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Can BJD Wrest Odisha’s Prestigious Dhamnagar Assembly Seat From BJP?

Ahead of 2024 election preparation, BJD and BJP in Odisha are all set for high voltage by-election drama to contest Dhamnagar assembly seat on November 3.This decision was necessitated after the recent death of two-time sitting BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi. This win or loss at Dhamnagar by election which as of today is BJP’s citadel, will set the pace for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. BJP is likely to field a member of the Sethi family as it is hopeful that voters will give BJP another chance to fulfill the unfinished task of Sethi who was known as a prolific writer, poet and thinker. However this time, the task for BJP is cut out, given that in 2019 election, BJP’s Sethi had won by thin margin 48% visa-vis BJD 45% votes, while Congress garnered only 4% votes. Interestingly, if one looks at by-election results held in Bijepur, Tirtol, Pipili, Brajrajnagar, Balasore Sadar between between 2019 and 2020 then all seats have been won by the ruling Biju Janata Dal. Leader of opposition Jaya Narayan Mishra representing BJP is hopeful that Sethi’s good reputation will ensure victory at Dhamnagar by-election and BJP will treat this as a practice match ahead of the final match in 2024.
Star

Star India Renews Mumbai Office Lease For 9 Years At Rs 5.91 Crore Per Month

Star India Pvt Ltd, the company that runs sports and entertainment channels, has renewed its lease agreement for the next 9 years at a monthly rental of Rs 5.91 crore. Star operates from Urmi Estate, located very close to Lower Parel station, Mumbai. Lower Parel has emerged as the new Central Business District. It may be recalled that Lower Parel was once synonymous with textile mills, and the area had several mills and chawls housing mill workers and their families. Now, these mills and the chawls have made way for swanky apartments and commercial complexes. According to documents provided by CRE Matrix, a real estate data analytics firm, the renewal was signed on October 3, 2022 between Star and Keshav & Co. It has paid a security deposit of Rs 93.48 crore. The details include, office premises 27th to 36th Floor, 37th Floor, Sports floor 6,7,23,24 and 26th floor in Urmi Estate Building Tower A.  Ground Floor Lobby, Meeting room & Studio area on the ground floor, Mail Room SRM. And this includes a terrace on the 8th floor. Star will have access to 650 parking spaces of which 500 are for four wheelers and 150 for two wheelers. The rent escalation is 4.5% at the end of every 12 months. By arrangement with squarefeatindia.com.

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.