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devendra nana
Nana Patole’s Honey Trap Bogey Pooh Poohed By Fadnavis
A potential rumour bomb has been defused by the Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis with a simple statement. The rumour circulating in the state’s political and administrative circles had caused many bigwigs to spend sleepless nights. It was started by former state Congress president Nana Patole, who had raised the matter in the legislative assembly as well. The crux of the balloon was that 72 influential people across the state had been blackmailed due to their involvement in a honey trap operation. The matter assumed gravity since it was whispered that some ministers, too, were under the cloud but the implication that several top civil servants had been compelled to favour certain forces or face exposure. The allegations said the centre of the scandal was Nasik in north Maharashtra and the name of a prominent local hotelier was surfacing. Patole and others had feared that even the most secret government details could land into the wrong hands. As demands for a discussion in the house became more and more vocal, Fadnavis on Friday said, “There is neither honey nor a trap,” he said, adding that there was no police complaint. The Fadnavis government is already at the receiving end following a free for all in the legislature premises. Members of his government were feeling unease since each minister was viewed as if tainted by the honey trap racket. Senior officials, too, had started looking at each other warily. The allegation is considered a plot to defame the government and Fadnavis, who has tossed back the ball, making it imperative for Patole to substantiate his serious charge.
EPS_014
Which Is The “Huge Party” That Wants To Align With AIADMK?
Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) is now a busy leader of the AIADMK, the prime opposition of Tamil Nadu. The challenges he faces in the run up to the  2026 TN Assembly Elections seem insurmountable; at last, the BJP alliance is a fait accompli….yet K Annamalai, the firebrand former TN BJP head has just bowled a googly …whether the alliance will acknowledge the AIADMK as the unilateral face of the government or if a coalition would steer it. EPS has coined his own slogan, “Makkalai kaappom, Thamizhagathai meetpom” (protect the people, reclaim TN).  In contrast the DMK under MK Stalin has already eased into the limelight with Stalin’s slogan “Oraniyil TN” (TN in one Formation) with his people outreach programmes already in motion. Recently, EPS set the cat among pigeons when he said “a huge party is about to join us”. Now, the guessing game is on which is the huge party in TN that will join the AIADMK-BJP alliance. “Our party will roll out the red carpet for any outfit wanting to join us” says EPS. The BJP and AIADMK are going hammer and tongs to dethrone the DMK, even as actor-politician Vijay and his TVK claim that they would not need any props to call the shots …TVK has even passed a resolution about having no truck with BJP and AIADMK. Congress leader Karthi Chidambaram has had the last laugh with his own witty and sarcastic take on the identity of this huge party waiting to tread the red carpet. “Is it Trump and his party waiting to join the alliance”?
maharashtra_fight
July 17, A Shameful Day For Maharashtra
There was a time when Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were derided by Maharashtra for their rampant lawlessness. On the other hand, the mature and rich political culture of the state was shown as an example to them with advice that they should emulate it. But the ruckus within the Maharashtra legislature precinct on July 17 has shamed those loving the state. There is no denying the fact that those taking law into their own hands are becoming more and more brazen. Even certain political leaders openly threaten those disagreeing with them and their supporter’s resort to mindless violence against innocent victims. The free for all fight between BJP and NCP-SP leaders has raised a serious question about the way Maharashtra is going to proceed. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis articulated this concern when he told the legislative assembly that the common public sees legislators as unrestrained. The aftermath of the violence has raised some pertinent questions. For instance, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav demanded to know how so many visitors could enter Vidhan Bhavan. However, he did not explain why he or any other member had not raised and pursued the matter till now. The fact is that every minister, MLA and MLC arrives surrounded by their clique. They do not pay heed to the requests by the security personnel. A member narrated how a visitor entered the premises even after refusal by a minister to sign his entry pass. The member refused to reveal the method used by the visitor but it was not difficult to know what he meant. Assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar has now declared that only the personal assistant of a member will be allowed admission. This fiat is a slap in the face of Maharashtra as it is a telling comment on the situation and the sordid incident. 
kuldeep yadav
Will Captain Gill Ask Left-Arm Wrist Spinner Kuldeep Yadav To Play At Old Trafford?
Kuldeep Yadav has every reason to believe that he has been given the short shrift in the first three Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy played at Leeds, Edgbaston and Lord’s. Clearly head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Shubman Gill did not have the confidence that Yadav, who had played only one Test previously at Lord’s in 2018 (0/44 in 9 overs), could deliver. So, what are the odds of the left-arm wrist spinner figuring in the team sheet at Old Trafford and The Oval. Yadav made his debut eight years ago against England at Dharamsala. Since then, he has played only 13 Tests and taken 56 wickets. Last year he took 22 wickets at 23.09 in 5 Tests, his best in six calendar years when he was given a chance. His important numbers overseas are 4 in an innings at Pallekele, 5 at Sydney, and 5 at Chittagong. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly said that he would have played Yadav and that the team should find a way to pick him in the playing XI. Wrist spinners have taken 215 wickets at 34.36 @ Old Trafford and 297 at 39.19 @The Oval. Wrist spinners’ record is 370 wickets at 33.32 @ Lord’s, 184 at 35.48 @ Leeds and 91 at 39.13 @ Edgbaston. Warne, the right-hand leg spinner took 129 wickets in 22 Tests at 21.95 in England and turned out to be a match winner for Australia.  Whereas left-arm wrist spinners South Africa’s Paul Adams and Australia’s Fleetwood-Smith took 17 and 14 wickets respectively. With Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar certainties for Old Trafford, will Gill retain Akash Deep or get Yadav in? That’s the big question mark.
Yadav
Bihar Politicians Drop ‘Y’ From ‘MY’, Even After Yadavs Killed!
Bihar politics has eschewed the ‘Y’ component from its traditional ‘MY’ (Muslim-Yadav) factor that allowed RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav to rule the roost for decades just like SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav did in Uttar Pradesh. The brutal July 5 killing of Ajay Yadav and severe injuries to his brethren after a Muharram procession turned violent and, the severing of the arm of another Hindu youth similarly in Dhaka in east Champaran district alongside the killing of a Hindu family of three in June has failed to impress principal political parties, including the ruling JD(U)-BJP or even the Opposition RJD adequately to call upon families of the deceased even as state assemblies are looming. The July 6 attack on a Hindu temple during another Muharram procession in the Katihar (Naya Tola) district also instilled fear in Hindu minds and yet, political parties have done little more than target each other for the violent incidents finding no time to assuage the feelings of bereaved Hindu families. While political parties are known to dance to the tune of their preferred voter base (the minority vote bank here), neither the Hindutva votary in power — BJP — through its Bihar president Dilip Jaiswal nor RSS functionaries in the state found time for an outreach to Hindu families drawing flak from Hindus of Bihar. Ironically, at East Champaran where the father of the nation had launched his Satyagraha movement, RJD efforts to flaunt his grandson Tushar Gandhi backfired when the village ‘Muhiya’ Vinay Kumar Sah asked Gandhi to leave over his “Badlo Bihar, Nai Sarkar” campaign after another colleague made disparaging comments regarding PM Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
didi rally
Mamata Strikes Back With Bengali Asmita Ahead Of Modi’s Durgapur Rally
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has once again invoked the powerful sentiment of Bengali Asmita ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. In a move reminiscent of her successful 2021 campaign, Banerjee accused the Centre of systematically targeting Bengali-speaking individuals and migrants across BJP-ruled states, painting it as part of a larger political design to marginalise Bengalis. This protest comes just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled rally in Durgapur on July 18 and the TMC’s annual Martyrs’ Day on July 21. The TMC supremo led a protest rally on July 16, alleging that the Union government had secretly issued a notification permitting detention of individuals — especially Bengali speakers — on mere suspicion of being illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Walking alongside her nephew and party’s National General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee — amid speculations of a strained relationship — Mamata projected a message of unity and communal harmony by notably including a Buddhist monk and a Muslim cleric, underlining inclusivity in the face of alleged divisive policies. She raised concerns over Bengalis being labelled as Bangladeshis despite having Aadhaar and PAN cards. She pointed out that over 1.5 crore migrant workers from other Indian states are working in Bengal with dignity, unlike the treatment meted out to Bengalis elsewhere. Didi cautioned that if Bengalis are detained, Bengal will politically detain the BJP through the ballot box. Political observers believe that the choice of location for the PM’s rally on July 18 in Durgapur is strategic as it will encompass the two key Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bardhaman district — Bardhaman-Durgapur and Asansol. In both constituencies BJP was defeated in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Modi’s address is expected to clarify BJP’s stance — whether it will continue with a Hindutva-driven approach or pivot toward inclusive development.
ritika
Marathi Actress Ritika Shrotri’s One Woman English Play To Stage In The UK
Twenty–four old Pune based Marathi actress Ritika Shrotri will visit the UK at the end of August with her English play The Light Catcher. In this one-woman play, Ritika plays 10 characters on stage. This play is based on a photographer who goes on an emotional search for her ‘favourite’ photo, only to find it in the most unexpected moment of her life. She tells stories behind her photos and her subjects come alive on stage. Characters from India to UK, Venezuela to North Korea, and Ethiopia. Those who have seen the play in Mumbai and Pune describe it as a visually stunning, intercultural theatrical experience, in English. Ritika, who’s been working in the Marathi film industry for 15 years, has featured in films like Bucket List (as Madhuri Dixit’s daughter), Boyz, Mukkam Post Bombilwadi, Darling, London Misal etc. Some latest Bollywood films like Raid 2 and Meenakshi Sundareshwar (Netflix original). The Light Catcher is written by Niranjan Pedanekar, an AI Scientist whose inspiration for the play came from Kevin Carter’s haunting photograph of a starving Sudanese child being watched by a vulture – a powerful image that sparked global debate on ethics. Ritika boasts that her play was selected for NSDF UK. Earlier, she was invited to the National School of Drama’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav. The Light Catcher bagged the Best Play at the Red Curtain International Festival and Ritika won the Best Actress award. After having over 30+ sold-out shows at Prithvi Theatre, NMACC and across India, Ritika will be touring London (10–11 Aug) and Edinburgh Fringe (18–23 Aug).

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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.