being livestreamed on YouTube for public viewing. Simultaneously, round-by-round statistics are being uploaded directly to the Bar Council’s official portal.

Local authorities have confirmed that the counting hall will remain closed during scheduled public holidays, with operations set to resume on the next working day. The final declaration of the elected council members is expected to take another few days as the elimination rounds progress.

BJP shatters Bengal glass ceiling with 207 seats; TMC ousted after 15-year rule

In a seismic shift that alters the landscape of Indian politics, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to form its first-ever government in West Bengal. Crossing the "final frontier" that had eluded the saffron party for decades, the BJP secured a thumping majority with 207 seats in the 293-member Assembly, effectively ending the 15-year tenure of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The TMC, which had dominated the state since 2011, saw its tally plummet to 80 seats as the "Saffron Wave" swept through both rural heartlands and urban centres. Election Commission (EC) data confirmed a historic voter turnout of 92.47%, reflecting the high stakes of a campaign that often blurred the lines between a state election and a national referendum.

A historic shift in Kolkata

The atmosphere at the BJP state headquarters in Kolkata turned electric on Monday afternoon as early leads solidified into an unassailable majority. Supporters were seen celebrating with ‘Jhalmuri’ and saffron gulal, marking a symbolic victory in the birthplace of the party's ideological patriarch, Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

For the BJP, this isn't just a state win; it is the culmination of a decade-long expansion strategy. "The people of Bengal have chosen the path of 'Asol Poribortan' (real change)," a senior party strategist noted, requesting anonymity. Initial reports from counting centres indicate that the BJP made significant inroads into traditional TMC bastions, particularly in North Bengal and the tribal belts of Jangal Mahal.

Women voters swing the tide

One of the most defining factors of this mandate appears to be the consolidation of the female electorate. Despite the TMC’s long-standing welfare schemes targeted at women, the BJP managed to pivot the narrative toward safety and central representation. Party insiders suggest that the push for women’s reservation in legislatures created a "silent wave" of support.

Internal BJP data indicates a nearly 5% shift in the women's vote share. With 3.33 crore women voters in the state, this demographic essentially functioned as the party’s "Vikas Mitras," looking beyond local doles toward broader security concerns and national integration.

The Adhikari impact in Bhabanipur

The political humiliation for the TMC was compounded by the performance of Suvendu Adhikari. The former TMC heavyweight, who once served as Mamata Banerjee’s lieutenant, proved to be her most formidable challenger. His victory in the high-profile Bhabanipur and Nandigram seats served as the focal point of the BJP’s aggressive ground campaign.

Adhikari’s ability to pull away organizational cadres from the TMC disrupted the ruling party's booth-level management. His "insider vs. outsider" counter-narrative successfully neutralized the TMC’s attempt to brand the BJP as a party foreign to Bengali culture.

Middle-class angst and job security

The BJP also successfully tapped into the simmering discontent among government employees and the youth. Promises to implement the Seventh Pay Commission within 45 days of forming the government resonated deeply with nearly 50 lakh voters connected to the state and central services.

"There was a sense of being left behind compared to other states," said Arpan Das, a job aspirant at a local counting booth. The BJP’s "Poribortan Yatra," led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had specifically promised to fill vacant government posts, a move that targeted the 20-30 age demographic which felt sidelined by the existing recruitment processes.

Security measures ensure "fearless" voting

Ground-level cues suggest that the massive deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) played a psychological role in the high turnout. With 500 companies of CAPF stationed across the state and another 200 guarding EVM strongrooms, voters in traditionally "sensitive" zones reportedly felt more secure heading to the booths.

The BJP campaign heavily leveraged public outrage over law-and-order incidents, including the RG Kar hospital tragedy. By framing these issues as a failure of the state machinery, the party turned the election into a mandate on public safety. The RSS's grassroots mobilization further ensured that the "fear factor," often associated with Bengal polls, was significantly diminished.

From Rajasthan 1990 to Bengal 2026

The victory in West Bengal marks a full circle for the BJP’s journey as a governing force. The party first tasted state power in Rajasthan in 1990 under Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. From that humble 85-seat win to becoming the world's largest political party with 11 crore members, the expansion into Bengal represents the final piece of the BJP’s pan-India puzzle.

As the EC prepares to hand over the final certificates, the focus now shifts to the leadership choice for the Chief Minister’s post. While several names are doing the rounds, the party is expected to move quickly to ensure a smooth transition of power in Kolkata.

TVK’s R. Sabarinathan just pulled off something pretty remarkable—he’s now the MLA from Virugambakkam, and what really makes this story stand out is that he’s the son of actor Vijay’s longtime driver. Not a political dynasty, not even a second-generation leader, just a regular guy making his first attempt, and winning big.

This election was TVK’s first try at the assembly, and Sabarinathan’s win has everyone talking. He survived 24 intense rounds of counting, with the numbers finally tipping in his favor. All those hours, watching the votes pile up, must’ve felt endless. His father has been driving Vijay around for years, and now his son’s making his own mark—inside the assembly, not behind the wheel.

Vijay, known for calling out political dynasties, promised to give real party workers a chance. Sabarinathan’s result seems like proof he meant it. Early in the count, Sabarinathan pulled ahead and just never let up. By the end, Election Commission numbers showed he had 76,092 votes. That put him ahead of DMK’s Prabhakara Raja AMV by a huge 27,086 votes. The AIADMK’s VN Ravi? He was way behind, with 38,767.

Chennai lit up with celebrations—TVK supporters poured into the streets, hugging, cheering, beating drums. “This isn’t just a win for a party; it’s a win for the man on the street,” one TVK volunteer shouted outside the counting hall.

When the final numbers came in, cameras caught Sabarinathan crying, totally overwhelmed. The clip’s all over social media now. Party leaders hugged him, and reporters say Vijay himself personally picked Sabarinathan to show that regular folks belong in the assembly, not just political insiders.

TVK’s approach—picking candidates with humble backgrounds—seems to be working. Young voters and the middle class, tired of the same old faces, are responding. The Virugambakkam result is the clearest sign TVK is shaking things up in Tamil Nadu.

Now, Sabarinathan gets ready to take his oath with the other new MLAs later this month. From the son of a driver to assembly member—his story already has people calling it the “fairytale” of the 2026 elections.

In a historic political shift, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has swept the 13th parliamentary elections, winning 209 of 299 seats and ending nearly two decades of opposition. Party chairman Tarique Rahman is now poised to become Bangladesh's next prime minister, marking the country's first male leader in 35 years.

Landslide Victory Ends Awami League Era

The Bangladesh Election Commission officially declared results for 297 parliamentary seats on Friday, with the BNP securing a decisive mandate well above the 150-seat majority threshold. The party's 11-party alliance, including Jamaat-e-Islami, collectively won 279 seats.

This election victory brings the BNP back to power after 20 years, conclusively ending Sheikh Hasina's Awami League rule that spanned from 2008 to 2024. The Awami League was largely barred from contesting this election due to its alleged role in violence during the 2024 student movement.

In a symbolic blow to the former ruling party, the BNP swept all three parliamentary seats in Gopalganj—Sheikh Hasina's traditional stronghold and the home district of Bangladesh's founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Tarique Rahman: From Exile to Prime Minister

Tarique Rahman, the son of late former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, contested from two constituencies and won both—Dhaka-8 and Bogura-6. He returned to Bangladesh in December 2025 after 17 years in self-imposed exile in London, where he had lived since 2008 to avoid arrest on corruption charges.

His return and subsequent victory mark a remarkable political comeback. Following his mother's passing on December 30, 2025, at age 80, Rahman assumed full leadership of the party his father, President Ziaur Rahman, founded.

Historic Shift: Male Prime Minister After 35 Years

This election will bring a male prime minister to Bangladesh for the first time since 1988, when Kazi Zafar Ahmed held the position. The intervening 35 years were dominated by the "Battle of the Begums"—Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia—who alternately led the country from 1991 onward.

Election Commission Declares Results Transparent

Chief Election Commissioner Nasir Uddin described the election as "neutral and credible," reporting a voter turnout of 59.44 percent. Results for Chattogram-2 and Chattogram-4 remain suspended due to pending formalities.

"We promised to conduct the election in a festive atmosphere, ensuring it would be completely neutral and credible, and we believe we have achieved that," Uddin told reporters.

International Reactions Pour In

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tarique Rahman, with India affirming it will "continue to stand in support of a democratic Bangladesh." Indian National Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also extended congratulations.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the BNP's "landslide majority," expressing hope for "more balanced, independent, and mutually respectful engagement" in the region. The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh congratulated Dhaka on a "smooth and successful" election and expressed interest in strengthening bilateral ties.

Women Candidates Make Their Mark

Despite only 78 women contesting among 1,981 candidates, seven secured parliamentary seats. Six BNP women candidates won, including Afroza Khan Rita (Manikganj-3), Israt Sultana Elin Bhutto (Jhalkathi-2), and Tahsina Rushdi Luna (Sylhet-2). Barrister Rumin Farhana, expelled from BNP, won Brahmanbaria-2 as an independent candidate.

BNP's Vision: Democracy, Stability, and Reform

Speaking to the BBC, senior BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury outlined the party's priorities: "All democratic and financial institutions that have been weakened over the past decade need to be rebuilt. Stability and peace are what Bangladesh needs most right now."

BNP spokesperson Mahdi Amin promised the party would "absolutely guarantee democracy and freedom of speech" and protect minority rights. The party has called for nationwide prayers rather than victory processions, honoring the sacrifices of workers during years of political struggle.

Key Challenges Ahead

The incoming BNP government faces significant challenges:

- Reviving Bangladesh's economy and controlling inflation

- Creating jobs for approximately 900,000 unemployed graduates

- Implementing the July Charter reforms inspired by the 2024 uprising

- Managing the long-standing Teesta River water dispute with India

- Addressing the Rohingya refugee crisis

What Happens Next

The BNP is expected to form the government between February 14-16, with MPs taking their oaths shortly. Tarique Rahman's 31-point reform plan, focused on digital innovation, green initiatives, and technical education expansion, will guide the new administration's agenda.

As Bangladesh transitions to this new political chapter, all eyes will be on how the BNP translates its electoral mandate into governance—and whether it can deliver the stability and prosperity voters have demanded.