The next BJP chief could be announced within a fortnight, sources have indicated, citing that the organisational elections of the party have been completed in 12 states. Sources said the party’s national president was likely to be announced before March 15 or Holi. For the election of the BJP president, organisational elections in 50% of the states is a must. Before that, elections are held for booth, mandal, and district levels. Currently, elections in only 12 of 36 states are complete. So, elections for unit chiefs in at least six more states are needed. The BJP is fast-tracking the process in states that are due for assembly elections next year — Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat. Incumbent BJP chief JP Nadda was unanimously elected the BJP national president, and took over from current Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2020. His tenure was extended until June 2024 in view of the Lok Sabha election. A number of names have been doing the rounds. While everyone thought it would be someone from the OBC community like Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan or Bhupinder Yadav, UP deputy CM Keshav Maurya was also seen pushing his case. However, post-Maha Kumbh and   with UP assembly elections down the road, it seemed unwise to disturb power equations with CM Yogi. Party sources made it clear that the next chief would have to be from the north and most likely with a strong organisational background. All this indicates that the next chief was likely to be Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar– a two-term Haryana CM, who by the way speaks Tamil (TN CM Stalin may note). He leads the race as he enjoys PM Modi’s trust. Just as Nadda did.

In a high-stakes display of political manoeuvring, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee took center stage in a highly anticipated party meeting, reaffirming her command over the party. With the 2026 State Assembly election looming, Mamata made it clear that her party will come back to power with resounding victory for the fourth term garnering over 215 seats. All eyes were on the long-anticipated reunion between Didi and her nephew, TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. After months of speculation about internal rifts, their joint appearance was meant to silence whispers of discord. Abhishek, who had been conspicuously absent from key party affairs. So, Mamata’s strategic decision to place him as just a member of the critical 35-member voter list review committee—led by state president Subrata Bakshi—raised eyebrows. Adding to the intrigue, four relatively new MPs—Yusuf Pathan, Sagarika Ghosh, Kirti Azad, and Shatabdi Roy—were given speaking slots ahead of Abhishek, breaking the usual tradition where he directly precedes Didi at party events. The move hinted at a recalibration of hierarchy within the party, reinforcing Mamata’s supreme authority. Equally significant was Mamata’s shifting stance on I-PAC, the political consultancy firm long associated with Abhishek’s camp. Once wary of its influence, she had earlier instructed party members to withhold information from its representatives, leading to speculation that she was distancing herself from Abhishek’s strategies. However, recent meetings between Mamata and I-PAC’s current head, Pratik Jain, have reversed this perception. She has now warned against speaking negatively about the firm, a move seen by many as a sign of reconciliation—or at least, strategic necessity—in the run-up to 2026.

Fast food and instant gratification are the mainstays of the millennium. Experience, long gestations and political staying power are now passé. That is if you believe South’s hero in a hurry. Superstar Vijay put his party’s (TVK) second anniversary celebrations in cheeky overdrive and stupendous overconfidence. The event held at a resort in Pooncheri near Mahaabs had all the film features of a runaway hit film…pageantry, crowds of party cadres, money spent unstintingly and of course undiluted devotion to Vijay. If TVK had their way, Vijay was already TN’s CM-designate. With so much intoxication of electoral popularity stemming from film star power, Prashant Kishor who seamlessly moved in as poll Bhishma, had to perforce prop himself and his invincibility. So, what was PK’s role? In his own words, “I have come here as Vijay’s friend …TVK’s victory need not be attributed to me. I see this new star on the horizon zooming to his goal”. Soon, many of you may be in positions of power. But TN badly needs a striking change from its 35-year history, even though it is the leader in many development indices. But it also leads to corruption, could face religious and culture conflicts if this dynastic succession goes on. The PK punch came now…Just watch, I may be more celebrated than Dhoni when TVK comes to power. TN has to wait and watch for the hustings.

One more season of the highly popular Indian Premier League (IPL) is just around the corner. Post the auction some time ago, every team will take up the field with a reorganised bunch of players. The excitement around IPL has already begun to pick up. Like in the past, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni factor is still adding additional flavour to the entire tournament. Though he is not the skipper, Dhoni is firmly in the cockpit guiding the CSK (Chennai Super Kings). This time around, all eyes are all the more on Dhoni. The reasons aren’t far to seek. For one, the CSK czar N Srinivasan is pushing past 80. For another, the CSK is now completely disconnected from The India Cements Ltd (ICL) now that the Birla-owned UltraTech Cement has taken it over. Indeed, much water has flown under the bridge since the last IPL season. As CSK is stepping into a new IPL year, quite a guessing game is already on as to the road ahead for the darling team of cricket fans. Significantly enough, CSK has now been courted by one of the oldest private sector banks in Tamil Nadu, City Union Bank. These two well-known brands in this part of the world — one a classical and the other a contemporary — have come together to facilitate the launch of a co-branded credit card.  Surely, that must be a win-win for both these iconic brands from Tamil Nadu. Sports, banking and technology could prove to be a perfect amalgam to showcase the strength and foster the trust of these to lovable brands.

Vicky Kaushal starrer Chhavaa, on the life and tragic death of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, continues to make waves since its release in February. It’s a box office hit grossing over Rs 400 crore. This biopic has created a storm in Maharashtra over the role of certain individuals close to Sambhaji Maharaj and their involvement in his death by torture at the hands of Aurangazeb. One of the key figures in the debate is Kolhapur-based historian Indrajit Sawant. A statement by Sawant reportedly enraged certain sections in the state. The consequence is that Sawant received a death threat call and he filed a police complaint. The police in turn have embarked on a massive search operation to trace former journalist Prashant Koratkar of Nagpur since he has been named as the caller by Sawant. After publicly denying that he was not the person who had threatened the historian, Koratkar has disappeared. The Maharashtra police have extended the search into neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. His disappearance has raised several questions, including about the police efficiency. If Koratkar has been impersonated as he claims, why is he absconding? Similarly, although the police had been alerted about his alleged connection with the call, why was he allowed to run away, it is queried. The police only respond that different teams are tracing Koratkar.

The verbal war between the two Shiv Sena factions – Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray — is once again on with the prospects of the local body elections in Maharashtra. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition in the matter next week, again kindling the hopes that it will show a green signal for holding the civic elections, overdue for more than two years. As the exodus out of the Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray continues towards the faction under deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, the prospect of the election has prompted many hopefuls to change colour. Taking note of the damaging potential of such an eventuality, Uddhav has launched a scathing attack against his opponents. “Those taking a dip in the Ganga at Maha Kumbh are not going to be exonerated of their sin of taking tons of money,” he told his party workers on the occasion of the Marathi Divas. Hitting back, Shinde has challenged Uddhav to explain why he or Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did not visit the Kumbh if they claim that they are Hindus, too. The sudden tilt by Uddhav towards Hindutva is seen as a strategy to win back the vote bank, once a monopoly of the undivided Sena. Interestingly, the Congress and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar have maintained a stoic silence over the Maha Kumbh debate, isolating Uddhav in a way. The political churning in the state will become fierce after the Apex Court verdict is handed down.

The men in blue team looked like they were having fun at the ICC Cricket Academy ground …not far away from the Dubai International Stadium (DIS) where India beat Asian neighbours Bangladesh and Pakistan to qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy semi-finals. Rohit Sharma’s team knocked Pakistan out from the tournament and chose to rest for two days before a “hitting out parade” at the academy grounds on Mahashivratri day. After some fun play warm up with tennis ball, each and every batter starting with Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli and followed by the likes of Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and KL Rahul and the others sent the ball to challenge stratospheric layers making the people standing near the sightscreen run for cover! Close to a hundred towering shots would have been hit in the course of the two–hour plus power-batting session. A wagon wheel of the robust hitting would be interesting to see, but the intent shown by the batters confirmed that smashing small and big boundary shots have become the order in white ball cricket. Skipper Sharma was present at the venue, but his deputy Shubhman Gill was not. Troubled by a hamstring niggle — Sharma had said he was okay at the conclusion of the match against Pakistan — the India skipper did not pad up for the hitting parade. The big question is will Sharma risk playing the sort of a ‘dead rubber’ match against New Zealand this Sunday in order to rest his hamstring for six full days?

It has been a while since Rahul Gandhi and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor held a half-hour surprise meeting at 10 Janpath in Delhi. Believe it or not…it was Tharoor’s first meeting with Rahul since October 2022. The meeting on January 18 was so brief and breezy that Rahul and Tharoor left in a car from the back gate. It didn’t achieve its goal. Tharoor is back to warning the Congress that it can look forward to spending a third term in the Opposition post 2026 assembly elections in Kerala if “it does not expand its base”. But why is Tharoor so livid with the Congress leadership both in the state and Delhi — a party that gave him a political avatar? A hugely popular MP from Kerala capital, Tharoor apparently met Rahul basically to know if the AICC had any plans to name him the chief minister of Kerala. Adding to his discontent was his abrupt removal from the charge of the All India Professional Congress, which he had formed. Media reports suggest Rahul made it clear that the Congress does not have the tradition of picking a chief ministerial candidate before polls. The meeting came amid a political storm triggered by Tharoor’s remarks in an article, where he praised entrepreneurial progress under Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government in Kerala. Tharoor’s comment drew sharp criticism from within the Congress. But, it was welcomed by the ruling CPI(M); CM Vijayan hailed them as a boost to his government’s image. However, the Congress’ Kerala mouthpiece, Veekshanam Daily on February 17 severely attacked Tharoor without naming him. Tharoor also had to defend his praise for PM Modi post Trump meeting, saying he spoke with India’s interests in mind. Meanwhile, Congress leaders in Kerala now seem to cap fall-out of Tharoor controversy. PCC chief K Sudhakaran cautioned Tharoor from going public with his views as he was a CWC member. Another leader Ramesh Chennithala also felt the need to cap the controversy as local body elections...

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar’s intimate dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in New Delhi a couple of days ago has once again miffed the principal players in Maharashtra politics. Although their cosy relationship is well-known, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have been finding it difficult to decipher the hidden message, if any, behind the conversation between the two giants. Obviously rattled by the development, Sena (UBT) Sanjay Raut has wondered how Modi could sit beside a leader whom the PM had described as ‘a wandering spirit’ during the state assembly electioneering in November last. The Congress has preferred to maintain silence as its state leaders are aware of Pawar’s connection with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge and hence don’t wish to invite the ire of the high command by rubbing Pawar the wrong way. But Pawar’s detractors allege that Modi is appeasing Pawar since his NCP has eight Lok Sabha members and the ruling BJP at the Centre needs as much support as possible on the floor of the house. Pawar’s daughter and party MP Supirya Sule has defended the meeting, saying that both leaders are political masters and know what they are doing. Of late, Pawar has been pursuing his own policies, not caring about the possible fallout from the Congress or the Sena (UBT), the two Maha Vikas Aghadi partners. The Pawar-Modi dialogue has once again kicked off a guessing game. 

Days after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee made it public about her discussions with Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran of launching direct flights from Kolkata to Europe at the Bengal Global Business Summit comes the news that Kolkata is set to lose its Air India base. The airline, it seems, is withdrawing operations from the city, citing insufficient demand for business and first-class seats, a move reminiscent of British Airways’ exit 16 years ago. While economy class sees steady demand, the lack of high-paying passengers has made Kolkata an unviable base for Air India. From March 31, the airline’s flights will be replaced by Air India Express, the Tata Group’s low-cost subsidiary, which operates an all-economy-class model. Once a crucial hub for Indian Airlines, Kolkata’s role in Air India’s operations has gradually declined. Pilots stationed in the city must now either resign and join Air India Express or relocate. Of approximately 150 pilots, some have moved to IndiGo or shifted to other cities, while 50–60 have opted for Air India Express. Tata Group is repositioning Air India as an international brand, focusing premium operations on major hubs while shifting domestic routes to Air India Express. Similar transitions are expected in Chennai and Hyderabad. Industry experts argue that if the investments announced at the Bengal Global Business Summit materialises, then demand for premium-class travel may eventually rise. Currently, Air India operates 26 flights daily from Kolkata, all of which will cease after March 31.