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In the wake of escalating face-off between the Chennai-based Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) and its American partner AGCO over the ownership rights of Massey Ferguson in India, a two-member bench of the Madras High Court has stepped in to direct the warring parties to “maintain status quo until the original applications are heard and disposed of by the learned single judge. “For avoidance of doubt, we hasten to add that the observations made herein are tentative and solely intended for the purpose of disposing of these appeals. We have not delved much into the various rival submissions. All rights and contentions are kept open,” the two-member bench said in its order on Monday. The relationship between TAFE, an Amalgamation group company, and AGCO Corporation of the U.S. hit a nasty bump in April last when the AGCO management terminated commercial agreements -– including the one on licensing the Massey Ferguson brand — with TAFE. The Chennai firm quickly got a stay on this from a commercial court. When AGCO subsequently confirmed the termination, TAFE filed a contempt petition in the Chennai commercial court. Separately, TAFE also moved the Madras High Court, asserting its ownership right to Massey Ferguson brand. TAFE had got a favourable interim order from the Madras High Court. TAFE had filed a civil suit before the Madras High Court against Massey Ferguson Corporation, a subsidiary of AGCO, claiming that the said trademarks are distinctive of TAFE in India and exclusively owned by it. It had sought the Madras High Court to declare that TAFE owns the Massey Ferguson brand/trademarks in India. With the HC bench asking both parties to maintain status quo, all eyes are on the upcoming proceeding before the single judge. It is “advantage TAFE” at the moment, however.
With only 12 days remaining for the BCCI Secretary Jay Shah to take charge as independent chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), clarity has not emerged as to who would perform the duties of the Secretary from December 1, 2024. First and foremost, election has not been called for the post, and this could be because the BCCI Constitution has adequate provisions for its Joint Secretary to perform the Secretary’s duties. The BCCI Constitution says: “The President shall, in the event of a vacancy or indisposition of an office bearer, delegate the functions to another office-bearer until the vacancy is duly filled up, or the indisposition ceases.” In this case the BCCI President Roger Binny has the right to assign duties to any other office-bearer. Shah who has been the Secretary from 2019 may be allowed a grace period to hand over the work to someone else. Next week is going to be hectic for the ICC to take a call on the format and venues of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (Feb-Mar) because the BCCI has conveyed to the ICC that India will not travel to Pakistan. The BCCI, nay Jay Shah, would like to see a finality to the Champions Trophy issue, in particular where India will play before he takes charge of the ICC. If the Champions Trophy has to take place, the Pakistan Cricket Board has to accept a hybrid model with one group (with India in it) playing league matches, most likely in Dubai and keeping the venue of the semi-finals and final, open. The PCB may not be in a position to lose the hosting rights and thereby with it a fee of around $ 70 million!
The ‘Satta Bazaar’ is betting down (dampened market sentiments) over Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) forming Maharashtra’s next government. A market player says, “Punters have never been wrong before. Dampened stock market spirits indicate the Mahayuti Alliance is unlikely to win notwithstanding sops galore unleashed by CM Eknath Shinde.” Differing with market pundits, BJP says, “Markets crashed after Foreign Portfolio Investors withdrew Rs 1.25 lakh crore in October (out of total Rs 71 lakh crore total stock investments in India) seeking better pastures after China announced stimulus. FPIs sold Rs 8700 crore stocks in April, Rs 25,600 crore in May then bought Rs 26,600 crore worth in June, Rs 32, 400 crore in July, Rs 7300 crore in August and Rs 57,700 crore in September before the big sell off in October. Already overleveraged NSE slumped, the subdued corporate sector quarterly results after much hype triggered a profit-booking mindset among investors.” Donald Trump’s ascendancy as the next U.S. president (previous tenure witnessed negative bias towards precious metals) bodes badly setting price corrections of gold and silver even as the U.S. dollar firms up, adding to Indian stock market woes. The BJP leader adds, “Maharashtra contributes around 14% to India’s GDP but even when MVA ruled for 2.5 years Modi-nomics ensured high buoyancy on Indian bourses despite stalling of bullet train project, Rs 14,000 crore cost escalation of Metro project.” The market punter, however, cites India’s financial capital Mumbai in Maharashtra that ensures most Indian business gravitates around the state while explaining the gloomy market mood over MVA’s likely win. November 23 will reveal the truth when the political bets are finally called out.
In a massive setback to AAP, Delhi’s transport minister and Jat leader Kailash Gahlot resigned from the party, citing “grave challenges” and “awkward” controversies in a letter to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal months ahead of Delhi Assembly polls. He has joined the BJP. Gahlot’s exit is well timed in the sense that it comes days before Maharashtra goes to polls. AAP, an INDIA Bloc partner that has no stake in the state polls. But it must be said Gahlot’s exit was something that was in the works for some time now. It is believed that the seeds of discord between Gahlot and the AAP leadership were sown on August 15 over unfurling the national flag during the Delhi Govt’s I-Day celebrations. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who was in jail on charges linked to the alleged liquor policy scam, had wanted Education Minister Atishi to unfurl the flag. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena however felt Gahlot was more suitable for the job as he held the Home Department. Meanwhile, Kejriwal indicated that Gahlot had quit as he was under pressure from the ED and IT. In his resignation letter, Gahlot pointed to how “Political ambitions have overtaken our commitment towards people, leaving many promises unfulfilled”. In an apparent swipe at Kejriwal, he referred to “many embarrassing and awkward controversies like the “Sheeshmahal” — a term used by the BJP to refer to the CM’s residence renovated during Kejriwal’s term costing the exchequer Rs 45 crore.
A major controversy has erupted in Tollywood as over 233 directors from films, TV and independent media have filed a defamation suit against Swarup Biswas, president of the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India. The Rs 23-crore lawsuit follows Biswas’s contentious remarks alleging rampant sexual harassment in the film industry, with 60% of complaints purportedly against directors and producer-directors. The hearing will take place on January 10. Swarup, the younger brother of Aroop Biswas, Bengal’s Power and Housing Minister and a close aide of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, finds himself at the centre of an unprecedented protest by Tollywood’s creative community. This is, perhaps, the first time that Tollywood has publicly challenged the Federation. Directors and producers have also criticized what they call “red-tapism” and “arbitrary demands” imposed by the Federation, including its control over unit sizes, pay scales, working hours, and technician selection. At the Eastern India Motion Picture Association’s (EIMPA) recent AGM, Swarup Biswas proposed that producers deposit Rs 5 lakh each as security to ensure timely technician payments, citing Rs 50 lakh in pending dues. Producers have outright rejected the demand, questioning the Federation’s accountability and EIMPA’s silence on the matter. Veteran actor-director Aparna Sen has publicly questioned Swarup Biswas’s credentials, asking for proof of his contributions to the industry. Biswas holds an assistant director’s card, which is reportedly issued only to those involved in at least two films. Actor-politician Roopa Ganguly also criticized the Federation, accusing it of politicizing the industry and questioning why filmmakers often seek the CM’s intervention during crises.
If rising onion prices decided the election outcome in many states some decades ago, falling soybean prices could impact the outcome in around 70 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra. Hence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, representing two ends of the political spectrum, are found promising farmers of much higher rates, but only after they are elected on 20 November. The sensitive constituencies are spread in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, where cotton and soybean are the main cash crops. The current market rate of Rs 4000 per quintal is unacceptable to the growers though they have no choice but to sell the produce as it can’t be stored for long. The MSP is Rs 4800 but not enough stocks are lifted by the machinery. The ruling saffron alliance has been promising better tariffs. The government hiked the soybean import duty in a bid to jack up the prices but the hike was of only around Rs 400, still leaving a gap of the same amount. Sensing the distress and the government’s inability to make any major announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has promised Rs 6000 per quintal of the legume. To go a step further, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has pledged to pay Rs 7000. Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has also joined the chorus. The two regions had by and large supported the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi during the Lok Sabha election. Hence, Mahayuti leaders are wary of saying anything that can dampen their prospects.
Are the re-runs slowly becoming a revenue model both for producers and exhibitors who have been grappling to bring back the audiences to cinema halls? Diwali turned out to be decent but then again we are gone back to re-release of films. Shah Rukh Khan’s Veer Zara re-release has been appreciated. Rakesh Roshan plans a re-release of Karan Arjun with a huge number of screens after 30 years of its release. This again has Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan coming together for the first time on screen. SRK’s Kal Ho Naa Ho and Pardes too are re-releasing in cinemas. Those in the trade feel that re-release of Tumbbad, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein and Laila Majnu have given courage to producers to cash on re-runs. The re-runs have stirred both excitement and curiosity. Traditionally, re-releases were reserved for timeless classics, but now more recent films are being revived, prompting questions: Is this trend purely nostalgic, or is there a deeper strategy at play? According to Trade Analyst Saurabh Varma, the re-release phenomenon is benefiting the cinema industry in multiple ways. For producers, re-releasing films is a cost-effective option. The marketing and distribution expenses are far lower than for new releases. Re-releases tap into the large fan bases of iconic films, giving long-time fans a chance to relive their favourite stories on the big screen. Furthermore, these revivals provide a unique opportunity for younger viewers who may have missed these films during their initial release. The combination of nostalgia and iconic music resonates deeply with audiences.
It’s a drivetrain solution provider for windmills and industry applications. Every one out of three drive train products installed across the globe bears the brand name of this one. Truly, this German major has traversed quite a long way and undergone a major metamorphosis in the process. One-and-a-quarter-century-old Bocholt-headquartered Flender has significant presence in India. Not surprisingly, the top management team of Flender was in Chennai a few days ago. The presence of the top honchos was more to reiterate the commitment of Flender to India. After all, it has been in India since 1961. It now has three production sites — one each at Kharagpur (WB), Chennai (TN) and Walajabad (TN). Around 10% of its nearly 9,000 skilled personnel across the globe are housed in India. And, it has been putting more money into this country since 2020. Why not? For one, India is the right choice for all those who are looking for the China Plus One option in the post-Covid era. For another, the focus world-over is now increasingly on sustainable development. The robust ecosystem — the presence of assorted turbine makers and a well-evolved supply chain — according to its India CEO Vinod Shetty, is ideal suited for Flender to aspire for a bigger role in driving energy transition in the country. Indeed, Flender is quietly expanding its India operations for a bigger role in its global game plan.
Tamil film producers and their financial backers are now rethinking this model — big money, big stars, big projects but no guarantee that it will reap profits. So the new strategy…safe and secure than spend thrift and sorry. Can small budget films do big business? A resounding yes to three of 2024s baby budget films that warmed the cockles of producers’ hearts. Three films of this year, Lover, Lubber Pandhu and Vaazhai have pulled in amazing profits and massive margins. Lover’s budget was a mere Rs 5 crore, and plus other expenses added the total cost to Rs 6 crore. Hold your breath! It made a profit of Rs 13 crore. But Lubber Pandhu (Rubber Ball), a title that would have gone unnoticed, made the biggest rake in for Prince Pictures who earned Rs 35 crore in TN gross alone — 300% profit. Vaazhai was no sneeze over either…it brought Rs 12 crore profits in TN. Film making costs and exhibition/promo expenses can zoom up dangerously, and after paying the incredible star salaries, if the film’s overflow is modest, stakeholders have no insurance cover to fall back on. Small is big is fast becoming the new open sesame for Kollywood to stay safe.
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar finds commonality between Vote Jihad and a particular section of the people voting for the BJP. Explaining his stand, the NCP founder said it was seen in Pune that the BJP was consistently supported by a certain segment (read Brahmin) in some areas. We expect this to happen though don’t call it Vote Jihad, he remarked. According to Pawar, if such voting patterns happen, it is the right of every community to vote as per its choice. He again charged that deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had raised the issue of Vote Jihad. Pawar’s jab was directed at those specific areas of Pune where Brahmin population is dominant and mostly BJP candidates are elected from such localities. Time and again, Pawar has been accused of creating the bogey of caste with an eye on electoral gains by engineering a rift between sections of the electorate. In support of his contention, Pawar said slogans like ‘batenge toh katenge also fall in the same category as they have a communal shade. He alleged that the issue has been cropped up by the ruling dispensation as it is desperate at the bleak prospect in the assembly election, after the Lok Sabha rout. Fadanvis had condemned the Vote Jihad philosophy after cleric Sajjan Nomani released a list of the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates and asked the Muslims to vote for them.
Cricketer turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has launched a tirade against his own party’s government in Punjab. He is demanding a fair investigation by a new SIT into a sacrilege case and has also accused the state Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, of colluding with the Shiromani Akali Dal that was in power then. The case refers to the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib by miscreants and the subsequent police shooting on those protesting the desecration. There are other Congress leaders Sunil Jakhar and Hinder Randhawa who are also upset. But the insiders suggest that the Punjab farmers are not happy with the state leadership and it would affect the party’s prospects in the coming state elections. The farmers seem to be tilting towards the AAP party in Punjab. The grapevine indicates that AAP party leadership is considering Sidhu as its next CM candidate in Punjab and Bhagwant Maan, AAP MP has consented for the same. No wonder Captain Singh has already roped in Prashant Kishor to strategize to overcome anti-incumbency factor, farmer’s negative sentiments and work for his return to power! But Kishor after steering Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin to victory has quit the election management business. It needs to be seen whether he will fulfil the contract with Captain. Sidhu joined BJP in 2004 and won two assembly elections from Amritsar. In April 2016 BJP nominated him to Rajya Sabha but he was disillusioned with BJP and resigned in July 2016. In 2017 he joined the Indian National Congress.
It was harakiri everybody thought when political strategist Prashant Kishor stuck his neck out, saying if BJP crosses 100 seats in West Bengal he will quit his business. He was bang on. BJP won 77 seats. Suvendu Adhikari said he will defeat Mamata Banerjee in his pocket borough Nandigram. He did it, by 1,956 votes. But, others starting with BJP, TMC, bookies, political pundits, pollsters and Journalists seem to have got the whole sum – numbers and strategy — wrong. Now, people are saying, “I told you” Muslims and women voted for Didi. In the case of BJP, spokesperson Amit Malviya tweeted: “The BJP in Bengal, when it set itself a target of 200, displayed audacity of ambition….” Ambition is good but there certainly was disconnect with hoi polloi. TMC, on its part, was unnerved with their MLAs, party workers quitting in droves and joining BJP (though most of them lost the elections). Worried by BJP’s juggernaut, Didi started chanting chandi path and doing temple rounds to appease Hindu voters. And also appealed to Muslims to consolidate (that led to the Election Commission of India barring the Chief Minister from campaigning for 24 hours). In the end, TMC much to everybody’s surprise won 213 seats against 211 in the 2016 assembly elections. It was a similar feat BJP did in 2019 Lok Sabha polls when it won 303 seats while market intelligence was talking about 160 seats. In 2014 BJP had won 282 seats. Clearly, the story that comes loud and clear is: one strategy fits all does not always work. Corruption may not prove to be an issue sometime, whereas at times the idea to leverage religion can backfire.
Dr Ali Bacher, former Cricket South Africa boss, is concerned with the pandemic situation in India. Seeing visuals at his Johannesburg home on CNN has saddened him. He is happy that the BCCI has suspended the IPL Season 14 after a few more players tested positive to Covid-19. “The BCCI could have held the IPL 2021 in abeyance because of the grim Covid situation across India. Can you imagine the outcry if one of the players, umpires, coaches and administrators had died of the virus? That could have happened and could still happen if the IPL had run its full course. How can you continue playing in New Delhi, one of the venues for the IPL, where people are dying like flies out there. The fact is players have been affected now and the BCCI and IPL have been compelled to suspend it. I watch IPL matches when South African players are involved. On the positive side, I had seen some extraordinary cricket and cricketers in the league,” Dr Bacher said after being informed of the BCCI decision. Dr Bacher — he holds a degree in medicine — is hailed as captain of the South African team that trounced Australia in 1970 and administrator extraordinaire who presided over the Rainbow Nation’s return to mainstream cricket in the early 1990s — after a 20-year ban from international cricket for two decades because of the country’s apartheid policy. He is also widely applauded for managing the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. “We won all four Tests decisively. Some cricket experts believe that team was probably the strongest team South Africa has ever had. In that team were greats like Graeme and Peter Pollock, Barry Richards and Mike Procter,” said Dr Bacher.
Film stars no longer are a magnetic pull in electoral politics. Tamil Nadu is a standing example in the just decided election that this polity has moved on to more substantive qualifications for political office. Ulaga Nayakan (global hero), Kamalhaasan, with his party symbol Torchlight, lost to BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan. Cinema options too are hard to come by as he tried to keep both pots cooking. Khushboo lost from the Thousand Lights constituency, despite standing for the minorities on the BJP symbol. Seeman, a loquacious crowd puller film director has left his filmi image far behind as the leader of Naam Thamizhar Katchi. Did Rajni have a crystal ball to foresee such rout? His pulling out of the race when so many parties wooed his superstar crowd pulling charisma, seems truly wise, even portentive. Actor Vijay, the second rung superstar and his father, Director SA Chandrasekhar recently had public spats over the launching of Brand Vijay as a political entity. Vijay ruthlessly put a gag order on his Dad and fans. Is Vijay the second wise interpreter of maladies? Fast rising stars Vijay Sethupati and Sivakarthikeyan may be tempted, but they can clearly sight the trend. Better to make hay while the sun shines in the cinema. Only Udhayanidhi Stalin, hero-cum- scion, stood and won with over a lakh of votes, a bigger margin than Dad and a foregone verdict as the DMK juggernaut rolled through on th
The fat lady has already cleared her throat, and in full flowing lung power, has started singing. The two most awaited election results have turned out to be ….well, a whack in the solar plexus for the establishment. “It is not that I love Brutus less, but that I love Rome more.” Mamata Banerjee, despite a BJP juggernaut trying to flatten her, has shown her grit and staying power. Bengal has proved that the minorities are clearly signalling their insecurity: isn’t this what the BJP was supposed to address? Correct fake electoral rolls, and bring a sense of security? Despite that colossus, Jayalalithaa’s yawning void, an intrepid farmer, Edappadi Palanisami managed to keep Tamil Nadu going for the full term. Actually, surprising with his tenacity. An almost grudging admiration for his true grit crept in. Say the talking heads and wagging tongues: “Without the baggage of the BJP and PMK, he would have fared much better, he almost made it.” As they say, “tell me who your friends are, I will tell you who you are.” Again, the Tamilian knew exactly where to draw the line: our Tamilian identity and heritage are dear to us, we will not tolerate tampering with what we have built. In all this, the Sutradaar of these two strong comebacks is seen as the real hero: PK, Prashant Kishor, who scripted this telling victory for two of the most vocal leaders – MK Stalin and Mamata. No wonder that political punters are betting big on PK starting his own outfit, a pan national monolith to represent the aspirations of our youth, impatiently wanting to change a flawed legacy of 70 odd years.
Long before the exit polls began pointing universally to DMK storming back to power in Tamil Nadu, the party chief was closeted with his family in the hills when Stalin’s family members discussed in detail which posts would go to whom once the results came. Now, the dilemma facing the Chief Minister designate MK Stalin is whether to accommodate his son Udhayanidhi in his Cabinet. The authenticity of a WhatsApp message on Stalin’s Cabinet which began doing the rounds early on Monday (May 3) — with a post pencilled in for Udhyanidhi (B Com) as Minister for Municipal Administration, Rural Development, etc — is not known, but it does contain a message about the ‘Young Turk’ of DMK. Udhayanidhi was the firebrand campaigner who took on Narendra Modi and Amit Shah of BJP in all his speeches, questioning them and daring them on many issues. He can’t be kept out of the Cabinet now though he is only 44. As a DMK historian said, “His grandfather became CM at the age of 44. Where is the question of him not being in the Cabinet?” That leaves the question of Kanimozhi being asked to join the Cabinet as someone who has become very popular in the south as the MP from Thoothukudi. But, in view of staving off any talk of family bias, Stalin might skip including his half-sister right now. The focus is on first accommodating Udhayanidhi.
The steel industry is looking up and the domestic HRC prices rising by Rs 7,000 per tonne in April 2021 (they are trading at Rs 12,500 per tonne discounted to Japan landed prices) implies more head-room for price hikes. And, the PSU-run Steel Authority of India (SAIL) is in for a giant leap. According to a source, it has planned an aggressive expansion plan. The company’s plans were delayed by more than 10 years now, and were hurting its balance sheet. Not surprisingly, its net gearing increased from 0.04 times in 2010-11 to 1.35 times in 2019-20. With SAIL allowed to sell iron ore and, with most of its capex set to commission in 2021-22E, the source expects operating leverage to drive operating profit (EBIDTA) growth. One would recall that, way back in 2003-04, SAIL had launched its corporate plan for expansion and modernisation of existing facilities, aiming to increase its hot metal capacity from 12.7 tpa in 2003-04 to 20 tpa in 2011-12. In 2006-07, the plan was modified to target hot metal production of 25 tpa by 2009-10. As of now, SAIL has a capacity of 21 million tpa and its expansion cum modernisation plan is still ongoing. Also, in the past 10 years, projects have seen moving timelines. And, all this has affected SAIL’s balance sheet negatively.
Inderjeet Singh Johar, popularly known in Bollywood as IS Johar, was a versatile actor, writer, producer, and director. His talent took him to Hollywood where he acted in movies like Lawrence Of Arabia, Death On The Nile. But, for a man who made it big in Bollywood, he was deeply disturbed by the 1947 Partition as he was born in Talagang in Punjab in British India (which became a part of newly created Pakistan). The rape, murder of lakhs of Hindus shook him very badly. He felt such violence could be done by only those who have lost faith in God. So, he went to his mentor S Mukerji to make a film on a subject that could restore people’s faith in God. Mukerji read Johar’s script and told him, if you want to appeal to the masses then tweak the script; don’t take the problem head on but do it subtly. Heeding to his mentor’s advice, Johar rewrote the script and directed the film. Nastik, produced by S Mukerji (Filmistan) in 1954, is a film set against the backdrop of Partition with its ensuing riots and violence, and using actual footage of refugees. The movie was phenomenally successful at the box office and completed Golden Jubilee. Even today it is known for its “immortal” song Dekh Tere Sansar Ki Haalat Kya Ho Gayi Bhagwan, Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan. Married five times, Johar died in 1984 at the age of 64.
The famous cricket brain may have fired back to life a little slowly but its functions are intact. A diving MS Dhoni spilling a catch might have brought the first signs that age is not just a number when it comes to alacrity on the cricket field. But wisdom is still a much needed commodity as we saw in many instances as CSK are up and running again and leading the IPL table this time. The first audible signs of Dhoni’s intellect came when he told Jadeja to let it rip as a replaced ball would be dry and would turn. Having been just hit for six and taking a ball the umpires gave from the “used” box, Jadeja got one to turn and bowled a batsman. Soon, advice not to worry about getting hit and let the ball spin helped the all-rounder again as Dhoni told him to keep his spirits up and Jadeja at once foxed Glenn Maxwell to bowl him. Asked as to how CSK was firing on all cylinders again after the UAE flop show last season, Dhoni said there were a lot of factors and explained a few about how the lockdown without cricket had affected them last time and how CSK were better prepared for this edition of IPL. There is just no substitute for Captain Cool’s cerebral presence on the cricket field.
The guessing game ‘will it or won’t it survive’ continues in Maharashtra. The twitterati is on overdrive, “Wait for June”, their tweets say. But, everybody from political analysts to man on the street, are saying that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) cart is being pulled in different directions by the three parties – Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. Everyday there is some proof of that. A case in point being Maharashtra’s Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik hogging publicity by saying that the State will provide free vaccines for people in the 18-45-year age bracket. Congress party was peeved. Its leader and state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the decision on a free vaccine should be announced by the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Likewise, Aaditya Thackeray had tweeted: “The Govt of Maharashtra has decided to vaccinate its citizens free of cost….” Realising he had jumped the gun, he deleted his tweet quickly. On the other front, Sharad Pawar, who has been vocal and active since the formation of the MVA government, has been maintaining studied silence for the last one month on various events that has engulfed the state – Vazegate, Lockdown and CBI raids on former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. One reason could be his health problem. He was flitting in and out of Breach Candy hospital. Be that as it may but political observers are reading too much into his so-called meeting with Amit Shah in Ahmedabad in March. Political observers say that the Congress and the NCP are quietly going about building their party’s image. On the other side, former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is in full flow; doing everything to ensure he is back in the CM’s saddle. Hope it is not the case of Waiting for Godot!
The guessing game ‘will it or won’t it survive’ continues in Maharashtra. The twitterati is on overdrive, “Wait for June”, their tweets say. But, everybody from political analysts to man on the street, are saying that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) cart is being pulled in different directions by the three parties – Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. Everyday there is some proof of that. A case in point being Maharashtra’s Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik hogging publicity by saying that the State will provide free vaccines for people in the 18-45-year age bracket. Congress party was peeved. Its leader and state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the decision on a free vaccine should be announced by the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Likewise, Aaditya Thackeray had tweeted: “The Govt of Maharashtra has decided to vaccinate its citizens free of cost….” Realising he had jumped the gun, he deleted his tweet quickly. On the other front, Sharad Pawar, who has been vocal and active since the formation of the MVA government, has been maintaining studied silence for the last one month on various events that has engulfed the state – Vazegate, Lockdown and CBI raids on former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. One reason could be his health problem. He was flitting in and out of Breach Candy hospital. Be that as it may but political observers are reading too much into his so-called meeting with Amit Shah in Ahmedabad in March. Political observers say that the Congress and the NCP are quietly going about building their party’s image. On the other side, former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is in full flow; doing everything to ensure he is back in the CM’s saddle. Hope it is not the case of Waiting for Godot!
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.