PM Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8.30 pm tonight, the government has announced, but the subject of his address has not yet been disclosed Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8:30 p.m. tonight. The announcement comes a day after Opposition parties blocked the Women
To date, 22 installments of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme have been released. The 22nd installment of this scheme was deposited into farmers’ bank accounts on March 13, 2026, and farmers are now awaiting the 23rd installment, which is expected to be deposited into their bank
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that political parties opposing the women's reservation bill will face consequences. He urged Union ministers to highlight the opposition's stance as anti-women to the public. The bill did not secure the required majority in the Lok Sabha
The Iranian military on Saturday said that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz again, AFP reported. Iran’s central military command said that, in response to the naval blockade of its ports imposed by the United States, the strategic waterway was again “under strict management and control of
Meetings platform Zoom has partnered with Sam Altman's human ID verification company World to verify that the participants in meetings are actual humans and not AI-generated avatars. The new integration, dubbed World ID Deep Face, is aimed at combating the rising threat of deepfakes and AI-driven
BJP's Big Win In Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor's Bastion; PM Thanks Karyakartas
BJP Gets Big Win In Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor's Bastion; PM Modi Thanks Party Workers
Tharoor's remarks have drawn political attention, coming close on the heels of his recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his attendance at the official dinner hosted for visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, an event skipped by senior Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Thiruvananthapuram Congress MP Shashi Tharoor struck a notably bipartisan note on Saturday while responding to the results of the Kerala local body elections, congratulating the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) for its sweeping gains across the State, even as he openly acknowledged the BJP's landmark victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
Tharoor's remarks have drawn political attention, coming close on the heels of his recent praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his attendance at the official dinner hosted for visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, an event skipped by senior Congress leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge.
In a detailed post on X, Tharoor described the outcome as “a day of amazing results”, saying the verdict reflected Kerala's democratic spirit and sent a clear political message ahead of next year's Assembly elections.
Add Zee News as a Preferred Source
Congratulating the UDF on what he called a “truly impressive win” across local bodies, Tharoor said the results represented a “massive endorsement” of the alliance. He attributed the improved performance over the 2020 elections to sustained grassroots work, clarity of message, and strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has been in power since 2016.
At the same time, Tharoor acknowledged the BJP's breakthrough in the State capital, offering “humble congratulations” to the party for its “historic” performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, a civic body long regarded as a Left stronghold.
Noting that he had campaigned for change after what he described as “45 years of LDF misrule”, Tharoor observed that voters in his constituency had ultimately opted for another party promising a decisive shift in governance.
“That is the beauty of democracy,” he said, stressing that the people's verdict must be respected, whether it favoured the UDF statewide or the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Kerala, saying: “We will continue to work for the betterment of Kerala, advocating for the people's needs and upholding the principles of good governance. Onwards and upwards!”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, described the BJP-led NDA's performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation as a “watershed moment” in Kerala's political history, underscoring what he said was growing acceptance of the party's development agenda in the State.
The BJP-led NDA reached the halfway mark in the newly expanded 101-member Corporation, winning 50 seats and emerging as the single-largest political force. Polling in one ward at Vizhinjam was postponed following the death of a candidate.
According to the final tally, the CPI(M)-led LDF secured 29 seats, while the Congress-led UDF won 19. Two seats went to Independents, marking a dramatic shift in the capital city's political balance.
Thanking voters, Prime Minister Modi said the mandate reflected a belief that Kerala's development aspirations could be met only by the BJP.
“My gratitude to the people across Kerala who voted for BJP and NDA candidates in the local body polls in the State. Kerala is fed up of UDF and LDF. They see NDA as the only option that can deliver on good governance and build a Viksit Keralam with opportunities for all,” he said.
Calling the Thiruvananthapuram result a “watershed moment”, the Prime Minister added that people were convinced the BJP's development vision was best suited to Kerala's future needs. He assured continued engagement to accelerate the city's growth and improve the “ease of living” for its residents.
He also praised party workers, saying, “Today is a day to recall the work and struggles of generations of Karyakartas in Kerala, who worked at the grassroots to make this result possible. Our Karyakartas are our strength, and we are proud of them.”
On Sunday, the State BJP unit is scheduled to take out a victory procession through the capital, parading all 50 newly elected councillors in an open vehicle.
(With IANS inputs)
Source: ZeeNews
Related Posts: Don’t want to get drawn into distractions Zohran Mamdani condemns swastikas drawn at NYC school Padikkal hits 150 in high-scoring drawn ‘Test’ against Australia A Taylor Fritz is back at the US Open after coming close to ending the Slam drought for American men Shashi Tharoor declines to comment on discussions with CPI(M) in Dubai Shashi Tharoor's unusual reply to X user ‘parodying’ him in English John Kerry, Shashi Tharoor, and Matteo Renzi to dissect fiery geopolitics Shashi Tharoor hails Sanju Samson as Congress dissociates itself from Shashi Tharoor’s praise for LK Advani Row over Tharoor's remark on Asia Cup handshake snub
US-returned techie says salary in India feels more like ‘pocket money’An Indian woman who spent several years working in the US, before moving back to India, has opened up about how the shift changed her perspective and priorities Updated on: Apr 19
2 hours ago
Around seven lakh new voters have been added to West Bengal electoral rolls ahead of the assembly elections, with the Election Commission yet to disclose the age or gender break-up of this additional electorate, officials said on Saturday. Around 3
2 hours ago
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have finished their brisk four-day visit to the east coast of Australia. With an itinerary of Indigenous culture, Australian sport, multiple good causes and a trip to the national war memorial, it had all the hallmarks of a traditional royal tour
2 hours ago
Weekly Panchang for April 19-25, 2025: Auspicious & Inauspicious MuhuratsWeekly Panchang for April 19-25, 2025, to determine the auspicious & inauspicious time for performing day-to-day tasks based on the planetary positions. Published on: Apr 19
2 hours ago
There were chants of "we want our Chelsea back" during a protest march before kick-off - then the chorus spread to the stands during the second half of the defeat by Manchester United. The frustration from supporters is understandable, given Chelsea have now lost their past four Premier League
2 hours ago
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury criticizes Mamata Banerjee's role in voter list issues. He states the Congress will contest all assembly seats alone this time. Chowdhury believes the political landscape has changed. The party aims to establish its presence in every polling booth
2 hours ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourned the passing of former Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Punj, remembering him as a prolific writer, thinker, and public intellectual who significantly contributed to strengthening the BJP. Punj's impactful writings and parliamentary interventions, rich in facts and theory
2 hours ago
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused the Union government of conspiring to weaken democracy and alter the federal structure of the country by attempting to bring in a bill to amend the 2023 Women’s Reservation Act and redraw the boundaries of electoral constituencies
2 hours ago
Delhi airport alert: Weather conditions in the National Capital have changed again, and they are negatively affecting air travel operations. IndiGo, an airline based in India and one of India’s largest airlines, has released a detailed travel advisory
2 hours ago
The two centres of this crisis are the 24-mile Strait of Hormuz south of Iran and 7,000 miles away in the White House. This week was the unique opportunity for the rest of the world to make its economic case to US President Donald Trump's administration directly at the Spring meeting of the
2 hours ago
HDFC Bank Q4 Results: HDFC Bank reported a steady performance for the quarter and full year ended March 31, 2026. The bank’s standalone net profit for FY26 rose to Rs 19.12 billion, marking a 10.9% increase compared to the previous year.HDFC Bank Q4 Results: HDFC Bank reported a steady
2 hours ago
PIB fact-checks influencer CA Sarthak Ahuja's video about income tax clearance certificate for travel abroadUnder Section 230 [of the Income Tax Act, 1961], tax clearance certificates are not mandatory for everyone, says PIB Updated on: Apr 18
2 hours ago
The sacred Char Dham Yatra has taken a step forward as offline registration officially commenced, allowing thousands of devotees to prepare for one of India’s most significant pilgrimages. With the yatra set to begin on April 19 on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya
2 hours ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that Opposition parties stood against the women’s reservation bill for their “selfish political interests”, and that they insulted the framers of the Constitution by doing so. Modi made the statement a day after the Union government’s bill to
2 hours ago
Jannik Sinner faced early season setbacks but has since achieved remarkable success. He has captured three consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles and regained the world number one ranking. Sinner's improved serve and baseline game present challenges for rivals
2 hours ago
Indian nurse in Germany gifts sister iPhone 16 with first salary: ‘My first salary was hers’An Indian woman in Germany fulfilled a promise with her first salary. Published on: Apr 19, 2026 7:56 AM IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Share via Copy link An Indian nurse working in Germany has struck an
2 hours ago
Sumit Antil's complaint prompts quick action: PCI sacks Dronacharya awardee Naval Singh after Neeraj Chopra backs claimsThe Paralympic Committee of India has dismissed coach Naval Singh amid allegations of harassment by champion Sumit Antil. Published on: Apr 19
2 hours ago
‘Conspiracy defeated’: Priyanka Gandhi calls women’s bill failure a win for ConstitutionPriyanka Gandhi hailed Opposition unity and said, “It was a victory for the Constitution, the country and the unity of the opposition." Updated on: Apr 19
2 hours ago
Iran says it is closing the Strait of Hormuz again to commercial vessels and that any ship that approaches it will be targeted. The closure came as reports emerged of vessels in or near the strait, including a tanker, were targeted by Tehran on Saturday
2 hours ago
A 36-year-old man in Florida died by suicide after weeks of extensive interaction with an artificial intelligence chatbot, a case that is now at the centre of a lawsuit against Google and a wider debate on AI safety. Jonathan Gavalas, described by his family as stable and without a history of
2 hours ago
India's G20 satellite for climate and pollution study is set for a 2027 launch. ISRO is leading this initiative. The nation also aims for a human mission to the moon by 2040. This will place India alongside leading space-faring countries. ISRO is also developing a titanium vessel for the
2 hours ago
Iran had reopened the crucial waterway on Friday after a ceasefire agreement was reached in Lebanon, but Trump said the US blockade around Iranian ports would remain. Iran’s military command on Saturday said the control of the Strait of Hormuz has “returned to its previous state” because of
2 hours ago
Japan has unveiled a new name for days that reach 40C (104F) or above, after the country experienced its hottest summer on record last year. The term - kokushobi - has been translated as "cruelly hot", "brutally hot" or "severely hot" day by Japanese and international media
2 hours ago
Which method do you typically choose to check the balance in your Employee Provident Fund (EPF) account? For many, the answer would be to visit the official EPFO website, where they enter their UAN, password, and Captcha to access their details. However
2 hours ago
‘Defeated bill to defend idea of India’: Rahul Gandhi as Oppn blocks women's quota bill in Lok SabhaClaiming that the Opposition blocked the move, Gandhi said, “Every state should have a voice and be free to express its language and protect its traditions.” Updated on: Apr 19
2 hours ago
Bajaj Chetak is a city-focused electric scooter offered in multiple variants with 2.5 kWh to 3.5 kWh battery options. It comes with 113-153 km range, practical features and funky colours. The Bajaj Chetak range is structured around multiple variants, battery options as well as feature levels
2 hours ago
Progress had been made in negotiations with the United States to end the war, Iran's parliamentary speaker said on Saturday night, but added the sides were still far from an agreement. "We are still far from the final discussion," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also one of Iran's negotiators
2 hours ago
