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The rout of the AAP in Delhi assembly polls was best summed up by PM Modi on X: “Development wins, good governance triumphs. It is our guarantee that we will leave no stone unturned in improving the overall quality of life for the people and ensuring that Delhi has a prime role to play in building a Viksit Bharat”. For the BJP which rode to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years with 48 seats win on the basis of Modi’s guarantees, home minister Amit Shah’s hard work and the unstinted support of RSS network, the results were more or less on expected lines .The Congress which half-heartedly went into the electoral battle at the eleventh hour drew a blank for the third time. INDIA bloc partners like J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and Samajwadi Party were blaming the Congress for lack of unity in the Opposition alliance. A miffed Congress leader Jairam Ramesh insisted that “2025 Delhi Vidhan Sabha election results reflect nothing more than a referendum on Arvind Kejriwal and his 12 years of misrule.” and asserted that it was not a vindication of the policies of PM Modi as the AAP had decisively won in Delhi in 2015 and 2020 at the height of the PM’s popularity”. Clearly the Congress which propped up Kejriwal when he was short of numbers in 2013 after defeating Sheila Dikshit to keep out BJP is getting defensive. It is quite possible some of AAP’s top losers like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Saurabh Bharadwaj may have been spared the defeat if there had been a AAP-Congress alliance. BJP’s Parvesh Verma polled 30,088 votes against Kejriwal’s 25,999 while Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit polled 4568. Sisodia’s defeat by 600 odd votes was more stark. He had shifted his constituency from Patparganj to Jangpura to avoid defeat.
The Indian corporate world and the IPL team owners’ “big time” interest in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s nascent franchise league “The Hundred” has made a big splash. Initially the pessimists felt that the “The Hundred”, meaning a 100-ball competition for eight clubs would not be able to make an impact akin to the one made by the IPL which kicked off in 2008. After 17 years the IPL brand value is around $ 12 billion. The fact that three IPL team owners — Ambanis of Mumbai Indians (MI), Sanjiv Goenka of Lucknow SuperGiants (LSG) and the Marans of the Sunrisers Hyderabad have bought partial or full stake in the three clubs shows their respect for the game in the UK. Now the MI has 49% stake (60 million pounds) in the Oval Invincibles, the LSG has a 70% stake (81 million pounds) in the Manchester Originals and the Sunrisers have a 100% stake (100 million pounds) in Yorkshire’s Northern Superchargers. The Indian techie consortium of Adobe, Google and Microsoft has a 49% stake (145 million pounds) in the London Spirit team. And, finally the Washington DC based Sanjay Govil has a 49% stake (40 million pounds) in the Welsh Fire team. The ECB, which has sold its 49% stake in each of the eight teams, wants to deploy the money to assist struggling counties and grassroots development. Most of the IPL owners have cast their net wide owning teams in Twenty20 leagues in the Caribbean, South Africa, Middle East and the Major League Cricket in the USA. Their overwhelming interest in “The Hundred” is likely to make it the biggest one in the near future.
There has always been a great race among the Indian States to attract investors – global and local. So, it was not surprising to see West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee going all out to woo investors for the Bengal Global Business Summit held on February 5-6. Full page ads were splashed across all mainline and financial dailies for several days. With who’s who of the corporate world gracing the occasion, the Bengal government said it has signed investment proposals worth Rs 440,595 crore. Marketing maven Suhel Seth, tweeted, “you may disagree with her politics but no Chief Minister has tried so hard to garner investments into West Bengal as she has.” But BJP’s IT Head Amit Malviya was not so charitable. He wrote on X, Mamata Banerjee and her advisor, Dr. Amit Mitra, have once again launched their elaborate sham—the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS). This grand spectacle, filled with lofty claims and fraudulent promises, is designed to deceive Bengal’s population into believing in an illusion of economic revival. It is a mirage of prosperity, fuelled by exaggerated yet hollow proclamations of astronomical investments.” He asked: Why, despite promises of Rs 3.42 lakh crore in 2022 and Rs 3.76 lakh crore in 2023, have 98.82% and 97.21% of these investments, respectively, failed to materialize? Why is there a glaring absence of verifiable official data to substantiate the claims of a 50.27% implementation rate of investment proposals and the creation of 28 lakh jobs between 2015 and 2019? Why has Bengal received only 0.7% of the total FDI inflows—amounting to just ₹12,827 crore between October 2019 and June 2024…while Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka command 16%, 31%, and 21% of FDIs, respectively?
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s spree of making audacious allegations one after another is reaching new heights now, with his latest shocking claim. According to Raut, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is not shifting to the CM’s official residence ‘Varsha’ since during previous CM Eknath Shinde’s tenure, a he-buffalo’s horns had been interred in the premises of the bungalow. The horns were that of an animal sacrificed at Guwahati’s famous Kamakhya temple, Raut had said, adding that the ritual was performed to ensure that no Shinde successor should continue in CM office for long. Fadnavis has ridiculed the slur. He has clarified that he would continue at ‘Sagar’ bungalow as his only daughter’s 10th standard examination is due soon and that she has requested him to stay there till it is over. The family will shift afterwards, he has clarified. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has lambasted Raut for the insinuation, telling him that it was none of the MP’s business to ask such a question. Raut had also asserted that Fadnavis was not shifting to Varsha for fear of such a black magic. Raut’s reference to Kamakhya temple relates to the Shiv Sena’s split and a majority of Sena MLAs aligning with Shinde at Guwahati, where they went for a pooja at the temple. Raut is in the news for making a claim in the Rajya Sabha about the number of casualties at the ongoing Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj.
The re-release of Sanam Teri Kasam, a 2016 romantic drama starring debutants Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane,has been surrounded by an intriguing wave of drama and fanfare. Recently, a passionate group of fans gathered outside the office of producer Deepak Mukut, accompanied by actor Harshvardhan Rane, fervently urging him to re-release the film. In a surprising turn of events, Mukut not only confirmed the film’s re-release but also announced a sequel, generating significant buzz in the industry. Initially launched to lacklustre box office performance, Sanam Teri Kasam was deemed a disaster upon its first release. However, the film’s soundtrack, featuring hit songs, kept it alive in conversations, gradually transforming it into a cult favorite. Now, with its re-release across 400 to 500 screens, Sanam Teri Kasam finds itself in direct competition with two fresh titles: Loveyappa, starring Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor, and Himesh Reshammiya’s Badass Ravi Kumar. Interestingly, while both new films struggled to make a significant impact at the box office, Sanam Teri Kasam has shown promising advance bookings, leading many exhibitors to consider increasing its showtimes over the weekend. This resurgence is particularly noteworthy for a film that was initially dismissed, highlighting a curious trend in the industry where previously overlooked content receives a second chance. Adding to the irony, the film’s popular music was composed by Himesh Reshammiya, who is simultaneously competing with his own project, underscoring the unpredictable nature of audience preferences and the evolving landscape of Bollywood.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is set for an unprecedented 11-day visit to West Bengal from February 6 to 17, marking the longest stay of an RSS Sarsanghchalak in the state’s history. He will attend multiple programmes in Kolkata and Bardhaman, with two days reserved for the RSS’s top committee, the Akhil Bharatiya Toli’s meeting in Kolkata. Bhagwat’s extended stay comes amid reports of alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh, fuelling speculation about its timing. Some analysts believe his prolonged presence is linked to these developments. However, RSS spokespersons deny any connection, emphasizing that the Sarsanghchalak’s schedule is set annually and isn’t influenced by external events. They clarified that Bengal is divided into three organizational regions — North, Central, and South — and Bhagwat will focus on South and Central Bengal, not staying in one place continuously. RSS functionaries downplayed the significance of the high-level meeting in Kolkata, calling it a logistical decision aligned with Bhagwat’s tour. Political observers however remain sceptical, noting a three-day gap between his engagements in South Bengal (ending February 10) and Central Bengal (starting February 14). He could have attended the meeting at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur or Delhi before returning but instead chose to stay in Bengal. Sources close to the RSS suggest that developments in Bangladesh have significantly impacted public sentiment in Bengal. They believe Bhagwat’s extended stay will help shape strategic responses while strengthening the RSS’s influence in the state. The organization is expected to leverage prevailing sentiments to expand its outreach.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s repeated clarifications that he is not unhappy in the cabinet headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis have failed to stop the surge of speculations about his next move. The reason for such discussions is Shinde’s frequent absence from important state meetings. As a result, Shinde continues to generate suspense for the ruling coalition. The discussions revived after Shinde skipped a “war room” meeting held by Fadnavis to discuss some important schemes and projects. These included the departments like health, housing and water supply and sanitation under Sena ministers. Though Shinde failed to turn up, another deputy CM Ajit Pawar was present for the marathon meeting. Shinde had also cancelled some other official engagements and a cabinet meeting last week. Fadnavis has time and again tried to explain that there was no complication for his dispensation and that Shinde was working wholeheartedly with him. Shinde also has reiterated that he is not unhappy. “When I was the chief minister, Fadnavis worked under me. Now that he is the CM, I am working under him. For both of us, the interests of Maharashtra are paramount,” Shinde told the media. Despite this, certain signals from the BJP side are interpreted to be making Shinde uncomfortable. His supporters recall how he consented to join the Fadnavis cabinet at the eleventh hour, keeping the Mahayuti on tenterhooks. BJP strategists feel that Shinde will yield at a proper time.
Ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump next week, both the Houses of Parliament erupted in protest over the manner in which 104 illegal Indian immigrants from the U.S. landed in Amritsar in a U.S. military aircraft– shackled and restrained. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar sought to downplay the issue and said that such expulsions were routine. “It has been there for years. Hundreds of Indians have been deported annually, with figures ranging from 530 in 2012 to over 2,042 in 2019,” Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha. He pointed out that handcuffs were used on deportees since 2012. Asserting that it was “the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad”, he said efforts were being made to talk to deportees to track agents who sent them. The Opposition felt the government must stand up to the Trump Administration just as Columbia had done. “Why can we not fly back our citizens just as Columbia had done?” asked CPI(M) MP John Brittas. Colombia balked at the U.S. military flights and sent its own Air Force jet to pick up 110 deported Colombians. U.S. deportation flights are not new but the use of military flights is new, with the agency previously using commercial and chartered flights to deport people. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said while the U.S. may have a legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country, “but the manner in which it was done, in handcuffs, squeezed into a military aircraft, in such an abrupt manner, is not acceptable.” He pointed out how under the Biden administration last year, 1100 Indians were deported but there was no such humiliation.
In his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi was at his aggressive best as he savaged LoP Rahul Gandhi. From mocking the Congress leader and two members of his family for becoming MPs — mother Sonia and sister Priyanka — at the same time to turning “certain spaces into personal museums”. He was referring to the manner in which the Gandhi family maintains control over Indira Gandhi Memorial and had refused to share documents pertaining to the Rajiv Gandhi era with the Prime Ministers’ Museum. The PM said we have established the Prime Ministers’ Museum, where the legacy of every Prime Minister—from the first to my predecessors—has been honoured. “I urge their family members to visit it.” Taking a swipe at the three Gandhis who are all MPs, Modi said, “I pose an important question to the citizens through this House — have there even been three MPs simultaneously from the same family of SC community? I also ask, tell me if there ever were three MPs simultaneously from the same family belonging to the ST community…” There is a vast difference between their words and actions. However, the harshest jab was when Modi felt leaders have compulsions to raise questions on foreign policy to be taken seriously — he was referring to questions raised by both Rahul and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on tensions with China. He asked them to read Bruce Riedel’s book JFK’s Forgotten Crisis— as it details discussions between India’s Nehru and the U.S. President John F Kennedy, revealing how foreign policy was handled during challenging times and the games played in its name. Congress leaders are apparently not amused by this suggestion.
Congress bossman Rahul Gandhi told Parliament that External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar’s USA visit only sought an invite for PM Narendra Modi for the U.S. President Donald Trump’s oath ceremony. Jaishankar refuted RaGa’s averments, without revealing the true purpose after having accomplished never before witnessed outcomes. Highly placed sources reveal, “India’s MEA secured distinction of only nation’s representative holding bilateral discussions with the newly installed U.S. government both, before and after, official transition of power.” Dr Jaishankar didn’t elucidate beyond dismissing Gandhi’s tall tales to the Lok Sabha, but actually established grounds for PM Modi to ink U.S. deal for technology transfer regarding fifth/sixth generation fighter engines deliberately kept in abeyance over two years by erstwhile Biden administration. India will be on par though F35 fighter was doled out to Pakistan and, even poised to counter Chinese aviation capabilities with next generation fighters. Dr Jaishankar also held discussions with newly installed FBI director Kash Patel, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard over sensitive issues regarding Indian nationals targeted by earlier dispensation. Another positive outcome: Funding cut off for Gurpatwant Singh Panun, separatist pro-Khalistani rebel, creating aviation scares in India through threats of blowing up Indian commercial airliners. More covert results were achieved to become apparent sooner than later even as Rahul Gandhi termed Dr Jaishankar’s international statesmanship as mere kow-towing to U.S. hegemony.
Stung by opposition onslaught, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis have vowed to accelerate the state’s industrial quantum leap in the near future. Fadnavis has declared, “In the next two years, two mega projects will take off, thereby taking Maharashtra 10 years ahead of Gujarat.” He was referring to the oil refinery at Nanar in the Konkan region and the Wadhvan port complex in Palghar district. The projects had been stalled during the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi regime. While addressing a function in Mumbai, Shinde said a roadmap is being crafted to chart out the state’s onward industrial march much more vigorously. Both leaders have been trying to prove that while they did not spare any efforts to keep the Vedanta—Foxconn project within the state, the MVA’s inaction was responsible for its departure to Gujarat. Shinde said such massive projects did not materialise in a week or two. It took a long time to weigh the pros and cons for the investors to make a final decision. As far as this project was concerned, he said no concrete assurances were forthcoming from the previous ruling combine. Just back from Russia, Fadnavis declared confidently that the efforts of the present dispensation will bring substantial FDI in the state, thus overtaking Gujarat by at least a decade.
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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter
Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.