In a significant political signal, the DMK shifted its annual Christmas celebrations – usually held in Chennai – to Tirunelveli in southern Tamil Nadu, a region with a substantial Christian population.

A day before announcing his new political party on Monday, the now-suspended Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir, on Sunday, gave a call to all “anti-Trinamool Congress” and “anti- Bharatiya Janata Party” (BJP) forces to get united.

Scrapping electoral bonds has surprisingly boosted BJP’s donations, with electoral trusts disbursing over Rs 3,577 crore in 2024-25. This marks a significant increase, with the party securing 83.6% of all trust contributions. While corporate donors sought anonymity, the BJP remains the primary beneficiary of this funding route.