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BJP leader Rameswar Teli and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora were sworn in as ministers in the cabinet of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The swearing in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and top NDA leaders.

Referring to the DMK’s long administrative experience, Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin, urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to seek the party’s guidance on governance-related matters when required.

Udhayanidhi also criticised Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar over the order in which the Tamil Nadu state song and Vande Mataram were played during the swearing-in ceremony. He alleged that the state song had been relegated to a secondary position after being played following Vande Mataram and said Opposition parties had raised concerns over the issue.

Drawing a comparison with the recent West Bengal Chief Minister’s oath-taking ceremony, Udhayanidhi said Vande Mataram was not played there and asserted that Tamil Nadu’s state song should not be given lesser importance in future state events.

BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma takes oath as the Chief Minister of Assam for the second consecutive term at Veterinary College ground in Khanapara.

Watch LIVE as Himanta Biswa Sarma takes oath as the Assam chief minister for the second consecutive term in Guwahati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and top NDA leaders attend the grand swearing-in ceremony.

In a setback for the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Madras High Court has restrained Tirupattur MLA R Seenivasa Sethupathi from participating in Tamil Nadu Assembly proceedings after DMK leader Periakaruppan’s plea over one vote loss.

Periyakaruppan, the DMK candidate from Tirupattur in the April 23 Assembly elections, has challenged the result that declared Srinivasa Sethupathi the winner by a margin of just one vote.

According to the official results, Sethupathi polled 83,365 votes, while Periyakaruppan secured 83,364 votes. In his petition, the former minister sought a recount of votes and requested an interim order restraining Sethupathi from taking the oath as an MLA until the matter is decided.

Senior CPI(M) leader and LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan on Tuesday (May 12) said there would be no delay in deciding the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, unlike the ongoing uncertainty in the Congress-led UDF over the chief ministerial post.

He said the CPI(M) Politburo has entrusted the party's state unit with taking a final decision on the issue.

"There is no dispute regarding the selection of the Opposition leader. There is no chance of it getting prolonged or becoming a contentious issue. The CPI(M) will decide at the earliest," Ramakrishnan told the media here.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said criticism would have been justified had the chief minister been decided and the Opposition leader's post remained unresolved.

"The LDF has no difficulty in deciding the Opposition leader," he said.

Addressing legislators after taking office, CM Joseph Vijay laid out his government’s agenda focused on governance, welfare measures, youth empowerment and transparency, while calling for cooperation beyond political divisions.

His maiden address sparked strong reactions from both the treasury and Opposition benches, with supporters describing it as a landmark moment for the TVK-led government. The Assembly session also unfolded against the backdrop of changing political equations and unrest within the Opposition camp.

Victory in West Bengal and his articulation of pungent Hindutva vocabulary enable him to take space, ironically as among the more ‘hardline’ BJP leaders. This reality must be accepted even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not stepping down in the near future. Only unforeseen developments before 2029 can lead to a vacancy.

Even though the question “After Modi who?” is not discussed in private or public within the BJP, every leader and significant cadre weighs options endlessly.

Himanta Biswa Sarma shared the list of leaders who will take oath as Ministers in the new Assam government and announced that BJP MLA Ranjit Kumar Das would be the NDA candidate for Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly.

The proposed council of ministers includes Rameswar Teli, Atul Bora, Charan Boro and Ajanta Neog, among others.