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Last week, as Congress leaders protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s so-called “anti-Ambedkar” remark in Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi joined his party MPs in a blue T-shirt, giving up his trademark white polo T-shirt. His sister Priyanka also twinned with him wearing a blue sari. Clearly the Gandhi siblings opted to go for a very visual protest against Shah’s remarks. The choice of the colour of clothes of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) — usually spotted donning plain white T-shirts raised eyebrows. The colour blue has been associated with Dalit politics since 1942, when Dr BR Ambedkar established the Scheduled Castes Federation to campaign for the rights of the Dalit community. The body adopted a blue flag featuring Ashok Chakra. The flag was later retained by the Republican Party of India (RPI), founded by Ambedkar in 1956. Over time, blue became very closely associated with Dalit identity and activism. Even political parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party and the ASP, which champions Dalit welfare, embraced blue colour in their branding. As the Gandhi siblings lead the protest, it was the choice of colour of their clothes that caught everyone’s attention!
The Winter Session which saw a two-day discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution and introduction of One Nation One Election (ONOE) Bill has come to a close. It brought out sharp divisions over discussions and bills at least in two political parties — the Congress and DMK. In the Congress, if a first term MP Priyanka Vadra was seen opening the discussion on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, for some reason senior leader and eminent lawyer P Chidambaram did not get an opportunity to have his say about the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha. In the DMK, there was a clear division of views between the DMK parliamentary party leader TR Baalu and deputy leader Kanimozhi. While Baalu endorsed the government’s offer to refer the Bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, Kanimozhi seemed completely surprised by his stand and insisted that her party was opposed to the Bill and demanded its withdrawal.”DMK has consistently opposed the entire Bill. We do not accept that there can be ONOE because it is against the Constitution. It is against federal rights and it is against the will of the people. People choose state governments for 5 years, I don’t think you can take that right away from the people and give it to the EC to decide how many years governments can last or not. So, this is completely against the state, against federalism” said Kanimozhi. While her stand reflects TN assembly resolution passed in February against ONOE Bill this year, the media is awash with reports about how her late father Kalaignar M Karunanidhi had highlighted the benefits of simultaneous polls in his autobiography Nenjuku Neethi. Incidentally, Karunanidhi had advanced state polls to 1971 to coincide with LS polls.
The Thursday (Dec 19) visit of BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLAs to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur has become a hot political topic though there are other reasons, too, for intense politicking. Firstly, the MLAs belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar did not join the event. Secondly, those disgruntled due to their non-inclusion in the council of ministers have started expressing their anger openly. Like earlier two occasions, Ajit Pawar and most of his followers distanced themselves from the visit organized by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The presence of former CM Eknath Shinde and his MLAs proved to be another highlight. However, the discontent brewing within Mahayuti on other counts is now becoming more vocal. Political heavyweight Chhagan Bhujbal was the first to articulate it. His open criticism of Ajit Pawar surprised many since he had stayed by the side of Pawar all through. Now, there are reports that some of Bhujbal’s supporters want him to join the BJP to end his political wilderness. So far, Bhujbal has maintained that he is with the NCP (Ajit). The other notable leader to become the subject of political speculation is the legislative council’s deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe. Her detractors, mainly the recent Sena (UBT) entrant Sushama Andhare, have started hinting at Gorhe’s plans to go with the BJP. Gorhe, too, has not reacted to the talk. Ajit’s sudden disappearance for two days from the winter session only added grist to the grapevine. His explanation that he was down with a throat infection is hardly swallowed. More murmurs are expected to be heard once Fadnavis announces the allocation of the portfolios.
The Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has started preparing for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, expected to take place early next year. This will be the fight for political survival for Thackeray because the Sena has been in power in India’s richest civic body since 1985. Taking stock of the situation, other political parties, too, have begun their planning. The picture this time will be fundamentally different since the BJP has emerged as the largest party in the state after the assembly election. Its estrangement with the Sena (UBT), which split in 2022 owing to Eknath Shinde’s decision to walk out of it, will be a major factor in the coming election in which the Congress will be an insignificant player, given its lacklustre performance in Mumbai and the state as a whole. Equally exasperating is the condition of the state Congress committee as its president Nana Patole is perceived as an ineffective leader by the rank and file. The BMC’s last election saw the Sena winning 84 seats in the 227-member house while the BJP had captured 82. Owing to the alliance ethics, the BJP had made no effort to bag the mayoralty of the financial capital of India. However, the BJP is not prepared to take any chance this time and a decision about its Mumbai president is likely to be taken soon. Sitting chief Ashish Shelar is among the hopefuls though his inclusion in the council of ministers could be a decisive factor in the final choice.
This was to happen one day or the other with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) putting its foot down saying it will not send its national teams to India for any signature event of the ICC, like the World Cups in the two formats in men, women and the juniors. This was the PCB’s riposte to the long-standing BCCI position — citing security concerns — that it will not send its team across the border for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and that it will play only at a neutral venue. For three World Test Championship (WTC) the two nations have taken themselves off the Future Tours Programme (FTP). The cricketers of the two countries may enjoy good relationships when they lock horns in neutral country venues and have fans across the border, but the Indian government has been steadfast in denying permission to the BCCI. The latest communication from the ICC has confirmed that in the 2024-2027 cycle all ICC events given to India and Pakistan, the matches featuring the two countries will be held at a neutral country chosen by the host country; in the Champions Trophy case the PCB is the host. What all this means is the elimination of high security arrangements that India had to do when Pakistan played last year’s World Cup matches in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata. It took hard bargaining by the PCB with the ICC — with Jay Shah in Chair since December 1, 2024 — for it to agree to a hybrid model in order to ensure that it remains the host in a neutral country venue as well and where India will play and this country is said to be the United Arab Emirates.
The massive success of Pushpa 2, has reignited the debate over screen allocation in West Bengal’s single-screen theatres. While the blockbuster continues to dominate the box office, its stronghold has created challenges for four Bengali films— Khadaan, Shontaan, Chaalchitro, and 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane—which targeted Christmas Day for their releases. The overlap has sparked a heated controversy over securing adequate slots in single-screen theatres, which remain a key audience base for Bengali cinema. Single-screen theatres across Bengal are grappling with the balancing act of accommodating these films while catering to the massive demand for Pushpa 2. Tollywood’s Christmas lineup has been significantly impacted, with producer-actor Dev expressing frustration on social media. He alleged that Khadan’s shows and advance bookings were disrupted due to the overwhelming presence of Pushpa 2. Arijit Dutta, owner of Priya Theatre, reported dividing slots among the films: Khadaan (two shows), Chaalchitro (one), 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane (one), and Pushpa 2 (one). However, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty’s Shontaan was left out entirely, sparking outrage from its director Raj Chakraborty, who criticized the lack of consistent support for Bengali cinema. A distributor, speaking anonymously, blamed the simultaneous release of multiple Bengali films during the festive season, suggesting a lack of coordination among producers. He pointed to Bollywood’s strategy of staggering releases as a model Tollywood could emulate. Star Theatre owner Joydeep Mukherjee called for better planning within the Bengali film industry to avoid internal competition. Interestingly, allegations have resurfaced about Shontaan‘s producer, pressuring hall owners to prioritize its films. This history has led some distributors to side with independent producers in the current clash.
Sunday’s swearing in of 33 (16:9:8 ratio for BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP respectively) mostly young cabinet ministers in CM Devendra Fadnavis’ 3.0 government was not followed up by expected portfolio allocations even late Thursday (Dec 19). The unrelenting clamour for one specific portfolio by a senior BJP minister-in-waiting (in apparent conflict of interest), aspiration to improve upon earlier performance in power sector by another are in the open awaiting the Maha Chanakya to coolly decide upon. Scribes housed at the state government ‘Suyog’ facility within the Family court premises near Vidhan Bhavan enjoy the Nagpur chill over familial evenings at ‘Sneh Bojans’ hosted by these as-yet ‘Anamika’ ministers. DCM Eknath Shinde’s camp brews hostility from left out veteran MLAs and cherry-picking ministers-in-waiting who threaten boiling point anytime soon. This is unlike the chill that has set upon the near deserted NCP office at Vidhan Bhavan sans activity, notwithstanding the bustling beehive of activity right outside and within the state legislature that is hosting its winter session. It is probably the first time in Maharashtra’s political history for such an ongoing legislature session without specifically assigned ministers manning questions on the floor of the state assembly and council while responding to public interest issues of state. For now, all portfolios rest with CM Fadnavis. NCP veteran Chhagan Bhujbal, Sena’s Tanaji Sawant complain vociferously from out in the cold even as some BJP MLAs rue their bad luck despite winning big in Mumbai city where the richest civic body will face the hustings very soon.
The events outside Parliament House that led to injuries to two BJP MPs was best summed up by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in her X post. She explained how “During the INDI Alliance’s protest inside Parliament premises today, Rahul Gandhi had forcefully pushed an MP, causing a domino effect that injured 2 BJP MPs –Pratap Sarangi (Balasore, Odisha) and Mukesh Rajput (Farrukhabad, UP)” Both the MPs are now hospitalised as they have sustained head injuries. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was surprised that the Congress had so far not even bothered to say sorry. “I was wondering what was the purpose of Kharge-Rahul Gandhi’s presser, if they can’t say sorry. Our Nagaland MP, a tribal woman leader Phangnon Konyak had voiced discomfort that was caused to her by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.” She has written a letter to the RS Chairman. Adding further he said, “We feel Rahul simply does not deserve to be the LoP. When the Opposition is holding a protest, we usually take another gate. What was the need for Rahul Gandhi to wade into the area where BJP MPs were standing? He should simply quit as LoP.” BJP MPs including Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament Street Police station in connection with the scuffle between Opposition and NDA MPs. It is learnt that security forces repeatedly requested the Congress MP to use an alternative path, specifically arranged for a peaceful entry into Parliament. However, Rahul Gandhi declined the request. BJP’s Thakur said “The kind of attitude Rahul Gandhi has, he thinks he is above the law.” Responding to the allegations, Rahul said BJP MPs were trying to stop him and were threatening him “
Home Minister Amit Shah whose intervention in discussions on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution sparked off a row and seemed to have majorly united the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge charged him of insulting Dr BR Ambedkar.. He accused his rivals of being “anti-Ambedkar” and “anti-Constitution”, and “spreading lies”. In his concluding remarks in the Rajya Sabha, Shah sarcastically said, “It has become the fashion to say ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar…’ If they (the opposition) took God’s name so many times, they will get a place in heaven.” At a Press Conference, he charged the Congress of distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha saying the Congress had put out an edited version of his speech. “I come from a party which follows the ideals of Ambedkar,” asserted Shah.” Rebuffing calls for his resignation by Kharge, Shah made it clear that he had no intention of stepping down. “Kharge is asking for my resignation. If that will make him feel happy, then I’ll give it. But the Congress has to sit in the opposition for at least 15 more years. “In an unusual move — perhaps underlining the impact of the Opposition’s attack on this issue — PM Modi and senior ministers rallied behind Shah. “If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken!” said PM Modi. Amidst this, PM Modi and Shah met Rahul Gandhi and Kharge to appoint the next NHRC chief. TMC leader Derek O’Brien has moved a privilege notice against Shah in the Rajya Sabha for his remarks on Dr Ambedkar.
Ravichandran Ashwin was adroit in bowling the carom or knuckle ball or the doosra, but on Wednesday afternoon, Brisbane time, the nonconformist off-spinner of 13 years in the big league of the game deployed the “bombshell” to bring an end to his illustrious career. At the conclusion of the rain-marred third Test at the Gabba, the finger spinner with a few sobriquets, “scientist” being the most used among the media, Ashwin sitting beside his beleaguered captain, Rohit Sharma, matter of fact said: Today (Wednesday, December 18) was his last day as an international cricketer across formats and that he will be seen in action in club cricket, meaning IPL etc. The seasoned campaigner, starting his Test career in November 2011, was capped 106 times, and he missed 25 Tests after his debut; he featured in 61 wins, 47@home and 14 overseas. He read the writing on the wall about him losing the primacy as the No 1 spinner of the team in flannels after Washington Sundar was chosen for the first Test in Perth. Then being dropped to bring in Ravindra Jadeja for the third Test in Brisbane convinced him that his time was up…to hang up his boots. The home series against New Zealand that India lost 3-0 was a bitter pill to swallow for him. His numbers — 765 wickets in the three formats, including 537 wickets in Tests alone speaks of his right to be called a legend. It was a bold, practical call to take a bow while not in the field and that was an unhappy part that Indian cricket could not give one of its icons a fitting farewell. Ashwin has perhaps shown the way for a few more to bid adieu, sooner than later! They are over the hill, indeed.
The top leadership of BJP — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Party President JP Nadda — seems to be having one too many problems on their plate. From handling of Covid-19 second wave to dissent in key states where it is in power. According to highly placed sources, the move to appoint PM’s trusted aide and former IAS officer AK Sharma as Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh (so as to rein Yuva Vahini apostle turned Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) has been dropped with Yogi raising strong objections to Sharma’s inclusion as well as cabinet reshuffle. It is learnt that RSS tried to reason out with Yogi but he remained adamant. BJP has to tread cautiously here as any move to antagonise Yogi will see the revival of Yuva Vahini which may impact its poll chances not just in the assembly polls but also in Lok Sabha elections slated for 2024. So for now BJP and RSS will continue to hold Chintan Baithaks and gives suggestions to Yogi from time to time.
In Karnataka, the Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has been under attack from the party ministers and legislators who are running a campaign for his removal. Yediyurappa who is serving as Chief Minister of Karnataka for the fourth time is under tremendous pressure to resign and pave the way for his successor. Last week Yediyurappa, a prominent leader from influential Lingayat community, ultimately yielded and announced that he will step down if directed by the central leadership. Modi and Shah have yet to take a call. RSS functionary BL Santosh, who hails from Karnataka, does not get along well with Yediyurappa. In Madhya Pradesh, the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s leadership has been challenged by few party legislators who want the central leadership to immediately change him. Sources say that the state’s Home Minister Narottam Mishra and state BJP chief VD Sharma have thrown hat in the ring. Former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is now BJP MP in Rajya Sabha, went to Bhopal, after which speculations of change in leadership sparked a row. BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who camped in Bhopal and met many state leaders has clarified that MP will run only under the leadership of Shivraj Singhji. However, BJP insiders claim all is not well in MP; it is a wakeup call for Shivraj Singh Chouhan, popularly known as Mamaji.
For BJP the battle ground has now shifted to Uttar Pradesh. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the guiding force for Sangh Parivar, has already swung into action to help UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who seems to have got a bad Press for handling the coronavirus pandemic. To make matters worse, there has been strong rumours of a cabinet reshuffle including induction of a new deputy chief minister. To allay fears and indicate full faith in Yogi’s leadership, BJP’s national general secretary BL Santosh praised Yogi Adityanath’s “effective” management of Covid-19. He tweeted: “In five weeks, Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh reduced the new daily case count by 93% … Remember it’s a state with 20+ Cr population. When municipality CMs could not manage a city of 1.5 Cr population, Yogiji managed quite effectively.” Having put one problem to rest, the next step was to up the ante. It is learnt that RSS along with VHP, Bajrang Dal, Sewa Bharati will mobilize their swayam sevaks and karyakartas in the run up to the next assembly elections in 2022. It may be recalled that in the recently held Gram Panchayat Election Samajwadi Party won big in PM’s constituency Varanasi. So, Sangh Parivar is leaving no stone unturned. UP with 403 assembly and 80 Lok Sabha seats is critical for the BJP which is aiming at a record hat trick in Lok Sabha elections slated for 2024.
West Bengal’s ex-Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who has been served notice under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for refusing to comply with its lawful direction, is being made a scapegoat amid political fight between PM Narendra Modi-HM Amit Shah combine and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, political observers feel. The babus in the corridors of power claim Bandyopadhyay has an upper hand in arguing his case and let the political bosses continue to settle scores against each other. Bandyopadhyay, who opted to retire and be appointed as West Bengal CM’s chief advisor for three years — instead of reporting to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), has dashed off a letter to the Centre in which he makes his case, adding he has all the respect for the PM. The undersigned was privy to the letter which says: “The CM to whom I reported directly was also doing disaster management and she wanted me there. I followed protocol by going there. CM had taken permission, so I thought it applies to me. I left. If I was wanted there I would have certainly waited. I had nothing against the PM or cyclone review meeting. Both were important but CM wanted me to accompany her. After I got the recall notice, I consulted the CM and my understanding was I cannot go unless CM asked me to go. She flatly refused. With such a situation I was in a quandary. I had all the intention to come and report to DoPT. In any case I decided not to continue as CS, so I had no hesitation in coming but I was stopped. If I had decided to report to DoPT against the CM’s wish, she could have ordered a department inquiry against me and not allowed me to retire or suspended me for subordination. So, I decided to go with the CM’s express order.’’ The ball is now in the Centre’s court for further action.
Be it Assembly election or Lok Sabha poll, Uttar Pradesh has always remained at the centre of electoral calculations for all political parties in the country. The five year term of the BJP government led by Yogi Adityanath ends on 14 March 2022. So the election for 403 seats will be held some time in February. It is against this backdrop one has to see why all political parties are going to town to smear Yogi Adityanath’s government’s performance on all fronts — handling of second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, law & order issues, unemployment, minorities appeasement etc. Even the Sangh Parivar with its ear to the ground is not taking any chances. It is learnt that the RSS held a chintan baithak with home minister Amit Shah and national president JP Nadda to discuss a comprehensive strategy for image makeover ahead of elections. The agenda also included maintaining the much-needed coordination between the party organization and Yogi’s government which they feel is currently missing. According to informed sources, various remedial measures were discussed by the BJP and RSS leaders, including SD Hosbale; and UP BJP’s organization secretary Sunil Bansal. According to insiders, a cabinet reshuffle is imminent with some non-performers being dropped. Besides, there is a strong possibility that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trusted aide and former IAS officer AK Sharma, who was elected recently to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council may be appointed as new Deputy Chief Minister. Sharma can play a crucial role to streamline the administration and curb anti-incumbency. One thing is loud and clear: BJP cannot afford to lose the UP Assembly election as 80 Lok Sabha seats are at stake which are crucial for them to retain power at the Centre in the 2024 elections.
He shocked and surprised everybody by severing ties with BJP after 32 years. Not without reason. The Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray was very clear from day one — he wanted to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Here, the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar played a key role by bringing NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena to form Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, and in the process cocked-a-snook at BJP. But, ever since Thackeray took over the reins he has been battling crisis after crisis — first wave of Covid-19 lockdown, Sushant Singh Rajput case, Sachin Vaze conspiracy to second wave lockdown. In all fairness he managed to stem the Covid wave in Maharashtra with Mumbai becoming a role model for other states to emulate. According to insiders, Thackeray is nursing a bigger ambition; he is keen to play a bigger role at the national level. It may be mentioned that Thackeray was a prominent signatory to two recent letters signed by leading Opposition leaders demanding free vaccination and supporting the farmers’ agitation. Thackeray, it seems, has already dropped sufficient hints not to rejoin hands with the BJP but will play a crucial role in the anti-BJP front. He enjoys good relations with veteran opposition leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav. Shiv Sena MP and Saamana, Executive Editor Sanjay Raut has reportedly launched backstage activities to project Thackeray as a leader who managed the second wave of Covid outbreak successfully, and can be the leader to lead the anti-BJP front. Thackeray is indeed getting ambitious.
After receiving drubbing in the recently held five assembly elections, the dissenting group, G-23 within the Congress party, has once again become active. Its member, the Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal fired the first salvo; so did others targeting the Gandhi family — Sonia, Rahul, Priyanka — and their man Friday, KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary (Organization). The G23 group’s main contention is to have an elected president instead of a nominated one. Seeing the built-up and media coverage, the Congress Working Committee held a Zoom meeting on May 10 with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot parroting, “How can we hold elections during Covid?” Interestingly, Ghulam Nabi Azad supported Gehlot. So, for now the problem has been laid to rest. Sonia Gandhi will continue as CWC President. According to an insider, they were sure about the outcome of CWC meeting. Now, they will hold secret parleys to mount pressure for an elected president. Among them there is a consensus to project the candidature of Shashi Tharoor for President’s post. Tharoor has a strong CV. The insider is at pain to point out that they are not against the Gandhis per se but want to protect the legacy of Congress so that they can bounce back under new leadership. The question is will the Gandhis listen?
BJP, after its failure to unseat the Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee in the high-octane West Bengal elections, decided to do course correction. Reward and recognize people even if they had joined BJP recently. There was intense lobbying within BJP and RSS for electing the Leader Of Opposition. But finally, Modi-Shah duo decided in favour of the giant killer Suvendu Adhikari who had defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram as promised. Adhikari’s presence inside the Assembly as Leader of Opposition is bound to give heebie-jeebies to TMC leaders, especially Didi. He will be a constant reminder of her defeat. Maybe that seems to be BJP’s strategy. Three other names doing the rounds were that of the party’s state president Dilip Ghosh, Mukul Roy and Ashok Lahiri. RSS had made a strong case for the economist Lahiri. According to RSS insiders, even though BJP’s number has grown from 3 to 77 but winning the election and forming the government after five years largely depends on the kind of role the Leader of Opposition plays. RSS therefore hinted that aggressive posturing won’t do party any good. They should succeed in reaching out to all sections by effectively selling an alternate development agenda by questioning TMC. RSS, it is learnt, does not want BJP to repeat its mistake of targeting Didi personally.
The chorus for appointing Nitin Gadkari as Health Minister – even if for time being — is growing louder by the day amid deadly second wave of pandemic. The Union Minister of Road & Highway Transport – also fondly called as Mr Phoolkari in Maharashtra owing to some incredible feats of engineering, including Mumbai Pune Express and some 55 flyovers in the Maximum City – is now being talked about as the Man of the Moment who could address the unprecedented demand for Covid beds and oxygen – needed critically to save lives. Not only his own BJP fraternity, but also political stalwarts and corporate leaders cutting across ideological lines acknowledge that the minister never fails to walk the talk. The way he managed the raging Covid situation in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region – drawing goodwill of all parties – is the sort of leadership that his admirers expect him to carry forward. This leadership was amply evident in the way he secured about 300 ventilators from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy; and also got leading industrialists committed to higher oxygen supplies. Despite lockdown, he delivered a record 36.4 km a day construction of highways – and has set even higher targets for the current fiscal. His handling of the MSME portfolio too assumes critical importance as he continues to shore up morale of small businesses hit hard by the virus, reaching out with over 500 video conferences. With rumour mills doing overtime since 2019, he has strongly denied that he is eyeing the highest office in the country – nor is he keen to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Looks like Gadkari is born to serve the people. May his tribe increase!
It was harakiri everybody thought when political strategist Prashant Kishor stuck his neck out, saying if BJP crosses 100 seats in West Bengal he will quit his business. He was bang on. BJP won 77 seats. Suvendu Adhikari said he will defeat Mamata Banerjee in his pocket borough Nandigram. He did it, by 1,956 votes. But, others starting with BJP, TMC, bookies, political pundits, pollsters and Journalists seem to have got the whole sum – numbers and strategy — wrong. Now, people are saying, “I told you” Muslims and women voted for Didi. In the case of BJP, spokesperson Amit Malviya tweeted: “The BJP in Bengal, when it set itself a target of 200, displayed audacity of ambition….” Ambition is good but there certainly was disconnect with hoi polloi. TMC, on its part, was unnerved with their MLAs, party workers quitting in droves and joining BJP (though most of them lost the elections). Worried by BJP’s juggernaut, Didi started chanting chandi path and doing temple rounds to appease Hindu voters. And also appealed to Muslims to consolidate (that led to the Election Commission of India barring the Chief Minister from campaigning for 24 hours). In the end, TMC much to everybody’s surprise won 213 seats against 211 in the 2016 assembly elections. It was a similar feat BJP did in 2019 Lok Sabha polls when it won 303 seats while market intelligence was talking about 160 seats. In 2014 BJP had won 282 seats. Clearly, the story that comes loud and clear is: one strategy fits all does not always work. Corruption may not prove to be an issue sometime, whereas at times the idea to leverage religion can backfire.
The guessing game ‘will it or won’t it survive’ continues in Maharashtra. The twitterati is on overdrive, “Wait for June”, their tweets say. But, everybody from political analysts to man on the street, are saying that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) cart is being pulled in different directions by the three parties – Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. Everyday there is some proof of that. A case in point being Maharashtra’s Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik hogging publicity by saying that the State will provide free vaccines for people in the 18-45-year age bracket. Congress party was peeved. Its leader and state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the decision on a free vaccine should be announced by the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Likewise, Aaditya Thackeray had tweeted: “The Govt of Maharashtra has decided to vaccinate its citizens free of cost….” Realising he had jumped the gun, he deleted his tweet quickly. On the other front, Sharad Pawar, who has been vocal and active since the formation of the MVA government, has been maintaining studied silence for the last one month on various events that has engulfed the state – Vazegate, Lockdown and CBI raids on former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. One reason could be his health problem. He was flitting in and out of Breach Candy hospital. Be that as it may but political observers are reading too much into his so-called meeting with Amit Shah in Ahmedabad in March. Political observers say that the Congress and the NCP are quietly going about building their party’s image. On the other side, former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is in full flow; doing everything to ensure he is back in the CM’s saddle. Hope it is not the case of Waiting for Godot!
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Advisor PK Sinha, who resigned on March 16 citing personal reasons, is tipped to be the next Puducherry Lieutenant-Governor (L-G). The position is lying vacant ever since L-G Kiran Bedi was called back by the Centre because of constant face offs between her and V Narayanasamy, who eventually stepped down as Chief Minister after the Congress government lost majority. Tamilisai Soundararajan, current Governor of Telangana, has been given additional charge of Puducherry. The official announcement is expected to be made after May 2 when the Puducherry assembly election results will be declared. Sinha, who is from 1977 batch, is the only IAS officer to get three extensions as Cabinet Secretary. It is learnt that Modi is keen that Sinha, his trusted advisor, can be a guide and friend sitting in the Raj Bhavan unlike his predecessor’s constant tug-of-war with the Chief Minister. The Madras High Court last year amid widening rift between Bedi and Narayanasamy had ruled that a government is “a trustee for the little man who should not have a perception that the running of the government is a gigantic conspiracy.” It held that the role of Puducherry’s L-G and that of an elected government in the Union Territory were intertwined as per law, and therefore they were expected to act in unison and not in division. Against this backdrop, the BJP insiders point out that Sinha is the best choice.
The BJP fights every election — be it Taluka Panchayat or the Lok Sabha election — with a spirit to win and establish its rule. Even though the party’s plan went haywire with superstar Rajinikant bowing out of politics, it has not given up hopes. It is going whole hog with its ally AIADMK and other smaller parties to ensure the AIADMK-led government retains power. Towards this, all their senior leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi are vigorously campaigning in Tamil Nadu. Very much aware that the BJP may not make big gains in Tamil Nadu, it is doing everything within its means to make its presence felt in Dravidian politics. BJP’s strategy received a major push after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami announced a 10% quota to Vanniyar community from the Most Backward Class category. This move was to checkmate DMK which enjoys sizable support. What is interesting is that the Vanniyar community has a strong presence in at least 40 of the total 234 seats where it can really change the political equations. Further, PMK, which had garnered 5.36% vote share in the 2016 elections, and has been demanding a quota for the Vanniyar community, is the AIADMK-BJP alliance partner. This quota politics has also raked up an issue of caste-based census. Looks like the BJP is spreading its wings in yet another southern state by riding piggyback on AIADMK.
By not denying his meeting with NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the de facto chief of BJP, has yet again dropped hints that it has not given up on “Operation Lotus’’ in Maharashtra. At the same time, he has created suspicion among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners about Pawar’s next move. Shah knows that by holding parleys with Pawar, it will make Opposition parties think twice of forming a front under Pawar’s leadership to take on Modi. Political analysts say the idea is to sow the seeds of suspicion that Pawar cannot be trusted. Shah’s timing seems to be perfect. Currently, there is a mistrust between the three MVA partners — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress — after the Ambani bomb scare conspiracy came to light. This incident has opened the Pandora’s Box with Maratha strongman trying to defend Home Minister Anil Deshmukh over the Rs 100 crore hafta charges levelled against Deshmukh by the former Police Commissioner, Parambir Singh. On another front, the Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis who has rocked the MVA government with his explosive expose is now getting ready to fire more salvos ahead of the BMC elections slated for 2022. BJP has launched MissionMumbai 2022 with a resolve to elect its own party mayor and thereby end Shiv Sena’s dream run. Here it is toying with the idea of entering into an alliance with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena so as to steal Sena’s Marathi Manoos plank and wrest BMC. But, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seems to be leaving no stones unturned to ensure that BMC, the country’s richest municipal body stays in Sena’s fold.
Trouble, they say, never comes alone. At least that is what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may be discovering much to her dismay. Many famous personalities who helped build Trinamool Congress from scratch and were part of her inner circle are quitting the party. Respected and seasoned politicians like Dinesh Trivedi, Adhikari brothers, Rajib Banerjee and film personalities are attributing their quitting to Didi’s temperament; as they are not able to put up with her angry outbursts, insults and uncharitable remarks. Add to this, the phenomenal rise of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is rubbing senior party leaders the wrong way. The exodus continues and the latest news wafting from the Writer’s Building, according to reliable sources, is that the current Finance, Commerce & Industries Minister Dr Amit Mitra may relinquish his office after the assembly elections. It is learnt that Dr Mitra is keen to spend more time with family and focus on his health. It may be recalled that Dr Mitra was the familiar face in Delhi when he served as the Secretary General of the FICCI. Born in an illustrious family, economist Dr Mitra joined the All India Trinamool Congress in 2011 and defeated the then Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta belonging to the CPM. Incidentally, Dr Mitra is part of the ministers and MLAs who have been denied party tickets for the current Assembly elections.
As Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is busy in settling scores with his political rival and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, the Andhra Pradesh government is heading for a debt trap. The CM is busy in spending on welfare schemes and social security cover. But what is worrying is the high level of borrowings. Amid Covid-19 stress and downturn, Andhra Pradesh’s borrowings in 2020-21 is estimated at a whopping 142% — a cause of concern for the state’s ruling YSR Congress party government. What has also increased the state government’s worry is the high fiscal deficit, which is put at Rs 68,536 crore, while the revenue deficit crossed Rs 48,809 crore in December 2020. Clearly, the economists and experts say the situation is alarming as they predict a fiscal emergency in the state. It is a crucial time for YSR whether he continues to neglect fiscal impropriety or adhere to fiscal prudence to save the state from a major financial crisis.
The Covid-19 vaccination drive is gathering momentum across India. But the Centre’s decision to cap the vaccine price at Rs 250 at the private hospitals has increased worries of Serum India Institute which has a large inventory of Covishield vaccine. The company is expected to take a big hit in its balance sheet. This has been a serious issue for debate within SII. Cyrus Poonawalla, Chairman of Poonawalla Group, which includes SII, holds that SII should focus on its traditional business of production of the immunobiologicals, which were imported into India at high prices, instead of ramping up of Covishield vaccine which is priced way below their expectations. Poonawalla Senior belongs to the generation that continues to believe in the Old is Gold strategy. Moreover, the Centre is yet to issue guidelines for its exports. However, Poonawalla’s son and SII CEO Adar Poonawalla believes that despite a temporary hit in the balance sheet, the company can still offset the losses once the exports are allowed. He is the CEO of Industry 5.0 generation and wants to chart his path that will be followed by others. So, father and son are now engaged in brainstorming. We will have to wait to see whose strategy finally pays off.
Once bitten twice shy. After a poor show in the Bihar elections and being publicly insulted by the RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav for spoiling the alliance prospects as Cong could win only 19 seats against 70 contested, the Congress party seems to have gone soft in its seat-sharing talks with the DMK Supremo MK Stalin in Tamil Nadu. Against its original demand for 54 seats, the Congress has quietly settled for 25 legislative seats. And for the by-elections, the party is pleased to get the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat. It is learnt that Rahul Gandhi does not mind playing second fiddle as his only objective is to counter the BJP-AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. Rahul, who has visited Tamil Nadu twice in recent times, enjoys a good equation with Stalin who is very confident of the DMK-Congress win this time. Even poll-strategist Prashant Kishor is talking of DMK winning. What makes the fight interesting is the BJP’s Hindutva appeal while in Tamil Nadu it has always been the Dravidian plank for all parties. Fearing backlash, it is learnt that the BJP’s alliance partner AIADMK has advised it not to push the Hindutva agenda. Rahul is likely to campaign extensively in Tamil Nadu, sharing dais with Stalin and address crucial joint meetings. For Rahul, the idea of playing second fiddle is also to revive Congress in Tamil Nadu. Will his bet pay off? Only time will tell.
JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal is hogging the limelight for his announcement to invest Rs 22,000 crore for the expansion of Dolvi plant in the coastal Raigad district in Maharashtra with an annual production capacity of 14 million tonnes. Already, the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation has notified 750 acre of the total 1,600 acre land. Jindal’s investment decision has raised eyebrows especially among those in the ruling Shiv Sena. Many in the Sena know about the proximity Jindal enjoys with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Sajjan Jindal group was also associated with the redevelopment of Kedarnath and Badrinath when the holy cities were severely devastated by floods and landslides in June 2013. It is believed that Jindal had organised the PM’s meeting with Pakistan’s former PM Nawaz Sharif. Against this backdrop, some of the Sena leaders are wondering why Jindal agreed for big investments in Maharashtra which is now ruled by their party, in alliance with the Congress and the NCP, instead of any of the BJP-ruled States. Clearly, all businessmen know the consequences of putting all eggs in one basket. There are lessons galore of businessmen who forget this simple principle.
Political parties in Maharashtra are known for not practicing untouchability in politics. But when it comes to the issue of protecting the State’s interest and maintaining Maharashtra’s pre-eminence as the most favoured investment destination then all political parties sink their difference and put up a show of unity. This unity is important as Maharashtra faces tough competition from other States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka to bag big projects. A case in point is that of luring Airbus SE, a European multinational aerospace corporation, for its proposed investment of over Rs15,000 crore to manufacture 56 aircraft and helicopters in Maharashtra. Knowing the importance of Airbus’ entry into the state, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government has swung into action. Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray has written to NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar and Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for taking up Maharashtra’s cause with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government has cited a site in the MIHAN project at Nagpur for Airbus’ proposed investment. Airbus is expected to join hands with the Tata Group for the proposed venture. Incidentally, Nagpur is the home city of Gadkari.
There is nothing striking about this farmer leader who has kept the Modi government on tenterhooks. It seems like he has deliberately cultivated the image of a rustic leader with a green Kisan cap, accompanied by a green-white gumchha and an unkempt beard. The 51-year old Rakesh Tikait, who holds a Master’s degree from the Meerut University, would definitely know what style is, having served in the Delhi Police department as sub-inspector till 1992 and hailing from a high profile family. He quit police force during the farmers’ agitation at Red Fort in 1993-94 and joined the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) set up by his father Mahendra Singh Tikait, a firebrand farmer leader. Political ambitions took him to contest the assembly elections in 2007 and Lok Sabha in 2014 but he lost both. With the farmers’ agitation regaining momentum (after he broke down on the national television), he has declared the agitation would continue till October 2021. His message to Modi: “We have so far talked about Bill Wapsi (Repealing the three farm laws). What will you do if the youth call for Gaddi Wapsi (removal from power)?” There is a sense of déjà vu listening to this kind of veiled threat.
A fierce ding dong battle is playing out in West Bengal and Maharashtra. In WB, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have been at loggerheads from Day One. During the Lockdown, the Governor wrote to Didi why she was deliberately breaking all the curfew protocols recommended by the Centre. A few days later she asked the Governor to refrain from summoning senior officials without her knowledge. Recently, when BJP President JP Nadda’s convoy was attacked, the Governor told Mamata “Don’t play with fire.” This verbal duel continues unabated. Hopefully, things should cool down after the state elections in April-May this year. In another battle, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari — who administered the oath of office to the Devendra Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar government which lasted for three days — is taking on Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar. Pawar took pot-shot at the Governor for having time to meet film star Kangana Ranaut but not the farmers. Also, the recent controversy around the Maharashtra governor being denied permission to use state plane has added to the bitterness. Now an editorial in Sena’s mouthpiece Samna says the Governor is acting like the BJP puppet and should be called back by the President. This tug-of-war battle brings to fore the old debate whether the Governor’s Office should be abolished.
This one is interesting. Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad retired from Rajya Sabha as the Leader Of Opposition on February 15, 2021. All politicians in the house praised his outstanding contributions. In his farewell speech, Azad shocked and surprised a whole generation when he said he was among the fortunate people who never went to Pakistan. “When I read about the circumstances in Pakistan, I feel proud to be a Hindustani Muslim,” he said. His remarks on visiting Pakistan comes as a sharp contrast to the Secular Fundamentalists like Mani Shankar Aiyar who would have lost count of how many times they visited Pakistan. And Iyer’s interaction with the Pakistani media would often leave many in India stunned and embarrassed, especially when he told Pakistanis: “The first and the foremost thing is to remove Modi (Modi ko hatana hoga). Only then can the talks (between India and Pakistan) move forward.” On the other hand, Azad has always been a picture of grace and dignity, urging all to build compromises and understanding instead of reinforcing antagonism.
It is a well-known fact that most businessmen like Rahul Bajaj, Keshub Mahindra, Ajit Gulabchand have a very good equation with the NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar. So the news that the Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani is in the same league comes as no surprise. In fact, in 2013 Pawar had attended Adani’s son’s wedding in Goa. Now, it is reliably learnt that the Maratha strongman with a view to attract investment in Maharashtra from the Adani Group is pulling out all the stops to ensure that Adani’s thermal power project comes up in the coal-rich Vidarbha region without any hitch. Earlier, Pawar guided Adani when he took over the Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Infrastructure, which runs the Mumbai distribution business with 30 lakh customers. Pawar’s strategy of rolling out red carpet seems to be yielding dividends. Now, the Adani Group has lined up a slew of investments in Maharashtra. They have picked up a majority stake in Mumbai International Airport from the GVK Group, securing the contract for the Rs 16,000-cr Navi Mumbai airport. Adani Transmission has bagged the contract to construct 400 kV substation at Vikhroli, for transmission of about 1,000 MW in Mumbai. The company will also construct another line between Aarey Colony and Padgha to evacuate another 1,000 mw. Clearly, Pawar knows which horse to back.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
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If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.