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The feud in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) between President PT Usha and some of her colleagues in the Executive Council over the appointment of Raghu Iyer as CEO — in particular on the matter of his salary — has made a big splash in the last few months. Those who were gunning for the ouster of the CEO did not escalate their position during the Paris Olympics, but the issue has snowballed now with Usha going bellicose directing her angst against the Executive Council for not ratifying Iyer’s appointment. The former sprinter and hurdler who achieved high accolades in Asia, finished fourth in the 400m hurdles at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics and has been training athletes in her home town in Kerala, has now called for a special general meeting of the IOA on October 25 to place all matters under dispute — including corruption and alleged National Sports Code violations — in front of close to 80 national federations. Usha became the first Olympian to head the IOA in December 2022 and that too getting elected unopposed. She may have had the blessings from the most powerful in the government. But so is senior Vice-President Ajay Patel who is said to have an excellent relationship with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Obviously the SGM will vote for an outcome that will either strengthen or weaken Usha’s primacy as the head of IOA. The champion athlete has gone to the extent of saying that the row between her and the Executive Council has disrupted India’s push for the 2036 Olympics dream. IOA watchers are wondering whether the SGM will actually bring warmth at all between Usha and others.
Former Maharashtra minister Harshvarrdhan Patil has decided to join the NCP under Sharad Pawar, his traditional family foe. Patil had joined the BJP in 2019 and had said, “Now I can sleep peacefully, no worry about the ED or the Income Tax department.” His candid admission had provided much cannon fodder to the opposition in general and to Sharad Pawar in particular. Patil’s family elder Shankarrao and the Pawar clan had never seen eye to eye because the Patil patriarch always complained that their empire in Indapur was deprived of development as funding was diverted to Baramati next door. In the last assembly election, Ajit Pawar had held a public rally in Indapur to declare that Harshvarrdhan Patil will be trounced. Ajit’s close follower Dattatray Bharne was elected there. Since then, an exasperated Patil had mounted scathing attacks against Sharad and Ajit Pawar. According to the present Mahayuti formation, the Indapur seat will go to the NCP(Ajit) and Harshvarrdhan will stand little chance of getting a BJP ticket. Maharashtra’s Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had been trying to persuade Patil to stay on but to no avail. Unwilling to wait any longer, Harshvarrdhan Patil has decided to enter Sharad Pawar’s party. Quizzed by the media about his past comment and asked if he will be able to get a sound sleep now, Harshvarrdhan quipped, “No comment.”
The Mahayuti government in Maharashtra has taken a record 71 decisions within a week, most of them with an eye on the coming assembly elections. The three-party government is already under fire due to opposition’s criticism that huge funds are being squandered on various sections of the population to gain their votes. The “Laadki Bahin” scheme, for instance, is mostly targeted by the critics since it has evoked unprecedented support from women, each eligible beneficiary getting Rs 1500 per month. Similar benefit schemes have been announced for the youth and farmers, among others. Although the opposition is screaming about the possible economic burden due to them, it has promised to enhance the provisions if it comes to power. According to another decision, an economic development corporation for the Jain community will be set up in the state. This will be the first such body for Jains in the country. As the community is viewed as affluent, by and large, many eyebrows are raised owing to the decision. Earlier, an economic development corporation for the Brahmin community was announced. Similarly, financial provision will be made for the cultural or academic institutions of the Buddhists. Each such body will be paid Rs 10 lakh by the government. A major decision has provided for abolishing the non-agricultural tax throughout the state. Several institutions are to be renamed, considering the social sensitivities of the individual areas they are operating in. No stones will be left unturned to win the election, the Mahayuti has indicated.
The sudden demise of CPI(M) National General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has left the Left party grappling to find a suitable replacement. In a recent politburo meeting Prakash Karat was appointed as the ‘coordinator’ instead of naming him as ‘Acting’ General Secretary, indicating the party’s hesitance to rush into appointing a successor. Sources say, the CPI(M) is considering West Bengal State Secretary Mohammad Salim as Yechury’s replacement. Salim is reportedly being given time to consider the role ahead of the party congress in April 2025. Salim, who took over as the state secretary in 2022, has been instrumental in revitalizing the party in Bengal despite its diminishing grassroots presence. He played a key role in forming an alliance with the Congress in Bengal. Yechury’s demise has created a leadership vacuum, but Salim’s experience makes him a strong contender for the national post. A two-time Rajya Sabha MP, two-time Lok Sabha MP, and former state minister, Salim’s parliamentary experience is invaluable. Additionally, his fluency in Bengali, English, Hindi, and Urdu positions him well for the national role. With CPI(M) adopting a new age policy of 75 years, Salim, now 67, could potentially serve three consecutive terms, making him an ideal candidate to steer the party through its current crisis. If Salim ultimately accepts the offer, Bengal is likely to choose Sridip Bhattacharya, who is also the choice of present patriarch of Bengal CPI(M), Biman Bose to head the Bengal unit.
Amid the political chaos stemming from the RG Kar rape-murder incident, the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is now facing a fresh crisis from within her own party. It is learnt that TMC party leaders are shocked that Abhishek Banerjee, National General Secretary and second-in-command, has lodged a police complaint against the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Firhad Hakim, the Mayor of Kolkata and a senior cabinet minister, alleging misappropriation of funds. Party insiders believe the timing is significant, coming shortly after the TMC’s lacklustre performance in several Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) wards during the Lok Sabha elections. Some sections within the party view the move as Abhishek’s way of pushing for the “one person, one position” policy which he has long advocated. Others see it as an effort to cleanse the party of corruption and enhance its image in the wake of mounting public criticism. According to sources, the complaint from Abhishek’s office alleged that the OSD has been extorting money by misusing Abhishek’s name. The allegation has led to an unprecedented escalation of tensions between Abhishek and Hakim, where both have reportedly voiced their displeasure to the party leadership. Hakim, widely regarded as one of Didi’s closest confidants, has expressed his willingness to resign from Mayor’s post but Didi has rejected it. Reportedly she conveyed her displeasure to senior party leaders as to how the situation spiralled out of control. Hakim’s dual role as the Mayor of Kolkata and Minister for Municipal Affairs and Urban Development has long made him one of the most influential figures in the state’s political landscape.
Thirty-seven year old Samantha Ruth Prabhu was married to Nag Chaitanya, Telugu film’s enduring star Nagarajuna’s son for just 4 years before the couple filed for divorce in 2021. Already Nag Chaitanya’s closeness to fast rising Shobhita Dhulipalia is buzzing around. But it is Samantha who has been hit the hardest in the past few years, despite her rise to stardom in both Tamil and Telugu films. The OTT series Family Man brought her much acclaim. But her personal life was hit in a serious way when she was diagnosed with myositis, a medical condition that has punched her psyche hard, understandably. But Samantha was not prepared for the latest turbulence in her life…Telangana Minister for Environment and Forestry, Konda Surekha recently made downright derogatory remarks about the cause of Samantha’s divorce ….alleging that BRS leader KT Rama Rao is the cause for the rift and divorce. Surekha further insinuated that this BRS leader has a knack of intervening and interfering in the lives of celebrities. Telugu cineworld has erupted in anger at this kind of malicious loose talk, and superstars Chiranjeevi, Allu Arjun, Jr.NTR, Nagarajuna have condemned the Congress leader for this unsavoury talk. KTR of course has warned this minister to apologise immediately and retract her slanderous allegation or face a defamation case. The Minister has tended an instant apology on X, especially to Samantha that she had no intention of dragging her into the muck…she just wanted to vent her venom on politicians for their derogatory attitude to women. Samantha may be rueing her bad times…stars too have to cope with Star struck times.
Looks like Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s efforts to build himself up via media interviews have landed him in a political soup. Eager to build himself up in the national media, the Kerala leader got a PR agency to arrange for media interactions. Unlike the state run PR department, enthusiastic private PR, not only arranged for media interview but also seem to have got a reputed South publication to attribute a few lines to the CM about how “seizure of 150 kg of gold and Rs 123 crore of hawala money by the state police” in the last five years were made from Malappuram. Reference to Malappuram, with its overwhelming minority population, was enough to lead to sparring between the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF). UDF alleged that Vijayan was insulting the residents of Malappuram by referring to seizures. The CM’s Office denied making any reference to Malappuram. While CM may be technically correct, the newspaper denial gave away how PR agents were present during the interview. Vijayan now denies using even a PR. His political detractors are quick to point out that the CM was targeting PV Anvar, a MLA, who was recently expelled from the CPM Legislative Party after he unleashed sharp allegations against Vijayan and his Political Secretary P Sasi. CPI(M)considers the Opposition’s attacks as a fabricated move to diminish its growing popularity among minorities in the wake of the LDF government’s “uncompromising stand” on a number of pro-Muslim issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act and Wakf Amendment Bill 2024. Meanwhile, PA Mohammed Riyas, Kerala minister, and son-in-law of Pinarayi said that Jamaat-e-Islaami and SDPI are the ‘sleeping partners’ of UDF.
Andhra Pradesh deputy CM Pawan Kalyan reached Tirumala on foot as part of his 11-day penance over the alleged adulteration of laddus served at the Tirupati temple with animal fat. The actor-turned-politician undertook a three-hour foot march to reach the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala to position himself as a protector of the Sanatana Dharma. Reacting to the Supreme Court’s observation on the prasadam contamination issue, Kalyan clarified that the Apex Court had never said that prasadam “was not adulterated”. “I think the SC judges didn’t say that it was unadulterated, they said there was confusion regarding the date on which it was cleared.” Earlier speaking in Tamil to a private channel, the Andhra leader made it clear that the prasadam issue was not being blown out of proportion just to settle scores with YSRCP leader Jagan Mohan Reddy because he was Christian. “My wife is also an orthodox Christian. I am undertaking this penance only to protect our Sanatan Dharma. I cannot tell you how Hindus across the world are hurt with the way TTD had reduced Tirumala to a money spinning vehicle during the tenure of Jagan Reddy. Until 1953, did you know darshan used to be free? Now for the special darshan, they began charging everyone Rs 10,000 but handed the devotees only a receipt of Rs 500. We have to undertake a lot of reforms and audits of how donations made to the temple are used. All kinds of violations happened in the last 5 years. It is not just about the prasadam issue.”
After a Rs 93 lakh deficit in 1993, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has seen better times, thanks to its ability to command a higher price from the market, especially from the global media rights. The big breakthrough was made in 1999 when under the stewardship of Jagmohan Dalmiya, the public broadcaster Prasar Bharati was given the media rights for Rs 230 crore for five years. And in 2002 the BCCI introduced the Central Contract and match fee for its senior team, match fee in the domestic tournaments and allocated something for the juniors. After three decades, the BCCI’s media rights income for five years is Rs 5,963 crore and the IPL media rights has shot up for the 2023-2027 cycle to close to Rs 50000 crore. But the good development was the BCCI showing its readiness to share money with the players, men and women, retired cricketers and their spouses. India’s women cricketers at the national level get the same match fee and allowances as the men and they also compete in the Women’s Premier League. The BCCI has now extended the match fee to the IPL with the franchises told to set aside Rs 12.5 crore with each player in the XI to get a sum of Rs 7.5 lakh per match. The BCCI and IPL are the big brands in India’s sports canvas, and the authorities have responded in many ways to look after its constituency, the players in particular. The Rs.7.5 lakh match fee is meant to assuage the feelings of the players who are not among the high-price-band cricketers and also the uncapped (not playing for India) players who generally get Rs 20 lakh, has been increased to Rs 30 lakh at the recent AGM in Bengaluru.
With the creator economy in India experiencing significant growth, driven by a multitude of platforms and an expanding community of tech-savvy individuals, influencer-marketing has proved to be the fulcrum for brands to succeed. The influencer-marketing industry is expected to grow by 25% annually. Influencer.in, a well-known influencer platform in the country in association with Social Beat, has just come out with Influencer Marketing Report 2024, its fourth edition. Significantly enough, the report finds the rise of mid-tier influencers. While Instagram has emerged the top choice for both creators and brands, LinkedIn appears to have a low adoption rate among creators at 4.4%. This is in sharp contrast to a 19.5% adoption rate by brands, which use LinkedIn for influencer marketing. Brands have now to go that extra bit to onboard creators to this platform, especially those capable of delivering professional content. The report has articulated the need for brands to recognize the underutilization of YouTube Shorts, with 75% of creators using short-form content for engagement. Today, over 40% of brands spend more on influencer-marketing. Yet, budgetary constraints limit the partnership between the creators and brands. “There is a need for brands to move beyond transactional relationships, recognize the power of creators and empower them with creative freedom,” the report said. If this has to happen, the creators have to align with brand objectives while showcasing their unique value proposition for more authentic and engaging campaigns. The key for a rewarding relationship between creators and brands lies in being adaptable, innovative and aligned with the values of an increasingly discerning audience, according to the report. Together, as Helen Keller said, they can do so much!
Within 24 hours of the Supreme Court verdict in its favour, the Shinde-Fadnavis government in Maharashtra has fired the first salvo against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) by withdrawing suspension of former Mumbai police commissioner Parambir Singh. Many more such shocks will be administered in the days to come, indications suggest. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has disclosed that the state government had merely implemented an order by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which had inferred that the departmental enquiry against Singh had been illegal and had scrapped the suspension. However, the coincidence is considered too significant to be accepted as an official formality. Singh’s new posting is expected to be announced soon. Singh’s reinstatement is viewed against the backdrop of another top IPS officer, Rashmi Shukla, who has already been accommodated in a Central posting. Both these officials were in the unwritten black list of the tripartite MVA, which ruled the state for 30 months. Singh had levelled serious allegations against then home minister Anil Deshmukh, a top NCP leader, who was facing the heat in connection with the explosives planted outside the residence of industrial magnate Mukesh Ambani. The case is sub-judice. Singh was suspended and an arrest warrant had been issued against him by the previous MVA government as its clashes with the Union government had escalated into a virtual war. MVA is girding up to face the onslaught, according to one of its leaders.
Trinamool Congress’ new outreach programme Trinamool Nabo Jowar has put into question the unity of party leaders. Opening the pandora’s box of factionalism, the programme undertaken by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and second in command Abhishek Banerjee has failed to contain factionalism in the secret ballot to select candidates for the upcoming three-tier rural polls. So there is chaos in district after district — torn ballot papers, broken ballot boxes, printed votes, tampering of voter lists, vandalism, fights among party members. The campaign began on April 25 and entered into the 18th day across eight districts — from Cooch Behar to Birbhum. Opposition parties are attacking the ruling party stating that it can no longer imagine that a non-violent, orderly vote is possible. The widespread violence of the Panchayat elections 2018 in Bengal is still in the minds of people. Questions are being raised over the deployment of police for the ruling party’s activities. Most importantly, voices of dissent could be heard among the common people where they claimed that factions directed them to cast votes in favour of the candidate that a local leader supported. Political observers pointed out that the exercise is turning out to gauge the dissent among the people for the party ahead of the polls since free expression of public opinion and democracy could be sought any time of the year.
The wise words of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ring a bell even after two decades when the then Prime Minister coaxed the Indian team saying “sirf match nahi dil be Jeetkar aao” (not only the match, but win their hearts too.) This was in 2004 when India toured Pakistan after 15 years. It was at the instance of Vajpayee — in 1999 — that the BCCI played host to a two Test series against Pakistan in Chennai and Delhi where leg spinner Anil Kumble took all 10 wickets in the second innings at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi. “If needed, play the Test series in an empty stadium,” Mr. Vajpayee told the then BCCI president, Rajsingh Dungarpur. Political exigencies have put a stop to full bilateral series between the two countries. Pakistan toured India in 2005 and 2007. The refrain from the liberals either side across the border is that sport should not be mixed with politics, but the Indian government for long has not allowed the Indian cricket team to tour Pakistan citing its role in abetting terrorism activities in India, especially the November 26, 2008 attacks in Mumbai. There is a whispering quarrel going on now between the BCCI and the PCB, around India going to Pakistan for this year’s Asia Cup and Champions Trophy in 2025, and Pakistan travelling to for this year’s ICC World Cup in India. It will be interesting to see how things pan out in the coming weeks.
On a day when Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav were in Mumbai meeting with Uddhav Thackeray exploring scope for Opposition alliance, his home ground gave away. Yes, his once close aide Ram Chandra Prasad Singh joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at party headquarters in New Delhi. A Kurmi leader like Nitish who also hails from Nalanda, Singh’s joining the BJP is expected to strengthen the party in Bihar. An IAS officer of UP cadre Singh had closely worked with Nitish during his stint as a Union minister. He went on to slam Nitish, accusing him of compromising with crime and corruption in his pursuit of “kursi”, calling the JDU supremo a “paltimaar”. Singh lost his Rajya Sabha membership and also had to quit as Union minister as the JDU refused to nominate him for a fresh term last year. His differences with Nitish have been growing over the years — first it was over the appointment of poll strategist Prashant Kishore as JDU vice-president and then over Nitish’s over dependence on now JDU chief Lallan Singh. RCP Singh took VRS from the IAS and was nominated by the JDU to the Rajya Sabha in 2010. Meanwhile, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik who met with PM Narendra Modi dismissed the possibility of working with the Opposition for the 2024 general election, declaring that his BJD will go it alone. Incidentally, Nitish Kumar had met with him early this week.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has just proved that he is the rarest talent to have emerged in Indian cricket for a very long time. There will be a lot of claimants now on who groomed him. The quick transition he has made into a modern T-20 batsman with several strokes in the 360 degrees marks him as one who has arrived and is ready for the international stage. There should be no hesitation now in putting him right at the top of the order in the white ball game. All the stories about his selling pani puri on the periphery of a Mumbai maidan at friendly snack stalls can be consigned to history. The background he comes from as a cricket emigre from his home state of Uttar Pradesh will fill newspaper and online space. What is important is the recognition he deserves and the opportunity to prove himself in tougher arenas. In playing a remarkable innings of 98* on a two-paced pitch that seemed to put everyone else off he has shown the range of his talent that can match the best in the white ball business like his opening partner Jos Buttler. Team India beckons a batter who looks a perfect fit for the rough and tumble of the international white ball game which is several notches above IPL game because of its intensity.
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.