Soon after returning from his 5-nation foreign tour PM Modi on May 21 chaired a marathon meeting of the Union Council of Ministers at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The high-level meeting, which began around 5 pm, lasted nearly four and a half hours and focused on governance reforms, administrative efficiency and the government’s long-term “Viksit Bharat 2047″ vision. Ministers whose departments disposed of files at the fastest pace were specially highlighted during the review exercise. Of course, while wrapping up the discussions PM Modi didn’t want the ministers to rest on their laurels. He told ministers that the time had come to focus on the future instead of revisiting past achievements. Emphasising on “Viksit Bharat 2047″ as national commitment, he directed ministers to ensure quicker decision-making and reduce bureaucratic delays. A key highlight of the meeting was that for the first time the high-level ministerial meeting organised by the PMO struck an austerity note. Endless cups of chai and bottled mineral water were of course served. What was missing were the usual round of snacks — biscuits and cashew nuts Imagine having endless cups of chai through the four hours. Ministers who were hoping that the meeting would end up with a dinner with PM Modi were clearly in for a shock. They didn’t expect PM Modi to administer a dose of austerity on his own Council of Ministers. Perhaps, PM Modi must have been aware that the ministerial meeting was being held amid the conflict in West Asia, rising fuel prices and the government’s efforts at mitigating these challenges. On May 11, PM Modi had appealed to the people to save the country’s foreign exchange reserves by cutting down on the use of fuel, postponing foreign travel and purchases of gold. He must have thought it is best to begin at home.

Maharashtra is rapidly emerging as India’s foremost energy powerhouse, backed by massive investments, strong industrial demand and an ambitious clean-energy transition. According to the Central Electricity Authority, Maharashtra’s total installed power capacity crossed 60,900 MW by February 2026, making it one of the country’s largest energy-producing states. Renewable energy alone accounts for over 31,600 MW, including nearly 19,364 MW of solar capacity, 5873 MW of wind power and significant hydro and biomass generation. The state has also unveiled an aggressive roadmap to meet 65% of its electricity demand through renewable energy by 2035-36. Thus, Maharashtra aims to create nearly 100 GW of renewable capacity along with large-scale battery and pumped-storage infrastructure. Its biggest landmark step is the recent Rs 6.5 lakh crore nuclear energy agreements signed with major companies such as Reliance Industries, Adani Power and NTPC Ltd. These projects alone are expected to add 25,400 MW of new power generation capacity and create more than 1.23 lakh jobs. With expanding thermal, solar, wind, hydro and nuclear sectors, Maharashtra is uniquely positioned to become India’s leading state in reliable, diversified and future-ready energy generation, strengthening its march towards a trillion-dollar economy. While Gujarat and Rajasthan currently lead in overall and renewable installed capacity, Maharashtra’s recent infrastructure push aims to fundamentally reshape its energy dominance. The state has rolled out an overarching plan to scale its total generation capacity 81,000 MW by 2030, drastically increasing the share of green energy.

The coming Rajya Sabha election to be held on 18 June will impact political equations in Maharashtra as all three ruling Mahayuti partners – the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar) – are eager to augment their presence in the Upper House of Parliament. As election for the 17 seats on the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad is also scheduled to be held on the same day, tussle among the three parties has generated intense speculation. It appears that the BJP, the largest member of the tripartite coalition will grab the biggest number. Accordingly, for the Vidhan Parishad, the BJP will contest 12 seats while the Shiv Sena’s share will be of three seats and the NCP will get two slots. Given the numerical position in the state assembly, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi will not be able to win a single seat provided that there is no cross voting. But that possibility is very remote. While confabulations are underway day and night, all eyes are on firebrand leader Chhagan Bhujbal, a confidant of the late Ajit Pawar. Presently a minister in the government of Devedra Fadanvis, the OBC leader is said to be desirous of entering the Rajya Sabha. However, deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, widow of Ajitdada, is learnt to be not in favour of the idea. Instead, former Union minister of state Subodh Mohite is under consideration though his equation with senior NCP leader Praful Patel is a major factor in the choice as both hail from Vidarbha. Whatever happens, Fadnavis is determined to avert any infighting in the Mahayuti team.

Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay expanded his cabinet on May 21 — coinciding with the death anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi – by including his post-poll ally the Congress. Two of the five Congress MLAs, K Rajesh Kumar (Nadar Christian) and P Vishwanathan (Dalit MLA) became part of Vijay’s government. Ahead of the reshuffle, the Congress party said, “This is a historic occasion for us, as the Congress joins the Tamil Nadu cabinet after a long gap of 59 years.”. Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty wrote on X “Share in governance, Share in power”. It is not clear if the Congress is happy with their portfolios – Rajesh got Tourism and P Vishwanathan given Higher Education. What came in for a surprise is the way veteran leader K A Sengottaiyan was stripped of the Finance portfolio just five days after entrusting him with it. The Finance portfolio has now been given to first-time MLA N Marie Wilson. It is not clear if Sengottaiyan has been downsized as a signal that TVK has lost interest in breaking the AIADMK. It is also being presumed that his close aide Adhav Arjuna may have raised a red flag. Taking a cue from Keralam, Vijay has also carved out a separate AI-focused department to be headed by Velachery MLA R Kumar. Kumar is among the few qualified professionals who have got elected on TVK ticket. What has earned Vijay the kudos from the Hindus is the way he has allotted the Ministry for Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HRCE) to his Brahmin MLA Ramesh from Srirangam — a temple town. This is perhaps happening for the first time in Tamil Nadu history.

In an extraordinary and historic moment for British politics and the global Indian community, Cllr Parveen Rani has officially been elected as the First Asian Mayor of Hertsmere Borough Council, while her son Cllr Tushar Kumar, aged just 23, has become the Youngest Mayor of the Elstree and Borehamwood Council Indian Origin in the United Kingdom. Together, they are believed to be the first mother-son duo in UK history — and possibly the world — to serve simultaneously as Mayors from different councils. This remarkable achievement has become a proud symbol of diversity, representation, youth leadership, and public service within modern Britain. Adding to the emotional and historic occasion, Mayor Parveen Rani appointed her younger son, Priyanshu Kumar, as her official Mayor’s Escort, making it a truly unforgettable family milestone in British civic history. The prestigious Mayor Making Ceremony was attended by a huge number of distinguished guests. Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, Cllr Jeremy Newmark, praised Mayor Parveen Rani’s exceptional rise in public life, stating: “What Parveen Rani has achieved in such a short period of time is truly remarkable. Many people spend decades trying to reach this position, but her dedication to public service, hard work, and commitment to the community have brought her to this level.” Mayor Parveen Rani is widely recognised for her work in education, culture, interfaith harmony, women’s empowerment, and strengthening community relations across Hertfordshire and beyond. From founding community initiatives to representing diverse voices in public life, she has become a respected and inspiring figure across the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Mayor Tushar Kumar’s historic appointment at the age of 23 is already inspiring a new generation of young British Asians to engage in leadership, politics, and civic responsibility.

Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay is expanding his cabinet on May 21 which will see his post-poll allies the Congress, VCK and IUML joining his government. Two of the Congress MLAs, K Rajesh Kumar and P Vishwanathan will be part of Vijay’s government. In its official statement, the party said, “This is a historic occasion for us, as the Congress joins the Tamil Nadu cabinet after a long gap of 59 years.” The last Congress government was in 1967.  Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty wrote on X “Share in governance, Share in power”. Chief minister Vijay had publicly greeted Praveen as his “friend” in Rahul Gandhi’s presence. It was Praveen who had been pushing for an alliance with the TVK. Will entry of Congress ministers solve Vijay’s problem of managing temples in the state? Difficult to say. Congress sources said the majority of its five MLAs are Christians including Rajesh.   Meanwhile, Sivaganaga MP Karti Chidambaram seemed relieved that Vijay had steered clear of rebel AIADMK MLAs.  In an article in The Week, he admits that “those who had suggested an alliance with the TVK before the election were proven right…And, the Congress adds great value to the TVK by giving it a national endorsement and a secular sheen. So, in my estimation, it is a win-win situation.” At the same time, he feels that the Congress could have managed DMK exit better. By joining the TVK government will it motivate young people to join the Congress? “The Congress is not going to be their first choice; the TVK is a more logical choice”, feels Chidambaram. He feels, Rahul Gandhi with his rapport among the young will prove positive when it comes to a national election. It will probably work in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

The new vice chairman of NITI Aayog Ashok Lahiri is expected to play a key role to reposition West Bengal as an industrial and manufacturing hub. Lahiri, who won the 2021 Assembly election from Balurghat as a BJP candidate, knows Bengal inside out. The Modi government is expected to rely on his expertise to prepare a long-term industrial revival plan for Bengal. Officials associated with NITI Aayog said preliminary discussions on the roadmap have begun under Lahiri’s leadership. The proposed framework focuses on manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure, river-based trade and employment generation, with Kolkata positioned as a gateway to India’s “Act East” strategy for stronger engagement with Southeast and East Asia. Once India’s second-richest state by GDP after Independence, West Bengal now ranks sixth nationally. Economists have attributed the decline to excessive trade unionism, administrative failures leading to weak industrial investment. Major factory closures during the Left Front era and limited industrial expansion during TMC’s regime also contributed to the downturn. Industry experts also cite the long-term impact of the Singur and Nandigram agitations on investor confidence. Many skilled workers migrated to cities such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad for better opportunities. NITI Aayog’s proposed strategy will focus on logistics, connectivity, manufacturing, ports, freight corridors, skill development and job creation. Policymakers are examining revival measures for engineering, chemicals, textiles and electronics industries, while also exploring a semiconductor corridor linked to eastern India’s mineral belt. Economists, however, caution that land acquisition challenges, weak infrastructure, financially stressed urban bodies and bureaucratic inertia could slow implementation. Analysts said investor confidence may have improved after the political change, but the success of the industrial push will depend on administrative execution and policy delivery.

The home international season (2026-2027) is set to start with a one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh (Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium at Mullanpur) from June 6 to 10. Strangely though, it will be the only Test Shubman Gill’s team will play this year, and it will not be part of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle. India’s next Test programme is in Sri Lanka in August and in New Zealand in October-November, both included in the WTC programme. It will be Mullanpur’s debut Test and what’s of interest is the kind of surface India will prefer against an attack that will be led by leg-spin googly bowler Rashid Khan who took 11 wickets against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in January 2025. Khan has 5 x5 wicket hauls including 2 x 7s and 1x 6 and has win four Tests for his side. Eight years ago, India won the only Test played against Afghanistan hands down, and Rashid was not a real force then in multi-day Tests, but the canny leg-spinner is experienced now, though not by much — 6 Tests and 45 wickets. India came a cropper to the spinners in the last two home series against New Zealand and South Africa and lost all five Tests, preparing turning tracks. India were all at sea against the Kiwi left-arm spinners Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel and the South African offy Simon Harmer. Rohit Sharma was the captain who lost 0-3 and Gill was the captain against South Africa. It’s not known whether off spinner Allah Ghazanfar will be part of the Afghanistan team, but on a turning surface, Rashid Khan could prove to be a handful to deal with support from Ghazanfar.

It seems the DMK has still not come to terms with losing elections. Or else why would the former chief minister M K Stalin take a jibe at TVK leader Joseph Vijay. Speaking at a wedding reception in Thanjavur, Stalin said, “TVK leader Vijay became CM by influencing children through Instagram, without even appointing booth agents properly.” Why is the DMK behaving like a sour loser? Is it because CM Vijay has already drawn up a plan to act against corrupt DMK ministers? It is being said that the DMK is very upset not so much with the TVK winning 107 seats but TN voters that had chosen to decisively move away to a different kind of politics after accepting electoral gifts from it. The DMK would have accepted the verdict if the people had voted for the familiar alternative — the AIADMK. What has unsettled the DMK is that the people voted for an untested TVK.  Vijay was offering to start afresh with a clean slate and had refused to offer voters any incentive for voting him in, except the freebies such as a whopping unemployment allowance and improving allowance for women. Voters had gladly accepted their electoral gifts from the Dravidian parties and yet voted for TVK. In fact, in an angry outburst, DMK Tiruchendur MLA Anitha Radhakrishnan said the TVK administration would not last six months. He insisted that his DMK boss would return soon. Upset about Stalin’s defeat to a TVK candidate from Kolathur, Radhakrishnan blamed voters for defeating Stalin. “Our boss had changed Kolathur to Singapore,” and called the voters “worthless”. Meanwhile actor Rajinikanth’s clarification that he is not jealous about Vijay having made the cut as CM is a bit odd.  Old timers recall his influence on Tamil politics — how his one call vote for DMK-Tamil Maanila Congress alliance in 1996 had brought down J Jayalalithaa government!

Efforts of the Congress leadership to include Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay in the swearing in ceremony of United Democratic Front CM V D Satheesan in Keralam on May 18 has apparently not succeeded. Taking a cue from PM Modi who makes it a point to showcase NDA strength whenever BJP forms government in a state, the Congress too thought it would showcase the long-standing bond between TVK supremo Vijay and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.  Though Vijay has accepted post-poll support of five Congress MLAs in TN and even visited Satya Murthy Bhawan in Chennai, he is yet to formally expand his cabinet to include those MLAs who backed his government during trust vote. Congress sources said CM Vijay would not be attending the Keralam swearing in. He is clearly too focussed on governance issues. If at all he travels, his first trip will be only to Delhi to meet with PM Modi and other leaders in Delhi. That leaves only three Congress CMs — Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), Revanth Reddy (Telangana) and Sukhvinder Singh Sukku (Himachal Pradesh) — who will be present at the function at Thiruvananthapuram. Both Rahul and his sister Priyanka who is Wayanad Lok Sabha MP will attend, so too Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Karnataka’s deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar will also be present.