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Scindia & Shekhawat Disarm Belligerent Opposition With Wit & Facts
Two ministers stand out in tackling the Opposition on the floor of the House — Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotirditya Scindia. Shekhawat, who piloted the Dam Safety Bill, 2021 in the Rajya Sabha, faced grim reminders that the Bill could be a repeat of Farm Laws. Not only did he stand his ground but reminded the Opposition that as he spoke 42 dams had collapsed because of lack of action on part of lawmakers. The Bill has been hanging fire for a decade. On the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), Shekhawat made it clear the idea of limiting the number of member states to 7 on the 21 panel was a proposal drawn from the Standing Committee headed by late Congress leader Tarun Gogoi. It was the Gogoi report that didn’t want more states on the panels. As for Scindia, he effectively tackled Congress and DMK leaders who teased him for speaking only in Hindi. DMK leader TR Baalu wondered why the Civil Aviation Minister who was fluent in English was not speaking the language. Baalu was joined by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary. To which Scindia replied: “I would be more than happy to reply in English. I am always available for you Baalu sahab in every language that I know; I am at your service.”
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Action Heats Up In Poll-Bound Goa As Political Parties & Local Veterans Play Musical Chair
Goa Forward Party chief Vijay Sardesai was all gung ho about his one-on-one meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He had every reason to be. That is because his trip to Delhi not only established his equations with the Congress high command but also helped him take a swipe at the TMC which had poached his party functionary. In a slap to the TMC, Sardesai snitched an independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar from South Goa backing the TMC and brought him to Delhi. The TMC was naturally livid with Sardesai’s Delhi visit and his pact with the Congress. It took to social media to attack him. Of course, on his return to Panaji, Sardesai found his gains were short-lived. His third MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar had shifted to the BJP. It was felt Salgaonkar, who was a businessman and belonged to North Goa, may have been under pressure to switch to the BJP. At the national level, the BJP has been making new acquisitions. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a close associate of the Badals, joined the party. Belonging to Haryana, Sirsa is a prominent Delhi gurudwara leader.
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Rajya Sabha MP Suspensions & Farm Laws Repeal: Opposition Startled At Modi’s No-Nonsense Approach
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Opposition just does not know when it is going to lose the narrative. While the Opposition was planning to box in Modi, the PM caught the Opposition by surprise. First, he announced a roll-back of the three “contentious” farm laws on November 19. And 10 days later, on the first day of Winter Session of Parliament, 12 MPs in the Rajya Sabha from Opposition benches were suspended. Congress leaders privately admit that they were completely caught unaware that the Rajya Sabha Chair would penalise members for their unruly behaviour on the last day of Monsoon Session. “By reducing our bench strength, Modi has effectively shifted our goal post, Instead of discussing farmer issues, we are now discussing our issues,” rues Nasir Hussain, a suspended Congress MP from Karnataka. Rajya Sabha Chairman Naidu made it clear that there was no question of ignoring what happened on the last day of the Monsoon Session and the House was a continuous one. As for suspension of MPs, he said it could not be ignored that they were from the list of 33 people who had been named for their misconduct on August 11. Members were given an opportunity to explain their conduct and apologise. Instead of apology the Opposition has opted for confrontation with the Chair. No one wins here, only the Chair in Rajya Sabha does.  
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Free-For-All Show By Capt Amarinder, Manish Tiwari, Aditi Singh, Salman Khurshid Seen Hitting Congress Hard
After Rae Bareli Congress MLA Aditi Singh defected and joined the BJP last week, many wonder if her husband Angad Singh, who is a Congress MLA in Punjab (NawanShahr Assembly Seat) would be spared by the party leadership. It is quite possible that Congress may not renominate Angad as a party candidate. But then, Aditi and Angad may not be the only couple who would be at the receiving end of the party high command’s ire. Last week the Gandhis went all out to embarrass Perneet Kaur, Patiala Lok Sabha MP, and the wife of Capt Amarinder Singh. A show-cause notice was issued to her for publicly stating that she stands with her husband. The notice was issued by Punjab in-charge Harish Choudhary. Normally, notices to MPs are sent out by the AICC. Punjab Congress leaders are amused that the Gandhis should be more worried about Capt Amarinder Singh forming a party than take action against former minister and Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari who went all out to damage the UPA government with his book or Salman Khurshid who posed a lot of problems for the party with his book. In his book, Tewari laid bare how the UPA government had not acted strongly enough post 26/11.
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Didi’s Nephew Abhishek Emerging As The New Power Centre In TMC
Ever since his appointment as general secretary in June this year, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has been wielding enormous clout in the party. No, it has nothing to do with him enabling his aunt Mamata Banerjee to return to power for the third time in West Bengal. Of course he is credited with hiring election strategist Prashant Kishor who enabled the TMC to overcome jinx of incumbency. But at the heart of hero-worshipping the 34-year-old Diamond Harbour MP is a deeper tale of heart-burn. Abhishek has become so powerful in the TMC, that now no one feels the need to queue up before the aunt. They feel now it is better that issues of organisation and state issues are left with bhaipo (nephew in Bengali). And the bua or pishi (aunt in Bengali) is left to handle higher, national-level goals. Yet what has upset the TMC rank and file is the manner in which Abhishek has given away Rajya Sabha seats from Bengal to outsiders — like Sushmita Dev and former Goa CM Luizhno Faleiro. While many don’t grudge Sushmita who hails from Assam as she speaks Bengali, Faliero being rewarded with RS berth, has not gone down too well. Faleiro was entrusted with responsibility of spreading the TMC in Goa and doesn’t seem to have delivered much on ground.
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Congress Secular Stranglehold Seen Threatened By Mamata & Kishor’s Mission Goa
While on Goa and the TMC, it is important to note that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is so obsessed in having Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader Vijay Sardesai by her side that she first insisted that he merge his party with hers, when he refused and preferred to go along with the Congress, she struck on him by snitching a senior GFP functionary Kiran Khandolkar belonging to North Goa. As if that was not enough, she deployed poll strategist Prashant Kishor to do an alliance talk with Sardesai. PK is a glib talker and keeps visiting Goa to keep up Mamata’s deadlines. Not that Khandholkar’s exit would affect GFP’s electoral fortunes — apparently, he is much of a grassroots leader, it certainly may possibly hit Sardesai’s bargaining with the Congress. GFP is looking to contest between six to eight seats in alliance with the Congress. Looks like Mamata is determined to wipe out the Congress as the main player among secular parties in Goa. Aiding her in this task of unmaking the Congress in the state are two former Congress CMs — one of course is Luiznho Faleiro. The other is still in Congress and is its South Goa MP — Francisco Sardinha.
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Repeal Of Farm Laws & Loud Welcome By Captain Amarinder Raises New Possibilities In Punjab
In a big, bold gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stooped to reach out to Sikh farmers in Punjab by announcing repeal of contentious three farm laws on the occasion of Gurpurab. In a national address, he apologised to farmers who have been protesting for close to a year against the farm laws and declared that all three laws will be repealed in the upcoming winter session of Parliament beginning November 29. Punjab’s former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh welcomed it. In fact, he had insisted on resolution of farm laws as pre-condition for his alliance with BJP.  The former Punjab CM is launching Punjab Lok Congress. There are about 20% Hindu votes in urban Punjab areas, usually aligned with the BJP; an alliance with the BJP is viewed as useful to clinch elections. Rakesh Singh Tikait seemed defiant and said he will call off the agitation only after the Bill is repealed in the Parliament. But, those in support of the Bill were shocked by the expediency displayed by the Government. Was it merely to secure an election victory in Uttar Pradesh? Or make some gains in Punjab? Or is it the prospect of unrest being fueled from across the border in Punjab? People in the know say issues of security seem to have weighed on the minds of PM Modi. From cracking down on PIOs who were funding the agitation, to blocking visas of some Canadian employees to increasing the BSF patrol of up to 50 km in border states, the Government wants to ensure that there is no misadventure in a border state.  Shetkhari Sanghatna chief Anil Ghanwat, who was part of the Supreme Court appointed panel to find a solution, feels the move to withdraw laws is the most retrograde step: “After this no Government in India will have courage to initiate agriculture reforms for next 30 years.”
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Kejriwal’s New Model: Spend Rs 16-Cr On All India Ads For Rs 40k Pollution Solution For Delhi
Even as the Supreme Court warned the AAP Government in Delhi that it could order an audit of its advertisement spending if it did not submit an action plan soon enough to combat toxic air in the national capital, the warning got the BJP to dig out an RTI reply given by the Arvind Kejriwal Government. Citing an RTI reply and statement in the Delhi Assembly given by the Kejriwal Government, the BJP showed how the AAP leadership was more busy promoting itself than in tackling pollution. “As per information provided by the Government, we see the AAP Government bought a biodegradable solution from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa for Rs 40,000. The solution was to be used on paralis or rice stubble. The programme covered 310 farmers in the National Capital Region. So far so good,” points out BJP spokesperson Dr Sambit Patra. However, what takes the cake is the money splurged by the Kejriwal Government to disseminate information about its efforts to check stubble burning via ads all over India. “The AAP Government spent close to Rs 16 crore on ads about itself. It tried to educate even people in Kerala about what it is doing in Delhi. This also we came to know via RTI,” said Dr Patra.
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India @ 75: Making Sense Of Kangana's Pro-Modi Remarks
Actor Kangana Ranaut’s remarks that India’s Independence from the British was bheekh and that “real freedom was won in May 2014” has hardly amused the BJP. Though she may have made politically incorrect noises about India winning freedom only after Narendra Modi came to power, the party is simply going nowhere near this pretty young woman from Himachal Pradesh. Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil was the first to openly denounce the decorated actor’s views. With the Modi government all geared up to celebrate the 75th year of India’s Independence, one can hardly expect the party to endorse her views. “Kanagana is not a member of the BJP, why should we even be talking about her,” says a party spokesperson. This even as the Congress took to the streets, launching public protest against her. There is no doubt that the 34-year-old actor is a self-made person who has carved a niche for herself in the big, bad Mumbai film world. It speaks volumes about her grit and determination. As for her assessment about the freedom movement, guess it was not meant to be taken seriously.
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Modi Warns Ministers To Focus On Vikas Instead Of Courting The Media
Though it was not spelt out in as many words, a major cause for concern for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his interactions with his Council of Ministers through the chintan shivir last week was that his ministers must focus on the job at hand rather than on speaking to the media. Modi, who inducted several new faces during Cabinet reshuffle in July, is apparently quite a worried man. Not for his own sake but what may actually befall some of his ministerial colleagues. He is worried that some of them may be tricked into speaking with the media. He could not but help reminding the new ministers that what befell former BJP president late Bangaru Laxman in 2001 should not happen to them. He reminded them that how a trap was set for the first ever Dalit president of the BJP by a Congress-backed magazine in a sting operation. Modi’s real worry may not be surreal since now the Congress is more frustrated after setbacks in Rafale and Pegasus and may be inclined to go all out to ensnare NDA ministers. Though such incidents may not personally affect Modi, his ministers were warned that individually their careers could get ruined.
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Governor RN Ravi’s ‘Devanagri’ Signature & Chennai Deluge Keep Dravidian Politics On Boil
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s signature in Hindi in official communications is one thing that has stumped the state government. Allergic to anything in Devanagiri, the DMK leaders have been wondering if the Governor has deliberately chosen the script to irritate the DMK leaders. Hailing from Bihar, Ravi made it clear that he has always been signing in Hindi. Just as the Tamil leaders make it a point to sign in their mother tongue. Of course, apart from signature issues, the Governor had sought details of welfare schemes from the state government. During the floods too, he was quite hands-on, speaking with the NDRF DG. As for Chief Minister MK Stalin, he has been quite unhappy with floods which brought Chennai to a grinding halt. Hoping to take a break from work and travel abroad for a health check-up, he was upset with Chennai rains for a different reason. In a review meeting with MPs and civic officials, he apparently regretted that the scenes in the southern city seemed so much like a replay of what happened in 2015 when AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa was in office. He is worried about the impact it would have on upcoming urban body civic polls. He has also pulled up the civic staff for lack of preparation for the storm.
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Salman Khurshid’s Assault On Hindutva & Akhilesh Yadav’s Jinnah Card: Is This New Secularism?
It almost seems an intense fight for Muslim votes has broken out among secular parties in Uttar Pradesh. First, the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav praised MA Jinnah. Then there was Salman Khurshid trashing Hindutva, equating it with ISIS and Boko Haram in his book Sunrise Over Ayodhya. His party colleague Rashid Alvi from UP joined him with a word of caution about Ram Bhakts. Giving a boost to Khurshid and Alvi, Rahul Gandhi also sought to drive a wedge between Hinduism and Hindutva– describing it as a hateful ideology of RSS/BJP. The only sane voice was from CWC member Ghulam Nabi Azad. In this backdrop it is interesting to know that the Oxford educated former Union Minister Salman Khurshid was actually hoping to score a legal point through his book. He says he had been studying through the 1,500-page order of 2019 Supreme Court order. He admits no one had hoped there would be a resolution to the vexed issue of Ram Janmabhoomi temple but somehow the Apex Court had found one. But no one would have expected a book from the Congress stable – that was bound to be a political disaster. Earlier, Congress president Sonia Gandhi was upset with Khurshid for his book – The Other Side of the Mountain wherein he had suggested that Pranab Mukherjee should have been made the PM.
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Samajwadi Workers Baffled At Akhilesh Yadav Peddling Stench Of Jinnah With 'Ittar' Of Diversity
Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief and the principal challenger to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, is supposed to be rolling up his sleeves for this crucial battle early next year. In a sign that his heart is not really into the battle, the Opposition leader launched his campaign not by making poll promises; instead he chose to launch a perfume — Samajwadi Sugand or the fragrance of socialism. The perfume comes in a red-and-green glass bottle (the party colours) and is made of 22 natural ingredients from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, signifying the diversity of India. SP leaders say the launch of perfume should not be seen as a non-serious gesture. It was launched in Kannauj which is the Lok Sabha constituency of his wife Dimple. The place is known for perfume making and was produced by a Samajwadi worker. Besides perfume, Akhilesh also tried to tap Muslim voters by heaping praise on Mohammed Ali Jinnah (credited with dividing India to create Pakistan for Muslims). He hailed Jinnah as a freedom fighter on par with Gandhi, Nehru and Patel. If Akhilesh hopes voters would be thrilled with Samajwadi ittars and happily vote for the Cycle in solidarity with “brotherhood”, he would be mistaken. Party workers already feel the Samajwadi leadership has been too tight-fisted as it doesn’t see a prospect of a comeback.
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NOTA Polls More Votes Than Congress' Pratibha Singh’s Mandi Win Margin Over BJP’s Kargil Hero
Poll reverses in Himachal Pradesh where the BJP lost one Lok Sabha and three Assembly seats in by-elections was one reason that may have well forced the Modi government to rein in galloping fuel prices. However, a closer look at the Mandi Lok Sabha by-elections may reveal that the winner — Pratibha Virbhadra Singh — was not such a popular candidate. Apparently, no one in the Congress was keen that she should win as she is known to be quite an inaccessible person. Widow of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh seems to have won the seat through a series of happy coincidences. Her victory margin — 7,490 votes — against BJP candidate Brigadier (Retd) Khushal Thakur is actually less than the 12,626 NOTA votes polled. Which means there were not many who overwhelmingly voted in her favour. But then it is being said that even the BJP cadre was also not happy with the ticket going to Brig Thakur, a Kargil war hero. That means dislike for official candidates seems to have plagued both the parties and reflected in high NOTA. As for the Congress winning in three Assembly seats in the state it is being said the BJP did not take the challenge seriously. Officially, of course, chief minister Jairam Thakur acknowledged that high fuel prices may have made voters angry.
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Ex-IPS Hero & Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai Seen Among The Leaders To Watch At The Party National Meet
Clearly, the star of the one-day BJP national executive was Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai who got the opportunity to second the political resolution; UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was the mover of the resolution. Annamalai was not only handpicked for the task but Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself chose to introduce the 37-year-old former Karnataka cadre IPS officer to the audience. This after BJP President JP Nadda had already finished doing the honours. Speaking about Annamalai, Modi was quoted as saying that as an officer he had a bright future in his profession; in politics he could have also chosen regional parties like AIADMK or the DMK, but he zeroed in on the BJP for probity and clean politics. BJP leaders felt the way PM showered encomiums on Annamalai, it certainly seemed he was the chosen one. Under Annamalai’s stewardship since July this year, the state BJP has been making rapid strides. The BJP made gains in panchayat elections in nine districts in northern Tamil Nadu. Modi focused on looking at the silver lining – without making any reference to Himachal reverses. Annamalai’s success in a hostile environment like TN was worth showcasing to the party cadre. The spotlight was also on the decisive win in Telangana; and vote accretion in Badvel (SC) in AP, and in Ellenabad in Haryana amid farm law protests.
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After Loss Of Hangal Seat To Cong, The Message From Karnataka BJP: Family Emotions Matter Too
In Karnataka, the loss of Hangal Assembly seat to the Congress in the by-election should actually be seen as something that is of BJP’s own making. Here the party seems to be caught in a web of misery because of its principles. Refusing to cash in on sympathy factor and deciding against fielding close family members of deceased candidates, the BJP needlessly lost a seat to the Congress. It seems the party decided against fielding either daughter-in-law or son of the late six- term MLA CM Udasi whose death necessitated the by-election. Karnataka State BJP committee too had rooted for his son Shivkumar Udasi, a Lok Sabha MP from Haveri. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai too wanted someone from the family. “If someone from the family had contested, BJP would have secured the seat by 20,000 votes,” admitted a BJP source. Chief Minister Bommai who camped for 10 days in Hangal to secure the seat was quite disappointed. The seat was narrowly lost. Close to his backyard, the loss of Lingayat-dominated seat seemed like a slap on his face. Of course, the only people who were happy were supporters of former Chief Minister BS Yedyurappa. They saw this as a good time to push for rehabilitation of his son BY Vijayendra by linking Hangal loss to unhappiness of Lingayats.
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PM Modi’s Invite To Pope Takes Joie De Vivre Out Of Didi’s Goa Holiday
Nothing more upset supporters of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee than the warm meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pope Francis on October 30 at the Vatican. Modi pulled off a surprise by not only calling on the Pope but also extending an invitation to visit India. It would be the first such visit after a gap of 22 years. RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale welcomed PM’s meeting as well as invitation. Modi presented the Pope with a book on a topic close to his heart — The Challenges Of Climate Change: Children On The Front Line. The invite for papal visit had a positive impact with Kerala Catholic Bishop Council looking forward to it. Only TMC backers looked distraught and began to question Modi’s timing of the invite. Was it timed with Goa polls? Mamata had spent three days in Goa. A third term CM of a large state such as West Bengal, she was scouting fish markets of Mapusa to fraternise with locals. Journalists from Kolkata were brought to chronicle the beginning of her journey from “Goa to Delhi.” Did Mamata zero in on Goa thinking that since Modi became PM only because it was at Goa BJP National Executive in 2013 that he had been declared PM candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha elections, she too must start from Panaji!
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Give Modi One More Chance, Elect Yogi Once More: Amit Shah’s Message For UP
In an interesting move, Union Home Minister Amit Shah went all out endorsing UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath as BJP’s face for 2022 state assembly elections. He said electing Yogi in 2022 was very necessary if people wanted PM Modi to be re-elected in 2024. Shah appealed that “Modiji ko ek aur mauka dijijye, Yogiji ko mukhyamantriji banadijiye” (Give Modi one more opportunity. Make Yogi chief minister again). Shah’s fulsome endorsement of Yogi nixed speculation about the status of his relationship with the UP leader. For some time there has been a view that there was perhaps an undercurrent between the two leaders close to Modi. Age-wise, Shah and Yogi are almost contemporaries; both in their 50s; though Shah is a couple of years older than the UP CM. In terms of profile, both leaders are known to aggressively pursue Hindu causes and interests. So it is in this context that Shah’s backing of Yogi becomes significant. In 2017, Amit Shah as BJP President, had tirelessly worked for his party’s astounding victory in UP and helped Yogi become CM for the first time. Last week, Shah returned to Lucknow to launch BJP’s campaign for 2022. People who worked with him in the past such as UP BJP General Secretary Sunil Bansal are also in the team as key strategists. Union HRD Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been given charge of the state.
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Indira Gandhi’s Death Anniversary Sees Emotional Atyachar Episode Playing Out In Punjab Congress
Mid-October, Rahul Gandhi surprised CWC members by praising Charanjit Singh Channi’s humility. He informed them how Channi broke into tears on being told he has to take over as Punjab CM. Channi had become emotional because in a state dominated by Jat Sikhs he had never expected a Dalit like him to be picked as CM. However, today no one in Punjab Congress is sure if Chief Minister Channi continues to be Rahul’s favourite. Reason: Channi chose to ignore October 31– Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary. This was in stark contrast to what his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh used to do: issue advertisements paying tribute to the slain PM. Mind you, Capt Singh was someone who had quit the Congress in protest against Operation Blue Star and resigned as Congress MP in 1984. This difference in approach to Indira Gandhi between Channi and Capt Singh was brought to fore by former Punjab PCC Sunil Jakhar. Meanwhile, the appointment of Jagdish Tytler — someone allegedly linked to 1984 anti-Sikh riots — as permanent invitee in Delhi PCC has evoked mixed reactions. On his part, Rahul Gandhi stayed aloof and preferred to tweet a video of the last moments of his dear dadi’s funeral. As for Channi’s tears, he must be shedding more of it now considering Sidhu has almost become adversarial, questioning every policy decision of his.
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Why Did Lalu Fake A Call To Sonia Gandhi Ahead Of Bypolls?
Sparring between the RJD and the Congress has peaked so much that the national party outright denied a claim put out by RJD chief Lalu Prasad that Congress President Sonia Gandhi had telephoned him and inquired about his well-being. Lalu’s phone claim was debunked by none other than Congress’s Bihar-in charge Bhakta Charan Das, a Dalit leader from Western Odisha. And Lalu had been dismissive of him and called him “a stupid man” who was helping the NDA by fielding candidates in the forthcoming by-elections without consulting the RJD. In this backdrop, it is interesting to know why Lalu made a fake claim that Sonia Gandhi had telephoned him. Was it to confuse voters or Congress workers ahead of the by-elections to two assembly seats in Bihar — Kusheshwar Asthan (SC seat) and Tarapu — on October 30? It has almost become a prestige battle between the Congress and the RJD, UPA allies who had fought the 2020 assembly polls together. During the assembly polls, the Congress had fought and lost Kusheshwar by a narrow margin. This time the RJD decided to field a candidate in a seat it had left to the Congress constituency and is accusing the Congress of not consulting it. The by-elections have been caused due to deaths of sitting JD(U) MLAs. And usually, in such polls candidates of the incumbent government have an edge.
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Modi’s Simple Ideas Creating High Performance Ministerial Teams
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had stayed overnight in a cave near Kedarnath Temple in the run up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections, will be visiting the temple again on November 5 but for a different purpose. It was Modi’s stay in the cave that had led it to becoming a big tourist draw. This time Modi is going there to inaugurate Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi that was reconstructed after the destruction in 2013 floods. The entire reconstruction work has been undertaken under his guidance. His guidance is visible not only in major governance reforms but also in forging high performance ministerial teams. Not only in the way files –that too e-files will move within the government departments but also in the way ministers themselves will move. As regards to movement of e-files, it has been decided that they will not move beyond four hands or four levels before a decision is taken on them by ministers. As for ministers themselves, Modi suggested that the ministers could have a carpooling system to come for meetings like the Council of Ministers — such as the one he had held recently. Carpooling, he felt, would not only save energy but also give them an opportunity to share information about their ministries with each other. The idea is to get one Cabinet minister and two junior ministers in the same car
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Mamata-Kishor Chalking Out Mission TMC For Poll-Bound Goa
Looks like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plans to make a big bang start in Goa on October 28 may not quite happen. That is because she is not able to get the right kind of line-up of leaders — from the Congress and other smaller parties — to join her Trinamool Congress (TMC). Her key advisor strategist Prashant Kishor (PK) has been working on it for weeks. Yet he has not been able to make much headway. Initially, PK was lucky in persuading former CM Luizinho Faleiro, ex- Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief, to join the TMC. Faleiro had helped the Congress clinch a big win in 2017 by picking up 17 of the 40 seats — the BJP won only 13 seats and yet managed to form the government with the support of smaller parties. Faleiro is expected to draw the right mix of leaders to the TMC Goa but there has not been much headway. Of Goa’s 40 seats, 21 are from the largely Hindu North and 19 seats from the mainly Catholic South. Mamata is keen on getting Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesi (who is seen tilting towards Congress’ working president Alexio Sequeira) and his two MLAs. Mamata even got a high profile TV anchor who flaunts his Goa connection and common surname to boot to call up Vijai Sardesai.
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Tamil Nadu’s New Governor Ravi Keeps DMK On Tenterhooks
While in Delhi, the newly appointed Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi prefers to stay in his MS Flats at RK Puram than in the Governor’s suite in Tamil Nadu Bhavan in Chanakyapuri — which is part of the diplomatic enclave in the national capital. He had been staying in this flat during his long service in IB and retained it when he was the Governor of Nagaland till he was sent to Chennai. His visit to Delhi a month after taking charge has the ruling DMK worried. This is because he held a lengthy meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah and then called on PM Narendra Modi. DMK leaders wonder what may be cooking. Apparently, Chief Minister MK Stalin doesn’t want any confrontation with the Governor nor with PM Modi. Finance Minister Dr P Thiaga Rajan (PTR) too has piped down his confrontation with the Centre. It may be noted that Governor Ravi’s daughter Prof Shamika Ravi was a member of PM’s Economic Advisory Council.
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Harish Rawat Bids Goodbye To Punjab, After Tryst With Sidhu & Captain
As sought by him for some time now, Harish Rawat, former Uttarakhand CM, has been relieved of charge as AICC General Secretary handling election-bound Punjab. The Congress leadership has replaced Rawat with Rajasthan Revenue minister Harish Chaudhary, considered close to Rahul Gandhi. Rawat, 73, will, however, continue to be a CWC member – and chairman of the campaign committee for the Congress in the forthcoming Uttarakhand assembly polls. His hands had been too full trying to find a solution to tame a forever recalcitrant Punjab PCC chief Navjot Sidhu. Chief Minister Chandrajit Singh Channi has also been at wit’s end to meet Sidhu’s requirements. Initially, there were a lot of misgivings about Rawat’s equations with the Gandhis – as it was felt that he was not focusing enough on the return of all Congress leaders who had joined the BJP back to the party-fold. Interestingly, orders to relieve Rawat of his Punjab charge were issued on October 21 – that is on a day when Capt Amarinder Singh lashed out against Rawat for questioning his secular credentials because of his possible alliance with the BJP. “Don’t forget that the Congress took Navjot Sindh Sidhu after he was with the BJP for 14 years. And where did Nana Patole and Revanth come from if not RSS.” He also sought to know what the Congress was doing with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
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G-23 Strikes Back With Damning Leaks On Karra’s Nehru Vs Patel Spin
A Congress Working Committee meeting is specially convened by Sonia Gandhi to tell an unenthused Congress cadre that it has no choice beyond Gandhi family or how she is still full-time party chief and there is no such thing as interim president. Sonia got what she wanted; managed to get all 38 members to endorse whatever AK Anthony and three Chief Ministers said — that is to urge Rahul Gandhi to return as Congress President. Yet, what added spice to the discussions was not a call to Rahul but the sycophantic remarks purportedly made by CWC member from Kashmir Valley, Tariq Hameed Karra who extolled Jawaharlal Nehru’s role in getting Kashmir to become part of India. He apparently claimed that Sardar Patel had colluded with Jinnah and was keen to keep Valley out of India. The BJP reacted by asking if Sonia would drop Karra from the CWC. New to Congress, Karra didn’t seem worried about Patel’s role or legacy. The CWC story is not Karra’s remarks but who leaked the closed door CWC proceedings to the media? Fingers apparently are pointing to a few G-23 members. By giving out details of Karra’s remarks at the proceedings, the defiant Congress leaders finally seem to be getting their back at Sonia who took a swipe at them in her opening remarks.
amit khare
The Rise And Rise Of Amit Khare, PM Modi’s New Advisor
Amit Khare’s appointment as adviser in the PMO (upon his retirement as Secretary to Government of India) for a two-year period indicates he is probably set for much longer innings. The Jharkhand cadre 1985 batch IAS officer, who officially retired on September 30, may not have superannuated as Cabinet Secretary but he can still hope to have higher career goals. Valued as an upright, efficient officer who helmed two crucial policy decisions for the Modi Government — the National Educational Policy 2020 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rule 2021 or the IT Rules — Khare has always enjoyed the confidence of his bosses. In the UPA years, he served ministers such as Kapil Sibal and Pallam Raju. So, what made PM Narendra Modi pick Khare for his team? It is said that credit for zeroing in on Khare should actually go to incumbent Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba. It is said Gauba was approached by Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das to take over as state Chief Secretary. At that time Gauba was posted in the IT ministry. It was Gauba who picked Amit Khare as Additional Chief Secretary (Finance & Planning) in Jharkhand.  Given his administrative track record, Khare could eventually hope to become principal secretary to the PM.
sidhu_letter
After Capt. Crisis, The Sidhu-Channi Rivalry Seen Opening New Opportunities For Kejriwal’s AAP
Why does Navjot Singh Sidhu come across as a problem child throwing tantrums every other day? Barely two days after it was announced that he had withdrawn his resignation following a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary Harish Rawat, and it was assured that he would be back working as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, Sidhu flagged a 13-point agenda on his Twitter handle for the forthcoming assembly elections. Ironically, he was mainly listing all the non-achievements of the local Congress Government in the last four and half years. Sidhu’s critics in Punjab Congress were livid that he had gone public with his letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi particularly on a day when she had told members of the Congress Working Committee that they must communicate directly with her and not go to the media. The former test cricketer is a very frustrated man and is so very unpredictable ever since Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit leader has been appointed as CM replacing Capt. Amarinder Singh. Not that Channi’s appointment has enhanced Congress prospects. “If Channi and Sidhu continue to be at loggerheads, Congress will be wiped out,” fear party seniors. Support for the Aam Admi Party seems to be surging even without a Jat Sikh face. And this is Sidhu’s frustration.
maneka_varun_gandhi
Will Varun Gandhi Quit BJP To Join The Grand Old Party?
Soon after mother-son duo Maneka and Varun Gandhi were dropped from the National Executive of BJP, the central decision-making body, there was speculation that Varun would join his cousin Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra. There was a buzz that he might even show up at her Congress kissan rally in Varanasi. Though no such thing happened. His exclusion is attributed to his indiscreet utterances on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that saw a hit-and-run accident and retaliatory lynchings, leaving eight dead.  On his part Varun played down his exclusion by saying that he had never attended any of National Executive meetings in the last five years. However, BJP sources say, Varun’s activities have been under the radar of the top bosses for the last five years. In 2016, Varun had found himself embroiled in a major controversy after he was accused of leaking military secrets to an arms dealer and weapon manufacturers after being “honey-trapped.” Varun did toy with the idea of leaving BJP five years ago when Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka sent word through an intermediary. But eventually he decided to bide his time, fearing action over allegations, and also because of Maneka’s equations with Sonia. Sheltered during Vajpayee rule, now it looks likely that Maneka and Varun won’t get a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. And Maneka may not mind Varun joining hands with Priyanka. But, will Rahul welcome his cousin?
amit_sansad
Will Sansad TV Be The New Voice Of The Parliament?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah decided to give an interview on 20 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s elective politics. Interestingly, he did not choose any of the private channels to air his views. Rather, he chose to speak to Sansad TV — a relaunched Parliament TV. Interestingly, it was aired on a day Congress leader Priyanka Vadra addressed a kissan nyay rally at Varanasi. The Shah interview naturally monopolised airtime as all private channels went live with the interview. Sansad TV, a news channel that has combined the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha TV, was launched on September 15, 2021.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called it the new voice of the Parliament. In a break from the past, the news channel is roping in well-known MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to host their own shows or conduct panel discussions. First, one saw Congress MP Shashi Tharoor interview renowned Kathak danseuse Shovana Narayan and painter Anjali Ela Menon. Other well-known names that will be regularly seen on the channel are: Economist and author Dr Bibek Debroy who will be hosting a show on religion. Former diplomat Vikas Swarup will moderate a show on foreign affairs while Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will be doing a weekly show on government reforms. Well, it seems interesting on the face of it.

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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.