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Numerology: Lure Of 'Number 9' In Maharashtra Assembly Elections Plays A Dominant Role
The lure of number nine (9) is manifesting in different forms for the coming Maharashtra assembly election though the attraction is at least four decades old. At present, the BJP, the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have chosen number nine for their initial lists of candidates. The BJP has declared 99 nominees so far while the Sena (Shinde) and MNS have announced 45 names each, achieving a total of nine. But the association of number nine and politics in the state goes back to the first Sena-BJP alliance formed by Balasaheb Thackeray and Pramod Mahajan. The division of the 288 constituencies was originally to be 168 (SS) and 120 (BJP). However, at Balasaheb’s suggestion, it was changed to 171 and 117, so as to make the total nine. Incidentally, Raj Thackeray has stuck to the numeral. His party was formed on the 9th, his cars bear the same number and all his important events are connected with nine. A little known fact is that even Union minister Nitin Gadkari chooses the number for his cars, which bear the numerals 27, 2727 or 81 on their number plates. Chief minister Eknath Shinde, too, seems a firm believer in the power of nine. The number of his car is 567, making a total of nine. In numerology, it is called the Cardinal Number, and is held to be very auspicious. How nine benefits which candidate, which party and which formation will become known on 23 November.
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Sena Vs Sena: Shinde Sena To Field Milind Deora Against Aaditya Thackeray
In an interesting political twist, Milind Deora, a two time Lok Sabha MP from South Mumbai and presently Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (Shinde) will be facing off with GenNext Shiv Sena (UBT ) leader Aaditya Thackeray in Worli assembly constituency. Milind is of course no stranger to the area as during the Lok Sabha polls, he was tasked to handle  Worli and had managed to restrict  the UBT lead in the assembly segment to 6, 500 votes. The idea of fielding a strong candidate is to take on Aaditya Thackeray and pin down the young UBT leader in his constituency who is seeking a second term. The  decision to field Deora reportedly took place at NDA leaders meeting in Delhi attended by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde. It may be recalled that the UBT has cornered CM Shinde by fielding Kedar Dighe, nephew of his mentor Anand  Dighe in his  assembly constituency . Looks like CM Shinde could be getting even with Thackerays. Acknowledging that he would be in the fray, Milind posted a cryptic “CM @mieknathshinde ji believes that justice for #Worli & Worlikars is long overdue. Together, we’re paving the way forward & will share our vision soon.It’s Worli NOW!”  In the initial rounds, Shaina NC’s name was doing the rounds for the seat. But the battle for Worli now has only got bigger and better.
sanjay verma
Ex Canada Envoy Sanjay Verma Shares Trauma Of Facing "Khalistani Goons"
In what  can be seen as part of PM Modi’s  efforts to explain his latest foreign policy decision vis a vis Canada to people in the country, Sanjay Verma, Indian High Commissioner who was recalled from Canada, was seen across TV channels recounting the way he was treated in that country. Verma was not only sharing incidents of personal trauma — a frightening incident when Khalistani assailants attacked him with a sword in Alberta while he was with his wife. Verma described how the Khalistani “goons” came dangerously close to injuring him, noting that they wielded a sword — not a ‘kirpan’ religious symbol — but a weapon capable of causing harm. “When I was in Alberta a sword came around 2-2.5 inches close to my body…”he said. He also revealed how Canada was forcing students with valid visas to apply for asylum. “The Khalistanis have made Khalistan into a business in Canada. In the name of Khalistan, they do human trafficking, drug trafficking and gun-running. They earn a lot of money through that and also through gurudwaras”. He said that extreme hard-line Khalistanis are only about 10,000 in numbers, and supporters amount to perhaps 1 lakh in a Sikh population of about 8 lakhs. He also shared how gangster Goldy Brar who was put on the wanted list after India’s insistence has “disappeared”. “Canada has its gangs, and Goldy Brar is a name that we gave to them, Lawrence Bishnoi is a name that we gave to them. Verma, an IIT graduate and a nuclear scientist has previously served as India’s ambassador to Japan and Sudan.
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Akhilesh Yadav Who Pushed Rahul Gandhi To Take Rae Bareli Plunge, Failed To Get Cong Take By-Poll Bite?
Why has Congress backed out of fighting some of the 9 assembly by-elections in Uttar Pradesh? Is it because the Samajwadi Party offered fewer seats for the Congress? Or did Rahul Gandhi feel that Congress could not win them? After the Lok Sabha polls, there was an understanding that the alliance would fight together in all states. However, Congress was so confident of its victory in Haryana, that it rejected the SP’s request for seats in the Haryana assembly polls. For UP, the Congress demanded at least 4 of the 9 seats. The SP said it could not spare more than 3 seats. Also, the seats were not the ones the Congress could win easily. A day after, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav posted on X that all nine candidates would be contested on the symbol of SP. Apparently, Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav spoke twice to sort out the differences. He also reminded Rahul how he was initially reluctant to fight in the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat. It was Akhilesh who had convinced Rahul to fight, and he had won by a sizeable margin. Yadav explained that he was willing to give Phulpur to the Congress.  But SP had announced its candidates for Phulpur because the Congress was delaying the talks. Besides, if the SP withdrew a Muslim candidate, Mujtaba Siddiqui from Phulpur to make way for the Congress, it would send a wrong signal in a seat with a sizable Muslim presence. Rahul felt that the Congress could not win the seats offered by the SP, so the Congress leader Avinash Pandey later informed SP leaders that the party had decided not to contest at all.
sk prakash
Unusual War Solutions: Relocate Civilians From War Zones To Countries Facing Labour Shortages
They think differently. And, they think out-of-box. Sometimes, such thinking throws up a practical solution. On many occasions, such an idea could remain in the realms of utopia. The wars in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and Ukraine are stark reminders of the enduring instability and violence in the modern world. The human and economic costs of these conflicts are immense. They affect not just the countries involved but the entire globe. The escalating tension has put a pressure of an unusual magnitude on over-populated in these war zones. Is there a mechanism to mitigate this situation? At least Dr SK Prakash believes there is a possibility for this. This senior faculty in the Department of Economics of Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College in the city of Chennai is of the view that ‘controlled migration’ could help bring the temperature down in an over-populated war zone. With a passion for articulating newer solutions in the emerging geo-political dynamics, Dr Prakash advocates the creation of a new global institution to address overpopulation in conflict and crisis zones. “Countries facing demographic decline such as Japan and certain European nations could benefit from controlled migration from over-populated regions. A well-regulated migration policy could relieve population pressure in conflict zones while addressing labour shortages in developed nations,” argues Dr Prakash.  Any takers!
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SubAir System Ensures After Rain Stops, Play Can Resume In 30 Minutes At Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium
The Karnataka State Cricket Association must be given a big thumbs up for spending money on the innovative SubAir drainage system that gets the ground ready in under half an hour of the stoppage of rain. Installed at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium seven years ago the SubAir technology has the capacity to evacuate water into a storage area for use in summer days. More importantly, the system enables the ground staff to ready the ground in quick time for the umpires to resume the match. Many associations have gone in for sand-based outfields, but the SubAir guarantees play once rain stops. While the Noida Test exposed the local authorities from getting the facility ready for a Test match between New Zealand and Afghanistan, despite rain affecting a full day of the first Test between India and New Zealand, play resumed in Bengaluru and a result was obtained with two full sessions remaining on the fifth and final day. The authorities in Dharamshala and Mohali have installed modern drainage systems to ensure that the paying spectator is not short-changed. Heavy rains lashed in and around Pune city before the second Test, but the teams practiced the day before the start of the match at the Maharashtra International Cricket Stadium and the full quota of 90 overs was bowled on the first day. The subsidy from the BCCI to its member associations is now around Rs 100 crore a year and hence keeping the cricket fan in mind and also the competitive nature of Test cricket because of the ICC World Test Championship, associations must spend money on technology that will offset the damage caused by rain.
sukanta amit
BJP’s Three Phase Vigorous Membership Drive To Regain Momentum in West Bengal
The BJP is scheduled to undertake an ambitious membership drive in West Bengal, aiming to strengthen its base ahead of the crucial 2026 State Assembly elections. This initiative, part of the party’s nationwide membership campaign, holds particular significance for the Bengal unit as it seeks to regain momentum after a disappointing performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It faced a similar setback in the 2021 State Assembly election. Insiders within the Bengal BJP unit reveal that the State BJP President Sukanta Majumder, along with the party’s 12 other MPs, has been tasked with enrolling at least 10,000 new members each. Meanwhile, all MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, have been asked to gather a minimum of 5,000 members each. This aggressive membership push is scheduled to be completed by November 15. Though the membership drive officially began on September 2, following an inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, progress in Bengal had stalled due to the civil society protests over the tragic RG Kar Medical College incident. Now, the party is set to resume its efforts with renewed vigor. The drive will take place in three phases — October 26-30, November 1-7 and November 9-15. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to visit West Bengal on October 27 to inaugurate this membership campaign. His visit will be crucial, as it marks his first public appearance in the state since the BJP’s disappointing results in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His address to the party cadre is expected to reinvigorate the base and chart out a strategic path for the 2026 State Assembly election. 
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Congress Bites The Bullet, In Pro MVA Alliance Poll Gambit
The Congress has bitten the bullet in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh by conceding parity to regional partners: UBT Sena, NCP (SP). In UP, Congress similarly left the field open for Samajwadi Party for 9 state assembly by-polls after refusing to play ball in Haryana with SP and AAP failing to come to power. High stakes play for Maharashtra state assemblies sees a wiser Congress high command establishing a direct link up with UBT Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray, who refused to continue seat sharing talks unless MPCC Chief Nana Patole was excluded. Sharad Pawar’s earlier political gambit, in tandem with Thackeray, has paid off big time for the Maratha leader. Pawar will now field 85 candidates just like UBT and the Congress, keeping hopes alive for assuming the helm of Maharashtra affairs as CM himself or, deputing party president Jayant Patil if SP NCP secures most seats among MVA partners while cumulatively crossing the 145 assembly seats mark for government formation. The Congress party has factored in the realization of regional alliance partners including DMK in TN, that Congress’ growth adversely impacted their own regional growth. A pragmatic Congress high command focussed attention on government formation in Maharashtra rather than sitting pretty over high Lok Sabha strike rate (17 MPs) in just concluded general elections. Congress’ Maharashtra observer Ramesh Chennitala forged an understanding with Thackeray ensuring seat sharing discussions excluded Patole, who was only authorized to announce the resultant formula ratio of 1:1:1 (85 seats each). For the remaining 33 seats the field is still open.
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Selective Secularism: Madras HC Stops Tamil Nadu Govt’s Plan Of Building A Shopping Complex On Temple Land
Are Hindu places of deep faith and devout worship soft targets for political pillage and desecration? Why are other faith places of worship not dared to be targeted? Secularism is a selective cash cow. After many other such instances of partisan interference, the sacred 9th century Arulmigu Arunachaleswarar Temple built by the Chola kings at the foothills of the revered Thiruvannamalai has now become the target for yet another commercial exploitation. A shopping complex is the ambitious plan. Every year lakhs of pilgrims visit this Lord Shiva temple. The most famous being the full moon night Girivalam, a 13-km trek circumambulating the Hill. The coffers of this place overflow on the festival day of Karthigai Deepam, when the hilltop glows with a massive Jyothi seen for miles. This year, Rs 3.5 crore filled the Hundis in three months. In 2023, TN’s  HR & CE ministry came up with a shocking plan to build a shopping complex right across from the Eastern Rajagopuram of the temple to house 150 shops on temple land, by using Rs 6. 4 crore of temple money. Activist TR Ramesh quickly filed a case to strike down this move to commercially exploit the temple land using temple funds. After a quick hearing the Madras HC Division Bench “directed that all construction activity should stop immediately”. Ramesh of the INDIC Collective Trust has got a reprieve from parties that profess atheism and malign Hindu religion for political mileage but want Hindu devotees’ largesse for their gain.
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Fights Between Two Shiv Sena Factions Will Impact Outcome
The once ruling Shiv Sena’s split has redrawn the political calculations in Maharashtra. Their impact will be tested in the coming assembly election as over two dozen constituencies will witness a pitched battle between the two Sena factions. The outcome can be decisive as the balance of power will depend on the ultimate political formation, which will happen by consigning the loyalty factor to the dustbin. Over the past few days, defections have been galore and every hour, turncoats declare their commitment for the party they join by deserting their original outfit. With the proliferation of candidates, each constituency’s fate is uncertain. The atmosphere is surcharged as the average Shiv Sena worker, belonging to either faction, is facing a dilemma of sorts. The prominent constituencies include chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat in Thane. The rival Sena (UBT) has fielded Kedar Dighe, who is a nephew of late Anand Dighe, the mentor of Shinde. Still, the most interesting fight will be in Dadar-Mahim since there will be three candidates, all of them loyal to the memory of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. His son Uddhav has selected Mahesh Sawant, who will take on sitting Sena MLA (Shinde) Sada Sarvankar and MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s son Amit. Firebrand leader Narayan Rane’s son Nilesh of Sena (Shinde) will be locked in a fight with Sena (UBT) candidate Vaibhav Naik, a traditional foe of the Rane family. In Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar district, at least half a dozen fights between the two factions will take place. Strangely, several of the candidates from both sides were in other parties till yesterday. When it became evident that their party had overlooked their claim, they changed hats and obtained candidacy, too. The constituencies concerned are Sawantwadi, Kudal, Ratnagiri, Dapoli, Patan, Sangola, Paranda, Karjat, Malegaon, Nandgaon, Vaijapur, Sillod, Kalmanuri, Ramtek, Mehkar, Pachora, Ovla-Majivada, Magathane, Kurla, Mahad, Radhanaari and...

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.