Exit polls out in key state elections

Projections suggest mixed outcomes in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.

Narendra Modi's BJP is trying to make inroads in three states where it has never held power.

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Here is a roundup of all the issues that has got India talking on Thursday, April 30
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Modi's BJP set to make gains in state elections, exit polls show
Several exit polls predicted a clear majority for the BJP in Assam, where a BJP alliance has ruled the state for the last ten years.

Exit polls also predicted an edge for the party over the ruling Trinamool Congress party in West Bengal.

Polls predict a return of the ruling regional DMK party's alliance in Tamil Nadu and a comeback by the opposition alliance led by the Congress party in a tight race in Kerala.

How reliable are exit polls in India?

But the reliability of exit polls is contested in the country .

In 2021, for example, most exit polls predicted a close contest between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress party in West Bengal.

But the final result saw the Trinamool Congress party secure a decisive victory.

Voter turnout in West Bengal reached a record 92.65% during the second phase of voting in the state.

West Bengal saw a two-phase polling process, with voters casting their ballots on April 23 and April 29.

Polls were conducted in a single phase in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Delhi signing off, but stay tuned
The sun is setting in New Delhi and we are packing things up for the day in our studio.

This is Dharvi signing off as I head out to appreciate the remanants of today's flip in the weather.

My colleagues in Bonn will now take over to bring you the news as it unfolds later this evening.

Defense ministers of India, Italy talk cooperation in New Delhi
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto in New Delhi on Thursday.

Singh said in a post on X that he discussed a range of regional and global issues with Crosetto, including the crisis in the Middle East.

Singh added that they discussed opportunities to further develop what the Indian minister called a "mutually beneficial defense industrial cooperation."
The two sides also exchanged a 'Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan (MCP) 2026-27' on the military engagements between the armed forces of India and Italy, Singh said.

The visit is Crosetto's maiden tour to India.

At the start of this year, India and the European Union signed a landmark security and defense partnership , agreeing on a framework for deeper cooperation in the area.

Supreme Court calls for amendment in law on pregnancy termination for minor rape survivors
India's top court on Thursday said that the law governing abortions in the country must be amended to remove a time limit for the legal termination of pregnancies in cases of rape of minor girls.

The Supreme Court made the observations while hearing a plea seeking to set aside an earlier order by the court which allowed a 15-year-old girl to medically terminate her 30-week pregnancy.

The plea was filed by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

In India, abortion can be legally performed up to 20 weeks and up to 24 weeks for specific categories, including minors and survivors of rape.

On Wednesday, the court had rejected a review petition entered by AIIMS.

"It is strange that the review petitioner-All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is not inclined to obey the order of the Supreme Court and instead, is assailing the order of this court, in order to defeat the constitutional rights of the minor daughter of the appellant herein," a bench of judges B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan said.

AIIMS then filed a curative petition, a last resort plea, to challenge the order which was heard by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and judge Joymalya Bagchi on Thursday.

The court refused to entertain the plea.

"Please amend your law so that in cases of unwanted pregnancy on account of rape of a minor girl, the time limitation will not be there,” the Chief Justice of India said, according to legal news website LiveLaw .

The bench added that by the time a minor victim realizes the development of preganancy and becomes aware of the legal recourse, the time limit would have passed, LiveLaw reported.

The court also observed that the decision must rest with the minor and her parents, not the State or medical institutions, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

WATCH — India's aviation crisis
A crisis at an airline has exposed deeper cracks in India's fragile, near-monopoly aviation system.

Low-cost carrier IndiGo dominates Indian skies.

But when revised pilot rest rules took effect in late 2025, planning failures left nearly a million passengers stranded, exposing risks in the country;s aviation market.

One airline, nationwide disruption
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Rain, hail bring relief in Delhi heatwave
Rain, gusty winds and hailstorm lashed India's National Capital Region in a sudden weather shift on Thursday afternoon.

The occurrence offered a much-needed respite from the scorching heat that had gripped the region over the past week.

Dark clouds engulfed parts of New Delhi and the surrounding suburbs of Ghaziabad and Noida as India’s weather agency warned of more intense weather activity over the next few hours, sending out an Orange alert.

Several parts witnessed intense rain showers accompanied by hail.

The air felt significantly cooler as the temperatures plummeted.

Heatwave conditions have persisted across much of India this month, with multiple cities reporting peak temperatures.

Karnataka orders inspection of hospital buildings after deadly Bengaluru wall collapse
The Karnataka government on Thursday ordered an inspection of all the hospital buildings and their compound walls, which fall under the department's purview, following the deaths of seven people from wall collapse at a hospital complex in Bengaluru.

An 8-foot (2.5-metre) compound wall caved in at the Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hospital in the southern city on Wednesday night after incessant rain.

A child was among those killed.

Three people were injured in the incident and were reported to be receiving treatment.

"Yesterday, the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister visited the incident site, and they also instructed the Chief Engineer to investigate the compound wall," news agency ANI cited Karnataka Minister Sharan Prakash Patil  as saying on Thursday.

Patil made the comments as he was visiting the site of the incident.

He added that a probe will be launched to determine why this incident occurred, and that action will be taken.

"All old buildings that are in poor condition will be inspected.

We are awaiting the investigation report, and the Chief Minister has announced compensation," Patil said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident "unfortunate," in ​a post on X and announced compensation for the victims.

Madhya Pradesh: 15 people killed in Dhar road accident
At least 15 laborers were killed in a road accident in the central state of Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district.

Over 30 others are reported to be injured.

The incident took place on Wednesday night between 8:30-9 p.m.

when a pick-up van, carrying around 46 passengers, overturned and collided with a car.

Most of those killed were women and children, news agency ANI reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply pained to hear about the loss of lives," and announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,100; €1,800) to the families of those killed.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered proper treatment for those injured, announcing a compensation of 400,000 rupees for the next-of-kin.

Meanwhile, the local administration has launched a probe into the incident.

Preliminary reports indicate that overloading of the vehicle could have been a factor, media reports said.

Mamdani backs Koh-i-Noor's return to India
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used King Charles III's state visit to the United States to suggest that Britain should return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India.

Mamdani's comments came as he was set to meet the British Monarch and his wife Queen Camilla at a 9/11 memorial event.

On being asked at a press event what he would discuss with the king if he had the chance, Mamdani told reporters: "If I was to speak to the king, separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond."
Charles did ​speak with Mamdani later at the ceremony.

However, it was not clear if the Koh-i-Noor was brought up in the discussions.

India has repeatedly demanded that Britain return the famous 105.6-carat diamond, which for Indians has long been an emotional metaphor for colonial-era looting.

The Kingdom of Punjab's 10-year-old ruler, Maharaja Duleep Singh, handed over the diamond to Queen Victoria in 1849 as part of a treaty.

The ownership of the priceless gem has been contested over centuries.

It has passed through the hands of Mughal emperors, Persian shahs, Afghan rulers and Sikh maharajas.

India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are among those who lay claim to the diamond which is currently part of the British Crown Jewels.

Koh-i-Noor, or “Mountain of Light” in Persian, adorns the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and is housed in the Tower of London.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, calls reemerged in India for the return of the diamond.

It was left out of Charles' coronation to avoid controversy.

Mamdani, who has Indian heritage, has frequently called for acknowledgment of colonial-era injustices and historical repatriation.

Why diamonds are such objects of desire — Arts Unveiled
Projections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
In the northeastern state of Assam , forecasts show the BJP retaining power for a third consecutive term.

Four polls show the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance crossing the majority mark in the 126-seat state legislature.

In the southern state of Kerala, a power shift could be in the making as all polls unanimously predict the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) emerging victorious.

In the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, a majority of exit polls show the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance under chief minister M K Stalin staying on at the helm.

The AIADMK-led NDA, with BJP as one of the allies, is predicted to fail in its challenge to the DMK.

One poll, Axis My India, shows actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) beating the Dravidian giants and emerging as the single-largest party to get more seats in its debut election.

The BJP has also never been in power in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

In Puducherry, the NDA alliance led by All India N.

R Congress (AINRC) alongside the BJP is predicted to return for a second term with a comfortable margin.

A mixed outcome is predicted in the eastern state of West Bengal, where the BJP is facing Mamata Banerjee’s ​ruling Trinamool Congress party (TMC).

Modi's party has never held power in the state.

The prelude to the elections in West Bengal was marked by large-scale deletions of voters under a controversial electoral roll revision.

The climax saw a whopping 92.9% voter turnout .

Two pollsters show the BJP bagging a narrow majority while one shows the TMC easily crossing the crucial mark in the  294-member Legislative Assembly.

Two more agencies are expected to release their exit polls in the state's election today.

State Assembly elections: What are exit polls saying?

A cluster of exit polls have forecasted wins for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its partners in two out of four state elections as the ruling Hindu nationalist party seeks further gains across the country.

State Assembly elections were held in the Indian states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry over the past month.

Polling culminated with the last phase of the ballot in West Bengal on Wednesday.

The exit polls dominated Indian news channels shortly after.

In India, exit polls — which measure voter preferences — have had a mixed record when it comes to accuracy, given the nation’s mammoth and diverse electorate.

An official vote count in the crucial elections is scheduled to take place on Monday, May 4, with the results being declared on the same day.

This is Dharvi Vaid Dhulia from DW's studio in New Delhi and I am back with your daily news capsule of all the biggest headlines creating a buzz in India.

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake hit Leh in the remote Himalayan region of Ladakh early this morning.

However, all eyes are on the political ripples emanating from India's east and south, after exit poll predictions in key state elections were released last evening.

The foreshocks are being closely monitored in the power center of New Delhi.

The world's most famous and —  arguably the most controversial —  diamond is back in the news.

The nudge for Britain to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India — a longstanding demand — this time has come from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Let's dive straight in to find out what India is talking about today.