Organising “Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan” rallies for Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge across states has become sort of a political hazard in the Congress. Asked to convene such rallies, Congressmen are literally shivering in their pants considering what happened with Buxar District Congress President Manoj Pandey who was sacked for not organising enough crowds. A livid Kharge had stripped Pandey of his post in an election year in Bihar when he confronted empty chairs on a Sunday afternoon mid-April. No Congress leader is willing to risk the wrath of Kharge. That is why Tamil Nadu Congress leaders recently held a meeting to draw up a plan to organise a meeting on May 4 to be held in Teynampet area in Chennai addressed by Kharge. It was decided that the target to mobilise crowds would be shared by various leaders at different levels. That is eight Lok Sabha MPs from the state would be given the responsibility of bringing a crowd of 5000 people each and 17 party MLAs were given the target of bringing about 1000 people each. Party office bearers from 76 districts   were tasked to bring 500 people each. In all  the ballpark crowd size of 95,000 to 1 lakh. Some office bearers even suggested raising funds from ally DMK ministers to organise the event. It wasn’t just to bowl over Kharge. The general argument was an impressive show by the Congress that could even make the DMK concede more seats in the TN assembly elections next year. Explaining the lack of crowd at Buxar, Manoj Pandey blamed it on the scorching heat. If Bihar couldn’t withstand the heat in April, will Chennai put up with searing heat in May just to make a political point?

Less than a week after the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack, the Congress has shed all pretence of extending its cooperation to the government. It is back to fretting and molly-coddling its Muslim vote bank. That is why Karnataka excise minister RB Thimmapur rushed to doubt if the “perpetrators of the attack in Pahalgam would have asked the name and the religion of victims” and insisted “it is unfair to target a particular religion over the attack”. This even as the wife of a victim from Shivamogga had helplessly watched her husband being shot dead, after the terrorists asked the name and religion before shooting the male tourists. Building a defence for the assailants, the minister argued it wasn’t the gunmen who asked for the name and religion of the tourists. Religious colour was being given to cover up intelligence failure. “Kargil, Pulwama and now Pahalgam are the result of central intelligence failure. The BJP has been playing politics over deaths,” the minister argued. Why was the Congress minister making a case for Pakistani terror operatives? It wasn’t just the minister, even chief minister Siddaramaiah had caught the attention of the Pak media playing up his comment saying  that there is “no need for war” over the Pahalgam terror attack. He was dubbed “Pakistani Ratna” by the state BJP. With RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat making it clear that “it is duty of the king to protect the people” and urging the government to teach errant neighbour a lesson, PM Modi assured in his Mann Ki Baat that bereaved families will get justice; he felt the terror strike was to destroy the Kashmir narrative with peace and normalcy returning.

All eyes are now on the Indian armed forces, as PM Modi vowed to avenge the killings of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam. Modi’s top ministers have discussed all options. But they have left it to Modi to decide on the action. They feel Modi will go for a sustained approach and not an immediate strike– because there is no pressure of any election like in February 2019. Modi had ordered the IAF to strike at the Balakot terrorist training camp in Pakistan after many CRPF men were killed in Pulwama. This time, Modi’s plan is: the end of the game for terrorists and their perpetrators. Meanwhile, the Pakistani army has begun troop movement near the borders in Rajasthan and Kashmir and tanks and heavy weapons are being shifted from Afghan border to the Indian border. Pakistani fighter jets were seen flying along with cargo planes to transport troops and weapons to the Indian border. India has defeated Pakistan in three wars. Pakistan officials are worried that many Pakistani fighter jets are in poor condition because of a lack of spare parts. Pakistani tanks do not have enough diesel for long-distance attacks. Pakistan wants to show the world that Kashmir is no longer under India’s control, but the world is watching that nothing is under control in Pakistan — neither PoK, Balochistan nor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. If Pakistan carries out any misadventure, it must fight on four fronts. A former Pakistani army major, Adil Raja, has claimed that the killings of Hindu terrorists in Pahalgam were carried out on the directions of Army Chief Gen Asim Munir. Indian security agencies are evaluating reports that the people of Pakistan are not happy with their Army Chief, and to curb the growing voices of dissent, Gen. Munir chose the old formula to carry out a big terror attack in Kashmir to save his chair.

In an interesting move, Vice-President JP Dhankar reached Ooty to preside over as chief guest at a high-level conference of Vice-Chancellors at the Raj Bhavan with representatives from 32 universities taking part in the event. Since Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi assumed office, he has been organizing annual conferences involving V-Cs of both government and private universities. This year marks the fourth consecutive edition of the conference. Dhankar’s presence at the conference assumes significance as it comes in the backdrop of the Supreme Court order that gave Tamil Nadu government powers to appoint V-Cs. Official sources say that Dhankar could have possibly agreed to preside over the event only after some kind of suggestion from the Centre to consent to his presence. It remains to be seen what message the V-P delivers at the event. Local media reports suggested that there was pressure on several V-Cs from the DMK government to stay away from the two-day event. The main agenda of the event was to foster dialogue and collaboration among academic leaders to enhance the quality and reach of higher education in the state and across the country. Invitations were extended to 21 V-Cs from state universities, 25 from private universities, and three from central universities. Only representatives from 32 institutions had confirmed their participation.  Dhankar, who is on a three-day visit to TN, will also be visiting the Muthanad Mund Toda Temple in Ooty. He will also be addressing the students and faculty members of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore on April 27.

PM Narendra Modi who chaired the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on the back of terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were killed, took a series of steps to corner Pakistan and express India’s anger over Islamabad’s mischief in killing the innocents. Delhi began with what could hit Pakistan the hardest; it declared holding the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance with immediate effect, until the recalcitrant neighbour credibly and irrevocably abjured its support for cross-border terrorism. In another significant move, the Integrated Check Post Attari will also be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1 2025. It was also made clear Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). Any SVES visa issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India. Cracking down on the Pakistani High Commission, the CCS wanted the Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi to be declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions. The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions to be effective from May 1. It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development.

PM Narendra Modi who flew into New Delhi early April 23 morning after curtailing his Saudi Arabia visit by a day in view of the Pahalgam terrorist strikes in J&K decided to get cracking as soon as he reached the capital. Security officials who were preparing to brief Modi on his arrival at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg were surprised, when they were asked to reach the Palam Air Force base by 6 am for the meeting at the airport itself.  He took stock of the situation along with EAM Dr S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other top brass of security agencies. Meanwhile as the world mourned the massacre of 28 innocent tourists, Pakistan and Turkey have drawn outrage by using the tragedy to rake up the Kashmir issue. Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara thanked Turkey for its “unwavering support” on Kashmir—just hours after the terror attack. The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, has claimed responsibility for the massacre. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) will meet once HM Shah reaches Delhi and FM Nirmala Sitharaman returns from the U.S. In a post on X, Modi said the attackers would not be spared. “Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” said Modi. While the CCS could possibly discuss a range of options and authorise retaliatory strikes; timing of such a step would of course be strategised by our security forces. After all, if we recall Pulwama attack that claimed lives of 40 CRPF jawans in February 2019 was retaliated with  Balakote airstrike  a good 10 days later.

In an unusual move, the Congress suspended its Buxar District Cong president Manoj Kumar Pandey indefinitely and stripped him of all organisational posts for “inaction” or low turnout at party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s Buxar rally. The party  apparently decided to suspend Pandey from all posts he was holding in the organisation, including that of Buxar District Congress president, with immediate effect due to lack of coordination and irregularities on his part in connection with “the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan” rally held at Dalsagar Stadium in Buxar on  April 20, which was addressed by Kharge.  Pandey himself made it clear that it was not lack of coordination but the sweltering heat — about 42 degrees — that had made people stand in the shade. Efforts to get people to occupy empty chairs had failed. Bihar Congress leaders are stunned that Pandey was even being blamed for low-turnout.” Action should be taken against the PCC leadership and AICC in charge Krishna  Allavaru who chose this time of the year to organise these rallies.  How can you organise these Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan rallies when villages are getting busy with weddings? Besides, most of these areas are Brahmin dominant — Buxar, Madhubani and Darbhanga where rallies are being planned, ” pointed out a senior Cong leader. It was also felt that recent organisational changes have been quite ineffective. The new PCC chief Rajesh Kumar — who fulfils Rahul Gandhi’s goals of filling up Dalits in all party posts– has substantially weakened the Bihar unit.  At this rate, under the new set-up Cong men fear their tally which is at present in double digit with 19 MLAs is bound to fall in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.

The general trend among politicians who move into spacious Lutyens bungalows in Delhi as ministers is to ensure that their children are married in style before their term ends. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal who was voted out of Delhi government on February 8 this year after a three-term stint may have planned well for that; he did not expect to lose power. He was voted out as he built a “Sheeshmahal” for himself and failed to deliver on promises that had disillusioned voters. Yet, he ensured that his daughter Harshita is married off in style. Never mind the propriety of it all. Or else how does one explain that within two months of losing power, Kejriwal was back in the news in connection with Harshita’s wedding with Sambhav Jain, her batch mate from IIT Delhi. What raised eyebrows was the manner in which the wedding and other ceremonies were held at the Kapurthala House, the official residence of Punjab CM in Delhi. Apparently four different events were held. The jaimala and reception were both solemnised at Kapurthala House. A day before the wedding, the engagement ceremony was held at Shangri-La hotel in Delhi on April 17. A video of Kejriwal and his wife Sunita dancing to Pushpa 2 songs has been doing the rounds on X. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, in his tweet, took a dig at CM Bhagwant Mann for the manner in which Kapurthala House had morphed into a ‘marriage palace of eminence’…before Kejriwal’s daughter’s marriage, AAP MP Raghav Chadha’s pre-wedding ceremonies with actor Parineeti Chopra had been held at the same venue in May 2023. It’s just a matter of time before CM Mann decides to monetise Kapurthala House” — a model of ‘kranti’ to earn revenue by bankrupt Punjab for solemnising marriages — in Khaas Aadmi style.

West Bengal may be in hot spot over violence in Murshidabad where Hindus were targeted by mobs protesting over the Waqf Act. However, the news of senior BJP leader and a veteran RSS hand Dilip Ghosh’s marriage has brought a lot of smiles. There has been a flood of wishes for him. Many BJP leaders went to his house in a group on April 18 to wish him well. Among them were state president Sukanta Majumdar and Mahila Morcha general secretary Locket Chatterjee. However, no one knows yet whether Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari will visit Dilip’s house or not. Dilip-Suvendu relationship is not very ‘smooth’. Incidentally, Saturday, April 19 is Dilip’s birthday. Although his birthday is officially shown as August 1. But Dilip’s close friends say that his ‘real’ birthday is April 19. Dilip himself is completely against ‘celebrating’ any occasion with pompousness. Dilip turned 60 last year. Ever since his decision to marry has been on the social media, Dilip himself has been indifferent to it. According to sources close to Dilip, when he was a little depressed after losing the last Lok Sabha elections, Rinku was the one who proposed to him to start a family.  A divorcee and housewife, with a son who works in the IT sector, Dilip initially did not agree to the marriage. She admits Dilip took three months, mainly after his mother’s insistence, to decide. A section in the Sangh wasn’t keen that Dilip should get married. Two members of the Sangh had even gone to Dilip’s house! However, Dilip was adamant on his decision. Finally, on April 18, Dilip became a ‘samsari’.

When businessman Robert Vadra appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi for the second day in a row on April 16 in connection with the Gurugram land case, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s public display of affection (PDA) was evident as she stepped out of her car and gave a warm hug to her husband. Later, as the probing agency began questioning Vadra, she sat in the waiting room at the ED headquarters. Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, appeared before the ED for questioning in a 2008 Haryana land deal, linked to a money laundering case. It was interesting to see Priyanka rush back from her foreign trip to be with her husband. Only last week she had skipped the extended Congress Working Committee meet held in Ahmedabad on April 8. Earlier, on April 4, she hadn’t participated in the Waqf Bill debate in the Lok Sabha. The party explained that Priyanka had to travel abroad, presumably the UK, to visit an ailing friend. Party leaders feel Priyanka should have at least attended the Ahmedabad CWC meet — something that was planned since January 2025. But then sources say Priyanka increasingly found both her mother Sonia and brother Rahul were not giving her much space in the organisation. They were not elevating her as working president or secretary- general. The Muslim League, the Congress ally in Kerala had protested against Priyanka’s absence during the Waqf Bill debate as she is Wayanad MP. Congress sources said if Priyanka is not given her due in the organisation by her family, the party could face consequences in the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala. Interestingly, Robert Vadra felt ED investigations against him had gathered pace only because he was speaking up for the minorities.  

Telangana Congress leaders wonder if the new AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan will do them any good. Natarajan replaces Deepa Das Munshi, who is now in-charge of election-bound Kerala. Deepa who helped to bring Congress to power in 2023, faced the brunt of factionalism. The house for which Telangana PCC was paying rent for Deepa in Hyderabad had even become a subject of controversy. In contrast Telangana Congress workers admit that Natarajan is completely low-maintenance. “There hasn’t been much of a lifestyle change in her since she began her career in the Congress two decades ago — when she used to commute by three-wheelers for party work. She has opted to stay in MLA guest house whenever she visits Hyderabad,” said a Telangana Congress leader. She apparently insists on meeting all leaders including ministers in the party headquarters. And dissuades party people from receiving her at the airport. Yet no one is sure if her down-to-earth activism will be able to tame chief minister Revanth Reddy as he didn’t seem to be bothered about Meenakshi. Many Congress leaders wished the party had a high-ranking leader, say a former CMs like Digvijay Singh or Bhupesh Baghel as in-charge of Telangana. However, since Rahul Gandhi is comfortable only with those close or loyal to him, he has opted for Natarajan. Of course, for the past two months Natarajan has been maintaining an equi-distance from all factions and sent a strong message to the party heads that party cadres should get highest respect as it was on their sacrifices that the party came to power. 

It was clearly a day of hard work and some tough negotiations. Success came at the end of hours of backroom negotiations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has networked and negotiated several alliances on behalf of the BJP, may have never spent more than a day to finalise the agreement, has been working on the fine details of the pact with AIADMK for nearly two days.  Initially there was anxiety that Shah’s presser that was originally scheduled to be held by noon got delayed by a few hours. He held a wide range of consultations with Thuglak editor S Gurumurthy.  He was determined to secure an alliance with AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) before he left Chennai; his tenacity paid off. He wanted to make sure that the AIADMK and the BJP contest the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections as part of the NDA alliance. He also ensured that when he announced the AIADMK-BJP pact, both the Gounder leaders — EPS and Annamalai — were present with him. “This election will be led nationally by Narendra Modi and in Tamil Nadu by EPS and AIADMK,” Shah said. Shah also made it clear that EPS had not made any pre-conditions. He pointed out that the AIADMK has been part of the NDA since 1998, and that PM Modi and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had worked together in the past. Even though he didn’t specify, Shah made it clear that EPS would be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the alliance. Avoiding any question on Annamalai’s future role, Shah made it clear that he did not want any speculation about it now. “As of now he is by my side.” Whatever may be the details of the alliance, at the end of the day a happy EPS was hosting dinner for Amit Shah.

With Home Minister Amit Shah in Chennai sort of overseeing transition in Tamil Nadu BJP from K Annamalai to Nainar Nagendran ahead of state assembly polls next year and ensuring sealing of the AIADMK-BJP alliance, there were ripples in the DMK over sexist and anti-Hindu utterances of a senior party functionary and forest minister K Ponmudy. A video clip of his derogatory remarks made on April 6 had gone viral. While senior leader and Udhayanidhi loyalist, Duraimurugan refused to sign a letter sacking Ponmudy from party post, it was left to TN chief minister MK Stalin to sign the order stripping Ponmudy of party post. DMK Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi Shiva replaced Ponmudy.  It is being said Stalin was advised to take action against Ponmudy by his religious minded wife Durga as his anti-Hindu remarks were found very offensive. Interestingly, the person who first flagged the protest against sexist remarks of Ponmudy in the family was Stalin’s sister and DMK MP Kanimozhi. In a X post, Kanimozhi hit out at Ponmudi and said his remarks were unacceptable. Meanwhile Duraimurugan issued an apology for calling “Divyangs” as handicapped and speaking irresponsibly. However, what these random changes in the DMK indicate is that discontent against Udhayanidhi and the other influential relative (Stalin’s son-In-law  is bound to grow in the run-up to assembly elections.

Looks like the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Ahmedabad is making more news about leaders who are not attending than those who are. The focus is not so much about Gandhis — Rahul and Sonia — who attended the meet but Priyanka, General Secretary, who skipped the extended CWC session. It is being said she had taken permission to “skip the AICC session and the just concluded Parliament session to attend a pre-engagement abroad, and the party had accepted her request”. She was out of the country to attend to a relative who is in need of medical help, said senior leader K C Venugopal. Interestingly, Congress ally, Muslim League had expressed concerns over Priyanka’s absence during the Waqf Bill debate.  Jairam Ramesh also pointed out that 35 members were absent from the meeting. More than Priyanka’s absence, what is of significance is the absence of Karnataka Home Minister and prominent Dalit leader G Parameshwara. He skipped the CWC event more because it was made clear to him that he is not being considered for the CM post if the party removed incumbent Siddaramaiah by this year’s end. He has been sulking since his recent Delhi visit. First, he could not get an appointment with Rahul and even party chief Kharge discouraged him from pushing his Dalit CM campaign. Kharge apparently feels such a campaign could hurt prospects of his son Priyank — a minister in Siddaramaiah cabinet — from becoming CM. Meanwhile, to stonewall any regime change a pro Siddaramaiah MLA — Basavaraj Rama Reddy —   has already dubbed the state as “number one in corruption.”  It is feared if the Congress leadership makes DK Shivakumar as CM, it is possible Sidda could once again effect a split in the Congress.

With the AIADMK under Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) continuing to play truant, the BJP seems to be already working on its alternative options. Yes, with EPS continuing to be elusive about a tie-up with the BJP, post his meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, the TN BJP seems to be working full time to explore tie-ups. Possibilities of a tie-up between the BJP and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) opened up when NTK chief Seeman and BJP state president K Annamalai shared the stage at SRM University on April 7. What set off the buzz of a tie -up was that Seeman praised PM Modi. Who is Seeman? Senthamizhan Seeman is an actor and former filmmaker. NTK has always managed to win at least 8-9% votes in the last few polls. Even as he regards slain LTTE chief V Pirabhakaran as his mentor, Seeman has been making scathing attacks on Periyar, the icon of the Dravidian movement, questioning his love for Tamil people and culture. The DMK government has registered cases against him but has never dared to put him behind the bars. He has also severely criticised TN chief minister M K Stalin, his son and deputy CM Udayanidhi Stalin. Seeman is a strong advocate of Tamil nationalism. Speaking to the students, Seeman lauded Modi for his efforts to showcase Tamil’s antiquity globally. Echoing the PM, Seeman also emphasized the importance of the mother tongue. At Rameshwaram, Modi had chided the DMK ministers for not even signing in Tamil in their letters to the Centre.  Annamalai, during his speech, called Seeman a “commander on the battlefield,” recognizing his strong stand on Tamil identity. Annamalai observed: “I see Tamil in nationalism. Seeman sees nationalism in Tamil.” The buzz is that Seeman may meet Modi soon, possibly at a location outside TN.

Looks like the RSS mouthpiece Organiser is now the most watched X handle for its posts, particularly by those looking for disagreements within the Modi government over the path-breaking Waqf Amendment Bill. That is why when Organiser reposted an old article — about Catholic Church’s expansive land holding in India published in Indian Catholic Matters in May 2024, both Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan latched on to it just to tell Kerala Christians, not to get swayed by the BJP as it may now come after the land held by the churches. That is because Christians in Kerala have decidedly moved towards the BJP after the Waqf Bill became law. Surprised by the interest shown in the year-old article that the Organiser had posted, editor Praful Ketkar found it odd that both Rahul and Kerala CM should link the article by “Indian Catholic Matters” to the RSS. “Even biased media have no shame in linking everything to the RSS. We have the guts to review the data as the reporter filed a story on secondary sources”, he posted on X. Meanwhile, in a separate post the mouthpiece quoted media reports to suggest that the Church of North India (CNI) has announced plans to take forward its project of cow conservation and protection in other states of the country. Quoting from a report of Nai Duniya, it announced how the CNI would set up ‘Gaushalas’ (cow shelter homes) on properties owned by the Church in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Recently, the diocese along with other Hindu groups had also organised a Janjagran (public awareness) meeting alongside carrying out a 50-kilometre Dandawat Yatra (prostration march) to stop cow slaughtering in Chhattisgarh last month.

On the auspicious Ram Navami day on April 6, at around 12 noon, PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Pamban Rail Bridge — India’s first vertical lift sea bridge and flag off a train and a ship from the road bridge and witness the operation of the bridge. Thereafter he will perform darshan and pooja at Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaram. At around 1:30 PM in Rameswaram, he will lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation various rail and road projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore in Tamil Nadu. AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) had wanted to meet with Modi in Rameswaram.  In contrast, TN BJP chief K Annamalai has been called to Delhi early next week for another round of discussions with Home Minister Amit Shah to sort out BJP-AIADMK alliance issues and also matters relating to picking up the next state chief. The Pamban Rail Bridge with its reference to Ram Setu in Ramayana carries a deep cultural significance. According to the Ramayana, the construction of Ram Setu was initiated from Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram. The bridge, linking Rameswaram to the mainland, stands as a remarkable feat of Indian engineering on the global stage. It was built at a cost of over Rs 550 crore. It is 2.08 km in length, features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train operations. Constructed with stainless steel reinforcement, high-grade protective paint, and fully welded joints, the bridge boasts increased durability and reduced maintenance needs. It is designed for dual rail tracks to accommodate future demands.

A day after the Rajya Sabha discussed The Mussalman Waqf (Repeal) Bill, 2025, past midnight and then passed it with 128 votes in its favour, PM Modi called it a “watershed moment”.  Attending the BIMSTEC meeting in Bangkok, PM Modi had good reason to be satisfied. The only worrying factor was its passage had disappointed Opposition parties as Union Minister Kiren Rijiju pointed out they were out trying to mislead people on the Bill. Details of late night Parliament debate on the Bill were lost as senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, a Rajya Sabha member, even sought to inject an element of outrage as she said that the bill was “bulldozed” in the Lok Sabha. Never mind that the House sat till 2.43 am to pass the Waqf Amendment Bill. BJP leaders found it odd that Sonia was taking the initiative to speak on Waqf, pushing aside her son and LoP Rahul Gandhi to speak on Lok Sabha proceedings? Why was she doing it? Is it because no one in the Opposition cares for Rahul Gandhi? Or is it because the Congress wants to unite Opposition leaders on Waqf — something which Rahul and Mallikarjun Kharge can’t do on their own steam. In her remarks, Sonia said “The bill was in effect, bulldozed through. The Bill is a brazen assault on the Constitution itself. It is very much part of the BJP’s deliberate strategy to keep our society in a state of permanent polarization.” Her remarks drew sharp response from BJP MPs who wanted “Sonia Gandhi maafi maango“. Sonia’s remarks drew a sharp rap from the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla who said that her remarks were “unfortunate” and undermined Parliamentary democracy. After all, the Bill went through Parliament procedures lasting 13-hour discussion, in which 61 members participated. In the Rajya Sabha too, 128 votes were cast in favour of the Waqf Amendment Bill.

On the penultimate day of the Budget Session, the MPs belonging to the DMK were spotted in the Parliament wearing black shirts. It was not clear what they were protesting about. One of their MPs — P Wilson — who is on the panel to preside over Rajya Sabha could be seen sporting a black shirt and presiding over the House. In the past few weeks the DMK MPs have been protesting Centre’s approach to the state, particularly over New Education Policy and denial of funds to it. schools.  In the state assembly chief minister MK Stalin sported a black badge and even got a resolution moved against the Waqf Bill that was passed by the Lok Sabha. This must be added to the state’s tally of assembly resolutions denouncing the Centre’s moves. First one was on the NEET. Meanwhile, it is learnt Sivaganga Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram managed to get a quiet word with PM Modi last week over the menace of stray dogs. He pointed out how India was home to one of the largest stray dog populations — 6.2 crore – globally. The meeting with Modi must have boosted Karti’s stock among TN leaders and also surprised Rahul Gandhi who has always cold shouldered him. In a post on X, Karti explained how India was endemic for rabies, responsible for 36% of the world’s rabies-related deaths. “I raised concerns about the inadequacy of the current system, where local bodies lack the resources, funding, and technology to tackle this issue effectively. It’s clear that urgent action is required. I suggested establishing a National Task Force to provide a holistic, humane, and scientific solution while working closely with local bodies.”

Contrary to expectations there weren’t fireworks in the Lok Sabha when the government took up Waqf Bill (Amendment) for passage. It even saw some lighter moments between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the selection of the next BJP president. Speaking in the House, Akhilesh Yadav mocked the “biggest political party” for its inability to elect its own president.” To which Shah quipped that the process in the BJP was unlike other parties, where presidents were selected from few family members.” Akhileshji made his remark with a smile, so I will respond in the same manner. The parties sitting across from us in this House all have national presidents who are selected from just five family members. But in our party, we have to conduct a process involving 12-13 crore members, so naturally, it takes time,” said Shah. “In your case, it will not take much time. I am saying that you will remain president for 25 years,” Shah said in jest. The process to elect the next BJP president has been pending for 10 months after incumbent JP Nadda was inducted into the Narendra Modi Cabinet following the BJP’s win in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Yadav also took a veiled dig at PM Modi over his visit to the RSS headquarters on March 30, saying the “yatra” (pilgrimage) was to save his chair. While the banter showed that the Opposition had no real issue against the bill, Yadav claimed that the Waqf Bill would hurt India’s secular image in the world and that it was being brought as part of the BJP’s “divisive agenda”.

In his interactions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai had reportedly made it very clear that the BJP should enter into a pre-poll alliance with the AIADMK only if it did not agree to projecting to anyone from the regional party as CM candidate. Armed with facts and figures, he explained to Shah that the AIADMK under Edappadi K Palaniswami’s (EPS) leadership had been steadily declining including its vote share. Annamalai insisted that the BJP must work on stitching up a NDA alliance in TN that builds on gains that the BJP made in 2024 Lok Sabha elections by going alone. It may be recalled that it was the AIADMK that had walked out of the NDA alliance in Sep-Oct 2023 months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Yet, the BJP managed to double its vote share from 3.66% to 11.1% though it did not win a single seat. It would be interesting to see how the AIADMK chief EPS responds to this precondition from BJP. EPS has been pushing for the NDA to project him as the CM face. BJP sources say EPS has been playing tricky. Soon after his meeting with Shah, EPS reached Chennai and repeated charges against Modi government that the DMK government has been making regarding the NEP and Centre not clearing state’s dues. His comments surprised some Congress leaders. So, will Annamalai who has been TN BJP chief since 2021 be eased out? Such posts are for three-year terms only. For the sake of caste dynamics — as there are one too many Gounder community leaders like Annamalai and Mahila Morcha chief Vanathi Srinivasan, it is felt the party may go for a Thevar leader Nainar Nagendran, a BJP MLA from Tirunellveli. A final call on Annamalai, who has opted to work as cadre, will of course be taken post PM Modi’s TN visit on April 6.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah came down heavily on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the Parliament’s functioning, saying at the allotted time to speak in the Lok Sabha, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi was in Vietnam. He also pointed out how the Congress had got 40% of the time to speak on the Budget. He said it was possible that the LoP in the Lok Sabha was perhaps not aware there are rules for speaking in the House, which cannot be run through whims and fancies. “His (Rahul’s criticism of the functioning of the Parliament) were completely misplaced. Parliament proceedings can’t be conducted like party office meetings,” pointed out Shah. Last week, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had made oral observations about improper conduct of the LoP. Rahul had walked into the House even as the proceedings were on. Instead of walking directly to his seat, Rahul had indulged in some PDA with his sister Priyanka, drawing sharp observations from the Speaker Om Birla. It was later pointed out that Rahul was not being respected as LoP as he was not allowed to speak as the House was adjourned immediately after the Speaker’s observations. Rahul had apparently wanted to speak soon after PM Modi’s statement on Mahakumbh on March 18 and wasn’t given the floor. Interestingly Shah made his remarks on Rahul at Times Now Summit. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had also mentioned about Rahul’s preference for Vietnam in the Lok Sabha. 

In the past few days, Karnataka politics has been heating up over issues that may or may have not actually happened. Yes, heated political battles are being fought over alleged ‘honey trap’ attempts on ministers and legislators cutting across party lines. Karnataka cooperation minister KN Rajanna, a close associate of chief minister Siddaramaiah, put state assembly into a tizzy when he alleged that a honey trap attempt was made on him and that at least 48 leaders across parties had fallen victim to such schemes. His disclosure made everyone in the political circles a bit uncomfortable. That is why even as the Karnataka government has transferred the investigation of the alleged honey trap case to the CID, politics over it continues to simmer full throttle. Rajanna had described the honey trap attempt made on him as one made by strangers, adding that it needed to be probed whether they were acting independently or someone was behind them. While the reports of honey trapping seemed like a dark reminder to what happened with Prajwal Revanna, former JD(S) MP and grandson of former prime minister HD Devegowda, many politicians shuddered to think what could happen to them. But then Rajanna’s public talk of “honey trapping” was viewed more as an attempt by Siddaramaiah’s  camp only to send a message to deputy CM DK Shivakumar that he should not contemplate destabilizing the government. The BJP accused Siddaramaiah of deliberately escalating the controversy for political reasons. It was felt the issue had intensified internal conflicts within the Congress as PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi had recently met former PM Deve Gowda and his son, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy in Delhi. Besides at any given time more Congress MLAs would be loyal to Siddaramaiah than to any other faction.

AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) arrived in Delhi on March 25 morning in a surprise visit sparking off speculations that he has reached the national capital to formalise AIADMK-BJP alliance ahead of 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. His sudden visit comes when he appears to be softening his stance with the BJP is a significant shift from his earlier opposition to it. The AIADMK had walked out of the NDA in October 2023, months ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Yet, the BJP in TN under K Annamalai’s stewardship had managed to double its vote share to 11%.  Of course, neither the AIADMK nor the BJP could win any LS seat. With the entry of actor Vijay’s TVK party, it is possible that EPS once again feels the need to avoid a fragmented Opposition vote to take on the ruling DMK. Mired in liquor-marketing corruption of TASMAC that is being probed by the ED, the DMK is skating on thin ice and may meet the same fate as AAP in Delhi. It is in this backdrop that Palaniswami’s hurried visit to Delhi is of interest. Officially, he told the media that he was just “looking up” Rs 10 crore AIADMK office he had recently launched via video. However, the main agenda is to meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other key BJP leaders to draw up electoral strategies. Palaniswami’s surprise visit to Delhi had so stunned TN chief minister MK Stalin even publicly hoped in the state assembly that his AIADMK rival would articulate DMK’s views on New Education Policy or how the state loves the 2-language formula. Surely, Stalin knows an AIADMK-BJP alliance can simply unseat him in the upcoming polls.

It is being said Congress President Sonia Gandhi had mulled easing out Dr Manmohan Singh as PM and making him the President during the 2012 presidential election to counter growing public mood against UPA II government because of corruption charges. She had seriously considered this idea, but due to reservations of many alliance parties it was abandoned. This was revealed by senior journalist Gautam Lahiri in his book on late President Pranab Mukherjee. Written in Bengali, the book released recently reveals an incident where Mukherjee himself advised Sonia not to forward then PM Manmohan Singh as a presidential candidate because he could lose the election. Lahiri has claimed that in the 2012 Presidential election, Sonia wanted Pranab to become the PM and Manmohan Singh to be made the President. It is not clear what purpose such anecdotes serve except perhaps to air-brush Sonia Gandhi’s image ahead of Bengal’s polls in 2026? Interestingly, in his book The Coalition Years, Pranab Mukherjee somewhat bears out Lahiri when he writes: “Soon after a meeting with Sonia Gandhi, I returned with a vague impression that she might consider Manmohan Singh as the UPA nominee. I thought if she selected Singh for the presidential office, she may choose me as the prime minister.”  Lahiri has said that many allied parties opposed Manmohan’s name because by that time the discussion of the 2G scam and coal scam had started. On the other hand, the leaders of opposition parties also agreed on the name of Pranab Mukherjee. LK Advani, Bal Thackeray and Nitish Kumar had agreed to support Pranab. Not only this, Pranab Mukherjee had explained to Sonia Gandhi that the TMC would eventually support his name though it had formally opposed him.

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is all set to take over as the next BJP Kerala chief as the party’s central leadership backed his nomination. Chandrasekhar, who attended the party’s core committee meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on March 23 filed his nomination for the president’s post at the BJP’s state headquarters. His election is most likely to be unanimous. Chandrasekhar narrowly lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Thiruvananthapuram to Congress’ Shashi Tharoor by just 16,000 votes. A Nair by caste, Chandrasekhar is expected to solidify upper-caste Hindu votes in the state in the upcoming local body elections and next year’s assembly election. Party sources said a big plus in Chandrashekhar’s favour was he would possibly be uniting the faction-ridden state unit. Until now Kerala BJP unit has been indistinguishable from the LDF and the UDF. Party sources said it did not seem to have any link with the central BJP. A Kerala leader pointed how the BJP labour wing almost functioned like any other trade union, opposing every economic activity. Chandrashekhar’s entry would help Kerala connect with PM Modi, where he is extremely popular. Kerala people are fed up with the binary of LDF-UDF.  They are looking for an alternative. “As per India Today survey our vote share has gone up to 22% and has the potential to go further up to 29%. With Chandrashekhar at the helm and the party uniting behind him, we are poised to do well in the assembly polls. We may get something like 40 seats,” said a hopeful RSS leader. One of the reasons for the rise in BJP vote share is the growing divide between the Christian and Muslim communities in the state. A segment of the Christian population, loyal to Congress, has reportedly grown disillusioned due to their neglect of Christian concerns.

In an amazing twist, the Punjab farm agitation, going on for 400 days at Shambhu border, abruptly came to an end on March 19.  Police cleared the protesters, less than an hour after farm union leaders –representing 28 farmer unions — returned from Chandigarh to protest sites after a four-hour meeting with three Union ministers — Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi. With protestors cleared out of iconic Shambhu, it means AAP has decided it will no longer patronise farm protests and has begun to focus on winning Ludhiana (West) assembly by-election. Why is clearing Shambhu border linked to winning an urban seat like Ludhiana? Sources say police action on farmers came after Ludhiana traders told AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in a March 17 meeting that it would be difficult to back the AAP if the farmers’ protest continued. Industrialists also wanted the road opened as it was putting a strain on their business. After losing the popular vote in Delhi, Kejriwal didn’t want to risk it in Punjab. He is keen to enter the Rajya Sabha. To ensure this he has nominated Sanjeev Arora, a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, as the AAP candidate for the Ludhiana West bypoll. Arora, who will not vacate his RS seat till he wins, has been promised a ministerial berth in the Punjab government, if he wins. Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar slammed the AAP for using farmers for their personal and political interests. “It is the AAP that instigated the farm protests.” He recalled how Punjab had previously informed the Supreme Court that it could not remove farm leader Jagjit Dallewal from the site fearing the situation would become “uncontrollable”. The same government was able to clear the protest site in just 20 minutes, he wondered.

Taking a cue possibly from PM Narendra Modi who is focused on reviving rivers in the country — be it Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, Yamuna in Delhi or cleaning up the Ganga water front in Varanasi, the Congress government in Karnataka has zeroed in on playing the river card to please the Hindus by planning to pay tribute to the River Cauvery.  Of course, it not clear if the river card is an attempt to monkey balance its attempt to effect 4% Muslim or minority quota in government tenders. Media reports indicate a grand religious ceremony at Bengaluru’s Sankey Tank along the lines of the Ganga Aarti in Varanasi has been planned on March 21 evening. Coming ahead of Telugu/Kannada/Marathi New Year (Yugadi/Gudi Padva) that falls in March end, the river puja is bound to please the Hindus. Instead of relying on priests from Udupi, the Congress Govt has decided to fly in pandits from Varanasi familiar with river puja. The special ceremony is called Cauvery Aarti and is to be held under the initiative of the Bengaluru Water Supply & Sewerage Board, River Cauvery is the primary water source for approximately 70% of Bengalureans, supplying 2,225 million litres of water to the city daily. Following a procession and puja — the inaugural aarti is likely to be attended by CM Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. A temple dedicated to Shri Jala Gangamma Tayi stands near the lake. Sankey Tank was chosen because it is considered the birthplace of Vrishabhavathi, a tributary of the Cauvery. Sankey Tank is regarded as the cleanest lake in Bengaluru. Authorities had even conducted a special prayer when it was filled to the brim a few years ago.

For all of us who may have watched with much shock and awe the tense moments in the Parliament between Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and DMK MPs  battling over New Education Policy 2020 and Tamil Nadu government’s “flip-flop” over  Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) schools, it should come as some relief that an year-long effort to preserve and promote the Kamba Ramayanam, one of the most significant works in Tamil literature is kicking off on March 18 under the aegis of the South Zone Cultural Centre of the Ministry of Culture . Interestingly, the initiative aimed at reviving the oral tradition of Kamba Ramayanam recitals ceremony is being inaugurated by the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in coordination with the TN government from the temple town Trichy. The ambitious programme is taking place at the historic Srirangam Temple with participation from Kamba Ramayanam Mandali (cultural troupes) from across the state. It may be recalled that PM Modi had listened to Kamba Ramayanam in the very same Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in January 2024. It is possible that Shekhawat was only doing a follow up act. Post the inaugural event, performances will be followed by events at several temples across the state. A week-long festival will be held at Kambar Medu (Mar 30-Apr 6), the birthplace of Kambar in Therazhundur, near Kumbakonam. Between (Jul-Oct) schools are being encouraged to engage with Kamba Ramayanam to culminate in a grand finale at Kambar Medu during the Dussehra celebrations. Plans are afoot to set up a museum at Kambar Medu dedicated to the life and works of Kambar, and his version of the Ramayana, composed in the 12th-13th century CE.

Did PM Modi recently visit Mauritius keeping the upcoming Bihar elections in November in mind? Possibly. It may not please the Opposition parties, but Modi’s visit to the African nation where he was greeted with traditional Bihari songs at the airport are bound to irk parties vying to take on the BJP in the polls. Often referred to as “mini Bihar” because of the large number of people of Bihar origin who had relocated there as indentured labourers, starting in 1834, Modi went all out to signal his intent to strengthen ties with the thriving Bihari diaspora in the island nation. First, he presented makhana (fox nuts) to his Mauritian counterpart Navin Ramgoolam and started his speech at an event in Bhojpuri to the delight of Mauritians. Nearly 70% of the population in Mauritius are of Indian origin. More than half of them are descendants of indentured labourers (girmitiya mazdoor) who were sent to plantations in Mauritius from Bihar and UP by the then British colonial rulers. Modi was conferred with the highest national honour of Mauritius, ‘Order of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean’ on its National Day in Port Louis. He also handed Overseas Citizens of India cards to Mauritius PM Ramgoolam and his wife Veena.  He gifted President Dharam Gokhool and First Lady Vrinda Ganga water collected from Prayagraj during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh. Throughout the visit, the PM’s social media handles put up posts in Bhojpuri and were shared by senior BJP leaders and members. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA lost some significant Bhojpuri-speaking constituencies such as Buxar, Ara, Sasaram, and Aurangabad. The Bhojpuri belt in Bihar is spread across 10 districts and comprises 73 Assembly seats.

A year ahead of Tamil Nadu elections, every statement or utterance by political leaders is being micro analysed to see the impact on alliances on the ground. Well that is what happened when Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK)’s special political advisor Prashant Kishor stated that the party will contest the Tamil Nadu 2026 Assembly elections independently and will not form an alliance with the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu’s principal opposition party. Kishor, who had shared the dais with actor Vijay at a TVK event, also claimed that Vijay’s on-screen popularity would ensure the party’s victory in the Assembly polls. Kishor’s remarks came amidst reports that AIADMK and TVK talks for a potential alliance to challenge the DMK in the crucial 2026 elections seemed headed in a deadlock. That was because AIADMK refused to give any edge to the new party and insisted on contesting a majority of the 234 assembly seats. TVK’s general secretary (election campaign management) Aadhav Arjuna clarified that Vijay didn’t launch the new party just to settle for 40 or 45 seats. Did actor Vijay enter politics — on behalf of the DMK only to divide anti-incumbency votes against it? Kishor has had a history of working with the DMK. On his part, Kishor has been trying to keep himself away from the anti-Hindi politics of TVK. Like a grounded Bihari leader he had refused to sign a petition against the New Education Policy of the Centre) at the TVK event. Elaborating on Vijay’s potential to go alone in TN, Kishor said that “…If he goes alone, he stands a very good chance.” Left without an ally, AIADMK is once again looking to fall back on holding hands with BJP which along with its allies had polled 18% votes in 2024 Lok Sabha polls going alone.

When the Congress recently announced the formation of a new department for Assets and Properties, it acknowledged for the first time the need to oversee and manage numerous properties and assets the party holds across the country that were either lying in disuse or being managed by agents. Party sources said AICC joint treasurer Vijay Inder Singla was given charge of the new initiative mainly because he was pushing to be Punjab PCC chief. He would apparently ensure that all properties belonging to the Congress are “regularised and monetised.” This decision was partly prompted by a recent dispute between the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) in Hubballi, which had escalated into a legal battle over ownership of a property. Congress sources revealed that there are over 2,000 such properties held by the party for years, many of which have fallen into disrepair or been illegally occupied. A senior leader from Tamil Nadu Congress said there was a huge plot of land in the heart of Chennai which belonged to the party that had the potential to be developed commercially and could meet fund requirements for the party nationally. Many lucrative assets of the party were being exploited privately by rent seekers, it was pointed out. It was happening not just in TN. Similar instances were identified in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Bengal, Punjab, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Party sources denied the initiative to reclaim the Congress properties and assets may prove to be challenging as documents to prove many original allottees may not be readily available. The Congress denied its move on collating info on its properties had anything to do with its fears that the government would usurp its assets if its papers weren’t in order. Or that the new Waqf law would take a toll on its properties.

Did Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar have a secret understanding? That is when they met in Coimbatore at Isha Foundation for Mahashivratri? Karnataka BJP has made a provocative statement, drawing parallels between DKS and Maharashtra’s Shiv Sena breakaway leader Eknath Shinde. “There are many in Congress who could be like Eknath Shinde, DKS might be one of them,” claimed Leader of the Opposition R Ashok suggesting that the Congress strongman could be on the verge of engineering a split within the party. Ashok’s remarks assume significance as he, like DKS, also belongs to the Vokkaliga-Gowda community.  BJP sources indicate that Shah had a 15-minute one-on-one meeting with Shivakumar. It is this factoid of information that had fuelled Karnataka BJP leadership to ratchet up murmurs of infighting within the ruling state Congress. Sensing an opportunity to deepen the cracks, BJP leader Ashok said he had long anticipated a leadership change within the Congress-led government, hinting that CM Siddaramaiah could soon make way for DKS in November this year. DKS, however, dismissed all speculation of a political switch as baseless. He also categorically denied any plans to defect to the BJP, dubbing the claims as “BJP propaganda.” “I am a born Congressman and committed to leading the party to victory in the 2028 assembly elections,” he asserted. As for his recent religious visits, Shivakumar downplayed its political significance. It is being said, he is very unhappy with the way Rahul Gandhi is treating him. DKS apparently had been promised that he will be made CM when Siddaramaiah completes two years in office in November. But the Congress high command is scared that Siddaramaiah will split the party if he is asked to step down for DKS. 

The next BJP chief could be announced within a fortnight, sources have indicated, citing that the organisational elections of the party have been completed in 12 states. Sources said the party’s national president was likely to be announced before March 15 or Holi. For the election of the BJP president, organisational elections in 50% of the states is a must. Before that, elections are held for booth, mandal, and district levels. Currently, elections in only 12 of 36 states are complete. So, elections for unit chiefs in at least six more states are needed. The BJP is fast-tracking the process in states that are due for assembly elections next year — Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat. Incumbent BJP chief JP Nadda was unanimously elected the BJP national president, and took over from current Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2020. His tenure was extended until June 2024 in view of the Lok Sabha election. A number of names have been doing the rounds. While everyone thought it would be someone from the OBC community like Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan or Bhupinder Yadav, UP deputy CM Keshav Maurya was also seen pushing his case. However, post-Maha Kumbh and   with UP assembly elections down the road, it seemed unwise to disturb power equations with CM Yogi. Party sources made it clear that the next chief would have to be from the north and most likely with a strong organisational background. All this indicates that the next chief was likely to be Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar– a two-term Haryana CM, who by the way speaks Tamil (TN CM Stalin may note). He leads the race as he enjoys PM Modi’s trust. Just as Nadda did.

It has been a while since Rahul Gandhi and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor held a half-hour surprise meeting at 10 Janpath in Delhi. Believe it or not…it was Tharoor’s first meeting with Rahul since October 2022. The meeting on January 18 was so brief and breezy that Rahul and Tharoor left in a car from the back gate. It didn’t achieve its goal. Tharoor is back to warning the Congress that it can look forward to spending a third term in the Opposition post 2026 assembly elections in Kerala if “it does not expand its base”. But why is Tharoor so livid with the Congress leadership both in the state and Delhi — a party that gave him a political avatar? A hugely popular MP from Kerala capital, Tharoor apparently met Rahul basically to know if the AICC had any plans to name him the chief minister of Kerala. Adding to his discontent was his abrupt removal from the charge of the All India Professional Congress, which he had formed. Media reports suggest Rahul made it clear that the Congress does not have the tradition of picking a chief ministerial candidate before polls. The meeting came amid a political storm triggered by Tharoor’s remarks in an article, where he praised entrepreneurial progress under Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government in Kerala. Tharoor’s comment drew sharp criticism from within the Congress. But, it was welcomed by the ruling CPI(M); CM Vijayan hailed them as a boost to his government’s image. However, the Congress’ Kerala mouthpiece, Veekshanam Daily on February 17 severely attacked Tharoor without naming him. Tharoor also had to defend his praise for PM Modi post Trump meeting, saying he spoke with India’s interests in mind. Meanwhile, Congress leaders in Kerala now seem to cap fall-out of Tharoor controversy. PCC chief K Sudhakaran cautioned Tharoor from going public with his views as he was a CWC member. Another leader Ramesh Chennithala also felt the need to cap the controversy as local body elections...

First-time MLA Rekha Gupta was sworn in as the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi before a huge gathering at the historic Ramlila Maidan. Parvesh Verma, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa — all three CM hopefuls — who were touted for their caste and community representations simply fell aside. Rekha stood out only because she had all the qualities to perpetuate and popularise the BJP in Delhi. The years she had put in as municipal councillor prepared her for the top job. Her Baniya caste also worked in her favour. In a state with an adverse sex ratio in terms of voters — male voters (83,76,173) outnumbering women (72,36,560), women voters overwhelmingly backing BJP, the party had no choice but to go for a woman CM. BJP sources say while Modi wanted to thank Delhi women voters by picking Rekha, male stalwarts lost out to factionalism. Rekha Gupta’s first responsibility will be to ensure that women get Rs 2,500 every month, as was promised in the BJP Sankalp Patra. More than that it will be to get Yamuna cleaned up by November ahead of Chhat puja — that is before Bihar polls.  In fact that is Modi’s agenda  and he has  tasked  Rekha and her team to ensure that priority basis .  BJP sources says Rekha’s rise shows that BJP is reinforcing its image as a party that champions women-centric politics. It shows how the party is prioritising its representation through 33% reservation in BJP organisational structure.  After all Modi was mocked by the Opposition for not implementing women’s quota bill (passed in Sept 2023) straightaway in 2024 Lok Sabha polls; now he has shown the way.  

In a surprise move, the former RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das was appointed Principal Secretary to PM Narendra Modi. The appointments committee of the cabinet said Das’ appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the PM or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Das was RBI chief for six years beginning December 2018 and had been hoping for a second term. It did not materialise because of bureaucratic issues–top babus in the government had apparently opposed an extension. As principal secretary in the PMO, Das will bring his vast experience of over decades in various areas of governance. Das’s appointment will give economic thrust to the PMO. More so, because Das has held several important positions in the Central and state governments in the areas of finance, taxation, industries and infrastructure. As the RBI Governor during the Covid-19 pandemic, he spearheaded a series of measures to support growth and strengthen India’s financial stability. His appointment in the PMO clearly surprised political circles as he was always perceived to be close to Congress leader P Chidambaram. Though he has been designated as Principal Secretary (2), he will be working with PK Mishra, both incidentally belonging to Odisha. Ahead of his appointment, Das was spotted attending the School of Ultimate Leadership conclave addressed by PM Modi at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi over the weekend. At the time of his exit from Mint Street, Das had even talked about writing a book. That project will now have to be shelved at least for now. PM Modi has also opted for continuity in the tenure of the government think tank NITI Aayog extending CEO BVR Subrahmanyam’s term by a year, beginning February 24.

The Union Home Ministry’s decision to grant actor-politician Vijay, the chief of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), ‘Y’ category security in Tamil Nadu has stirred the political pot. Sources said while the security was accorded after an internal security audit by the Intelligence Bureau, it has prompted a  sharp reaction from the AIADMK, which suspected that the BJP would use the security cover to get the newbie politician to its side at a time when it is planning a grand alliance with TVK and the Congress for next year’s assembly elections. It may seem the Centre’s security decision is being over analysed. But sources say the Congress is already under pressure from AIADMK to change its TN president ahead of the assembly polls as he is being viewed as too close to the DMK, post Erode assembly by-elections. Meanwhile, it is felt Vijay may accept the security cover as it will be helpful in managing the crowd during his public engagement as a politician. AIADMK functionaries however are unconvinced that the Centre’s decision was merely a security decision. Strongly backing the Centre’s decision to give Vijay ‘Y’ security cover, TN BJP chief K Annamalai pointed out that the Central government had given CRPF security to Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, regardless of whether the AIADMK was in alliance with the BJP or not. He pointed out that similarly the central government had given ‘Y’ security to Vijay. “The reason that Vijay is not able to meet the public is because of the huge crowds.” He also wanted to know why the DMK government in the state had not come forward to give Vijay this sort of security. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly accepted an invitation of the Tamil Nadu BJP to inaugurate the newly constructed party office in southern most part of the state — Ramanathapuram on February 26. From there he will be travelling to Coimbatore. Around the same time PM Narendra Modi will also be in the state to  relaunch the new railway bridge connecting mainland India to Pamban Island at the south western tip of Tamil Nadu; it  is expected to open for train traffic on February 28. Built over nearly six years at a cost of Rs 531 crore, the 2.1-km structure has been hailed as an engineering marvel. It is India’s first vertical lift bridge, featuring a navigational span that can be raised up to 17 metres to allow floating pontoons. The decision to construct a new bridge was taken in 2019 after the old cantilever bridge — opened on February 24, 1914 — became structurally weak due to corrosion. Train movements on it stopped in December 2022. The old bridge was a historic engineering marvel until India’s longest sea bridge — Bandra-Worli Sea Link opened in Mumbai in 2010. Besides, it also had several limitations. Its Scherzer rolling lift span had to be operated manually by 16 people, and the process took 45 minutes. The old bridge had only a single, unelectrified track. In contrast the new bridge has been designed for a speed of 80 kmph due to the presence of a 2.65-degree curve. The old bridge had a speed limit of 10 km. As many as 130 trains can operate on the bridge per week. Currently, trains terminate at Mandapam, 17 km northwest of the temple town of Rameswaram.

At a time when pollsters are giving thumbs up to entry of actor Vijay and his party TVK in Tamil Nadu politics and see him as a potential challenger to the ruling DMK in 2026 assembly elections, the DMK has decided to acquire some star power and nominate veteran actor Kamal Haasan to the Rajya Sabha from its quota. He will most likely be a DMK MP, and not be known by the party he founded, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM). Following up on its announcement, Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin met Haasan at his Alwarpet office in person to congratulate him. It is significant that at a time, actor Vijay’s entry into active politics is making waves, Haasan should opt out of state politics and move to the Rajya Sabha. TN political circles feel the veteran actor’s exit could well spell the end of the road for his MNM, a party he had founded in 2018 and did not meet with much success in 2019 Lok Sabha polls or the 2021 assembly elections.  The DMK had assured Haasan, a Rajya Sabha berth as part of their electoral pact in 2024.  As a result, Haasan’s MNM extended its support to the INDIA-bloc in TN. On March 9, 2024, Haasan had visited the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, where he signed an agreement with DMK president and TN chief minister MK Stalin. It isn’t just Kamal who has become part of the DMK juggernaut, even an ally like the Congress has not shown much willingness to resist DMK’s push for consolidation as it surrendered its claim to the seat in the latest round of by-election to Erode assembly seat The by-election was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan in December.

As members we may not see them taking an active part inside the House. However, we now find both LoPs of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have used the Parliament-in session as an excuse to skip an inaugural investor summit in Bengaluru.  Such a decision is odd, participation of both the leaders must have been confirmed in advance. As for the Budget debate, neither the leaders nor even those who participated in Budget discussions like either P Chidambaram or Dayanidhi Maran   ever bothered to listen to FM’s reply. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X that Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were unable to attend the ‘Invest Karnataka’ summit as they were tied in the Parliament’s Budget Session. He said both the leaders were extremely tied up on “account of the continuing debate on the Budget. Hence they have regretted their inability to attend the inauguration of the Karnataka Investor Summit.” They have sent their best wishes for the Summit and are confident that it will be a very productive and successful one in keeping with Karnataka’s unique competitive and comparative advantages.” It is not clear why Delhi leaders should hesitate to visit the state now with the MUDA scam against chief minister Siddaramaiah having receded into the background.  After a semblance of political stability was restored in the state, Karnataka Deputy chief minister D K Shivkumar seemed resigned to his fate and perhaps became the only Congress leader in high office who travelled to Prayagraj over last weekend with his family for a holy dip in Sangam. Guess, as far as the Congress high command was concerned, he realised he had nothing to lose but only his shackles!

Election strategist Prashant Kishor on Jan 10 had a three-hour meeting with actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay in Chennai and promised his “support and guidance” for the party’s victory in the 2026 assembly election. Kishor, who has floated a political party, Jan Suraaj, in Bihar, will take on the role of ‘special adviser’ to TVK. DMK had hired Kishor ahead of the 2021 assembly election, which it won and came to office after 10 years. “Kishor will be a ‘special adviser’ to TVK, though no formal technical agreements will be made,” said a source privy to the developments. Vijay is looking forward to periodic meetings with Kishor in the coming months as his party is keen on positioning itself against DMK and BJP, and setting the stage for an intense contest in 2026. Kishor continues to have his primary focus on politics in Bihar. Kishor would act as a special adviser to TVK similar to his role for TDP, which swept the 2024 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections. Incidentally, the meeting between Kishor and Vijay was facilitated by Aadhav Arjuna, who himself heads a political strategy firm, within a fortnight of the latter joining the TVK.  As founder of Voice of Commons and a political strategist, Arjuna had worked closely with Kishor when he was roped in by DMK for the 2021 assembly election. The meeting between the two and the outcome signify the importance Vijay attaches to the 2026 assembly polls, his first elections after a grand entry into politics in October 2024. Vijay has identified the BJP as his ideological enemy and DMK as his political enemy. Arjuna was suspended from Dalit outfit VCK following his outbursts against DMK.

Even as PM Modi promised to repay the trust Delhi voters placed in his party by vowing  to turn Delhi into a “developed capital of a developed country” and said he will fulfil BJP’s poll promises, clean the Yamuna and ensure accountability for corruption under the AAP regime by promising to present all pending 14 CAG reports in the  assembly, many within the party wondered if it was enough to oust AAP out of the  Delhi state assembly. Or more needs to be done. As Modi said “This is not an ordinary victory. The people of Delhi have driven out AAP-da. The mandate of Delhi is clear.” BJP insiders pointed out that when the new Delhi government will begin its work on making the city garbage free, it is quite possible that AAP could still put a roadblock on its work via the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). That is because AAP controls the MCD with its 134 councillors; the BJP has 104 councillors. Elections to the civic body were held in December 2022. A section in the BJP feels Modi government should go in for fresh MCD polls in the light of assembly poll win, if it must clean up Delhi. Party sources, however, feel there is no need for any drastic step as many AAP MLAs and councillors may want to cross over to the BJP seeing the public mood. Sources also acknowledged that the BJP hugely benefited getting the lion’s share — an estimated 67% of women’s vote. It was clearly the Haryana effect of Rs 2100 payout under Lado Lakshmi Yojana that had swung the Delhi women to the BJP. They were no longer enamoured by AAP’s free bus rides.

The rout of the AAP in Delhi assembly polls was best summed up by PM Modi on X: “Development wins, good governance triumphs. It is our guarantee that we will leave no stone unturned in improving the overall quality of life for the people and ensuring that Delhi has a prime role to play in building a Viksit Bharat”. For the  BJP which rode to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years with 48 seats win on the basis of Modi’s guarantees, home minister Amit Shah’s hard work and the unstinted support of RSS network, the results were more or less on expected lines .The Congress which half-heartedly went into the electoral battle at the eleventh hour drew a blank for the third time. INDIA bloc partners like J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and Samajwadi Party were blaming the Congress for lack of unity in the Opposition alliance. A miffed Congress leader Jairam Ramesh insisted that “2025 Delhi Vidhan Sabha election results reflect nothing more than a referendum on Arvind Kejriwal and his 12 years of misrule.”  and asserted that it was not a vindication of the policies of PM Modi as the AAP had decisively won in Delhi in 2015 and 2020 at the height of the PM’s popularity”. Clearly the Congress which propped up Kejriwal when he was short of numbers in 2013 after defeating Sheila Dikshit to keep out BJP is getting defensive. It is quite possible some of AAP’s top losers like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Saurabh Bharadwaj may have been spared the defeat if there had been a AAP-Congress alliance. BJP’s Parvesh Verma polled 30,088 votes against Kejriwal’s 25,999 while Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit polled 4568. Sisodia’s defeat by 600 odd votes was more stark. He had shifted his constituency from Patparganj to Jangpura to avoid defeat.

Ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump next week, both the Houses of Parliament erupted in protest over the manner in which 104 illegal Indian immigrants from the U.S. landed in Amritsar in a U.S. military aircraft– shackled and restrained. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar sought to downplay the issue and said that such expulsions were routine. “It has been there for years. Hundreds of Indians have been deported annually, with figures ranging from 530 in 2012 to over 2,042 in 2019,” Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha.  He pointed out that handcuffs were used on deportees since 2012. Asserting that it was “the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad”, he said efforts were being made to talk to deportees to track agents who sent them. The Opposition felt the government must stand up to the Trump Administration just as Columbia had done. “Why can we not fly back our citizens just as Columbia had done?” asked CPI(M) MP John Brittas. Colombia balked at the U.S. military flights and sent its own Air Force jet to pick up 110 deported Colombians. U.S. deportation flights are not new but the use of military flights is new, with the agency previously using commercial and chartered flights to deport people. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said while the U.S. may have a legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country, “but the manner in which it was done, in handcuffs, squeezed into a military aircraft, in such an abrupt manner, is not acceptable.” He pointed out how under the Biden administration last year, 1100 Indians were deported but there was no such humiliation.

In his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi was at his aggressive best as he savaged LoP Rahul Gandhi. From mocking the Congress leader and two members of his family for becoming MPs — mother Sonia and sister Priyanka — at the same time to turning “certain spaces into personal museums”. He was referring to the manner in which the Gandhi family maintains control over Indira Gandhi Memorial and had refused to share documents pertaining to the Rajiv Gandhi era with the Prime Ministers’ Museum. The PM said we have established the Prime Ministers’ Museum, where the legacy of every Prime Minister—from the first to my predecessors—has been honoured. “I urge their family members to visit it.” Taking a swipe at the three Gandhis who are all MPs, Modi said, “I pose an important question to the citizens through this House — have there even been three MPs simultaneously from the same family of SC community? I also ask, tell me if there ever were three MPs simultaneously from the same family belonging to the ST community…” There is a vast difference between their words and actions. However, the harshest jab was when Modi felt leaders have compulsions to raise questions on foreign policy to be taken seriously — he was referring to questions raised by both Rahul and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on tensions with China. He asked them to read Bruce Riedel’s book JFK’s Forgotten Crisis— as it details discussions between India’s Nehru and the U.S. President John F Kennedy, revealing how foreign policy was handled during challenging times and the games played in its name. Congress leaders are apparently not amused by this suggestion.

Ever since mid-January when Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was accompanied by his son Nishant Kumar at a political function in Bakhtiyarpur, there has been a buzz that the JD(U)leader’s son would be taking a political plunge.  The event was to pay tributes to freedom fighters, including Nitish’s father Ram Lakhan Singh, who too had participated in the freedom movement. Soon after the function, 50-year old Nishant, the only child of Nitish and his late wife Manju Sinha, told the local gathering that his father had put Bihar on the fast track of development and appealed to them to make him CM again. Nishant’s appeal came in the midst of reports that he was keeping indifferent health and had reduced public interaction. An engineer by training, Nishant had so far kept away from public glare. Raised by his mother, he is known to have spent time away from his father and dabbled in spiritualism. He came to live with his father only after his mother passed away in 2007. Those who have known the JD (U) supremo personally as well as politically feel with an indifferent health Nitish may no longer be in a position to even oppose entry of his son into politics much as he has always opposed dynastic politics. A section of JD(U) dominated by Kurmis is reportedly rooting for Nishant’s entry to perpetuate Nitish Kumar’s legacy; this section doesn’t care if it fits with Nitish Kumar’s vision of politics. It is being argued that JD(U) can’t survive without Nitish’s legacy. As for those competing against the towering stature of Nitish Kumar in Bihar — both the BJP and RJD — are also keen that a bumbling newbie and dynast Nishant does take the plunge and salvage JD(U). Ahead of assembly polls, JD(U) is likely to witness a churn.

The government charged LoP Rahul Gandhi of trying to falsely portray in the Lok Sabha that External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar’s visit to Washington in December 2024 was an effort to wangle an invite for the U.S. President Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. In a strongly worded contradiction, Dr Jaishankar charged the LoP of deliberately spreading falsehood about his visit to the U.S. “Rahul ‘s lies may be intended politically but they damage the nation abroad”.  The swift rebuttal comes amidst reports that PM Modi is scheduled to visit the U.S. for a meeting with his friend President Trump later this month. In a post on X, Dr Jaishankar said “I went to meet the Secretary of State and NSA of the Biden Administration. Also to chair a gathering of our Consuls General. During my stay, the incoming NSA-designate met with me. At no stage was an invitation in respect of the PM Modi discussed. It is common knowledge that our PM does not attend such events. In fact, India is generally represented by Special Envoys.” Mocking the Central government, Rahul had claimed that if it had taken economic policies seriously, then the government would not have had to seek an invite and “the U.S. The President would come here and invite the PM”. While Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had strongly objected to the LoP for making such unsubstantiated statements about the relationship between two countries, Rahul had merely apologised for ” disturbing your peace of mind.”  Return of President Trump to the White House is being viewed as a setback to  Rahul Gandhi and his  patron George Soros.

Both PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Aditynath are in a deep state of shock after the stampede at the Maha Kumbha mela at Prayagraj on January 29. Despite the best arrangements, things came under stress because of an influx of more than 5 crore pilgrims. The number of pilgrims who came to Maha Kumbh crossed 18 crore in the last 16 days. Imagine the population right now in Prayagraj compared to the populations of some of the world’s most populated cities like Tokyo, Delhi and Shanghai. Since it was Mauni Amavasya on that day, pilgrims started marching towards the Sangam point in large numbers after midnight, and the barriers broke down. The crowd became unmanageable for the overworked police force. PMO has found out that entire families consisting of four generations had come to Prayagraj to take the holy dip. From the states people from a whole village or a locality had come. There are three main reasons behind this huge influx. One, the level of devotion and enthusiasm among the pilgrims; Two, videos and images on TV and social media of people coming to Maha Kumbh for the last two weeks, acted as a big influencing factor. Three, since the Maha Kumbh was taking place after a gap of 144 years, most of the devotees felt that they might not get another chance in their lifetime. Several buses, trains and vehicles had to be stopped away from Prayagraj town. Lakhs of people had to walk several kilometres to reach the bathing ghats. PMO feels that authorities should curb the number of VIP vehicles entering the Kumbh Mela area for a few days to tame public wrath.

Is Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan walking into a trap over his government’s sanction of a controversial brewery unit in Palakkad? Joining hands with the BJP and the Congress, CPI has published an article in its mouthpiece Janayugom, suggesting that promotion of businesses that exploit agriculture and food security was against the interest of the state. The opinion piece, written by senior CPI leader Sathyan Mokeri, said the government’s approval for the brewery unit raised the question of whether paddy or alcohol should be made from the land of Palakkad. “From where did they get the water needed for the brewery unit? Once the (private) company starts exploiting the water resources, there won’t be enough water for agriculture,” he wrote. The Chittoor region of Palakkad district, where Madhya Pradesh-based alcohol manufacturer Oasis Group is set to establish the unit, has one of the lowest groundwater levels in Kerala, the CPI leader said. The state government approved the setting up the Rs 600-crore grain-based distillation and brewery unit on January 15. The Congress, which leads the UDF, however, alleged that the firm, embroiled in Delhi’s liquor policy controversy, got the permission without a proper tendering process. Like CPI’s Mokeri, it said that the setting up of the unit would worsen the water crisis in the agrarian region. Earlier this month, the UDF-ruled Elappully panchayat, where the unit is proposed to be set up, also requested the government to reconsider its decision given the water concerns. The Kerala government has been reiterating that the unit will not affect the availability of water in the area as its primary source would be harvested rainwater. With the state headed for polls in 2026, it is quite likely that the brewery scam could come to haunt Vijayan just as the excise scam has cast a shadow on Kejriwal in Delhi polls.

Looks like AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is caught in a deep mess of his own making by claiming that the BJP government in Haryana had “poisoned” Yamuna waters. Clearly, on a backfoot and out of desperation he sought to paint a scary scenario to Delhi voters. Now it seems these words will come to haunt him post February 5. The Haryana government has filed a case against him for creating a “false alarm” among the people. Meanwhile, Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini to reassure people took a sip of Yamuna to indicate it was safe to drink. Though Kejriwal dismissed Saini’s action as a stunt, what he does not realise is that the Haryana case could prove to be a ticking time-bomb for him. It may explode once elections are over in Delhi. Haryana has filed in the CJM’s court in Sonipat under sections of Disaster Management. The court has summoned Kejriwal to appear before it on February 17. In an explosive claim, Kejriwal had asserted that Haryana was mixing “poison” in the Yamuna water it supplies to Delhi. The reference was to the high levels of ammonia — over 700 times the permissible limit. He said it was because of the vigilance of Delhi Jal Board engineers that this water was stopped. Endorsing Kejriwal’s charge, Delhi CM Atishi even wrote to the Election Commission and sought action against the BJP for “water terrorism”. The Delhi Jal Board, which Kejriwal said stopped the alleged “poisonous” water coming to the national capital, however rubbished the AAP leader’s claim. “These statements are factually incorrect, without any basis and misleading,” Delhi Jal Board Chief Executive Officer Shilpa Shinde said in a letter to the Chief Secretary. Meanwhile, the EC has asked Kejriwal to submit proof of poisoning of Yamuna waters.