Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday clarified that K Annamalai is still the Tamil Nadu BJP president, quashing speculation about his removal ahead of the BJP’s renewed alliance with the AIADMK. Addressing the media at a press conference to announce the re-formed tie-up, Shah directly denied claims that Annamalai was ousted as a pre-condition for the alliance.

Asked whether AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami had demanded Annamalai’s removal to proceed with the alliance, Shah responded, “This is not true at all. Mr Annamalai is the state president even today,” while gesturing towards Annamalai, who was seated beside him. Brushing off further speculation, Shah added, “Leave a few things to our party… we will run it well.”

The statement comes amid reports that AIADMK was uncomfortable continuing the alliance with Annamalai at the helm, accusing him of undermining the party’s role and projecting the BJP as the main opposition in Tamil Nadu.

Nainar Nagendran likely to succeed Annamalai

Despite Shah’s assertion, the BJP has received only one nomination for the Tamil Nadu BJP president’s post—from Nainar Nagendran, current vice-president and MLA from Tirunelveli. His nomination was proposed by Annamalai himself, along with three senior leaders, including Union Minister L Murugan and ex-minister Pon Radhakrishnan.

The move paves the way for Nagendran’s unopposed election as state chief.

While Annamalai’s term as state president nears a close, Amit Shah and the BJP have indicated that his future lies within the party’s central leadership. In a post on X, Shah praised Annamalai’s work, calling his contributions “commendable” and “unprecedented”. He stated that the BJP would utilise Annamalai’s organisational skills in the party’s national framework.

Annamalai, a former IPS officer, was appointed the Tamil Nadu BJP chief in 2021. Though the party has yet to make major electoral gains under his leadership, he is widely credited for significantly boosting its visibility in the state.

Tensions escalated in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Friday as a fresh wave of protests against the Waqf law turned violent, leading to large-scale vandalism, arson, and attacks on residential areas. The unrest erupted just days after similar violence rocked the district earlier in the week.

CCTV footage from one of the affected areas showed a man entering a house and smashing motorcycles with bricks and utensils. A woman whose house was attacked said a mob stormed into her residence, ransacked furniture, and damaged two-wheelers parked downstairs. “They couldn’t reach the upper floor as it was locked, but they vandalized what was outside,” she said.

The renewed violence came as Murshidabad was recovering from earlier riots that had led to the imposition of prohibitory orders. Friday’s violence was primarily reported from Suti and Samsherganj areas in the Jangipur subdivision.

Protest after Friday prayers turns chaotic

Following Friday prayers, protestors marched through the streets, and soon the demonstrations turned chaotic. Visuals from the scene showed vehicles in flames and thick smoke rising from the roads. Protesters clashed with police, hurled crude bombs, and set multiple vehicles, including an ambulance, on fire.

The ambulance driver was reportedly assaulted before the vehicle was torched. Several shops and homes, particularly those belonging to Hindu families, were vandalized in the minority-dominated district. A police officer stated that some personnel had to take refuge in a mosque to escape the violence.

Transport hit, security heightened

Train services were disrupted, particularly along the New Farakka-Azimganj section of Eastern Railway, as protestors blocked tracks. National Highway-12 was also obstructed by demonstrators.

In response, security has been stepped up across Murshidabad. Large contingents of police and the Border Security Force (BSF) have been deployed in sensitive pockets to prevent further escalation.

After a chaotic Friday marked by storms and destruction, residents of Delhi are likely to experience some respite today, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting light rain and gusty winds. However, this relief will be short-lived, as heatwave conditions are expected to return to the national capital by April 16.

On Friday, a sudden dust storm swept across Delhi, bringing down trees, damaging property, and causing widespread disruption. One fatality was reported when a wall at an under-construction site collapsed. The strong winds and poor visibility also affected flight operations at Delhi Airport, leading to delays and diversions.

According to IMD data, Delhi’s Safdarjung Observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 35.8°C and a minimum of 22.8°C. Saturday’s forecast includes partly cloudy skies, very light rainfall or thunderstorms, and surface winds reaching 20–30 kmph, with gusts touching 40 kmph.

While today’s milder weather offers a breather from the heat, the IMD has warned that this won’t last. Clear skies are expected to return by Sunday, followed by a rise in temperatures. The department has cautioned that heatwave conditions may grip the region by April 16.

Thunderstorms across India, east and northeast on high alert

Beyond Delhi, several states are dealing with unstable weather. Strong winds, thunderstorms, and lightning have been predicted in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. Gusty winds reaching up to 50 kmph may affect parts of West Madhya Pradesh, Gangetic West Bengal, and northeastern states like Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland.

Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh are also under watch for lightning activity, while Rajasthan could witness more duststorms.

Bihar storm toll reaches 61; relief announced

Bihar has been the worst affected by recent extreme weather events. As of Friday, the death toll reached 61, including 22 from lightning strikes and 39 from hailstorms and related incidents. Nalanda reported the highest number of deaths at 23, followed by Bhojpur with six fatalities.

In response, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹4 lakh for the families of each deceased victim.