BharatBeat · Vol. 2026
Politics, state by state.
Long-form analysis of Indian politics, from Delhi's corridors to district-level shifts. Start with a region, drill into a state, read the essay.
The lead essay
How the BJP Won Bengal: The 2026 Landslide That Ended the Mamata Era, Explained
For the first time in its history, West Bengal has elected a right-wing government. The BJP swept 208 of 294 seats, Suvendu Adhikari beat Mamata Banerjee in her own seat, and 15 years of Trinamool rule collapsed. Here is who, what, when, how, and what it means.
Recent essays
All from India →Abhishek Banerjee: The Heir Apparent's Hardest Test, Explained
For a decade he was the future of Bengal's most powerful dynasty. Then the TMC lost everything in May 2026. This is the full story of Abhishek Banerjee: his rise from Mamata's nephew to party number two, the cases that shadow him, and the fight for his political life now.
Vijay's Earthquake: How TVK Broke the Dravidian Duopoly in Tamil Nadu, Explained
Actor Vijay's three-year-old party finished as the single largest in Tamil Nadu, the DMK collapsed, M.K. Stalin lost his own seat and resigned, and a hung assembly produced a first-time chief minister. Here is the full story of who, what, when, how, and what it means.
Karnataka's Handover: DK Shivakumar Becomes CM as the Power-Share Deal Pays Off, Explained
After two and a half years of suspense, the Congress has resolved its most-watched succession. Siddaramaiah has stepped aside and DK Shivakumar is set to take oath as Karnataka's Chief Minister on June 3, 2026. Here is the full story of the deal, the delay, and the handover.
ED Raids on Pinarayi Vijayan: What Is the CMRL-Exalogic Case? A Full Explainer
The Enforcement Directorate has raided former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan's family in the CMRL-Exalogic pay-off case. Here is the complete story of who, what, when, how, and what happens next, explained from the 2019 tax raid to the May 2026 searches.
Bihar's New Era: Samrat Chaudhary, the First BJP Chief Minister, Explained
The NDA crushed the 2025 Bihar election, Nitish Kumar took a record tenth oath and then moved to the Rajya Sabha, and for the first time ever Bihar has a BJP chief minister: Samrat Chaudhary. Here is the full story of how the state's oldest survivor finally handed over.
The India-US Trade Deal of 2026: What Modi and Trump Actually Agreed, Explained
Washington cut tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%, India signalled it would stop buying Russian oil and buy far more American energy and tech, and both sides called it historic. But the fine print is thin. Here is who, what, when, how, and what it means.