In a surprise move, Dharmendra Pradhan quit as Union Education Minister on July 25 saying the decision was driven by the need to protect the future of students and prevent “anti-national forces” from exploiting the massive youth protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Clearly, his exit must have been on the advice of PM Modi. The nearly month-long protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) had virtually affected traffic movements in central business districts of Delhi. Some Congress leaders pointed out that student protests weren’t just confined to India. “We were told Indian students abroad were also planning to protest in the U.S. campuses to seek Pradhan’s ouster. Guess, that’s why PM Modi must have stepped in and asked Pradhan to put in his papers,” says Telangana Congress leader Madhu Yaskhi. Pradhan is the first senior minister of the Modi government to step down bowing to street protests and political pressure. He quit ahead of the government’s second round of talks with CLP. Normally, no minister quits when the Parliament is in session. Guess, PM Modi must have found one week of the Monsoon Session lost in obstructionism too much of a waste of time. Besides Pradhan is such a good political manager for elections, Modi and Amit Shah may have better use for him in a poll-bound state such as Punjab then to subject him to political sledgehammering in the Parliament. As for the pumpkin of the anti-NEET campaign, the crown will certainly go to Rahul Gandhi—who on July 25 morning tweeted that the minister would be moved to another ministry. As for Abhijit Dipke who made cat calls to 7 Lok Kalyan Marg upon Pradhan’s exit, it is being said he must now worry about his return home.  It’s not going to be easy.

Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have decided to hold a demonstration in Mumbai on Sunday (July 26) in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) on-going protest in Delhi and elsewhere. This comes on the heels of a ‘bandh’ organised by Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar. Of course, his effort to paralyse Mumbai went almost unnoticed but is viewed as a fresh injection of energising the Opposition, which had failed to nail the Fadnavis government in the just concluded legislature session. Ever since the CJP launched its stir, one Opposition party after another and a large number of their leaders are warning the Union government and PM Narendra Modi of serious consequences despite their meagre strength in the state and Mumbai. Seizing on the situation, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have announced that their two parties will hold a joint protest in Mumbai on 26 July. This will be to condemn the police action against students protesting in various places. The march will begin from Shivaji Park and conclude at Siddhivinayak Temple, a short distance. On the other hand, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sakpal, legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and former speaker Nana Patole have kept on attacking the BJP and Modi. Strangely, the three have not addressed a joint press conference so far. Fringe parties like the Communists are seen towing the line of the Congress or the Sena (UBT) while the Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) appears totally confused on how to proceed, especially following Sharad Pawar’s call on Modi.

Officially speaking, PM Modi’s two emissaries, JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh convinced activist Sonam Wangchuk to end his 26-day hunger strike on Thursday night (July 23) by providing three specific written assurances regarding the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. This was after a four-hour high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah. Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh met Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram where Nadda read out and handed over the government’s official commitment. The Centre promised not to register cases or launch punitive action against students who participated in the “Chalo Sansad” march on July 20, or those protesting peacefully at Jantar Mantar. The government officially committed to holding discussion in Parliament regarding accountability in the failing examination system and implementing urgent educational reforms. Lastly, the government agreed to positively consider suitable financial compensation for the families of students who committed suicide following paper leaks. Was there any commitment to Wangchuk on sacking Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan? The answer is not a clear “Yes”. Wangchuk was told that trouble-makers were gathering in strength to unleash violence and he would be blamed for the aftermath. Therefore, Wangchuk agreed to pause his fast despite his initial core demand for the resignation of Pradhan remaining unmet. He stated that protecting the future of peaceful student protesters from legal jeopardy took higher priority. Wangchuk cited that the decision was heavily influenced by appeals from 65 MPs across political parties. Wangchuk was told that a decision on a new Education Minister was not ruled out. It might take some time.  Prior to Wangchuk’s meeting, the Centre attempted to address student grievances by replacing Education Secretary Vivek Joshi and establishing a fast-track court. The ministers also conveyed that the government...

Why is PM Narendra Modi refusing to sack Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan despite intense pressure from Opposition parties and student groups? Is it because of a calculated political strategy focused on maintaining his authority? Or is it to prevent a domino effect of ministerial accountability? Modi’s aides say PM Modi probably thinks that the demand for Pradhan’s exit will not stop with him. There is a good chance the protesters will change the goal-post to next seek the exit of Home Minister Amit Shah citing the police action of some unruly elements near Jantar Mantar. Can Modi afford to allow that scenario? Already, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal and all those opposed to Modi may be toying with such a possibility. But it is well known that PM does not crack under political pressure. Sacking Pradhan would invite a “chain reaction” of “accountability” prompting the opposition and public to aggressively target other senior leaders such as Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari or Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Also, many senior BJP leaders believe forcing a high-profile minister to step down under public duress will be viewed as an explicit admission of failure of the Modi government. The BJP also thinks that elected governments with a parliamentary majority should not be forced into submission by street marches or hunger strikes. Till date the Modi administration has not capitulated to agitations, preferring to choose its own timing for changes or reshuffles rather than reacting to public ultimatums. But this time, can Modi resist the brewing storm?

Another high-profile wedding in Maharashtra is the talk of the town since the bridegroom is none other than the son of deputy chief minister, Sunetra Pawar. The scion, Rajya Sabha member Parth Pawar, will be betrothed to Kainaat Dara (also referred to as Dhara) in Pune on 29 July. They are scheduled to wed in Baramati on 27 February 2027. The engagement ceremony will be the first happy occasion for the family after the plane crash demise of then deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Just as a meeting between veteran leader Sharad Pawar and PM Narendra Modi two days ago has generated new speculation about the fate of the two factions of the NCP, both camps are feeling uneasy since none can predict which way Pawar will tilt. Pawar’s detractors recall that his granddaughter (Supriya Sule’s daughter) Revati married Sarang Lakhani just a few weeks ago in Nagpur. His father Arun Lakhani became a BJP MLC within days. Since then, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are feeling miffed about how to react to the marital alliance. To add to the suspense, Pawar visited the Cockroach Janta Party agitation in Delhi in the morning and called on Modi the same evening. The schedule for Parth’s nuptial has thus only added spice to the guess game.  

Why did PM Modi choose a selfie-mode to convey his message to Gen-Z in the middle of a persistent protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar in Delhi? After Modi’s video promising tough action over paper leaks went viral, everyone was talking about something other than the fast-track courts he promised. It was about how the thing was shot. Modi put the message up at 11.52 pm on Thursday (July 23). He started by calling viewers “Friends” and speaking straight into what looked like a phone’s front camera, held at arm’s length. No podium, no studio, no formal backdrop. For a leader whose addresses are usually announced days ahead and treated as events, the vertical selfie seemed unusual. Modi wanted to appear to be speaking to the youth. “Is it Gen Z style to impress the Gen Z audience?” asked the Twitterati. Of course, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka noted that the Prime Minister had to release a selfie video at midnight and that showed that the pressure was very high to act on the demand to sack Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. As expected, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge objected to Modi’s selfie approach on X saying, “When Parliament is in session, the Prime Minister has to give a statement on the floor of the House; he should not make a late-night video and do a one-sided ‘Mann Ki Baat’ outside Parliament!”. He demanded that Pradhan be axed before Modi walks into Parliament next. Rahul Gandhi thinks that Modi is trying to outsmart his style of reaching out to the youth. While he has been wearing polo T-shirts, is Modi trying his outreach by selfie posts. “The PM’s promise is, as usual, hollow and only a headline-grabbing exercise…The fast-track courts are an eye-wash, an attempt to show responsiveness when there is none,” said Jairam Ramesh.

BJP’s national general secretary Sunil Bansal who is considered as one of the principal architects of the BJP’s first ever electoral win in West Bengal, is no longer confined to managing poll campaigns. His role within the party is steadily expanding, with growing influence over organisational affairs and strategic decision-making. Party sources said after winning the 2026 assembly election, the BJP is concentrating on strengthening its organisational structure, reinforcing its booth-level network and bringing the state unit into closer alignment with the central leadership’s strategy. Bansal has been holding regular meetings with state BJP President Samik Bhattacharya, other leaders and reviewed the functioning of district units and assessed political situation across various districts. According to a senior BJP leader, Bansal is not just an election strategist his opinion carries weight on how the organisation should function, where changes are required and how the state unit should remain aligned with the vision of the central leadership. Party insiders also claimed that Bansal’s advice may play a role in shaping the state’s top bureaucratic structure in the future. Although the BJP has made no official statement on the matter, many within the party believe the central leadership is giving equal importance to long-term political and administrative planning alongside electoral preparations for the upcoming municipal polls. A veteran BJP leader at the central level said that the party is now placing greater emphasis on administrative preparedness, policy implementation and organisational coordination, for which Bansal’s responsibilities are gradually expanding. Several BJP leaders also point to the experience of government formation, noting that it took nearly a month to finalise the Council of Ministers, followed by another two weeks to allocate portfolios after the swearing-in.

Former BigBasket CEO Hari Menon may have stepped away from the top job, but he’s far from slowing down. While continuing on the company’s advisory board, Menon is now turning his attention to something much closer to his heart—music. His first venture is bringing busking—the tradition of street music performances, popular across Europe and the UK—to Bengaluru. Backed by the Karnataka government, with police and Bengaluru Metro permissions reportedly falling into place, the first public performances are set to begin on 24 July. Menon and his team have already started inviting aspiring musicians to sign up as buskers. The idea is simple: provide a platform to perform, improve, access a studio free of cost, and eventually grow into accomplished musicians. Together with his wife Shanti, a noted educationist, Menon plans to begin with four shows a month before expanding to daily performances at Metro stations, malls and other public spaces under the banner of Unboxing Bengaluru. The initiative is backed by Unboxing Bengaluru, a platform founded by Prashant Prakash, co-founder of Accel, and former The Economic Times journalist Malini Goyal, with the aim of promoting music, art and dance across the city.

There is tremendous pressure on the Modi government to replace Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan because of the NEET controversy which has eroded public confidence in BJP’s governance style. India’s major political parties and Odisha Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik of BJD are mounting pressure on PM Modi to sack Dharmendra Pradhan considered to be one most trusted election strategist. Congress leader and LoP Rahul Gandhi is already targeting PM Modi for the crises. Dharmendra Pradhan and his family are also facing the flak on social media. It’s learnt that Pradhan’s daughter has already shut off her Instagram account amidst online backlash. As of now the message that is coming out of BJP’s camp is that Pradhan may not be replaced. Instead, it will fix the failed educational system. Pradhan’s role far exceeds that of an education minister. He has proved his mettle in Odisha, Bihar, Haryana, UP and other states elections. It was largely because of Pradhan that BJP ended 24-year rule of BJD in Odisha. This apart, he is considered to be close to both PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Political observers say “Pradhan remains untouchable as he is the tallest OBC leader who could well become the next chief minister of Odisha.”  

The nearly month-long protest that had intensified at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi with Sonam Wangchuk announcing indefinite fast to secure justice for NEET students has drawn to a close. Reportedly, two Union Ministers, JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met fasting Sonam Wangchuk at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on July 21. The ministers conveyed to the activist that the doors of communication were “open”, signalling the government’s willingness to hold a dialogue with the protesting students. Wangchuk who had amplified  the  agitation of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) led by Abhijit Dipke, by his indefinite fast on June 28 announced that he would end his hunger strike if the government assured him that no punitive or retaliatory action will be taken against students and protesters who took part in the July 20 “Chalo Sansad” march  to the Parliament. Clearly, it was the entry of this Ladakhi leader that had amplified the protest and made political parties such as the AAP hitch its bandwagon to the agitation. With CJP leader Dipke being a former AAP volunteer, it was only natural that senior AAP leaders like Manish Sisodia were found mobilising support for CJP’s protest march.  AAP leaders wanted to use the Delhi protest outcome to influence Punjab Assembly elections early next year where the Congress is seen to have an upper hand. The Congress which had initially kept away acquired a competitive interest in highlighting NEET issues only after Rahul Gandhi picked up the gauntlet. As the Lok Sabha LoP himself put across succinctly at a presser on July 22, that he did not mind any attack on him. He said, “The very cops who dragged me away whispered in my ear…‘Get rid’ of this government.” Sources say the Delhi police was forced to lift him and other Congressmen as they had tied “zip tags” to their wrists meant to deter cops from picking them up.