FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Kerala CM pick remains uncertain amid ongoing deliberations Capital freeze Security scare after gelatin sticks found near PM venue: Bengaluru: A major security scare unfolded in Bengaluru on Sunday after two gelatin sticks were found about three kilometres from the venue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme at the Art of Living International Centre, triggering an immediate security alert and a massive police response. The explosive materials were recovered near a roadside footpath during intensive anti-sabotage checks conducted ahead of the Prime Minister’s arrival, police officials said. Corrigendum: In the news report titled “Suvendu Adhikari sworn in as Bengal CM” published in some editions of The Statesman dated 10 May 2026, J P Nadda was incorrectly referred to as the BJP national president. The reference should be read as “Union health minister J. P. Nadda.” The error is regretted. Urvil Patel steals show in CSK’s five-wicket win over LSG NORTH EAST Three years of Manipur’s expanding ethnic conflict Page 8 Page 6 BRIEFLY Monday, 11 May 2026 SPORTS NATION EDITORIAL | Page 12 Page 11 ‘A parasitic party’: PM contrasts NDA stability with Cong chaos STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Bengaluru, 10 May P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a sharp political offensive against the Congress, using a public rally here as the platform to frame a broader national narrative of “stability versus instability,” while citing Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu as examples of what he described as Congress's governance failures and internal contradictions. Addressing a large gathering at HAL Airport, Mr Modi said India’s electorate today is seeking “solutions, not games,” arguing that recent election outcomes across multiple states reflect a clear public preference for political stability and decisive governance under the BJP-led NDA. Focusing on Karnataka, he criticised the Congress government for what he described as persistent internal power struggles and leadership uncertainty. “They cannot decide how long the Chief Minister will remain in office. Everything has been left hanging,” he said, alleging that governance in the state had taken a back seat to factional disputes and political bargaining within the ruling party. Expanding his attack beyond Karnataka, Mr Modi brought Kerala and Tamil Nadu into his critique of the Congress, arguing that the party's influence in southern states has been marked more by political opportunism than consistent governance. Referring to Tamil Nadu politics, he accused the Congress of repeatedly abandoning long-standing allies when power dynamics changed. “There is no one close enough whom Congress has not deceived,” he said, delivering one of his most pointed lines of the speech. He further referred to the Congress-Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) relationship, alleging that despite decades of alliance politics, the Congress had a history of turning on its partners when politically convenient. “The moment the politics of power shifted, the power-hungry Congress stabbed its ally in the back,” he said. Describing the Congress as a “parasitic party,” Mr Modi accused it of relying on alliances for survival while undermining those very partners when in power. He said the party's political behaviour was defined by betrayal and opportunism rather than governance or ideological consistency. “No one is close enough whom Congress has not betrayed,” he added. The Prime Minister also claimed that governance had collapsed in states ruled by the Congress, asserting that administrative paralysis and internal conflict had become recurring patterns. Dream run reaches crescendo as Vijay takes over TN reins STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Chennai, 10 May A dream run reached its crescendo when actorturned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay scripted history by taking over the reins of the Dravidian heartland as the Chief Minister on Sunday, heralding a new era in the political trajectory of Tamil Nadu. Jubilation and an outpouring of joy erupted when he started reading out the oath: “I, C Joseph Vijay...” Apart from the huge gathering at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, where the swearing-in ceremony took place, lakhs of households were glued to TV to witness the occasion. Though TVK has the ‘Kazhagam’ nomenclature in its name, this is the first non-DMK and non-AIADMK government in the state after 1967, bringing the curtains down on the Dravidian duopoly. In the presence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was seated on the dais, Governor Vishwanath Rajendra Arlekar administered the oath of office to Vijay. Nine TVK ministers, including a woman, were sworn in on the occasion along with Vijay. Marking a first in a Tamil Nadu government event was the singing of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ ahead of the national anthem towards the close of the ceremony. Except for the Governor, none knew the song, and all stood silently. Soon after the swearingin, Vijay signed three files to fulfil his poll promises. These included 200 units of free electricity for households every two months, the creation of a Rapid Response Force for Women’s Safety, christened ‘Singappen’ (singam ~ Lion, pen ~ woman), and the establishment of anti-narcotics units across the state. In his maiden address later, Vijay alleged that the previous (DMK) government had left the treasury empty with a humongous debt burden of Rs 10 lakh crore and promised to bring out a white paper on the state’s financial health, aimed at ensuring transparency and charting a road map for future growth. • Related reports: Page 8 CM Suvendu Adhikari Six new ministers inducted into CM Yogi ministry in UP; two others promoted effects sweeping overhaul in CMO MANOJ BHADRA Lucknow, 10 May STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 10 May Within less than 24 hours of his being sworn into office, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari carried out a sweeping overhaul of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) at the state secretariat. As many as 16 bureaucrats attached to the earlier CMO under Mamata Banerjee have been replaced by new officers. The most prominent name among the erstwhile officers who have been shifted out is Santanu Mukhopadhya, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 2014 batch, considered a close confidant of Mamata Banerjee. At the same time, as many as 46 officers serving as private secretaries or officers on special duty (OSD) under the previous government have been placed with the state personnel & administrative reforms department for the time being. It will be decided later where these officers will be placed next. On Saturday, Subrata Gupta, a retired IAS officer, who was the Election Commission of India (ECI)-appointed special observer for the SIR exercise in Bengal, was appointed as adviser to the new CM. Subrata Bala, a 2017 batch IAS officer, was also appointed private secretary to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. His earlier assignment was as the Additional District Magistrate of South KOLKATA POLICE AUTHORITIES HAVE, MEANWHILE, TRANSFERRED AS MANY AS 93 OFFICERS OF THE RANKS OF SUB-INSPECTORS, INSPECTORS, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONERS, AND DEPUTY COMMISSIONERS OUT OF THE CITY POLICE'S JURISDICTION. 24-Parganas. “The Mamata Banerjee government never cared for meritorious IAS and IPS officers of the state, isolated them, often forcing them to leave Bengal,” Mr Adhikari told reporters on Saturday. < “But, this government will need these officers to implement the policy decisions the new Cabinet makes,” he had said. Meanwhile, Kolkata Police authorities have transferred as many as 93 officers of the ranks of sub -inspectors, inspectors, assistant commissioners, and deputy commissioners out of the city police's jurisdiction. Most of these officers who have been transferred were influential in the Trinamul Congress-affiliated Police Welfare Association. These officers have been transferred to various places like Cooch Behar, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar in North Bengal, Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas district, and the tribal-dominated districts of Bankura and Purulia. In the run-up to the crucial 2027 Assembly polls, the Yogi Adityanath government on Sunday inducted six more ministers and promoted two current ministers. Of the new inductions, two were appointed as Cabinet ministers, two as Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and four as Ministers of State at the swearing-in ceremony held at Jan Bhavan. Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to all ministers. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and State President Pankaj Chaudhary were also present at the ceremony. The new ministers sworn in were rebel SP member Manoj Pandey, former UP BJP state president Bhupendra Choudhury, Surendra Diler, Krishna Paswan, Hansraj Vishwakarma and Kailash Rajput. The promoted ministers were Ajit Pal and Somendra Tomar. With these appointments, the total strength of the state ministry has risen to the maximum permissible limit of 60. Among the newly appointed ministers, one is a Brahmin, three are OBCs, and two are Dalits. While Bhupendra Chaudhary and Manoj Pandey were sworn in as Cabinet ministers, Ajit Pal and Somendra Singh Tomar were sworn in as Ministers of State (Independent Charge). These two leaders have been promoted from Minister of State to Minister of State (Independent Charge). The other ministers appointed as Ministers of State include Krishna Paswan, Kailash Singh Rajput, Surendra Diler, and Hansraj Vishwakarma. The Cabinet expansion is widely seen as a strategic move ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. By inducting leaders from various communities, the BJP is attempting to maintain regional and social balance. Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary has also secured the position of a Cabinet minister in the Yogi cabinet. A former state president of the BJP and one of the prominent Jat leaders in western Uttar Pradesh, he hails from Moradabad. He has long been active in the RSS and BJP. He first became a member of the Legislative Council in 2016. After the BJP government was formed in 2017, he was appointed Minister of State for Panchayati Raj (Independent Charge) and in 2019, he assumed the responsibility of Cabinet Minister, Panchayati Raj. Manoj Kumar Pandey, a Samajwadi Party MLA from the Unchahar assembly seat in Rae Bareli, has also been sworn in as a cabinet minister. He previously served as a cabinet minister in the Samajwadi Party government from 2012 to 2017. Pandey was elected MLA in 2022 on an SP ticket and also served as the party's chief whip in the assembly. Manoj Pandey is seen as a prominent Brahmin figure for the BJP in the Awadh and Purvanchal regions. Kailash Singh Rajput was also inducted into the cabinet as a Minister of State. Kailash Singh Rajput, MLA from the Tirwa assembly seat in Kannauj, first won the election in 1996 as a BJP candidate. He later won the 2007 election on a BSP ticket. In 2017, he returned to the BJP and served two consecutive terms in the assembly. Hansraj Vishwakarma was also sworn in as a Minister of State. A BJP MLC with a strong influence in backward class politics, Hansraj Vishwakarma has been active in politics for the past 34 years. He began his political career at the booth level in 1989 and played an active role in the Ram Mandir movement. Surendra Diler, the MLA from Khair assembly seat in Aligarh district, has been appointed as a Minister of State. Considered one of the BJP's prominent Dalit youth leaders, he is the son of former BJP MP Rajveer Singh Diler. His family has long held significant political influence in the region. Krishna Paswan also received a place in the cabinet and has been appointed Minister of State. Krishna Paswan, MLA from the Khaga assembly seat in Fatehpur district, began her public life as an Anganwadi worker. She has served as a four-time MLA and a two-time Zila Panchayat member and is considered a prominent Dalit woman face of the BJP. Somendra Tomar, the MLA from the Meerut South assembly seat and currently the Minister of State for Energy and Additional Energy Sources, has been elevated in the government. He has been promoted from Minister of State to Minister of State (Independent Charge). Similarly, Ajitpal Singh, MLA from the Sikandra assembly seat in Kanpur Dehat and Minister of State for Science and Technology and Electronics and Information Technology, has also been elevated to Minister of State (Independent Charge). Iran submits reply to US proposal Sarma to take oath for second through Pakistan mediator term as Assam CM on 12 May UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Tehran, 10 May Diplomacy in West Asia has gained renewed momentum, as Iran today formally handed over its response to the latest US proposal to Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran, according to IRNA, citing a source familiar with the matter. It remains to be seen when Pakistan will pass Iran's reply on to Washington. According to the proposed plan, the initial phase of negotiations will focus on achieving a cessation of hostilities in the region. The latest proposal is reportedly aimed at ending hostilities, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and establishing a framework for broader negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme and regional security concerns. Some reports also suggest the proposal would require Iran to freeze uranium enrichment for up to 12 years, reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days, and hand over an estimated 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity, a level short of weapons-grade material, which requires 90 per cent enrichment. Despite the ceasefire, Iran and the United States have accused each other of a naval clash in the Strait of Hormuz involving American destroyers and Iranian forces, with both sides trading blame for the escalation. According to US officials, Iran launched missiles, drones, and small boats targeting three American warships in what Washington described as an “unprovoked attack”. The US said its forces intercepted the incoming threats and responded in self-defence. US President Donald Trump said the confrontation did not break the existing ceasefire, insisting that the agreement with Iran remains in place. He also said Iran had “trifled with us” during the incident. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson had earlier said that Tehran's position on the US proposals would be conveyed once internal reviews were completed and final decisions reached, suggesting that the review process has now been completed. • Related reports: Page 9 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Guwahati, 10 May Himanta Biswa Sarma was on Sunday unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party as well as that of the NDA legislature party in the Assam Assembly, paving the way for him to take oath as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term. Mr Sarma later in the day met Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya to formally stake claim to form the new BJP-led NDA government in the state. Mr Sarma was accompanied by Union Minister J.P. Nadda and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who were appointed as central observers by the BJP leadership for the election of the NDA legislature party leader in Assam. Earlier in the day, Mr Nadda formally announced Sarma’s name as the BJP Legislature Party leader and NDA leader during a meeting held at the BJP state headquarters in Guwahati. With this, Mr Sarma is set to become the Chief Minister of Assam for the second consecutive term, while the BJP-led NDA will form the government in the state for a third straight term. The swearing-in ceremony of the new Assam government is scheduled to take place on 12 May at the Khanapara Veterinary College playground in Guwahati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states across the country are expected to attend the grand ceremony. Senior NDA leaders and party workers from different parts of Assam are also likely to participate in the event, which the BJP is projecting as a major political show of strength in the North-east. During the visit to Raj Bhavan, Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia, senior BJP leaders, including Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, and other party functionaries accompanied Sarma. President of the Asom Gana Parishad and Assam minister Atul Bora, whose party is a key ally in the NDA coalition in Assam, was also present during the meeting with the Governor.