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Good news for footwear enthusiasts in Chennai. The city will host the first Kickers store. Following a 30-year licensing deal with Royer Group of France, Kothari Industrial Corporation Ltd (KICL) is gearing up to set up its maiden Kickers store in Chennai tomorrow. The timing could not have been better for KICL, which has come under a new owner in Rafiq Ahmed and got relisted on the bourses. The opening of the Kickers store in Chennai comes within days of a significant development in the annals of KICL. A Qatar company belonging to the Royal family has just been cleared by the board of KICL to pick up a 10% stake in the Chennai company. Qatar-based F J Global Investment is owned by Falah Jassim J.M.AL-Thani, who is a director of Doha Bank and was also the founder of Qatar Airways. He was also a minister in the Qatar Government. This is a significant boost to KICL under Rafiq Ahmend, who has gone on a mission to revive the KICL and bring the iconic Kothari brand back to yester-year glory. The investment from a company owned by Qatar Royal family is seen positively by industry circles in Tamil Nadu, which is going the extra mile to woo foreign investment into the state. Significantly enough, KICL has also embarked on a consolidation move with the board approving a proposal to buy 30% stake held by Rafiq Ahmed in Phoenix Kothari Footwear Ltd, a joint venture that is setting up a non-leather footwear park in backward Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu. Well, things appear to fall in place for KICL as it seeks to make a strong comeback and regain its past glory.
It was something that the Congress couldn’t stomach easily. Perhaps the party was surprised that the Raj Kapoor family had chosen to interact with PM Modi. A day after the social media and TV channels were awash with PM Modi’s interaction with members of the Kapoor family, a very senior Congress leader ventured to put out a snarky social media post questioning the meeting. For some odd reason he completely chose to ignore the context of the meeting. “We have been asking PM Modi to visit Manipur. But he has instead found time to meet with Kareena Kapoor.” Soon good sense prevailed and he deleted his crude post. Guess he must have realised that his post was outright offensive. The Kapoor family had called on PM Modi on December 10 to invite him to the legendary actor-filmmaker’s Film Festival. The festival is to commemorate Raj Kapoor’s 100th birth anniversary, an iconic figure in Indian cinema who passed away in 1988. Ten Raj Kapoor films are going to be showcased across 40 cities in 135 cinemas .The Kapoor family, including actors Ranbir Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Neetu Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhat and Saif Ali Khan met the PM. “This is a special day for us. We enjoyed the conversation. He spoke to us in a friendly manner. He made all of us feel very comfortable,” said actor Ranbir Kapoor. His cousin actor Kareena Kapoor Khan said that it was her dream to sit next to PM Modi and talk to him. “His energy is so positive and he is truly a global leader.” PM Modi inquired about the third generation of Kapoors — and autographed for Kareena’s children Tim and Jeh. December 14 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor.
It couldn’t have come at a more inappropriate time than this. The day when the entire national media was riveted on the Parliament debates commemorating 75 years of Constitution of India and newly-elected Wayanad MP Priyanka Vadra Gandhi was making her debut speech in the House. For some odd reason the Telangana Police chose to arrest Telugu star Allu Arjun, protagonist in the Rs 1000-crore plus grosser Pushpa 2: The Rule. He was arrested in connection with the stampede incident at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre, which resulted in the death of a woman. On December 4, a massive crowd gathered at Sandhya Theatre to see Allu Arjun, resulting in a tragic stampede. Revathi, a 39-year-old woman, died due to asphyxiation, and her 8-year-old son was hospitalised. While granting interim bail to Allu Arjun, the Telangana High Court affirmed Arjun’s right to life and liberty, stating that he cannot be deprived of these fundamental rights. While leaders cutting across the political spectrum came out in support of the actor, Telangana BJP leader and Union Minister Bandi Sanjay described the arrest of a National Award-winning actor as having been done to steal the spotlight. “Drama over delivery, diversion over governance — that’s the Telangana Congress government for you!” Arjun’s uncle and Andhra deputy CM Pawan Kalyan rushed to rally support for him. In the meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how Priyanka Vadra herself responds to the ham-handed manner CM Revanth Reddy handled the situation. He had after all managed to divert attention from her debut performance in the Lok Sabha to an avoidable law & order incident in Hyderabad.
To ensure the social welfare schemes reach the intended target group, West Bengal chief West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has rolled out a robust mechanism to ensure the effective implementation of socio-welfare schemes. This initiative aims to hold government officials accountable for supervising these projects and addressing inefficiencies that have marred progress in recent years. The state finance ministry has issued a notification, followed by the establishment of a dedicated help desk at Navanna to oversee information flow from block and sub-division levels. This initiative, aimed at curbing inefficiency and fraud, will require officials to physically visit project sites instead of submitting progress reports from office desks. The app will feature automatic geo-tagging, ensuring accurate location tracking of officials during field visits. During multiple administrative meetings chaired by CM, officials repeatedly failed to provide accurate updates on the status of ongoing schemes. This incomplete information has not only slowed down critical projects but also caused dissatisfaction among citizens. Officials, from BDOs to District Magistrates, must register using their mobile numbers. Reports will require OTP authentication and must include photographs of on-ground work. The app mandates regular updates, such as reporting issues in road construction, cleanliness, drinking water, and electricity services, along with distinguishing between simple and complex problems. The model draws inspiration from private sector practices, where geo-tagging apps track employee performance. The state’s new app is expected to enforce accountability among officials, address bureaucratic delays, and improve public service delivery.
In a move that may have surprised the Opposition BJP, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee appointed Radharamn Das, vice president of ISKCON Kolkata,to a 13-member board of trustees for the upcoming Jagannath Dham project in Digha. The temple, set to be a cultural and religious landmark on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, will be inaugurated on Akshay Tritiya on April 30, 2025. The Jagannath Dham Sanskriti Kendra, spanning 20 acres, is being developed under the supervision of HIDCO, an urban planning body under the state government. With an investment of Rs 250 crore, the project aims to replicate the grandeur of the Puri Jagannath Temple and serve as a significant pilgrimage and tourist attraction. This development comes amid ongoing political friction between Didi and BJP’s Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari. It may be recalled that Nandigram where the temple is being built was the place where he had defeated Didi in the 2021 Assembly elections. Adhikari who is opposing the project on the ground that using public funds to construct religious structures is unconstitutional. He accused Mamata of attempting to win the Hindu vote bank as her minority appeasement has alienated Hindus. Mamata’s decision to include an ISKCON leader is seen as a strategic move, in light of recent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the arrest of an ISKCON monk. Political analysts believe Didi is sending a message of solidarity to the Hindu community while subtly addressing concerns raised by the BJP over her government’s alleged minority appeasement policies.
Devajit Saikia is the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) representative in the International Cricket Council (ICC) as its Director. Saikia, who is the question that is being asked by those not acquainted with the BCCI’s governance structure, especially after the Justice Lodha Committee’s Reforms in Cricket report was accepted by the Supreme Court in 2016 and its Constitution was rewritten thereafter. The ICC Board is the all-powerful body in its Governance structure, and as a convention, the 12 full members of the ICC nominate its Presidents as Directors. Many stalwarts of the BCCI, like Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar were on the ICC Board, and after the 2019 election, post the reforms, former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly was on the ICC Board. Ganguly was succeeded by the BCCI Secretary Jay Shah with the BCCI President Roger Binny as the alternate director in 2022, the same year when the former Assam Ranji Trophy cricketer and legal practitioner Saikia was elected as Jt. Secretary of the BCCI. People in the know attribute Saikia’s rise on the administration side of the game to his association and rapport with Assam’s BJP chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Once it was announced that Jay Shah would take charge as Chair (Independent Director) of the ICC from December 1, 2024, quite a handful of names like Arun Singh Dhumal (former BCCI Treasurer and currently chairman, IPL) and Ashish Shelar (BJP President, Mumbai and BCCI Treasurer) emerged as a potential successor to Shah as BCCI Secretary. Saikia, will remain the BCCI Joint Secretary and perform the duties of the Secretary. But his nomination to the ICC Board has surprised many people.
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar has once again monopolised the centre stage following reports that a top leader of his party has held talks with a prominent BJP Union minister in Delhi. The political grapevine is buzzing with different versions since the meeting is believed to have occurred at industrialist Gautam Adani’s Delhi residence. In fact, Pawar started hitting the headlines on Thursday (Dec 12) morning as the news that his nephew Ajit Pawar and a couple of other NCP (Ajit) leaders had reached the patriarch’s residence. Ajit later said that being a family member, he had greeted his uncle on his birthday and nothing unusual should be read in the visit. Ajit was accompanied by Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, both very close to Sharad Pawar till the recent split in the NCP. The name of Adani added grist to the gossip since the industrialist had visited Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis just a couple of days ago in Mumbai. The Adani group continues to BE target of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray. In the past too, Adani has been meeting Pawar off and on. The presence of Fadnavis in Delhi on Thursday proved to be another trigger to speculate that the political scene of Maharashtra was likely to undergo another overhaul. Pawar’s hot and cold relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always remained an intrigue. Hence, his followers are unable to predict which way he can turn.
The Raj Kapoor family has finally come out together to celebrate the centenary year — 1924-2024 — of the showman of the film industry. Forty two year old Ranbir Kapoor who has been in the film industry for nearly two decades has taken the lead along with his cousin Kunal Kapoor to celebrate Raj Kapoor through his cinema. But was it too late to celebrate RK? Is the newer generation enthusiastic to watch his films? Ranbir Kapoor said, like his wife Alia, the young generation needs to know about the cinema of Raj Kapoor and one hopes he is successful through his stardom and initiative to keep RK’s legacy alive. But, is the film industry or the government really care about saving our heritage or culture, considering the government is calling the film industry as soft power? The hard truth is: why are our studios and banners not surviving be it Filmalaya Studio, Kamalistan Studio and Raj Kamal Studio which has limited work space. Raj Kapoor’s RK Studio, a famous landmark in Chembur along with his bungalow has been sold to Godrej Properties for constructing residential properties. It may be recalled that RK Studio was working on the rentals till the fire destroyed the entire heritage. Luckily film lovers are lucky his films were in the safe custody of NFAI. It is learnt that Ranbir Kapoor who is already a producer wants to turn director. So will he revive the RK Banner? As a part of the centenary celebration the entire RK clan met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conspicuous by his absence was Randhir Kapoor as he was not keeping well. In the end one only hopes that Ranbir Kapoor carries the great showman’s legacy forward.
This maverick and marauding scam tainted politician was once the acolyte of Lok Nayak Jayprakash Narayan. Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav has burnt many bridges in his meteoric rise in politics. A stormy petrel, indicted for five scams, served jail term and is now out on a bail. He is once again in the news for his below-the-belt remark against his bete noire, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who recently announced a Mahila Samvad Yatra to interact directly with women and evaluate the impact of his government’s programme targeted for women. When the media quizzed the RJD supremo Lalu about Nitish Kumar’s Mahila Yatra and his goal of winning all 225 seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections, the unstoppable motor mouth said, “Pahle unko aankh sekhne do” (let them get an eyeful of the women). Lalu is famous for double entendres and pithy talk. This chintzy, low end hit at both Nitish’s party and the women electorate set off a storm. Bihar deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha said, “It seems Lalu Prasad has lost his ability to comprehend, doesn’t know what he is saying “. JDU MP from Munger, Rajiv Ranjan Singh said, “Lalu is master of buffoonery”. Public discourse is an amalgam of many such talents. But certainly hitting below the belt and indulging in such loose talk shows the lack of grace and polish.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray’s plans to attend the Winter Session of the Maharashtra legislature beginning from December 16 at Nagpur will prove to be a game changer, his followers feel. Thackeray’s continued distance from the state legislative council proceedings over the past year are discussed by his party members in hushed tones since the aggressive direction needed to corner the BJP-led three-party government somehow lacks as far as his Sena is concerned. Council’s leader of the Opposition Ambadas Danve (of the Sena UBT) lacks the image and articulation which are vital for any LoP to humble the ruling side. Now that the new government led by Devendra Fadnavis has decided to appoint former CM Eknath Shinde as leader of the upper house, Danve’s limitations will be felt more vividly. Thackeray’s intermittent presence in the council ever since he resigned as chief minister in 2022 has been noted more due to his statements outside the house. He has hardly made any worthwhile speech on the floor. Therefore, his plans to remain present for the Winter Session have revived the hopes of his followers, who wish to witness his attacks against the BJP and the Sena led by Shinde. It is being recalled that Thackeray did not attend the recent three-day session of the legislature in Mumbai, held after the assembly elections. According to present indications, Thackeray will reach Nagpur well in time for the week-long session, which will be a stormy affair, focussing on settling political scores.
Nothing jolted veteran NCP leader Sharad Pawar about the split in the party he founded in 1999 than the exit of his closest aide Praful Patel who also chose to head out and join the rebel NCP group headed by Ajit Pawar. In fact as Patel himself put it at a meeting of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP “I always stayed with Sharad Pawar as his shadow”. He also promised to write a book. “I am a modest person so I speak less, I will also write a book. If I will not tell how Maharashtra will understand.” Apparently Pawar interacted with Patel post his exit and sought to know what persuaded him to walk-out of the party along with his nephew; after all he has no ambition of being a CM or a central minister. NCP sources said a tearful Patel reportedly conceded to Sharad Pawar that it was his problems with the ED that had forced him to seek a solution. The ED had attached prime property at Worli belonging to him in the Iqbal Mirchi case. It is not clear how cases against him would now get diluted. When Patel stated his ED issues, Sharad Pawar took a kinder view. “Yet what we cannot fathom is how someone like Dilip Walse Patil who was made a leader by Sharad Pawar from a support staff to an MLA walked out of the NCP?” asks a national leader.
At the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of the historic Gita Press in Gorakhpur, when PM Narendra Modi released the Chitramaya Shiva Purana Granth in Hindi and Nepali he could not help going spiritual .“Gita Press is not just a printing press but a living faith”, Modi remarked. The office of Gita Press was no less than a shrine for crores of people, he said. “With Gita comes Krishna, with Krishna, there is compassion and ‘karma’”. Quoting the Gita, the PM said “Vasudeva Sarvam ie. Everything is, from and in Vasudev.” He emphasized that the spiritual light that lit up in the form of Gita Press in 1923 has become the guiding light of the entire humanity today. UP CM Yogi Adityanath, who spoke before him, recalled how there was a proposal to confer the prize in 2021 itself. Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s emotional attachment to Gita Press, Modi informed that Gandhiji once used to write for Gita Press through Kalyan Patrika. He further added that it was Gandhiji who suggested that advertisements should not be published in the Kalyan Patrika and the suggestion is still being followed. In these 100 years, the Gita Press has published crores of books which are sold at a price less than the cost and delivered door-to-door. Modi underlined that an organization like Gita Press is not only associated with religion and work but also has a national character.
For all his bluff and bluster against BJP and Modi-Shah, NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar never misses to show off his equations with the PM. In fact, days before his nephew Ajit walked over to the NDA, Pawar had gone public with details about how he had got Rohit Tilak, a Congress functionary and member of the legendary Tilak family, an appointment with PM Modi. “Imagine Rohit Tilak didn’t think of approaching Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to reach out to the PM.” Tilak wanted to reach out to Modi to persuade him to accept the Lokmanya Tilak Award this year. PM Modi will be travelling to Pune to receive this award in August. It only showed the kind of equations Pawar shared with PM Modi. At the same time, Pawar loves to charge the BJP of destroying the Opposition parties. More evidence of Sharad Pawar’s perfidy surfaced when Chhagan Bhujbal disclosed how the veteran leader at an NCP internal meeting had claimed that PM Modi had an edge in 2024 Lok Sabha polls and was bound to get re-elected. It was amply clear that the octogenarian was aware of his limitations. State Congress leaders feel the party must now chart its own independent course with fresh faces such as Prithviraj Chavan and Anant Gadgil. Common people are fed up with the high drama of Sena-BJP and the NCP and are yearning for some new politics.
With the appointment of TS Singh Deo as the Deputy Chief Minister of the Chhattisgarh government ahead of state elections due by the year-end, has the Congress secured possibilities of winning back the state? Deo who had initially announced he would not contest the 2023 elections and had even given up panchayati raj portfolio was seen as sulking as he was not made CM as initially promised. Congress leadership naturally panicked. Deo had delivered all the 14 tribal dominated Sarguja region seats in the 2018 assembly elections. In June 2021, the rivalry between CM Bhupesh Baghel and Deo surfaced briefly after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as CM. Congress sources give credit for bringing rapprochement between Baghel and Deo to new AICC in-charge Kumari Selja. She apparently was not biased towards the CM unlike previous AICC managers like PL Punia and decided to work on getting Deo back on board. Baghel-Deo truce could be fragile as Baghel, a prominent OBC face, decided to push his own tribal face from Sarguja region– Nand Kumar Sai — a former BJP leader who had joined the party as recently as in May. Congressmen feel Sai at 77 is too old. Meanwhile, one hears Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is literally dragging his feet to reach a compromise with his squabbling deputy Sachin Pilot. Summoned by party chief Kharge to reach Delhi for a meeting on July 3, Gehlot is feigning a foot sore. Looks like CMs are learning a lot from Mamata di about how to fake it!
It was vintage PM Narendra Modi all over again as he slammed the Opposition unity move in Patna while addressing BJP karyakartas from all over the country in Bhopal. Flush with the success of his Indo-US visit and a number of MoUs signed, Modi was oozing confidence; he did not seem worried about the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Karnataka poll rout had been firmly put in the back burner. He described the Patna Opposition move as coming together of leaders with a proven track record in corruption and reminded people of crores of funds lost to the exchequer because of them. Answering a question from a BJP worker, he said he never saw such agitation among the Opposition parties like this time. “You remember what happened in 2014 and 2019? The staunch opponents of BJP were not this much agitated either in 2014 or in 2019. Enemies have now come together. Leaders who used to abuse each other are now prostrating before each other. Don’t get angry at them, have pity,” Modi said. He used the occasion to launch his UCC agenda and reminded citizens that if triple talaq, now outlawed by the Supreme Court, had been a necessary tenet of Islam, then why Pakistan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh do not have it?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted US First Lady Jill Biden a lab grown 7.5 carat green diamond during his recently concluded 3-day state visit to the US . Questions were raised about the nature of the jewel. The diamond is eco-friendly, as eco-diversified resources like solar and wind power were used in its making. It reflects earth-mined diamonds’ chemical and optical properties. The Green Diamond is sculpted with precision and care using cutting edge technology. It emits only 0.028 grams of Carbon per carat and is certified by the Gemological lab, IGI. A diamond maker from Surat described the lab grown green diamond as “an atma nirbhar step that is giving jobs to millions of people all around India.” PM Modi’s US visit seems to have offered some goodies to overseas Indians. In a major boost to software professionals, PM Modi announced that US consulates would be opened in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. And an Indian consulate would be opened in Seattle. He also conveyed that people may not have to leave the US once their H1 B visa expires. He also had a personal interaction with Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc and Google. He invited Pichai to explore further avenues of collaboration in the domains of Artificial Intelligence; fintech; cybersecurity products & services; as well as mobile device manufacturing in India. PM and Pichai also discussed collaboration between Google and academic institutions in India to promote R&D and skill development.
The Opposition leaders’ first huddle in Patna to chalk out the strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections got off to a shaky start with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kerjiwal in a rush to push senior leaders, particularly Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to accept his agenda on Delhi Ordinance. The ordinance had provided for setting up of National Capital Civil Service Authority under Delhi L-G for transfer and posting of officials. Kejriwal’s overdrive surprised the leaders. Congress sources said that the party leadership did not want to be seen being pushed around. After all, state units in Punjab and Delhi units were opposed to supporting the AAP in Parliament. Kejriwal did not expect the Congress to deal with the matter with caution and which is probably why he opted to skip the Press briefing at the end of the meeting. “Kejriwal’s churlish conduct upset senior leaders…It was suggested that a view on the ordinance would be taken at the next meeting in July in Shimla, ” rued a Congress source. Otherwise, there seemed to be a lot of light-heartedness at the meet as RJD leader Lalu Prasad openly suggested to Rahul Gandhi that he must get married – that too before the press. He also remarked how, “Lord Hanuman thrashed BJP with his mace in Karnataka, had made Rahul win.” Only Mamata Banerjee who is facing the brunt of education scam in her state spoke about the menace of ED.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House for a private dinner he decided to carry gifts marking 80th birthday of President Biden — a milestone he had reached last November. Krishna Yajurveda’s Vaikhanas Grihya Sutram mentions that an individual becomes ‘Drishta Sahasrachandro’ or the one who has seen one thousand full moons when he completes the age of 80 years and eight months. An elaborate set of Vedic rituals are performed such as Vinayak Pooja — prayers to Lord Ganesha, culminating in Poornaahuti (oblation to the sacred fire) Satabhishekam and finally Sahasra Chandra Darshanam or gazing at the 1000th full Moon. During Sahasra Poorna Chandrodayam celebrations, there is a custom of Das Danam or donations of 10 different kinds. The gifts were carried in a special sandalwood box, handcrafted by a master craftsman from Jaipur. It contained the silver idol of Ganesha handcrafted by a family of fifth generation silversmiths of Kolkata. It also included a diya (oil lamp) .It also contained delicate silver boxes containing symbolic – Das Danams or the 10 donations, which signifies the donations made on this occasion. Among the boxes was this 24K pure and hallmarked gold coin that is offered as Hiranyadaan (donation of gold).
Congress Peeved As Teen Murti Loses Its Nehru Link, Renamed Prime Ministers Museum & Library Society
In a special meeting of the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) Society, it was resolved to change the name to the Prime Ministers Museum & Library Society. The meeting was presided by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who is the Vice President of the Society. PM Narendra Modi had mooted the idea of setting up of a museum dedicated to all the PMs of India on Teen Murti Premises, New Delhi in 2016. The Executive Council, NMML had in its 162nd meeting held November 25, 2016 approved the construction of the Museum of all PMs in the Teen Murti Estate. The project was completed and the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya was opened to the public on April 21 2022. The Executive Council subsequently felt that the name of the Institution should reflect the present activities which now also include a Sangrahalaya depicting the collective journey of democracy in Independent India and highlighting the contribution of each Prime Minister in nation-building. Nripendra Misra , who is chairman of the Executive Council, explained the need for a change in name by emphasizing that the Prime Minister’s Museum expresses the nation’s deep commitment to democracy and so the name of the institution should reflect its new form. The Congress, which has not been enthusiastic about all PMs’ museums right from the start, lashed out at losing the nostalgic Teen Murti link with Nehru.
When Jai Inder Kaur, daughter of former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, organised a BJP rally in Patiala to celebrate 9 years of Modi government last week it became apparent that she would be staking claim to the Patiala Lok Sabha seat currently held by her mother Perneet Kaur. Congress sources conceded that the Patiala Lok Sabha seat was now up for grabs. “We had after all suspended Perneet Kaur in February on the charge of helping her husband and the BJP,” said a Congress leader. With the exit of the royal family from the Congress fold, the party may not have any serious candidate to take on Jai Inder Kaur. Significantly, Kaur’s father was conspicuous by his absence at the rally as he wanted to keep the focus on his daughter. After being dumped by the Congress as CM, Capt Amarinder had floated Punjab Lok Congress in 2021. He merged his party along with the BJP in 2022 and was subsequently inducted into the party’s national executive. The Patiala rally was attended by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. Some of them who have worked with Capt Amarinder have reportedly sent feelers to the BJP. After the loss of Jalandhar Lok Sabha by -election, there is also talk of the BJP and the Akali Dal coming back together for 2024.
The progress of the ground floor in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya was reviewed recently by the senior members of the Trust including Chairman Construction Committee headed by Nripendra Misra. Even as details of the temple were shared in a release by Misra, it was disclosed that the construction work on infrastructure buildings was in full swing and it was likely to be completed by October 2023. The dome size of the five mandaps are 34 ft wide and 32 ft. The height of the courtyard varies from 69 feet to 111 feet. The Temple is 380 feet in length, 250 feet wide and 161 feet high from the courtyard. The three-storey Temple has five mandaps and one main Shikar. The size of Sanctum Sanctorum is 20 feet x 20 feet in length and width with a total area of 403.34 sq. ft. There will be 46 numbers of teakwood doors. The door of Sanctum Sanctorum will be ornated with gold. There are 392 pillars which have been structurally provided taking into consideration the load factor and other climatic challenges. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has sent an invitation letter to PM Modi for the grand opening of the Ram temple in Ayodhya while suggesting three “auspicious dates” for the ceremony. They are between January 17 and 24. It may be recalled that the temple’s foundation was laid in a ceremony presided over by Modi on August 5, 2020.
There is not much excitement in the BJP circles about TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s brief meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda early this month. The possibility of an electoral alliance between the two parties ahead of the Telangana assembly election later this year and general elections next year are being ruled out as it would not suit BJP. TDP was a part of the NDA in 2014 but quit the ruling alliance in March 2018 before the 2019 elections on the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh. However, both parties came together after the recent municipal elections in Port Blair. BJP sources said TDP is not much liked in Telangana as it had opposed creation of a separate state of Telangana. “It is precisely for this reason that the Congress-TDP alliance has not clicked in the new state. Congress is a stronger party but gets pulled down by the TDP,” pointed out a BJP functionary. It is precisely for this reason that the BJP which is trying to make some inroads in Telangana would shun a tie-up with the TDP. As for Andhra, a party source admitted that the BJP was already in alliance with Pawan Kalyan’s party Jana Sena and may tie-up with TDP. Significantly, PM Modi remembered NT Rama Rao, TDP founder and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on his birth anniversary in his radio program Mann Ki Baat last month.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has been patient and courteous to flurry of requests and inquiries from CMs of the neighbouring states about the fate of passengers from their states who could have lost their lives in the Balasore rail accident involving Coromandel Express. However, what he must not have anticipated is the rush of some leaders to the accident site or the state for optics. At least two leaders seem to have rushed just to make a point — West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. Didi made not one but two visits, just to remind she has been a Rail Minister once and even made it a point to rush to Balasore on the day of the accident and be spotted with the Union rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the site. In fact, on live TV, the Rail Minister politely ticked her off as she suggested that the death count could be as high as 500. It is odd that the Bengal CM is back again visiting Odisha hospitals — in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. As for Udhayanidhi, it is being said he was quite stumped when CM Patnaik asked him if he had any back-up plan to take stranded patients back home. Caught off-guard by probing queries, the young minister decided to play safe and chose to personally visit hospitals looking for those injured from Tamil Nadu. Only two persons hailing from TN were traced, out of a total of untraceable 8 from a list of 127 passengers with Tamil Nadu addresses.
If the Congress dragged the Karnataka post-poll confabulations a tad longer even after a resounding victory and had to call off a swearing-in, it wasn’t all because of D K Shivakumar’s tantrums. Party sources say that the entire 3-day drama in Delhi wasn’t the result of his muscle-flexing alone. Sources said at no point did DKS threaten to stay out of the government nor demand the “finance ministry” portfolio. Nor did he insist on an assurance from Sonia Gandhi to make him CM after two years. Which is probably why AICC managers have not spelt out terms of a Sidda-DKS deal– maybe there’s no deal. Besides, Sidda always likes a full term. “DKS is aware of his limitations. He is aware of his legal liabilities. He cannot demand the finance portfolio as Sidda has the formidable reputation of presenting 13 Budgets,” said a close Rahul aide. If DKS indeed had no pre-conditions then what delayed government formation? It was apparently Sidda’s idea that he should be allowed to take oath alone as CM on May 17 that created a deadlock. It was Sidda’s way of taking credit for Karnataka victory that irked DKS. So he put his foot down and insisted that he would like to take the oath along with the CM. DKS’ insistence annoyed Sidda; after all he had been reluctant to induct DKS as a minister in his previous stint as CM. Besides, Sidda was keen to showcase his oath-taking as a national Opposition unity event that would be attended by everyone: Sharad Pawar, Sitaram Yechury, M K Stalin, Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav and Mamata Banerjee.
PM Narendra Modi will be dedicating the newly constructed Parliament building to the Nation on May 28, which marks the birth anniversary of Veer Savarkar. The new building symbolises the spirit of self-reliant India (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) and has come up in record time. Both the houses of Parliament– the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha – had passed resolutions urging the government to construct a new building. Consequently, on 10 December 2020, the foundation stone of the new building of Parliament was laid by PM Modi. The newly constructed building is reportedly equipped with state-of-the-art facilities which will help the MPs to perform their functions in a better way. The Lok Sabha can accommodate 888 members and the Rajya Sabha 384 members. In the present Parliament House, there is a provision for the sitting of 543 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 280 in the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha will facilitate joint sittings of both the Houses, something that happened in the Central Hall of the Parliament in the present building. The present Parliament complex was completed in 1927, which is now going to be almost 100 years old. The building with aging wiring systems and drainage facilities has posed many hazards and has not been able to cater to growing needs of MPs. It was also subjected to a terror attack on 13 December 2001, by Pak inspired agents that took nine lives of security personnel.
It is now as clear as daylight that the prospect of KPCC President D K Shivkumar becoming chief minister of Karnataka is zilch. A fate he always feared most — that he would also end up like Sachin Pilot — even as he notched up one of the most brilliant electoral victories for the Congress. Yes, Rahul Gandhi in his meeting with party observers Sushil Kumar Shinde made it clear that it would be better to go with the views expressed by newly elected Karnataka MLAs. And that means going ahead and declaring Siddaramaiah as CM. Siddaramaiah had claimed that he had support of more MLAs. Only 37 of the 136 legislators had refused to give the name of preferred CM choice. Siddaramaiah always knew he was going to clinch the office, notwithstanding DKS’s claims. That is why as soon as the results came in, he was already working on who are the officers he must get on in his team. As for DKS, he knew his game was over when Sonia and Priyanka moved out of Delhi. All that will remain is the way he mobilized Vokkaligas in Old Mysore to back the Congress; he persuaded them to abandon the Janata Dal (Secular) including the prestigious Ramnagar seat. Congress won 30 of the 61 seats in the Old Mysuru region.
The shock defeat of the BJP in the Karnataka election was no surprise at BJP headquarters in New Delhi. Party sources said an electoral rout was inevitable as B L Santosh, BJP’s national general secretary, who hailed from the state, was handling all election related issues and had not involved anyone from the North. “In the 2018 polls, I held campaign meetings among our community leaders in the South. This time no one even bothered to involve me,” said BJP’s Dalit leader. Party sources said Santosh, a RSS pracharak hailing from Udupi, was brought in as Karnataka BJP general secretary (organisation) in 2006 and remained in the post till 2014. At party headquarters, he was brought in by Modi-Shah to oversee BJP’s expansion in the South. Party sources said Santosh relied too much on the much disliked former Chikkamagaluru MLA C T Ravi, who lost the elections. Ironically, Santosh is being seen as responsible for reducing the BJP to the 2013 situation when B S Yediyurappa’s exit caused Lingayats to desert en masse. Only exception was in urban Hubbali where Jagadish Shettar who quit the BJP and held Santosh “directly responsible” for his denial of a ticket. Shettar lost even as Sonia Gandhi campaigned for him.
On a day when Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav were in Mumbai meeting with Uddhav Thackeray exploring scope for Opposition alliance, his home ground gave away. Yes, his once close aide Ram Chandra Prasad Singh joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at party headquarters in New Delhi. A Kurmi leader like Nitish who also hails from Nalanda, Singh’s joining the BJP is expected to strengthen the party in Bihar. An IAS officer of UP cadre Singh had closely worked with Nitish during his stint as a Union minister. He went on to slam Nitish, accusing him of compromising with crime and corruption in his pursuit of “kursi”, calling the JDU supremo a “paltimaar”. Singh lost his Rajya Sabha membership and also had to quit as Union minister as the JDU refused to nominate him for a fresh term last year. His differences with Nitish have been growing over the years — first it was over the appointment of poll strategist Prashant Kishore as JDU vice-president and then over Nitish’s over dependence on now JDU chief Lallan Singh. RCP Singh took VRS from the IAS and was nominated by the JDU to the Rajya Sabha in 2010. Meanwhile, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik who met with PM Narendra Modi dismissed the possibility of working with the Opposition for the 2024 general election, declaring that his BJD will go it alone. Incidentally, Nitish Kumar had met with him early this week.
“BJP’s Vasundhara Raje Scindia is Ashok Gehlot’s leader, not Sonia Gandhi,” declared senior Rajasthan leader Sachin Pilot. Announcing a “Jan Sangharsh Yatra” from Ajmer to Jaipur on 11 May, he said he would take his demands to the people, particularly for action against BJP’s corruption. Pilot’s comments come two days after the Rajasthan CM said in Dholpur that he had survived an internal revolt in July 2020 because BJP’s former chief minister Scindia and her two close aides — Kailash Meghwal and Shobharani Khushwaha–refused to support a conspiracy to topple the government. Pilot – with the help of 18 MLAs — had rebelled against Gehlot but could not muster enough numbers to bring down the government. Pilot said “the Dholpur speech has made it clear why there has been no action against the previous Vasundhara Raje government.” Anyway it is not just Pilot who is hitting the ground running. PM Modi will be in Rajasthan too on May 10 inaugurating and lay the foundation stone of projects worth over Rs 5,500 crore. Meanwhile, Congress sources are raising eyebrows about Gehlot’s offer to “compensate” Congress MLAs crossing over to BJP at the behest of Pilot. 10 Janpath would certainly be squirming at the idea.
While all political parties are focused on Karnataka assembly elections mid-week, there is one Lok Sabha by-elections that is being held the same day that has gone completely below the radar. Yes, it is the by-election to the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat. It has become a high-stake battle for the ruling AAP which lost Sangrur Lok Sabha bypolls last year. AAP is understandably eager to win the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat as it is being seen as a curtain raiser to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. To secure Jalandhar, AAP has fielded former Congress MLA Sushil Kumar Rinku, hours after he jumped ship. For some reason, however, Congress feels comfortable and confident that it will clinch the Jalandhar seat as it is banking on the legacy of its two-time MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary who died during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. It has fielded his wife, academician Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, as candidate from Jalandhar. Karamjit Chaudhary’s son Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary is the sitting MLA from Phillaur (reserved) assembly constituency, the home turf of the Chaudhary family in Jalandhar. “We are feeling confident about a Congress win not only because of the sympathy factor. It is also because everyone is working for the Congress”, said Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Gill. Jalandhar has been a Congress stronghold since 1999. Congress sources say at present the mood against AAP is so much in Punjab that even the SAD-BSP alliance could emerge as first runner up.
When the Congress won Himachal in December last year polling just 0.90% more votes than the BJP it wasn’t seen as an effective victory. Of course, the Congress had secured 15 more seats than the BJP. However all doubts were put to rest on May 4 when under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu when the Congress swept Shimla Municipal Corporation elections picking 24 of the 34 wards, leaving a measly 9 seats for the BJP. It now became quite clear that the Congress had found a new leader in the CM. In a post- Virbhadra Singh era, it seemed the party had found the right kind of person to fill his place. Even as the Himachal BJP made an issue that the Congress was ignoring late Virbhadra Singh and had not used his posters in the civic polls, Congress sources point out that even late Virbhadra had never managed to win 24 wards in Shimla during his lifetime. Which means what had essentially worked for Sukhu, who had risen from the ranks, is that he had begun delivering on election promises including the old pension scheme. Zeroing in on Sukhu as CM and delivering in Himachal would definitely go a long way in boosting Priyanka Gandhi’s credentials as a leader. In fact, it is for this reason that the Congress decided to showcase Sukhu in Bengaluru at a presser on May 5 itself.
There is apparently a lot of resentment against AICC in charge for Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala among state Congress leaders for the manner in which he is handling ongoing assembly elections. Party leaders are particularly livid with him for messing up with the election manifesto. Across the board, everyone is holding him and election strategist, Sunil Kanugolu, responsible for the big time “Bajrang Dal” goof up — that is putting an incendiary item in the manifesto and handing the BJP, an electoral issue. “The Congress has gifted this election on a platter to PM Modi. This Bajrang Dal was not an input of the manifesto committee. In fact the panel headed by Dr G Parameshwara and members such as Madhu Bangarappa and Prof Radhakrishna had nothing to do with it. These words were added by Surjewala and Kanugolu perhaps with a view to give a handle to the BJP,” said a former Congress CM. That is why former Union Minister M Veerappa Moily clarified that there was no proposal to ban the Bajrang Dal. “No one in the Congress trusts Kanugolu as he has a history of working with the BJP. In fact Surjewala and Kanugolu so tightly control every one that all leaders are quite fed up. This was an election we were winning hands down. Now in the last week, our leaders are rushing to temples,” said a close Rahul Gandhi aide. To recover some lost ground D K Shivakumar even visited a Hanuman temple.
In Karnataka both the major political parties — the BJP and the Congress — are restricting their appeal to particular communities. It became more obvious in their election manifestos that was released about a week ahead of polling on May 10. Though the election pledges may not have much influence on the voters, the sticking point in the documents such as a claim to ban to the Bajrang Dal by the Congress to pacify Muslims or promise of the BJP to usher in the UCC, introduce the NRC and “speedy deportation of all illegal migrants” seem to be aimed at reaching out to the Hindus. Congress sources admitted that Hindus as a bloc were beyond their reach in coastal Karnataka and this seems to have made the party shift its focus to Muslims in the south. However by taking a pro-Muslim stand in a year when Ram Temple at Ayodhya is all set to become a reality, the Congress could be in a spot in north India. Little wonder that PM Modi promptly tore into the Congress’ manifesto promising a ban on Bajrang Dal. Addressing a public meeting in Hosapete, Karanataka he said, “I’m fortunate to be at the birthplace of Shri Hanuman, but it also unfortunate to know the Congress has declared to ban the Bajrang Dal, who revere Bajrang Bali Hanuman, if they come to power”. As Assam CM Himanta Sarma regretted equating a banned “PFI and Bajrang Dal”.
In an unusual move of promoting cooperative federalism, Foundation Day of Gujarat and Maharashtra on May 1 were not only observed in the two states but across Raj Bhavans in the country celebrating the theme “Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat”. Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate India’s rich cultural diversity, to foster a sense of national unity and promote a spirit of mutual understanding and respect. It pairs up states and union territories with each other, promoting cultural and linguistic exchange between them through various activities such as art, music, dance, food and sports. The celebration of Gujarat and Maharashtra Foundation Day by the Raj Bhavans of other states is a unique step for the promotion of national unity. It seems to have the blessings of the PMO and has been encouraged by the top leadership. Even as the Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais unfurled the national flag and inspected the parade, it would be interesting to note that Maharashtra and Gujarat Foundation Day were celebrated across all Raj Bhavans in the country – from Union territories of J&K and Puducherry to Kerala, Tripura and Odisha — showcasing the rich and vibrant culture of the two states.
It is not the impact of gaali politics or even yet to be launched PM Modi’s carpet bombing that is worrying the Congress in Karnataka. No, the party is not worried about the impact of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s decision to call Modi a “poisonous snake”. What is actually worrying the party is the plethora of pre-election surveys! Initially, these pre-poll surveys were giving the Congress a clear lead over the BJP. However, as the date of polling is drawing closer, several pre-poll surveys and opinions have begun to indicate the possibility of a hung assembly. “These surveys are disturbing. It is the possibility of a hung assembly with JD(S) playing a kingmaker that can mar Congress prospects.” pointed out an AICC manager. Even though KPCC chief D K Shivkumar met JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy in Hyderabad, but HDK seems to be more inclined to back a BJP government. “A hung assembly could work out best in the BJP’s interest. There’s already a talk that even if BJP fails to win Karnataka, they will still form the government,” admits a senior Congress leader. He also admits giving tickets to BJP rebel Jagdish Shettar has proven to be counterproductive as party workers in Hubbali are refusing to work for Shettar. Party sources are also questioning the wisdom of fielding a Muslim candidate Yaseer Ahmed Khan against Lingayat CM Basvaraj Bommai from Shiggaon.
Looks like Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor is keeping his options open. Or may be building pressure on Congress leadership to induct him to the Congress Working Committee. Aware that Congress leadership did not quite appreciate him entering the fray for the office of party president and forcing a contest, Tharoor is aware that the party may not easily re-nominate him to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. That is probably why he is reaching out to everyone across the political spectrum including the BJP. He was there at the airport to receive PM Narendra Modi who had arrived in Thiruvananthapuram to launch Vande Bharat Express and the PMO had tweeted about it. Vande Bharat will run between the Kerala capital in the south and Kasargod in the north covering 11 districts in the state. Earlier, Tharoor had complimented Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for making speedy train travel possible in his state. “Progress must be beyond politics,” he had tweeted. At the Vande Bharat launch, it wasn’t Tharoor alone who was all agreeable. Ashwini Vaishnav also came out praising CM Pinarayi Vijayan for extending all help to facilitate in improving and expanding tracks. Vijayan, who was pushing for the controversial SilverLine semi-high speed rail corridor, thanked PM Modi for allocating a Vande Bharat to Kerala. Under Modi, rail budget allocation had gone up five times — from Rs 370 cr in 2014 to Rs 2333 cr in 2023.
If Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a tough line against former BJP leader Jagdish Shettar during his visit to Hubballi it is not without reason. Shah’s assertion that “Shettar will lose the election as Hubbali has always voted for the BJP” was made to reflect not just the mood in the Karnataka BJP unit after Shettar crossed over to the Congress. It also shared the anguish of PM Narendra Modi over Shettar’s action. BJP top brass is reportedly furious that Shettar who was given “so much” by the party should join Congress. Shah primarily reflected the BJP’s determination to ensure that Shettar “loses the election”. Shettar is contesting on a Congress ticket from Hubballi-Dharwad-Central, a seat he has won multiple times on a BJP ticket. “There’ll be no loss, Jagdish Shettar will himself lose the election, Huballii has always voted for BJP and all workers of BJP are united,” Shah said at a press conference. Of course, Congress sources are surprised that Modi-Shah should make a fuss about a high profile turncoat, considering the BJP itself has renominated 16 defectors from the Congress who had propped up its government in the last few years.
Thursday (Apr 20) was a day of mixed news for the Gandhi siblings from the courts and this brought some cheer to the Congress. While Surat sessions court refused to stay his conviction in the defamation case for Rahul Gandhi, Haryana revenue officials brought some cheer by giving a clean chit to transfer of land by Robert Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality to the DLF in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This came nearly five years after an FIR was registered against former chief minister Bhupinder Hooda and others for cheating and other offences at Gurugram. It is not clear if Vadra got the clean chit as an unintended consequence of the Khattar government’s efforts to bail out its ally — the Chauthalas. As for as the Vadra-DLF land transfer matter, the affidavit said: “It was reported by tehsildar, Manesar, Gurugram, that Skylight Hospitality sold 3.5 acres to DLF Universal Limited on September 18, 2019, and no regulation/rules have been violated in the said transaction. As per the report received from tehsildar, Wazirabad, Gurugram, it was clearly stated that the land in question has not been found in the name of DLF Universal Ltd and the land still exists in the name of HSVP/HSIIDC, Haryana”.
Karnataka PCC chief D K Shivkumar’s last minute gamble to get his brother and the lone Congress Lok Sabha MP D K Suresh to file papers as his cover candidate from Kanakapura assembly seat has not gone down well with state Congress cadres. It was felt such a move could send out a message of uncertainty about the Congress. While officially the Congress explained the need for a cover candidate for Shivkumar — who was hoping to be CM — as a technical necessity. Party sources said Shivkumar had moved his brother to Kanakapura only as a back-up plan. “Having a cover candidate is necessary; he has to be there in the fray only till the time of withdrawal of nominations,” explained an AICC manager. But then why is the PCC chief suddenly preparing for the worst and worrying about rejection of his papers? Hasn’t Shivkumar been winning the Kanakapura assembly seat since 2008? Or has the entry of a senior BJP minister and prominent Vokkaliga face R Ashoka from Kanakapura queered the pitch for him? Meanwhile, Shivkumar’s attempts to consolidate the star power of Vokkaligas are showing results. He got former Lok Sabha MP and actor Divya Sapandana aka Ramya back as star campaigner. Ramya had also joined Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state. Shivkumar was also hoping to get Mandya MP and actor Sumalatha Ambareesh to contest on Congress ticket. She opted out.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched his campaign in Karnataka from Kolar from the very spot where his August 2019 speech cost him membership of the Lok Sabha. Accused of “insulting” OBCs as he had mocked Modi surname in a defamation case, Rahul decided to take on the government on the caste question. Rahul urged PM Modi to release the findings of what the Congress-led UPA regime had compiled — the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) in 2011. He reminded the government that reports from the census have been published except that of the caste data. In urging release of caste census data Rahul may be pushing the case of a lot of Centrist parties from the Hindi heartland like the RJD and JD (U) for a caste-based census. Rahul also exuded confidence about coming to power in Karnataka. He also indicated as to who his choice of chief minister would be: PCC chief D K Shivkumar is clearly a front runner. AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge is also backing DKS. Rahul is gung ho about his “government” that he made it clear that his team would implement its freebie promises in the first Cabinet meeting itself. Meanwhile, one hears senior leader Siddaramaiah has begun to sulk being denied an opportunity to contest from Kolar. The Kolar rally was such a double whammy for the Kuruba leader he was even asked to cut his speech short.
High-profile last-minute imports from BJP into the Congress like Jagdish Shettar and Laxman Savadi — one an ex-CM and another a deputy CM — are apparently not enough to convince Karnataka Congressmen that their party will return to power on May 13. Sources say both the Lingayat leaders are no last-minute imports; they were actually negotiating with the Congress leadership as a back-up option as they were aware they would be denied tickets. That is why the delay by the BJP to declare its list of Karnataka candidates had quite upset the Congress. But even the arrival of Shettar and Savadi, who were once close to B S Yediyurappa, is not cheering the Congress cadres mainly because they are not being viewed as an asset. Congress sources say if these leaders did not make the grade in PM Narendra Modi-Amit Shah’s list, in all possibility, voters may also ignore them. At best desertions can create a political mood against the BJP but then the ruling party managed to beat incumbency by fielding fresh candidates, avoiding fielding more than one person from a family and also getting rid of deadwood. This BJP approach has unsettled the Congress. While BJP has opted for going for fresh faces, the Congress has stuck to the groove –re-nominating the 92-year old sitting MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa from Davangere South.
In Rajasthan, for some time ruling Congress has been subject of regular jousts between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot. With assembly elections at the end of this year, Pilot thought it fit to launch a diatribe against Gehlot last week accusing him of not acting on corruption charges against BJP leader Vasundhara Raje. He even went ahead with a day-long protest over the CM’s inaction against Raje, in spite of being advised against it by the AICC. Pilot reportedly refused to speak to anyone other than the Gandhis. This confidence of the former Rajasthan PCC seemed somewhat misplaced. As neither Rahul nor Priyanka bothered to reach out to him. Congress sources admitted that Gehlot seemed to have developed better equations with the Gandhis so much so they felt any move to replace him would be like a repeat of Punjab where they had sacked Capt Amarinder Singh ahead of Punjab polls that led to collapse of the Congress in the state. PM Modi made best use of Gehlot-Pilot face off. At the launch of Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express between Ajmer and Delhi, PM not only referred to Gehlot as a friend and praised him for attending the event despite the ongoing political crises in his party. Modi also put to rest speculations that Pilot could make his way into the BJP. By attacking Raje, Sachin has probably ruled himself out of the BJP.
If there is one thing that will cheer Tamil speaking people, it was the way PM Modi extolled the contribution of Tamil as the world’s oldest language. Taking part in the Tamil New Year celebrations at the residence of his ministerial colleague L Murugan, Modi lauded the Tamil community ahead of April 14 Puthandu or new year festivities. Reaching out to the community, PM stressed the uniqueness of Tamil people and culture, and professed his attraction and emotional attachment towards the Tamil culture. “There is a lot in the Tamil culture that has shaped India as a nation”, he said. He also mentioned Venkatesa Perumal temple in Kanchipuram and Chathuranga Vallabhanathar Temple for their astonishing modern relevance and their rich ancient tradition. He remembered quoting in Tamil at the United Nations and attending the Grih Pravesh Ceremony at Jaffna. He expressed deep satisfaction of the success of the recent Kashi Tamil Sangamam. “In this program, we have celebrated antiquity, innovation and diversity simultaneously”, said the PM. Referring to the craze for the books of Tamil learning at the Sangamam, Modi said “In the Hindi speaking region, in this digital age, Tamil books are loved like this, it shows our cultural connect. I believe, the lives of Kashi residents are incomplete without Tamil people, I have become a Kashi Vaasi, and without Kashi, the lives of Tamil people are incomplete.”
Absence of Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Chennai over last weekend made for intense speculation in Tamil social media. Even the news media was abuzz with suggestions that the dynamic party leader had been asked to take a back seat in local politics to sort out issues with new AIADMK boss and former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS). Regional media that have been hostile to Annamalai’s rising acceptance among local people almost had a field day hinting at his political epitaph. Little did they reveal that the former IPS officer was missing in Chennai with a purpose; he was after all handling poll-bound Karnataka along with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In fact he was closeted with Union Home Minister Amit Shah discussing BJP’s Karnataka list. As a Karnataka-cadre officer, party top brass valued Annamalai’s input. That means his rivals in Tamil Nadu be better prepared for a long haul: both inside & outside BJP.
In a gesture made to reach out to the Catholics, PM Narendra Modi visited the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral in Delhi to greet and wish Happy Easter. It made big political news as it came amidst Karnataka assembly elections. But then during his Church visit, PM Modi held no discussion or made any appeal; he merely listened to three Christian songs, lit candles and prayed for some time. He also planted a tree sapling in front of the Church to mark his first visit. Archbishops and Bishops gave him a memento of Jesus Christ. It was as a BJP leader put it Modi telling the world that “every Christian in India was now secure and happy”. His Church visit was kept such a secret that very few people knew about it. His visit to the Church was in sharp contrast to former Congress President Sonia Gandhi who didn’t want to be caught visiting the CBCI headquarters even one single time. “Sonia had made her entry and exit out of the Church through the back door — she, a baptized Catholic, didn’t want anyone to know. It was a very delicate occasion — the Archbishop had died; we had to make special arrangements for her. With Modiji, it is nice of him to make an open gesture of reaching out,” recalls a former Congressman now in BJP.
In the past two days there has been a sudden rush of high profile entrants into the BJP from the Congress. These accretions are being clearly made with a view to send a message ahead of Karnataka elections. It started with Anil Antony, son of former Defence Minister A K Antony, joining the BJP on April 6, four months after he quit the Congress after denouncing the BBC documentaries against PM Modi. A day later, Kiran Kumar Reddy, the last Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, joined the party. Reddy is known to be a straight bat who had got AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi sent to judicial custody in a hate speech case in 2013. He had resigned from the Congress a couple of weeks ago. Party sources said Reddy has a clean image. It was significant that he was inducted into the party by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, who belongs to Karnataka. Hailing from a Congress family, Kiran Kumar admitted that he had never imagined that he would leave the Congress. Meanwhile, as for Anil Antony joining the BJP and his father A K Antony expressing shock and surprise over his political moves, there is a sense of disbelief. Party sources feel the Stanford educated Anil would have kept his father in the loop. It is probable that senior Antony may have advised his son to exit the Congress for his own sake.
PM Narendra Modi’s programmes in three southern states of Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are packed with hectic activities on April 8-9. His programme in Secunderabad on April 8 will be watched with interest as Telangana government has taken an adversarial position towards the Centre ever since BRS leader K Kavitha was questioned in connection with Delhi liquor scam. In a retaliatory move, the BRS government got Telangana BJP President and Secunderabad MP Bandi Sanjay arrested in a SSC question paper leak case. Arrest of its local leader has however not deterred the PM and he is going ahead with flagging off Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express on April 8. Of course, Bandi Sanjay has secured a bail. At 3 pm the same day, PM will reach Chennai Airport to launch the new terminal building. Completed at a cost of Rs 1260 crore, the new terminal will increase the passenger serving capacity of the airport from 23 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) to 30 MPPA. This terminal is a striking reflection of the local Tamil culture, incorporating traditional features such as the kolam & temple. At 4 pm, he will flag off the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express at MGR Chennai Central Railway Station. At 4.45 pm, Modi will take part in the celebrations commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Math in Chennai. On April 9 PM Modi will visit Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka.
Congress MPs with well-appointed bungalows in Lutyens Zone are now a worried lot. Many feel they may have to make the ultimate sacrifice of vacating their house to accommodate their disqualified “leader”. In fact , a prominent leader from South, who has a large bungalow allotted to him because of his status reportedly approached Urban Development Minister Hardeep Puri and told him that he be given a smaller bungalow as he is sick and tired of accommodating visitors from the South. Now the prospect of housing Rahul is also weighing on him. When Puri asked him to submit an application for change of bungalow in writing, the senior MP said he would wait to see the way Rahul’s matter takes shape in the courtroom. The Wayanad MP has been asked to vacate his house by the third week of April. If the process to stay his conviction is taken up by April 13, then Rahul may not have to move out of 12, Tuglak Road. Meanwhile, to counter the Congress narrative of Adani-Modi corruption link, the BJP has released a slick “Congress Files” video chronicling its years of corruption in office. It was aired on TV channels. Congress leaders who viewed it are shocked by claims made in the clip that over the years the partymen have been shown squirrelling away Rs 4 lakh crore plus from the exchequer!
In an interesting move, Sri Lanka has expressed a keen interest to learn from India’s experience of digital governance and participatory policymaking to ensure faster socio-economic development and high economic growth. In this connection, on the invitation of the Sri Lankan government, an Indian delegation led by the Director General of National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) Bharat Lal called on the President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe on April 1. He was accompanied by High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Bagley, Associate Professor of NCGG Dr A P Singh, and other senior diplomats. During the meeting, President Ranil Wickremesinghe shared his vision to put the country on the path of high economic growth. The discussion centred around policy reforms, good governance, digitalization, capacity building, and assured public service delivery. The Sri Lanka President urged NCGG to help in establishing a University of Governance and Public Policy in his country. The Indian delegation met several senior civil servants of Sri Lanka, and everyone was keen to know how PM Narendra Modi has given a new governance model to eradicate poverty, ensure high-quality services, assured public service delivery, and high economic growth. Sri Lanka is keen to learn policy–driven governance model of India and the massive use of digital technology in the planning, execution, and monitoring of various programmes and projects.
The Congress is betting big on an undercurrent of sympathy for Rahul Gandhi who was disqualified as a Lok Sabha MP in Karnataka assembly elections to help the party clinch a magical three- digit number. Party leaders are already talking of winning at least 130 seats. The Congress is hoping to project Rahul as a “victim” of BJP’s plot to unseat the Wayanad MP by a Surat trial court order in the defamation case regarding Modi surname. Interestingly, Rahul is launching his “Satyameva Jayate” campaign in Kolar on April 5, the same place where he made the contentious speech. Congress leaders are not willing to accept that Rahul was disqualified as MP on March 24, as per a Supreme Court ruling in 2013. Under the ruling, any MP or MLA stands to be disqualified automatically if convicted and sentenced to two years or more. Party leaders feel it was under heat of Rahul’s case that the Lok Sabha Speaker had revoked Lakshadweep NCP’s MP Mohammed Faisal’s suspension made in January. “Rahulji’s suspension is one of criminal defamation and it cannot be equated with Faisal’s case who was convicted in a case of assault” argued a Congress leader. Interestingly, Faisal was restored as MP this week just ahead of his appeal in the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, for Faisal, the SC has questioned the stay of his conviction by the Kerala HC. That means Rahul will watch his route of appeal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unfazed by the sharp criticism mounted by the Opposition about the alleged role of the BJP leaders in the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case and subsequent disqualification of his membership of the Lok Sabha. Modi’s response is that the BJP leaders should not fall prey to the barrage of “insinuating” attacks on him. His word to the party leaders is that they should go on the counter offensive and tell their constituents about the utterances of Rahul Gandhi on several matters including that on Veer Savarkar, which has already caused a split in the Maharashtra alliance. As far as Modi is concerned, the government has not interfered in any way either in the Lok Sabha Secretariat’s announcement. In 20 odd cases of disqualification of MPs and MLAs, the procedures adopted were the same. So why is BJP targeted? Modi thinks that the Opposition is nervous after the BJP’s impressive performance in the recent elections in the Northeast. They had a similar reaction after BJP’s Gujarat victory too. “The PM told us that the Opposition will attack us more as they are rattled by the repeated victories of the BJP. The more we win, the harsher the attack will be. Now they are worked up because of our wins in Gujarat and Northeast,” said an MP who was part of the meeting.
In a surprise move, the Narendra Modi Government decided to go by the law and disqualified Rahul Gandhi following his conviction by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat in a criminal defamation case on March 23 for his remark on the “Modi surname” while addressing an election rally in Karnataka in 2019. The Wayanad MP will be the second member after Lakshadweep Lok Sabha member PP Mohammed Faizal, who was disqualified within two days after his conviction in an attempt-to-murder case on January 11. Interestingly, Faisal’s disqualification by the Speaker was not revoked even after he appealed to the Kerala HC for a stay on his conviction and sentence, which the HC suspended on January 25. Official sources said the government felt encouraged to move against Rahul after several legal experts including Kapil Sibal pointed out that he stands automatically disqualified as an MP and getting only the jail sentence suspended was not enough. Rahul could have continued as an MP only if his conviction was stayed. That’s why eyebrows were raised about his visit to Lok Sabha a day after his conviction. In being convicted by a court, Rahul joins his grandmother Indira Gandhi who was convicted of election fraud in 1975. While Rahul’s legal team is confident of overturning the Surat court’s verdict in higher courts, party circles have begun to think of facing 2024 polls without Rahul. But then is Priyanka Vadra ready to helm the party at this crucial juncture?
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is a very worried man these days. He feels he doesn’t enjoy the heft of being party president even after his election was duly ratified at the AICC Plenary Session in Raipur in February this year. He is at the receiving end mainly from those who belong to his home state Karnataka. They give him a short shrift most of the time as they keep him waiting even after fixing appointments. Partymen from his home state who seek time to meet him in Delhi do not show up at the appointed hour and it is left to Kharge’s office to find out why they have not turned up. Another major worry for the new party chief is that he is not able to get his way even in reshuffling the AICC. Party sources said he has not been able to get either his favourites like R S Surjewala as general secretary (organisation) or give more responsibilities to Pawan Khera. He finds he is getting stymied by the elephant in the room — Rahul Gandhi — who is not allowing him to move out a K C Venugopal or a high profile Jairam Ramesh.
The Congress party launched a nationwide campaign over a Surat court order that sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case for his remark on the “Modi surname” while addressing a poll rally in 2019 in Karnataka. Based on a complaint filed by Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi, Congress leaders have begun to privately admit that the latest legal development could prove to be a blessing. Many party leaders feel the Surat order could at least help Rahul Gandhi win sympathy among people if he fails to secure any relief in the higher court. Party veterans feel the Surat case could help in boosting the Wayanad MP’s image. For a change he may appear like a victim and probably help his sagging career take off. “Just as Marxist veteran Jyoti Babu had helped in building up Mamata Banerjee by targeting her. Or for that matter the Congress had helped in building Narendra Modi’s image by attacking him, I guess PM Modi is also helping Rahulji via this Surat order,” said a Congress veteran from Bengal. Apparently, BJP leaders are not happy with the latest legal twist. Aware that the Surat order could give the Congress leader an advantage, the BJP has mobilised support of the OBC “Teli” community against Rahul’s remark.
Even as the Congress MPs are stalling the Parliament and pushing for a JPC into Hindenburg report on Adani companies, the Congress leadership itself is quite divided on the issue as it doesn’t seem to strike a chord with the general public. In fact, a section of leaders close to Rahul Gandhi is coming around to the view that only those in the stock market may be interested in the Adani issue and the rest of the public may not be concerned with stock price manipulations. It is also felt that after a series of developments following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the U.S., the Congress could be simply flogging a dead horse in India. Party sources also point out that Rahul’s London trip was a big hit as huge crowds had turned up to hear him because of Bharat Jodo Yatra. Everyone wanted to watch and hear the new Gandhi. At the same time what has foxed Congressmen, how did the government come to know of what exactly Rahul had spoken at Cambridge? Wasn’t it supposed to be in-camera? Congress leaders close to Rahul were flummoxed that the BJP was making such an issue of Rahul’s speech in the UK. Looks like TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee was perhaps right when she said the BJP was keen on making Rahul Gandhi a hero for PM Modi’s “TRP”.
In this election season, has Rahul Gandhi’s utterances during the UK tour become a liability for the Congress? Well, the speeches delivered by him at a number of events in London have been a flashpoint between the BJP and the Congress and have led to the stalling of the Parliament for the 7th day in a row during the Budget Session. Rahul may have asserted that criticizing PM Modi or his government is not an “attack on India”, but party sources admit that his Cambridge speech where he spoke about “democracy in India” is under attack has not been liked by people at large. In fact, Congress leaders say at a time when the party is in a good position to win the Karnataka assembly elections, Rahul should not be “visible” during the election campaign. “The more Rahul Gandhi campaigns, Congress will stand to lose,” points out a party strategist. There was poor public response to his first rally in Belagavi on March 20 where he announced a series of sops such as Rs 3,000 to every unemployed graduate every month for two years as is done in Chhattisgarh. In contrast to the kind of reception PM Modi recently received in Belagavi, the crowds were simply not enthusiastic about Rahul. Besides, many in the Congress felt the Chhattisgarh model of unemployment dole cannot hold well in a progressive state like Karnataka where more educated jobless youths will be found.
Must give it to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar for bringing lighter moments to house proceedings while recording praise for Oscar winners. He even acknowledged that had he not become a lawyer he could have become an actor. He got the House to appreciate India’s mega double-win at the Oscars with MPs across the political spectrum praising the achievement. While Union Minister Piyush Goyal lauded the role of women in ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said “This award is given to Naatu Naatu and The Elephant Whisperers. Both mostly come from South India. It is a great pride for us.” His only worry was the Centre should not take “credit” for directing the film. His quip left the House in splits with senior ministers S Jaishankar and Piyush Goyal enjoying it. Goyal was quick to point out that V Vijayendra Prasad, “RRR” scriptwriter, was a President’s nominee to the House from July 2022. Danseuse Sonal Mansingh reminded about the genesis of the word “Naatu Naatu (Dance,Dance) and said it gets its roots from Nataraj. The entire world is singing to the tunes of the song. Secondly, the award won by the documentary, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, we are devoted to Ganesha, he is Prathamesh and the elephant is extremely auspicious for us.” The MPs may get to see the Oscar winning films as I&B minister Anurag Thakur assured the House to arrange for their screening.
For the second consecutive day both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned soon after they met as the heated exchange between the BJP and Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks. It was quite clear that the Parliament was following the agenda set by PM Narendra Modi who took on Rahul for his remarks on India. Speaking in Karnataka, Modi had warned people to be wary of those “who raise questions about Indian democracy”. At a London event Rahul said India’s institutions are under attack and a large chunk of Indian democracy has “come undone” and are not likely to end any time soon. The BJP has demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi. The Congress has trashed the ruling party’s allegations and said “those crushing democracy are talking of saving it”. The party also dubbed it as an attempt to divert attention from its demand of a JPC into the Hindenburg report on Adani. “A member of the House goes to foreign country and talks against the democracy of India. I am shocked that some parties are also backing him. I appeal to all parties to criticise how a senior MP tried to defame Parliament on foreign land,” said Rajya Sabha Leader Piyush Goyal. Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil has filed a breach of privilege notice against Goyal for criticising a Lok Sabha member “without truth and was intentionally going on with derogatory remarks”.
Ever wondered why the Congress stayed out of the Opposition’s open letter written on March 5 to PM Narendra Modi, alleging “blatant misuse of central agencies”, citing the CBI arrest of Delhi’s former deputy CM Manish Sisodia? The missive, believed to be the brainchild of Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao was signed by AAP supremo Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray. While the Congress itself was sending out mixed signals on action against Sisodia, Delhi Congress leaders are happy that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge took a firm stand against AAP. Congress leaders feel now is the time to put AAP in its place and regain lost ground in the national capital. Besides, the letter made no reference to the National Herald case which had badly hit the Congress. Interestingly, most signatories seemed like affected parties — that is either they had been investigated or their kin have been under ED/CBI scanner. Congress sources said the party was in somewhat august company as JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar too did not sign. As for the Left parties, Kejriwal flaunted a letter from Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan expressing concern for Sisodia.
BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, whose son V Prashanth Madal was arrested by the Lokayukta police for taking a bribe of Rs 40 lakh, may have secured conditional anticipatory bail from the Karnataka High Court. But, his political future remains under a cloud, notwithstanding his proximity to veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa. It was his mentor who urged him to surrender to law. It is more likely that the BJP may not retain him. Party sources say, even before Rs 8 crore cash were recovered by Lokayukta police from his son last week, Virupakshappa had made it known that he would not contest this year’s assembly election. The high court has asked the MLA to surrender before the Investigation Officer within 48 hours after receipt of the anticipatory order. The judge also told him not to tamper with evidence and not to enter the office of Karnataka Soaps and Detergent Ltd Virupakshappa, an MLA from Channagiri in the Davanagere district, was booked in a bribery case in which his son was caught red-handed while receiving a bribe of Rs 40 lakh. Lokayukta then registered an FIR in the bribery case and named Virupakshappa as the number one accused.
For reasons best known to it, the Congress decided to toast and celebrate its by-election wins even though it was decimated in the North East. Party leader Jairam Ramesh went on to emphasize how the Congress had wrested the Kasba Peth assembly seat in Pune after 33 years and managed to make a debut in West Bengal assembly by winning Sagardighi seat after 51 years. In the last West Bengal assembly elections, the Congress had drawn a blank. Congress sources, however point out that winning Kasba Peth was more due to inept handling by state BJP; the assembly seat was handed on a platter to the Congress. Pune MP Girish Bapat reportedly wanted the seat for his daughter-in- law but he had failed to get Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis’s backing. When the party leadership refused to oblige him, Bapat sulked and did not push for a BJP win. Even as PM Modi vowed to expose the CPM-Congress alliance in Kerala, Jairam explained how the tie-up proved to be a face-saver – it had helped the party get at least 5 seats, in 2018 it was zero. In Meghalaya, of course after its entire team of 21 MLAs led by Mukul Sangma joined TMC, the party had reasons to be happy that it had won 5 seats. But then the Congress doesn’t realise that exodus to the TMC wouldn’t have happened if it had not handed over the PCC to Lok Sabha MP Vincent Pala– he lost the assembly elections.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
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