The Congress high command is expected to take a decisive call on the political situation in Karnataka before the Winter Session of Parliament begins on December 1. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is set to meet Rahul Gandhi, with the crucial discussion likely to take place in a day or two, according to those familiar with the developments. It is being said that party leadership is worried about the perception of a power struggle over the CM’s post .Clarity is expected before the Parliament session opens, with the high command keen to avoid any perception of instability in the party’s only major southern bastion. While the CM Siddaramaiah camp is pushing to maintain the status quo at least until March and wants a cabinet reshuffle, supporters of Dy CM Shivakumar are pushing for the Congress to clearly outline a transition plan— the sort that was informally agreed upon during government formation in 2023. Of course, the final word decision will be made by Rahul Gandhi. Party sources aired concern about the manner in which DKS was increasingly becoming rude and insolent — he had apparently refused to acknowledge CM Siddaramaiah’s presence at the same venue. A KPCC leader says, “We must go beyond the binaries of DKS and Siddaramaiah and opt for a Dalit CM. Rahulji should opt for G Parameshwara — he is an educated Dalit leader; he is someone like Dr BR Ambedkar; he has served the party well and occupied many capacities.” His elevation will have the same the impact for the Congress as what Sushil Kumar Shinde’s rise as CM in Maharashtra in January 2003, did for the Congress in May 2004 Lok Sabha polls across India. UPA I came to power. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav had also promised to push for a Dalit CM with Rahul Gandhi. It is being said Siddaramaiah will happily back a Dalit CM, particularly Parameshwara.

Former Minister KA Sengottaiyan, who was expelled from the AIADMK, tendered his resignation as Gobichettipalayam MLA on November 26. The nine-term MLA handed over his resignation to Assembly Speaker M Appavu at the Secretariat in Chennai. Sengottaiyan is the second MLA of the AIADMK to tender resignation this month. Earlier on November 4, PH Manoj Pandian resigned as Alangulam MLA hours after joining the DMK. While Sengottaiyan refused to disclose to the media about his future course of action, there is speculation that he may soon join actor Vijay’s political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). A Gounder like AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), his exit from the AIADMK is something that would weaken the AIADMK alliance. Initially, it was felt Sengottaiyan was headed towards DMK as he already had a word with DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin. He had also met with Stalin’s closest minister Sekarbabu. Sengottaiyan’s political decision is being viewed as an initiative pushed by Stalin to engineer splits in AIADMK, to spite EPS and Amit Shah. The rebel AIADMK leader is also known to be advised by BJP leader K Annamalai on his career moves to achieve their common goal of preventing EPS coming back as CM in Tamil Nadu.

A parody site put up a seemingly convincing post from Gautam Gambhir saying he was resigning from his post as he could not tolerate what was happening to the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. Another site declared April Fool early with a parody post from Kapil Dev that said what you are getting is what you will get if a political appointee is made the chief coach. All that may be in the kind of fun that the social media pokes at Indian cricket in the bad days in which it gets pummelled on pitches made up of Indian soil. The fact remains that the lens is on Gambhir who is staring at the wrong end of the barrel as pundits, social media humorists and cricket fans are taking aim at him. Team India is on the cusp of losing a second major series at home, this time to South Africa after having folded 3-0 against New Zealand last year. Gambhir’s way of chopping and changing the playing XIs, peculiar strategies thrust on a fledgling captain like Rishabh Pant who leads in place of the injured Shubman Gill and shuffling of the batting order are valid points being made against him. Pant’s handling of the attack on a vital and decisive morning’s play in the first Test when he opened the bowling with Axar Patel instead of Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Siraj was the fatal slip that has led to India losing the series to South Africa. But it is the blood of the coach that everyone is praying for. Are there any odds on GG surviving as the chief coach in the Test format?

In Tamil Nadu, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman is well known for his hot speeches and hasty utterances; a politician who fires salvoes and then thinks about anger management. By any Tamil political standard Seeman is a colourful, cacophonic and clamorous personality. Just a few days back, addressing a press meet in Puducherry, he lost his cool and lambasted a journalist who asked about SIR…even threatened physical harm. Seeman and his two chelas were charged under three sections. His anger and attitude are not surprising especially after an alleged meeting he had with actor Vijay in his Panaiyur mansion. This was the time Seeman was welcomed as a master strategist and alliance partner. Vijay had done the math for the firepower — the Congress, TVK and NTK. So insiders of TVK were surprised to see Seeman walk into the gilded environs of Vijay’s Antilia , ostensibly for a three hour pow wow on the alliance. At the close of this, Vijay is said to have offered to personally drop Seeman home in his car. En route Vijay is said to have asked him, “Anna, what do you think of bringing the Congress into our fold? Vijay was totally shaken by Seeman’s anger and vitriolic response. “This party is totally responsible for the genocide of Tamil Eelam brothers. We must annihilate this party in the same way” Seeman’s hot blooded reaction threw Vijay off his cool …quickly taking a U turn, he drove back home. Alliances and strategies are crucial at this stage for Vijay , especially after the Karur disaster, and Vijay is surely not wanting to ally with leaders and parties that choose indiscriminate paths.

In a stinging public rebuke that has unsettled the Bengal BJP unit, Tamluk MP and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay has said he is “disillusioned” with the party barely 18 months after joining politics, declaring that the BJP is “nowhere close” to removing chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Gangopadhyay, who quit the judiciary last year to contest the Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket, said his “only purpose” in entering electoral politics was to “remove Didi from power”. Holding the Modi government, central agencies and the Election Commission for their collective to make headway, and questioned the Centre’s intent toward Bengal. The former judge also stated that Mamata Banerjee who leverages the “anti-Bengali sentiment” issue as a poll plank, as the BJP continues to “misread Bengal’s sentiment”. Expressing “discontent” over the dominance of “non-Bengali leadership” in the state unit, he said the “mindset of North India does not match that of West Bengal” and that the party cannot import leaders from the Hindi belt and expect to win. Delhi-based leaders, he added, do not grasp the “mentality, temperament or sentiments” of Bengal’s electorate. Gangopadhyay further criticised central agencies for “failing” on matters such as the teachers’ recruitment scams and the RG Kar Medical College rape case, alleging that sections were influenced by ruling party leaders for the teachers’ recruitment scam. As a judge, he had once handled recruitment scam cases before resigning to join the BJP. He also accused the Election Commission of failing to enforce FIRs it ordered against officials for alleged irregularities, saying the state instead issued suspensions. His remarks have left the Bengal BJP in an awkward position, with state leaders privately expressing discomfort over his public doubts about the party.

The much-awaited ‘Ashes’ — a biennial Test series spectacle between Australia and England, the old foes of the gentleman’s game — began without the home team’s skipper Pat Cummins, a champion seamer and Josh Hazlewood, who bowls with a curmudgeon-like attitude. The duo has taken a small matter of 604 Test wickets and Hazlewood was looking forward to add five to his 295 to take his personal tally to 300. Cummins has been laid low by a lower back ailment and Hazlewood by a nagging hamstring. But the third gangling man in the three Musketeers, Mitchell Starc (412 wickets after the first Test at Perth) filled the big boots of the other two to send England packing on a remarkable pitch at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Opener Travis Head won all the accolades in the end for his phenomenal flaying with the bat that disintegrated the England bowling and their minds. But it was Starc’s outstanding 7 for 58 and 3 for 56 and a first Ashes 10nner that paved the way for his team to compete hard and win the Test. It was Starc’s 101st Test and fittingly he completed it. 100 plus wickets against England and became the 14th Australian to take a century of wickets in Ashes contests. Starc did so in his 23rd Test against England and he has featured in 13 wins. He is the only left arm bowler — pace or spin — to take 100 plus wickets. At Perth he was the spearhead and the supporting cast included Scot Boland, Cameroon Green and Brendon Doggett. Starc will turn 36 on January 30 and it looks as though the home Ashes could be his last. He has started with a bang with a big 10 in his pocket!

A woman passenger’s bluster that her husband eats only fresh food now stands to gulp humble pie since her bravado of cooking Maggie on the mobile charging socket in the train they were travelling on has invited Central Railway’s punitive action against her. The woman’s identity has not been divulged but in a video that has gone viral, she is seen and heard telling other passengers in the coach smugly, “Saheb likes only freshly made food. I have no holiday here, too.” The clip has been watched by over 65,000 viewers. Railway Protection Force authorities have declared that action was being initiated against her. Passengers are advised to refrain from any such hazardous behaviour. If they notice any such activity, report it immediately, RPF has urged the travelling public. The woman’s “Maggi hack” has raised alarm overall. A passenger alerted that the amperage is not equipped for high-power appliances. Another has commented wryly, “Civic sense of Indians is so high that they will do all the stupidity and flaunt it in public as a biggest achievement.” Supporting the comment, another says, “Indians have no sense of consideration, courtesy or respect towards shared public space. They will treat everything as private space.” While many have questioned the efficacy of security measures on trains, there are those who have demanded to know the sense of filming such blatant violation of law. 

Union Cabinet Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s visit (Nov 21) to Odisha post Bihar election win, has set the tongues wagging.  It is learnt that the chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and his loyal band of ministers deliberately did not go to Bhubaneswar airport to receive and congratulate him for his Bihar success. Sources say Majhi has been wary of Pradhan’s clout and his chief ministerial ambition. This new incident, sources say, has possibly widened the unspoken rift between the Union Minister Pradhan and chief minister Majhi. Political observers say “empathy and trust are paramount values in the reciprocal political relationship”. Party insiders say, the chief minister deliberately scheduled a cabinet meeting so as to give a miss to Pradhan’s visit. But, one thing is loud and clear, Pradhan who has been eyeing the CM’s chair for quite some time, may one day well be occupying it given his accomplishments within the BJP.

On the back of Bihar drubbing, the Congress sent a team of senior AICC secretaries headed by Girish Raya Chodankar (AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry) to Chennai to negotiate seat-sharing with DMK for assembly elections next year. The team includes key state leaders: TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, Congress Legislature Party leader S Rajeshkumar, AICC secretaries Nivedith Alva and Suraj Hegde. The panel is expected to hit the ground running next week. Interestingly, soon after the Bihar results, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin had sent his son-in-law V Sabareesan as an emissary to meet with Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi this week. Party sources said Sabareesan had taken a letter from Stalin offering 15 seats for the Congress in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls. In 2021, the Congress had contested 25 seats and had won 18. The party now has 17 legislators in its fold, after one of the MLAs, S Vijayadharani switched to the BJP in 2024. In Bihar, the Congress had contested 61 seats in an Opposition alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal. It managed to win only 6 seats. The early despatching of the AICC team to Chennai to seal an electoral pact with the DMK effectively shuts down speculation about the Congress moving towards a tie-up with the newbie TVK. This even as some individual leaders like party MP Manickam Tagore have been pushing for a tie-up with youth icon, popular actor and TVK leader Vijay.

The buzz in Odisha for quite some time is who will step into Naveen Patnaik’s shoes, this has become stronger post Biju Janata Dal’s humiliating defeat in the recently held bypoll election. It slipped to the third position while Congress moved to the 2nd position with BJP winning by huge margin. Political observers say “BJD seems to be in the worst moment”. Already, prominent and senior BJD leaders like Mamta Mahanta MP, Sujit Kumar, Rajya Sabha and ex-MP strategist Amar Patnaik have quit BJD sometime back joining BJP. Fresh rumours are that more BJD members could join BJP if discontent within BJD’s rank and file grows further. Given Naveen Babu’s advancing age (79) plus health complications resulting in him not being able to walk without assistance, have convinced his party workers that he should not be looking after the day-to-day running of his party. So, who could take over the party’s mantle? Sources say Sujata R Karthikeyan, ex-IAS, former Mission Shakti Chief of BJD’s powerful women wing and wife of Patnaik’s man Friday VK Pandian could be a strong contender. This is because Patnaik trusts the Pandians totally. Sources say, Sujata’s formal entry into BJD could take place on BJD’s Foundation Day December 26 while others say Sujata could be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Only time will tell.

For 2026 Assembly polls, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) appear to be adjusting their political messaging. The party is presenting a more explicit secular position, moving away from repeated accusations that it favours one community. The TMC’s December 6 rally — usually managed by the minority cell — has been handed this year to the student and youth wings, signaling a shift in how TMC wants the event to be viewed. The rally commemorates the demolition of the Babri Masjid, but TMC’s leadership wants the day to be framed as an appeal for communal unity rather than a community-focused programme. Calling December 6, a “symbolically strong day”, the party wants the event to mark the opening of its grassroots-level campaign for 2026 with both Didi and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee likely to address the gathering. The party leaders say the aim is to counter what they see as increasing communal mobilisation by the BJP. Internally, TMC leaders acknowledge that recent political trends — including the limited impact of SIR in Bihar — have prompted a reassessment. The party believes the BJP is using the issue to sharpen religious polarisation, and it wants to respond with a message that can consolidate secular-leaning voters. Predictably, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has criticised the rally, saying it is another attempt at appeasement. The decision to involve younger wings of the party is also intended to suggest a wider, more inclusive organisational base. The effectiveness of this shift will depend on whether TMC can follow the rally with sustained outreach. The move indicates that TMC recognises that the political narrative in Bengal is changing, and that it must adapt if it hopes to shape voter sentiment ahead of 2026 Assembly polls.

The coming local body election in Maharashtra has forced the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi partners to face a Hobson’s Choice, giving indications that the BJP-led Mahayuti will have a smooth sailing, thanks to the likely vote division in the opposition camp. The already decimated Congress party has declared that it will not team up with the Shiv Sena (UBT) since its leader Uddhav Thackeray has decided to fight the election jointly with cousin Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). If both, the Congress and Uddhav, remain firm on their stand, the Mahayuti’s expectation to win on a platter will become a reality as the opposition’s vote bank will be dented. Realising this possibility, Uddhav has started persuading the Congress to remain in MVA. So far, the outcome is elusive. On the other hand, the Congress has urged senior leader Sharad Pawar to extend his support to it but the NCP(SP) is yet to make up its mind. The Hobson’s Choice, thus, faces the Congress and Uddhav’s Sena. If Uddhav and Raj are not hand in hand, the Marathi vote in Mumbai and Thane will be split, to the advantage of the Mahayuti. If the cousins come together, the Congress and perhaps even the NCP(SP) can think of other options, ultimately harming the MVA prospects, overall. Although all is not well in the Mahayuti camp either, the MVA’s splintering will override the saffron camp’s differences and present it with a massive mandate, it seems as of now.

Mindless exhibition of pride for Marathi language has led to a horrific tragedy, claiming a young student’s life. The deceased, Arnav Khaire, was a student of Kelkar College in Mulund. His father Jitendra has complained to the police that the youngster ended his life after he was assaulted by a group of co-commuters while travelling in a second-class compartment of a suburban train. Arnav had requested one of the co-commuters to move slightly in Hindi. This reportedly led to the tragedy as the group asked why he wasn’t speaking in Marathi. Even after Arnav told them that he was Marathi, they still attacked him. Depressed, Arnav committed suicide, the father has complained. Assistant Commissioner of Police Kalyanji Ghete has formed a special team to investigate. Over the past few months, assaulting those unable to respond in Marathi has taken place time and again, especially in the Mumbai-Thane belt. Those facing the wrath of proponents of use of Marathi include a bank official, a shopkeeper and stray non-Maharashtrians. Arguments over speaking Marathi have been reported from varied locations. For example, clashes in suburban trains are more common occurrences. Autorickshaw drivers, hawkers and even social media users. Some time ago, a shopkeeper in Vikhroli was attacked for a WhatsApp status deemed offensive to the Marathi community. He was forced to apologise after being physically assaulted. Afraid, those at the receiving end rarely lodge police complaints. However, the trend of assault has created an atmosphere of apprehension.

It was a disinformation war fought on social media to mislead Tamil Nadu voters. DMK leader and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin accused the Union government of “denying” metro rail to Coimbatore and Madurai as part of revenge politics; and his post emphasised how the Centre was favouring BJP-ruled states over non-BJP states in providing metro services. Responding to Stalin’s charge, Union Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in a post on X said Stalin had “chosen to politicise” the issue and had ignored the “magnanimous sanction” made by Central government of Rs 63,246 crore for Chennai Metro Phase II for a route of 119 km, the largest ever such project approved. As for rejection of metro projects for Coimbatore and Madurai, Khattar added that the Detailed Project Reports did not comply with essential norms of the Metro Rail Policy, 2017, mandating a population threshold of two million in the urban agglomeration. The Coimbatore and Madurai proposals apparently contained the following discrepancies: (1) For lesser route length in Coimbatore than in Chennai Metro system, a higher traffic projection as compared to Chennai had been given. On the face of it appeared erroneous. (2) Projected average trip lengths and speed differentials between road traffic and the metro, did not support the expectation of a modal shift of traffic to a metro system. A miffed Stalin however felt that Tier-II cities in BJP ruled states were being favoured while opposition ruled States are deprived, is a disgraceful approach. Asserting that Tamil Nadu, the land of self-respect, will never accept a distortion of federal principles and will ensure that Tier-II cities in the state also get metros. Tamil Nadu BJP leaders like Vanathi Srinivasan asserted that Coimbatore and Madurai would get metros under AIADMK-led government post assembly polls.

The bonding between both the ruling and opposition coalition partners in Maharashtra went for a toss for the forthcoming local self-government bodies elections scheduled in December. The local polls for 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats, the first local polls being held in state post-Covid lockdown, are crucial for all the parties as they are being held after a long gap. Surprisingly, the ruling Mahayuti government has poached a leader from their own coalition partners — Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. This upset Shinde’s ministerial team so much so that they protested by boycotting the November 18 cabinet meeting. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis remained unrepentant and is said to have not just justified the poaching. Keen to form a “triple-engine sarkar” in Maharashtra, Fadnavis is keen to replicate BJP’s success at the Centre and State level for the third time at the local governance level. Equations at the local self-government elections have always been known to be at variance with parties’ stated positions at the state or central government level. The split in outfits like the NCP and Shiv Sena has further muddied the political waters in the state and parties are finding it difficult to rein in the ambitions of their party workers. While Sharad Pawar, known to have his ear to the ground, has already clarified that his partymen were free to align with anyone at the local level, others fail to be that clear. The Congress is going solo and not aligning with the MVA in these local polls in response to the political alignment of the Thackeray brothers. While Congress is worried about allying with Raj Thackeray’s MNS lest it affect their North Indian voters, it is equally wary of allying with its own coalition partner, Uddhav Thackeray for successfully attracting their core Muslim vote bank in recent polls.

It is really amazing to see that both the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu — the ruling DMK that is part of INDIA Bloc and aligned with the Congress, and  the Opposition AIADMK that is aligned with the BJP — are drawing a lot comfort from the historic verdict in Bihar which saw return of Nitish Kumar as CM for a record 10th term. Of particular interest is the way DMK leader and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, who had even travelled to Bihar in August and joined Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav in a rally against SIR of electoral rolls. Stalin was convinced that Nitish Kumar decisively won the electoral battle for “fulfilling the expectations of the people of Bihar”.  On X he tweeted “Election outcomes reflect welfare delivery, social and ideological coalitions, clear political messaging, and dedicated management until the last vote is polled. The leaders of the INDIA bloc are seasoned politicians capable of reading the message and planning strategically to address emerging challenges.”  At the same time, he felt the results cannot whitewash the misdeeds and reckless actions of the ECI. On the other hand, AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami in a X post which has a tagline “Say YES to Women Safety”, said how on Nov 14 the people of Bihar had given a fitting response to the Congress-led INDI alliance, rejecting its falsehoods and attempts to undermine the institutions of democracy. In more ways than one, the Bihar verdict had ended uncertainties about the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu. In fact, a group of AIADMK leaders were already in Patna on Nov 14 cheering for the NDA win. This is in contrast to the way Stalin had been mocking Biharis for flocking to Tamil Nadu for low skilled jobs.

It’s become increasingly clear that India’s batters of the highest quality of recent times come a cropper against quality tweakers from overseas countries — especially on designer tracks that show bias of the surface. There have been one too many instances of the top batters failing repeatedly to spin. It happened against New Zealand at Pune and Mumbai last year and the spinners who exposed the vulnerable nature of the India batters were Mitchel Santner and Ajaz Patel, both left-arm spinners. Prior to that, India’s batters could not put up a commanding display against Australia’s experienced Nathan Lyon and tyro spinners in Tod Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann and England’s Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed. Of the above lot, New Zealand’s Patel has been the most successful at a single venue — the Wankhede Stadium where he has taken 25 wickets in two Tests. While India managed to prevail over Australia 2-1 and beat England 4-1, the Rohit Sharma led team lost 0-3 last year. In the current home international season, India scored an easy win against the West Indies, but struggled against the South African off spinner in the first innings of the first Test at the Eden Gardens. Fresh from their victory against Pakistan at Rawalpindi where Harmer and Maharaj took 17 wickets, the off spinner took four in the first innings at the Eden on a spiteful surface. Utter chaos happened on the pitch that is likely to earn the wrath of the ICC. The uneven bounce was dangerous on occasions and not a single batter could play strokes without fear. The Eden pitch also proved that the home team batters were far from equipped to deal with good spinners.

T Sathishkumar started as a simple Dhoodwala in Erode. Expanded to procuring 8 lakh litres from 70,000 farmers …a business he could sustain for long, as India had reached top spot as the world’s top milk producer, powered by the White Revolution and Verghese Kurien’s panavision dream for Anand and Amul. Today, Milky Mist Dairy (MMD) procures milk from 20 districts of TN and has every derivative product from milk – paneer, cheese, curd, flavoured yogurt, milk shakes, ghee, butter, payasam and shrikhand. MMD’s mozzarella cheese making plant is the biggest in the country, boasting a robotic line of production and crucial in the supply chain of the fast food industry. MMD’s paneer is a marketer’s dream journey…a few years back, paneer was not so popular in South cuisine. Now Milky Mist has won aggressively challenging Amul, Mother Dairy, Nandini, Gowardhan and some regional brands. Before the advent of Milky Mist, AAVIN TN’s flagship dairy brand had kept much of the market in its grip. The way retailers were coaxed to stock Milky Mist paneer is a case study for business schools. The same business spirit of adventurous strategy is now evident in the introduction of Milky Mist SKYR, a protein-led traditional Icelandic recipe that wants to lead the fitness market with a unique protein product …easy to consume straight out of the cup to those in search of muscle and strength. All these are reflected in its impressive financials. It has grown from Rs 1,015 crore in FY22 to Rs 1,437 crore in FY23 to Rs 2,349 crore in FY25. Now, the company is getting ready for an IPO at an expected valuation of Rs 20,000 crore

Ajay Devgn has long been a study in contrasts: a brooding intensity that anchors thrillers and dramas, and a surprisingly limited palette when it comes to frothier entertainments. As De De Pyaar De 2 hits theatres, it’s worth asking whether the actor’s recent script choices are eroding the cachet that once made him a dependable box-office draw. Devgn’s strengths are clear. He remains one of Hindi cinema’s most effective serious actors, capable of delivering taut, controlled performances in films that require grit rather than glamour. That steady gravitas has earned him big payoffs with the right material. But his flirtation with lighter comedy and flamboyant romcom territory has been uneven. Where he convinces as the silent, suffering hero, he often looks out of sync when a role demands snappy comic timing, dancing dexterity or an easy romantic swagger. Past attempts at broader comedy and mixed-genre projects have underlined this mismatch. Recent outings have done little to reassure audiences. Films such as Son of Sardar 2 and previously, Thank God had failed to fully connect with critics or viewers, De De Pyaar De’s first instalment drew mixed reactions, and a string of smaller turns and guest appearances went largely unnoticed. More recent projects like Auro Me Kaha Dum Tha’, Maidaan and Bholaa were widely seen as disappointments, reinforcing a narrative that not every script suits his strengths. For Devgn, the clear path forward is selective boldness — leaning into taut thrillers, moral dramas and textured character work, while being more discerning about lightweight fare that asks him to play against his core strengths. His next choices will determine whether he reaffirms his standing or drifts into forgettable territory.

Kerala’s seaplane project, first conceived in 2013 and aborted twice following protest from environmentalists and coastal fishermen, is finally set to takeoff. The civil aviation ministry has cleared 48 routes for operations in the state under the government of India’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme. The project has received seven proposals from private operators. Till date, the State government has approved India One Air, MEHAIR, PHL and SpiceJet to operate, according to Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas. The development comes about at a time when the authorities have successfully completed the groundwork for the launch of seaplane services from Kochi Airport to Lakshadweep. Spice Shuttle, a subsidiary of Spice Jet plans to operate a 22-seater plane for tourists and as a public transport. A one-way trip is expected to cost Rs 12,000.  The authorities also promise to extend a few tickets at subsidised rates — Rs 4,000 under the UDAN scheme. Lakshadweep, which is now being heavily promoted by the government of India as a top tourist destination to take on the likes of Maldives, has only one airport, Agatti. A flight from Kochi takes one and half hours to reach Agatti. Today tourists and local inhabitants have to travel to other islands like Kavaratti and Kadmat by boat or helicopter. In the long run, the seaplanes from Kochi will also fly directly to the neighbouring islands. A model similar to the proposed Kochi-Lakshadweep seaplane, manufactured by Canadian company De Havilland, was used to conduct trial flights from Kochi to Mattupetty in 2024. In addition, the routes being explored include Kochi-Wayanad, Kochi-Idukki. Other destinations for expansion to leverage Kerala’s abundant natural beauty, include Kovalam, Ashtamudi Lake, Kumarakom, Idukki dam, Malampuzha dam, Banasura Sagar Dam and Bekel. 

The Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India has blocked the release of yet another Bengali film, fuelling speculation over whether it is merely a procedural dispute or one tangled with political undercurrents involving cast members Rudranil Ghosh and Sourav Das. The latest film caught in the crossfire is The Academy of Fine Arts directed by SRFTI debutant Jayabrata Das. Despite receiving the go ahead from the Central Board of Film Certification, the November 14 release was halted just 48 hours before opening. The move triggered a flood of social-media outrage, with many alleging arbitrary gatekeeping by the Federation. The guild claims the film breached industry rules due to the involvement of Pramod Films during post-production. That association, it argues, makes the project a commercial production, mandating guild-registered technicians and prior clearances. Federation president Swarup Biswas insists their objections target Pramod Films, not students, and has demanded the removal of the banner’s name from posters, trailers, and the censor certificate. He dismissed allegations of financial demands. Jayabrata, in a lengthy post, stated that the student team had worked independently for five years with scant resources and sought limited help from Pramod Films only when funds were depleted. The Federation has also questioned the film’s Mumbai registration, high-end shooting locations, extensive marketing, and a distribution plan involving INOX, PVR and UFO Cube, which typically costs Rs 18–20 lakh. The presence of actors like Rudranil Ghosh, now with the BJP, and Sourav Das, who appeared in The Bengal Files, has added to speculation on whether political optics are influencing the Federation’s stance. Meetings between the parties remain inconclusive, leaving the fate of the Rs 25-lakh partly crowdfunded film in limbo as calls for its release grow louder online.

Presence of mind by a Varanasi journalist resulted in the reunion of a four-year-old girl with her parents. The toddler was kidnapped from Mumbai in May this year. The Mumbai Police had launched two special search efforts called “Operation Shodh” (Operation Trace) to find the missing child. The breakthrough came when a local Hindi-speaking journalist alerted the authorities about a girl, speaking in Marathi, housed at a local children’s shelter. The girl and her family, originally from Solapur, were in Mumbai for her father’s medical treatment when she went missing on 20 May while playing in a crowded area. Mumbai police teams travelled to Uttar Pradesh time and again during their six-month investigation. The child had been left near Varanasi station by an unidentified suspected kidnapper. Local authorities placed her in the care of an orphanage, where staff members started calling her “Kashi.” After receiving the tip, Mumbai police confirmed her identity and later, the parents, too, identified their daughter over a video call before her physical reunion with them, incidentally on Children’s Day. Mumbai’s DCP Zone 1 Dr Pravin Mundhe and Senior Inspector Yogesh Sable led the investigations. The CCTV footage revealed that the kidnapper boarded a train from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus towards Uttar Pradesh. During the November 1 to 15 ‘Operation Shodh’ drive, the police distributed the girl’s photos, stuck posters all over Varanasi and published information in the local newspapers. That was when the breakthrough came. The kidnapper is still at large.

Tiny Temba Bavuma played a giant’s hand in keeping South Africa in the hunt at the bowlers’ paradise that Kolkata’s Eden Gardens turned out to be. His seventh half century in his last 11 innings was another valuable contribution to a team that he led to an unlikely victory in the World Test Championship last summer at Lord’s over defending champions Australia. His gritty presence at the crease even brought out a rare curse from the lips of India’s gigantic performer with the ball, Jasprit Bumrah. A taunt over Bavuma’s dwarfish physique was not in order, but it might have escaped attention of the match authorities as it might have been lost in translation. What it signified was what a gutsy performer the pocket-sized batsman is and how he outlasted everyone to make the highest individual scores in very tough batting conditions. The sporting crowd at the Eden Gardens stood up to a man to celebrate Bavuma’s half century. Without the advantage of height or power, the Cape Town born battler has built his game around patience and solid defensive technique and is nearing the 4000-run mark in Tests. The first black African batsman to be picked to play Tests for South Africa has more than justified his place in the rainbow nation’s team. His stature in South African cricket is a tribute to the spirit of man that shone through regardless of race or colour.

Various stories are doing the rounds about why the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) poor performance in the Bihar assembly elections has brought out fissures within the Lalu Yadav’s family out in the open. Internecine feuds at this juncture clearly reflect that the legatee war over Lalu Yadav’s political legacy have begun even as the RJD patriarch is alive and kicking. It simply shows that all is not well in the RJD first family. Of Lalu’s nine children, at least five including wife Rabri Devi are known to be politically active and ambitious. However, what has not gone down well with those watching the Bihar political scene is the manner in which Lalu’s Singapore-based daughter Rohini Acharya was forced to air her differences with her brother Tejashwi. According to sources, Tejashwi had an argument with Rohini on Nov 15 afternoon. In a summary of review of the defeat, Rohini told Tejashwi that they should respond to the party workers’ protests regarding Haryana-based Sanjay Yadav. The very mention of Sanjay Yadav, a close buddy to both Tejashwi and his wife, sparked an argument between Tejashwi and Rohini. Tejaswi told Rohini, “We lost the election because of you. We are cursed by you.” During the argument, Tejashwi angrily threw a slipper at his elder sister; he also abused her. Rohini, it is learnt, wanted to campaign in every assembly constituency in Saran but she was only allowed to go to Raghopur. In July 2023, a year before the Lok Sabha elections, Tejashwi had asked Rohini to contest from Saran. Post her father’s consent she expressed desire to contest from Pataliputra but Misa was reluctant. Ultimately, it was Saran. It is being said increasingly Sanjay Yadav was uncomfortable with Rohini’s political role and sees her as a threat to Tejashwi; he had even advised Rohini to leave politics.

The BJP government in Odisha led by Mohan Charan Majhi won the prestigious Nuapada bypoll. Its candidate Jay Dholakia won by over a margin of 83,748 votes polling 123,869 votes while Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi polled 40,121 votes and BJD’s Snehangini Chhuria 38,408 votes. BJD was relegated to the third position in spite of the fact Naveen Patnaik was personally campaigning. Shockingly, BJD’s vote share crashed to 18.8 % from 40.22% in 2024 when it won the assembly seat. Patnaik’s party BJD which dominated Odisha politics for over 24 years seems to be losing its hold. Political commentators say “Brand BJD has been eroded”. This clearly indicates that the BJP in Odisha is controlling the political narrative. One of the reasons for BJD’s downhill run is attributed to Naveen babu’s frail health, no succession planning thereby leading to infighting. This scenario led to some of the veteran BJD leaders crossing over to BJP. Political watchers say, BJD’s future cannot rest on Patnaik’s shoulder alone. This means BJD must resolve its leadership issues, inner-party contradictions and address the vacuum in its current leadership style.

After much speculation and expectation from ardent fans, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth announced a collaboration, after 40 years. The 173rd film of Rajini to be made under the Raj Kamal banner and Red Giant distribution. Was this the ultimate treat for adoring fans? It soon became the ultimate combo when Sundar C, Khushboo’s husband and hit director was announced as the third angle of this fusion. Things fell into place as smoothly as apple pie and cinnamon. Suddenly Sundar announced that he was quitting the project, with a dramatic communication that ran the gamut of polite language and sincere apologies, a communication clearly meant to convey his veiled, diplomatic unhappiness with the events that transpired. The film which was announced as a 2027 Pongal celebration, has now garnered much speculation and buzz as to what could have transpired. Did Sundar expect more remuneration? What was his grouse? Was the screenplay and story being tinkered with and tampered by the two veteran artists? Kollywood ears and eyes have pieced together a run of events high on surmise and low on veracity, yet compelling enough to accept…after all a Director does not storm out without strong reason. It seems Sundar was given a one liner to be fleshed out as the story by Kamal.  The serial versions had Sundar’s trademark ghost theme which Kamal was not happy with. Next it was Rajini’s turn to reject the story outright, a serious ego clash. Sundar made all the right noises when taking on two titans. Now Kollywood is humming with the buzz of who would be the replacement. Good publicity even before the film is made.

Nothing has come more as a shock for the Congress than its meltdown in the Bihar assembly elections. The party which had 19 MLAs in the outgoing assembly didn’t expect a wash-out particularly after Rahul Gandhi had carried out a much-hyped ‘Voters Adhikar rally’ in September, with a common slogan: “Vote chor, gaddi chhod”. Of course, party sources concede that Rahul’s yatra had not resonated on the ground. In fact, many Congress leaders believe Rahul had focussed on non-issues “like vote chori” just to divert from people’s real problems. What has come as a shock for Bihar Congress leaders is that new entrants like Asauddin Owaisi’s AIMIM seemed to have fared well in Seemanchal leading in as many five seats, quite close to Congress’s own tally of six seats. Analysing the Bihar victory, PM Modi described the overwhelming mandate for the NDA– 204 seats out 243 as a vote for vikas, for development. Modi who invoked prayers to Chhati Mayya and took on Rahul for mocking Chhath Puja. It is learnt that Rahul is in Muscat.  Sources feel Congress party’s bad performance was because it could not get good seats to contest — of the 61 seats it got to contest, 32 were such seats that the Opposition had not won for the last three decades. Bihar Congress leaders also said party managers like Krishna Allavaru were completely not briefed about the quality of seats. Some also felt inordinate delay in seat-sharing and declaring Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial candidate may have cost the secular alliance votes. As for the rout of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress sources say people find Tejashwi Yadav too arrogant. After the Bihar rout, Congress may not find many takers in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

With the Bihar election results clearly going in favour of the NDA and meltdown of the RJD, PM Modi said, “Bihar mein RJD ko saanp soongha hua hain” and then went on to add “I said during the Bihar elections, the conflict between the two parties will soon come to the fore” Today’s victory is the beginning of a new journey. I assure you that in the coming five years, Bihar will progress at a faster pace. The world will see Bihar’s new potential. A number of Muslim women had also voted for the NDA. Modi said “With the new government, the NDA is now moving forward towards a golden journey of 25 years in Bihar. Bihar has ensured that Jungle Raj will never return to this great land of Bihar. Today’s victory belongs to the youth of Bihar whose future was ruined by the terror of Congress and the Red Flag people. Today, that Red Corridor, those days of terror, are history. Bihar is moving forward on the path of development, and this journey is not going to stop now.” He congratulated the Election Commission, security forces and the conscious voters of Bihar. The Bihar elections have proven another thing. Now, the country’s voters, especially young voters, take voter list purification very seriously. And he said he plans to take Bihar’s message of Mahila & Youth empowerment to West Bengal. It’s interesting to see how the SIR plays out in this state.

Known as ‘Bihar’s Singham’ for making Patna a safe city for girls and women some years ago, former IPS officer Shivdeep Lande’s attempt at transition from Khaki to Khadi has been foiled by that state’s voters in the two assembly constituencies he chose to test his luck from. Born in a farmer family from Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Lande cracked the UPSC tests to join the IPS in 2006. His first posting was in the Naxal-infested Munger district of Bihar. It became sensational owing to his incredible feats, one after another. But his popularity was at its peak when he took over as Patna SP. The anti-social elements in Bihar’s capital used to tremble to even hear his name. Lande was married in 2014 to Mamata Shivtare, the daughter of a Shiv Sena leader and then minister, Vijay Shivtare. After serving in Bihar, Lande returned to Maharashtra and resigned from the police force. In April this year, Lande floated his own political party, the Hind Sena, and announced that he will field candidates in all 243 seats. However, he himself contested from two constituencies – Jamalpur and Araria – where he had earlier served and amassed popularity. While pollster Prashant Kishor’s defeat has been highlighted by the media, Lande’s decimation has been ignored, more or less, once again proving the adage that a politician is born, not made.

The BJP’s emphatic victory in Bihar has prompted the party leadership to project confidence about replicating the outcome in West Bengal in 2026. Yet, despite the celebratory rhetoric, the ground situation in Bengal presents a far more complex—and arguably unfavourable—terrain for the saffron party. Buoyed by Bihar, senior leaders such as Union ministers Giriraj Singh, Sukanta Majumdar, who was the former state president have asserted that the mandate reflects a decisive shift toward the BJP. Singh, who has previously had several direct confrontations with the TMC, stated unequivocally that with Bihar delivering its mandate, Bengal would be next, as the people of the state are growing increasingly dissatisfied with chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Majumder, meanwhile, likened the TMC regime to what he described as a shadow of the “jungle raj” associated with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s era. However, analysts argue that such comparisons reveal more political impatience than electoral realism. A section of political analysts pointed out that Bihar’s outcome was shaped by pro-incumbency and by the NDA’s existing administrative footing—advantages the BJP does not enjoy in Bengal. The TMC’s long tenure, rather than weakening it, has consolidated its organisational strength, particularly across the rural belt where nearly 70% of the state’s electorate resides. While the BJP has succeeded in capturing segments of the urban vote with its Hindutva messaging and pro-industry posture, it continues to lag the TMC’s 48% vote share by a significant margin. More critically, the party has yet to develop a robust grassroots network capable of countering the TMC’s deeply entrenched cadre structure built since 2011, when Mamata rode the Singur and Nandigram land movements to power.

The resounding victory of the NDA and the BJP in the Bihar assembly election will result in scripting the future prospects of many individuals. Although the focus will remain on PM Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, there are many more who have influenced the outcome to some degree, according to the assignments entrusted to them. Prominent among them are Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. There are several reasons for his glee at the results, a fabulous achievement for the saffron outfit. Fadnavis found time to visit Bihar to campaign for NDA’s Bihar candidates while handling various tricky situations in the state. Agitations by Maratha and OBC leaders, the flood devastation, the opposition attacks and daily problems concerning law and order had been taking much of his time. Known to be working till 2 am every night and starting his next day at 7 am, Fadnavis planned his Bihar sojourn carefully and gave a series of campaign speeches in Bihar’s 61 assembly constituencies spread over seven districts. To his delight, 49 of these seats have been bagged by the BJP. Expectedly, he was lambasted by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi for ‘abandoning’ Maharashtra which needed his attention. However, those who knew Fadnavis ignored this criticism. The Bihar victory has further consolidated his firm political clout. No doubt, BJP rank and file has started expressing confidence that the coming local body elections will be a cakewalk for the party. But Fadnavis is cautious.

The crescendo of applause for Season 4 of Sony Liv ‘Maharani’ series is still reverberating. How did a complex political drama, set in the BIMARU list headed by Bihar cast a magnetic spell on viewers? Most would say it is Huma Qureshi’s smash hit performance. Rightfully so …rarely does India’s political ethos provide the backdrop for a woman to seize power, hold on to it and keep her family brood together …though her husband was murdered and she is framed as the killer. Suddenly you find the Bihar political setting powerfully manipulated and riveting ..just when you think you have decoded Maharani as Rabri Devi, Lalu Yadav’s proxy CM and expect the venality of Bihar politics, it’s continuous state of corruption, caste wars and criminalised politics , the plot takes several twists and turns. Indian cinema has definitely produced a brilliant series that mirrors our politics and politicians, the greed for power and almost vampire-like blood thirst. Is our realpolitik this shockingly complex and convoluted? The answer is a resounding yes…in fact the makers have truly succeeded in throwing the audience off the scent of real-life persons. The political and power hunger jousting and fencing is a treat to those immersed in the drama of politics. True to the title, Huma Qureshi straddles the series like a Maharani, tall, statuesque, compelling, dignified, yet so relatable to a Bihari housewife. Any wonder that women outnumbered men in the just concluded election? Maharani is their role model … she challenges every effort to box her into a stereotype “gharelu” woman. Subhash Kapoor! The open-ended Season 4 definitely raises hopes for yet another season. Following her total devastation after losing her son Jai and the bid for PM post, will Maharani rise like a Phoenix and avenge her tormentors?

Once a cricket fan arrives in Dominique Lapierre’s “City of Joy” for the first time, he or she quickly connects to the visuals of the famous Eden Gardens at Gostho Paul Sarani – a locality named after Bengal’s legendary football player. The great “Eden” has changed a lot. Today you see huge portraits of Jhulan Goswami-Sourav Ganguly adorning the front wall above the nameplate the Cricket Association of Bengal. There is another huge frame of Jagmohan Dalmiya and Ganguly as one enters the main gate to the charming cricket venue. From November 14 the Indian team will take the field against South Africa in flannels in a five-day Test match which will be the 43rd at the venue. India has played three already here against South Africa from 1996, winning two in 2004 and 2010. This is also the where Rahul Dravid (180) and Venkatsai Laxman (281) turned the match on its head against Steve Waugh’s Australia. That magic happened a little over 25 years ago, but still talked about with great thrill. The Eden has given many beautiful moments for Indian cricket. It is one of the five permanent Test centres, and in the past, always getting the new year Test. But more Test centres have been added, and Kolkata has had to wait for six years to be allotted a Test match. The Eden is also known for honouring famous people – the names of Pankaj Roy, Sourav Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami, former BCCI administrators Jagmohan Dalmiya and BN Dutt and four from the Armed Forces in Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair, Havildar Hangpan Dada, Lieutenant Colonel Dhan Singh Thapa, and Subedar Joginder Singh Sahnan given to stands. For many reasons, the Eden Gardens is a fascinating venue.

Nothing has more shaken the incumbent Modi government than the blasts near Red Fort. The blasts shook the national capital after a gap of 14 years. PM Narendra Modi, who is away on a two-day visit to Bhutan conveyed his resolve to punish those involved in the blasts. Warning that the horrific blast in Delhi on November 10 evening has deeply pained everyone. India stands with those who have suffered, PM Modi said “I assure everyone that the agencies will get to the bottom of the entire conspiracy. All those involved will be brought to justice.” He spoke both in Hindi and English from Bhutan reminding many political watchers of his utterances before Operation Sindoor. In fact, it is believed that the nation could well be on the verge of launching Operation Sindoor 2 as agencies uncover the real perpetrators. It is felt Pakistan may feel encouraged to experiment with some misadventure as it enjoys unstinted backing of the U.S. President Donald Trump. Modi has held extensive consultations with Home Minister Amit Shah. Shah has already held four meetings with security agencies. The government will not proceed with any Op Sindoor till security agencies neutralise all jihadi networks in the country. Interestingly, the Al-Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana where the suicide bomber and his colleagues worked was set up in 2015. There are also reports that Umar made trips to Tamil Nadu.

Delivering in three formats is cricket’s greatest challenge. Not even the best of the modern players were up to scratch in this with Virat Kohli being the one exceptional performer across formats when he had, at one point in his career, an average above 50 in all three forms of the game. The young batsman who seems to be following in his footsteps has a lot to prove that he is capable of handling the triple burden. But that he is trying became clear in the short innings he played before lightning and rain came to disrupt the last of the five T20Is in Australia. Shubman Gill played a gem of an innings, filled with finesse and flair more than premeditated big hitting. He drove through the gaps, particularly through cover, with such elan as to show he can beat the short game without compromising on the technique that has made him a big run maker in ODIs and a performer beginning to match potential with form in Test matches. Gill was pleasing to the eye even as he was tending to the scoreboard without having to hit the ball in anger as his opening partner Abhishek Sharma was aiming to do at the other end. Gill’s classy effort was cut short by the weather, but he has shown the signs that he will chart his own path in T20Is. Soon, probably very soon, Gill might be seen leading Team India in all three formats.

At a time when tourism is booming in Kerala, an age-old problem has reared its head, unionisation of the taxi trade. State Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas has depicted a rosy picture of 1.19 crore domestic tourists visiting Kerala in the first half of 2025, which is a 10.5% jump over the previous year. Foreign arrivals too climbed 6.87% to touch 3.83 lakh. Amidst the announcement, came the news of a college professor and her entourage from Mumbai being harassed on their trip to hill station, Munnar. The professor took to social media to highlight that while she had a nice holiday and Malayalees by and large were nice to them, she will not be returning to Kerala. This was due to the harassment they encountered at the hands of the local taxi trade. The visiting team, during their Munnar trip, was not allowed to use rider app vehicles like Uber, Ola etc. In fact, they were physically blocked by local taxi drivers and not allowed to alight at their destination. They were also not allowed to hail an online cab for their return journey. And complaints made to police bore no fruit as both the taxi unions and cops have the full patronage of the CPM party. After the blog went viral some taxi drivers were arrested and cops suspended. Just like mindless trade unionism crippled our industry growth, tourism will also pay the price, warns Jose Dominic, a veteran hotelier and industry leader. This is not a problem limited to tourist destinations. There are unofficial ban zones for online cabs and auto rickshaws at Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports. The unauthorised curbs on online taxis is not a Marxist phenomenon but also in BJP-run Goa state.

Star’s entourage is not a new thing in the film industry. In the past, actresses were accompanied by their mothers, makeup/hair dresser and the spot boy. Then the numbers were officially less; but at times the star’s family members too travelled and exploited the producers and financially it was a burden for them. Prominent filmmaker Suneel Darshan in a podcast says nowadays star’s entourage is over 26 people and they have all to be taken care of by the producers. Actors like Govinda, Sunny Deol and a few actresses had at least 10 members travelling with them on outdoor shoots.  Today, most stars have an entourage of a dozen people comprising manager’s assistant, makeup artiste, hair stylist, fitness trainer, and chef.  The food department is an additional burden on the producers. Before the entry of food trucks, the stars & their families would make producers order food from 5-star hotels and often take it home. This saw producers come together and tell the big stars to cut down on their entourage numbers or pay from their own pockets. Many stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan even agreed but it is learnt nobody is living up to their words. With Bollywood films taking a big beating at the box office, the industry is going through a correction phase and at such times it makes eminent sense for stars to more than cooperate by at least cutting down on their entourage numbers.

One and all are keen and eager to join the bandwagon celebrating the Women in Blue team’s spectacular and maiden ICC 50-over World Cup win. The moment skipper Harmanpreet Kaur took the last catch at the DY Patil Stadium in the presence of 45000 spectators, the merrymaking began with the team itself going gung-ho and millions in the country painting the town red so to say. It was a perfect finish to a campaign at home, especially winning three matches at a venue that brings out the best from the team. Only a fortnight ago, the team had tripped at every step — it lost to South Africa, Australia and England in the league before causing a decisive turnaround arriving at the DY Patil Stadium. Each and every player has been feted by their respective State with the Government of Maharashtra opening its purse strings and giving Rs. 2.25 crore each to Smriti Mandhana, Jemima Rodrigues and Radha Yadav. Its chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the full team will be felicitated at an appropriate time. Maharashtra has gone out of the way to open its heart to Radha Yadhav who has been representing Baroda in white ball competitions in the last 10 years after a solitary season for Mumbai in the BCCI’s Twenty20 tournament. Harmanpreet’s team deserves all the kudos and goodies. She went to the extent of sharing joy with Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, the two stalwarts of women’s cricket who were unlucky not to lift the trophy by their own deeds on the field. Harmanpreet happily allowed them to get their hands on the trophy and feel like champions again!

For serious cinema aficionados, new Tamil releases provide much grist for their passion mill…off beat themes and brilliant execution, new directors and experimental cast, those who climb to stardom fast. The just released film ‘Others’ is one such medico socio psychological thriller which would have garnered praise by itself but heroine Gauri Kishen and her strident response to RS Karthik, well known YouTuber, self-anointed “hero of questions” took it viral, very fast. A double whammy for the film. Karthik was gracing the promo event of Others, themed on Male, Female and Others. Did the boldness and audacity of Others trigger his body shaming query? He asked the Director Abin Hariharan and hero Adithya Madhavan, “What is the weight of Gauri Kishen, who is lifted by the hero in the film?”. Both tried to ignore this rude query, but when the journalist persisted, Gauri took him on “what are you going to do with my weight information? How are you concerned? When Karthik persisted with his justification that heroines like Khushboo and Sarita had responded to such personal questions, Gauri put him in his place, boldly, unashamed. The viral tide of support for her has made him apologise for his insensitivity. Strangely enough, Gauri who plays a crucial doctor’s role in Others, deep down empathised with the theme …we Indians have turned judgemental and crass in taking misogyny to extreme levels …a woman has to be svelte, slim and slender for the male beholder. Thin, Normal and Fat …a woman categorised into shapes that judge their very being with Beauty Queens setting impossible templates.

The Maharashtra government’s proposal to translocate leopards, combined with the killing of a leopard in Pune after it was labelled a man-eater, has raised deep concern among environmentalists, who say these responses signal a governance failure in forest and land-use planning. Instead of addressing the factors that push wildlife into human spaces — shrinking habitats, fragmented corridors, unmanaged waste and unregulated expansion into forest-edge zones — the state is opting for short-term actions that risk intensifying conflict rather than resolving it. Leopards are territorial animals that play a stabilising role in ecosystems. When a resident leopard is killed or relocated, its territory does not remain vacant; another leopard moves in, often younger, stressed, and more unpredictable. Studies from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttarakhand show that relocated leopards frequently attempt to return to familiar terrain, travelling through villages and farms and increasing the potential for human encounters. National wildlife guidelines therefore caution against translocation as a routine conflict response. Environmentalists say lessons must be drawn from the cheetah introduction effort in Kuno, where animals struggled to adapt despite extensive planning. Wildlife cannot simply be shifted and expected to adjust; ecosystems require continuity, stable habitat and respect for territorial behaviour. NatConnect Foundation has escalated the issue to the Prime Minister’s Office. The Foundation hopes he will step in to ensure Maharashtra shifts from reactive “animal removal” measures to long-term forest and corridor management, waste regulation, humane stray animal control and trained rapid-response teams. Killing or shifting wildlife is not management — it is symptom control. Environmental advocate Jyoti Nadkarni said: “The leopard is an essential part of the food chain and the wider food web. Removing it disturbs a balance far more complex than we acknowledge. We must think before...

The ownership of 14 villages claimed by the Maharashtra and Telangana governments has been under dispute in Chandrapur district which is along the border of the two states. While the revenue department of the Maharashtra government is the claimant of the villages, the same are under the forest department of the Telangana government. The issue has a long history. According to authorities in Maharashtra, the Supreme Court has ruled in its favour. Nonetheless, the resolution of the matter is still awaiting a final outcome. Over the years, the villages in Jivti tehsil of Maharashtra occupy nearly 15,000 acres of land. The Maharashtra authorities complain that the villages have been shown by Telangana as part of its territory. Telangana’s Asifabad district forest authorities have been looking after the green cover in the area. Meanwhile, the villagers are reported to be exercising their voting rights in both states. The villages have been at the centre of the dispute, with residents often living under dual administration and having voting rights in both states. Finally, in July 2025, the Maharashtra government has announced that it has started the process to merge these 14 villages into the state’s jurisdiction. While some residents have asked to remain in Telangana to access its welfare schemes, Maharashtra’s stance is that the villages are predominantly Marathi-speaking. Due to the lack of a clear administrative structure, the villages have two sarpanchs, two Gram Panchayats and separate schools for Marathi and Telugu speakers. The issue has been holding fire but no immediate solution is forthcoming.

The 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) opened with a strong focus on migration and displacement — themes at the heart of its newly introduced section, ‘Beyond Borders.’ Running from November 6 to 13, the festival will screen 315 films from 39 countries across 21 venues, with Poland as this year’s partner nation. The new segment presents nine films probing the emotional and political dimensions of migration, including Tales of the Wounded Land by Iraqi-French filmmaker Abbas Fahdel, Aisha Can’t Fly Away by Egyptian director Morad Mostafa, Passing Dreams by Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, and Palestine 36 by another Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir. Festival chairperson and filmmaker Goutam Ghose described the new section as a response to the global displacement crisis. He noted that migration has emerged as one of the world’s defining challenges, and that filmmakers chronicling such realities take creative and political risks deserving both applause and empathy. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was all praise for the inclusion of ‘Unheard India – Rare Language Films,’ a category honouring voices from linguistic peripheries such as Bodo, Santhali, and Konkani, remarking that cinema without grassroots connections cannot mirror ordinary lives. Mamata also announced the Bangabibhusan — West Bengal’s highest civilian honour — for legendary singer Arati Mukherjee and actor Shatrughan Sinha.

The BJP central leadership is watching with interest the tantrums that its former Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai is throwing. Even as he dismissed reports that he may launch a new party, it seems Annamalai may not last in the BJP for long. He expressed his discontent by saying none can put a gun to one’s head and force a person to remain in a party. Annamalai has been sulking ever since Nainar Nagendran replaced him as TN BJP president in April this year. Sources in BJP headquarters say Annamalai has been working overtime to undermine Nainar and weaken the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Though he officially maintains that “the NDA should win” the 2026 Assembly elections, it is being said he is not comfortable with the idea of AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) clinching a win. He is also known to have played a role in bringing together former AIADMK leaders like VK Sasikala, KA Sengottaiyan and O Panneerselvam. More than these disparate groups of former AIADMK leaders, Annamalai’s real interest is in floating a new party and striking an alliance with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). With Vijay recently declaring that the 2026 Assembly elections would be a contest only between the TVK and the DMK, virtually writing off the AIADMK-BJP alliance, Annamalai may feel more encouraged to float his own outfit. But then the future of leaders who have quit the BJP to launch their own outfit has not been very bright. From late Kalyan Singh (UP) to BS Yediyurappa (Karnataka) to Shankersinh Vaghela (Gujarat). They have all floundered. Meanwhile, the ruling DMK is also welcoming into its fold former AIADMK leaders such as PH Manoj Pandian, son of former Speaker PH Pandian. Pandian charged AIADMK of “functioning as an extension of the BJP.”

Political controversy has intensified in West Bengal over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls after a report in Jago Bangla, the official mouthpiece of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), claimed that chief minister Mamata Banerjee had personally accepted the SIR Enumeration Form. In response, Didi clarified that she had not personally received the form. In a social media post, she explained that the designated Booth Level Officer had visited her neighbourhood and residential office, made routine inquiries about the number of voters in the household, and left the forms accordingly. She added that she had not filled out her form and that she would do so only after every eligible person in Bengal had completed theirs. Earlier this week, Didi led a protest march from Red Road to Jorasanko Thakurbari, terming the ongoing process “SIR terror” and urging citizens to remain cautious. The Opposition BJP criticised Mamata’s clarification, accusing her of double standards. Former state BJP president and Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumder stated that the CM’s actions contradicted her public position and claimed that she had accepted several forms despite urging people not to cooperate with the process. Senior TMC leaders rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated attempts to discredit the CM’s campaign against the SIR. Party functionaries said the report about Didi personally receiving the form was misleading and aimed at undermining the ongoing movement. According to party sources, Mamata is planning to take the issue beyond Bengal and raise it at the national level. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has already indicated that the party will intensify its protests in the coming weeks.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is finding himself in hot water following the allegations against his son Parth in connection with a massive land deal in Pune involving hundreds of crores of rupees. Noted social activist Anna Hazare’s spirited attack against the Pawar clan has added another dimension to the suspicious deal. The web of doubt around the father-son duo is becoming thicker since Ajit has claimed that he is unaware of the transactions conducted by his son, “an adult and running his own business.” As chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a thorough enquiry into the serious charges, Ajit has gone on the defensive. Hazare’s stinging statement about the ‘culture of Baramati’ has an indirect past reference to the developments when then chief minister Sharad Pawar was facing grave allegations regarding several land deals under the civic development plan for Mumbai. Later, the allegations were declared unfounded by an inquiry committee. Incidentally, Hazare was at the forefront of levelling the allegations, along with controversial municipal officer GR Khairnar. Obliquely referring to those events, Hazare has remarked that the family and the culture of a particular place are responsible for occurrence of such deeds. In a guarded response, Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, MP, has sided with Parth. The DCM is finding it difficult to defend or criticise, given the perceived role of Parth. The scandal’s fallout will have a bearing on the strategy for the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra, weakening Ajit’s bargaining stakes.

Top BJP leader Ashish Shelar has been entrusted with the responsibility of the coming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election by the BJP, underscoring the importance of the electoral fight considered the decisive battle for the existence of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Although Andheri MLA Amit Satam was appointed Mumbai BJP chief just a month ago, his predecessor Shelar has been reassigned this assignment given the enormity of the challenge. Of late, Shelar has been mounting one attack after another against Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and the Congress party, main partners of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The BJP is determined to wrest the BMC’s control from the arch rival Shiv Sena, which is not joined by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray. The two organisations are trying their best to lure the Marathi-speaking population’s vote by constantly harping on the ‘outsider’ tag against several BJP bigwigs, who are from Gujarat or north India. This has put the Congress party in a quandary, given the Bihar assembly election voting, forcing its top leaders to stay away from a joint morcha taken out by the two cousins. By next week, the picture is expected to be clear on this count. Nonetheless, the BJP is going ahead as the main constituent of the Mahayuti under the stewardship of Ashish Shelar, who knows Mumbai like the back of his hand.

In a major political development in Odisha, senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) strategist and former Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik has quit BJD after serving it for seven years and joined the BJP ahead of the prestigious Nuapada assembly bypoll slated on November 11. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of BJD’s Rajendra Dholakia, four-time MLA and a former cabinet minister. In an interesting twist of turn, the late Dholakia’s son Jay is fighting from his father’s constituency on a BJP ticket. Naveen Patnaik headed BJD has fielded Snehangini Chhuria. BJP which is keen to win this prestigious seat has given a carte blanche to  Amar Patnaik to campaign for Jay Dholakia. Amar Patnaik’s decision to join the BJP is more than an individual move, sources say—it’s a signpost of a deeper realignment in the state’s power structure. His exit lays bare the widening cracks within the BJD, sources say. His joining BJP is now seen as a fresh blow to BJD as the Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi is determined to win the three-cornered BJP-BJD-Congress battle where BJD’s Naveen Patnaik and Congress Bhaktahari Mahatab’s are campaigning.

The Rs 1000-crore Sub Inspector Recruitment Scam in Odisha seems to have put the former chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his party, Biju Janata Dal on the backfoot. The mastermind Shankar Prusty (32), who is the leader of a syndicate involved in leaking the SI recruitment question papers, has been arrested by the Odisha state crime branch near Nepal border. Brought back to Bhubaneswar he is singing like a canary. According to him “this scam is worth at least Rs 1,000 crore” So far, BJD has denied any connection with this scam. However, the BJP terms BJD’s denial saying “chor machaye shor”. BJP says the contract for the recruitment process was signed during Patnaik’s tenure. But, the general public is asking what prevented BJP which was making big changes in the state to deep dive into Sub-Inspector recruitment issues and procedures immediately when they came to power? So far, the initial investigation report however  says the scamsters collected original certificates and blank cheques from aspirants in exchange of leaked papers, wherein the aspirants were charged Rs 20-25 lakh per candidate. The main accused Prusty has been interrogated in the presence of Munna Mohanty, his close associate to unravel the truth. Sources say both Mohanty and Prusty had reportedly amassed significant assets through recruitment scam. The SI scam gained further momentum after the arrest of Odisha’s Silicon Tech owner Suresh Chandra Nayak.

The electoral rolls for the forthcoming local self-government elections in Maharashtra will be updated up till two days before the elections. Since the state election commission is not equipped to delete duplicate names in the electoral rolls, it has devised a completely new system to identify and pinpoint duplication and try to nip instances of duplicate voting in multiple constituencies by voters. Maharashtra’s electoral department has been at the receiving end with complaints of large-scale duplications and discrepancies in electoral rolls by almost all political parties including the ruling BJP. There have been shocking claims of 127 names listed against the official address of the commissioner of the Navi Mumbai municipal corporation and also voter’s address registered as a public toilet block. Incidentally, the recent parliamentary and assembly elections were held with these discrepancies in the electoral rolls and the EC hopes that this new affidavit system will hopefully prevent the corrupt practice of voting duplication. There has been open admission of grave mistakes in rolls. Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad had also claimed that there were over a lakh bogus-voters in his home constituency including 20,000 bogus voters which had not been deleted despite official complaints. Ruling party legislators like Vilas Bhumre had boasted from political dais about how they managed to get the winning edge thanks to voters being brought in from outside their constituency. The Opposition parties had been demanding that local polls be postponed and held only after cleaning up the electoral rolls. However, the state election department has chosen to go ahead with their schedule and stick to the Supreme Court deadline of January, 2026.

The Tata-Shapoorji Pallonji corporate saga 2.0 cost Mehli Mistry, a confidant of late Ratan Tata, twin seats at the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Sir Ratan Tata Trust as board member exposing corporate India’s disruptive ruthlessness. “Morality, friendship, ethics, middle-class values hold no seat at India Inc’s boardrooms particularly, its upper echelons. Power and ego rules. Familial ties notwithstanding, Tata-SP’s corporate saga 1.0 witnessed Cyrus Mistry’s removal from Tata Sons by Ratan Tata himself. Now 2.0 bears witness to Mehli Mistry being deboarded by Tata’s brother Noel, with concurrence by his own fast, thick buddy as well, to likely be followed by more boardroom exits. Cash-strapped SP engaged in bid to marginally dilute rightful stake of 18.37% in Tata Sons, nudged for public listing, thus far stymied since the late Ratan Tata’s reign. Another source noted, “Ambiguity between charitable vs business operations of Tata group companies needs clarified settlement. Mistry may not legally challenge removal over prolonged litigation involved as PM Modi’s advice for stability, communicated through Amit Shah, may see Noel Tata assume topnotch positioning, clear authority making shareholders breathe easy. Probability of a happy ending for both prominent stakeholders – Tatas and SP – is on the cards.  One thing is clear: decisions by consensus on Tata boards are a thing of the past. With Noel Tata’s ascension, one can expect more changes at the boardroom level.  

There was a hue and cry when Sarfaraz Khan was not picked in the India ‘A’ squad for matches against South Africa ‘A’. The Mumbai right-hander displayed a fierce determination to prove his class in Test matches against England and the first Test against New Zealand at home in 2024. The doughty middle order from Mumbai cut loose to make a brilliant 150 against fast bowlers Tim Southee, Matt Henry and William O’Rourke in the second innings of the first Test in Bengaluru. But in Pune and Mumbai, he, like majority of the Indian batters, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, did not have answers to ward off the left-arm spinners Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel. Khan was tried in the India middle order after Rajat Patidar failed to get going against England. The selection committee picked him for the tour of Australia where India played five Tests for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The team played left-hander Devdutt Padikkal in the first Test in Perth, but Khan warmed the bench in all five Tests. Unfortunately, he was dropped for the five-Test series in England where the selection committee played Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan. For no rhyme or reason Khan was dropped from the squad itself. Left in the lurch, Khan suffered further when he hurt his quadriceps in Chennai and did not return to play competitive cricket until the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. Batting at No 6 and 5, he has not set the tournament on fire. Should he not bat at No 3 is what the critics are asking. As the Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur said, not being considered for the India ‘A’ team should not be seen as a setback to Khan’s career!