The stupendous success and impactful delivery of Indian missiles upon the Pakistani land targets, in no small measure boosted by using the Russian S-400 surface-to-air, anti-ballistic missile systems, will now be upgraded through the S-500 version that President Putin has offered India along with the ‘Made-in-India’ tag for manufacturing and exporting across the globe. The Russian offer came four days ago and seeks to cement Indo-Russian ties further through joint collaboration, setting up a manufacturing base in India. Simultaneously, India has upped the ante against both Turkey and Azerbaijan that achieved the distinction of being the only two nations in the world that supported the terrorist Pakistani nation in its limited-capability war launched upon India. According to well-placed sources Turkey stands to lose out on the bulk of the annual Rs 600 crore tourism business it generates out of India, through tourists visiting the nation with close to 60% of scheduled tourist travellers to that nation having cancelled their plans this year. Similarly, Islamic Azerbaijan’s miscalculated support for Pakistan will now witness Indian weaponry arming the mostly Christian Armenia that has been in a state of war with that nation since 2020 when Azerbaijan attacked its neighbour. The South Caucasian nation (Armenia), that signed a defence deal with India in 2022 for 15 Akash missile systems, is set to further receive multiple launch rocket systems, anti-tank rockets, and ammunition. While Turkey suffers an economically gloomy fate similar to Maldives, both of whose economies are sustained through Indian tourism, Azerbaijan will find itself up against an Indian weapon system bolstering Armenia in the coming days.

Cessation of the India and Pakistan war, albeit temporarily at the latter’s request, has upset India’s armed forces that were keen on consolidating, annexing tracts of Indian territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan. In a double whammy Pakistan faced a revocation of its civil aviation licenses from regulatory agencies in France in the wake of continued domestic air traffic flown over the country’s airspace while its rogue army continued launching drone, missile attacks on India after Operation Sindoor’s unprecedented success, destroyed launchpads, terrorists training grounds in Pakistan. This even while American civil aviation regulatory agencies chose to ignore the Pakistani infractions that put at risk air passengers by using them as aerial shields to ward off an intensive Indian aerial response to indiscriminate drone and missile attacks upon India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to launch an all-out war against its delinquent neighbour after failed attempts to impact military installations within India was slowed down untimely after Pakistan’s request for ceasefire brokered by U.S. president Donald Trump, who prematurely started town crying about his mediation having stopped the war. “No one asked Trump to play Santa Claus and look foolish when a segment of the Pakistani armed forces (read army generals from factions opposed to Asif Munir) refused to hold fire, instead continuing aerial warfare against India,” sources revealed. The PM’s resolve to reply with a bomb for every bullet fired by Pakistan towards India is elucidated further by the source thus: “While Islamic terror threatens a thousand cuts upon the non-Muslim world, the Indian adage of sau sunar ki, ek lohar ki was ably demonstrated by India by the 10 big anti-terror strikes launched under Operation Sindoor.”

Ongoing hostilities with Pakistan will witness new outcomes in stark contrast to the 1971 war in so much that landed property falling into Indian hands will not be handed back to our perpetually unfriendly neighbour. As NSA Ajit Doval recently articulated, India has moved from defensive offence to offensive defence in a calibrated manner. A South block source said, “If Pakistan does not apologize within a couple of days and end its Don Quixote’s (Asif Munir’s) lame war efforts, the price to pay will sever parts of the Pakistani landscape from its army’s effective control. India won’t return captured land this time round unlike in 1971. Congress’ tenure, including AK Antony’s, when admittedly, roads, infrastructure was avoided on common borders with China, never spruced up on the Indian side as strategy to prevent Chinese incursions. During Modi’s regime the shoe is on the other foot now with massive roads, infrastructure created to facilitate quick transport of army personnel, weapons to borders at the drop of a hat. An unexpectedly positive fallout of the current war with Pakistan showcased the true calibre/capability of international weaponry systems and shortcomings exhibited by some. India not only showcased its indigenous military might but also demonstrated the potency of Rafael fighters, Israeli and Russian collaborations. Pakistan in turn was provided with American F-16s (on dole) and Chinese weaponry (price payable when able), both falling far short of international armoury benchmarks. The whole world witnessed live demonstration of war capabilities of multiple nations with Indian collaborations with France, Russia and Israel set to turn us into a big exporter of defence goods in the post war era.

Opposition political formations’ jubilation over PM Modi’s scientific population, caste census is short-lived with the untimely AI driven process commencing 2026, concluding 2028. Bihar’s former DCM Tejaswi Yadav’s disappointment is imminent for imagining caste census would conclude before state assembly elections in 2026. The comprehensive, scientifically bolstered census digitally exploiting AI will eliminate redundant caste affiliations converted into other communities, religions. Corrective yardstick encompassing next census capturing social-economic, castes will not likely throw up existence of over 4.6 million castes, sub-castes, synonyms, different surnames and gotras in caste and clan names in India included among categories of SC, Scheduled tribes, OBC communities. 2011 census revealed many citizens had entered surnames under ‘caste’ discrimination column, was abandoned by then PM Manmohan Singh under weight of humongous data, relegated to timeless cold storage. PM Modi’s digitally initiated census process will serve as the true last value on cultural, socio-economic make-up of India. Use of AI, rejection of AADHAR, PAN cards as identity proof will ensure honest distinct process accomplishment. Even National Register of Citizens (NRC) provisions will play a pivotal role reaching true last values across India. One anomaly elimination, for a more accurate picture of existing castes in India, will delete surnames, occupation driven caste affiliations. The Andhra Pradesh High Court has also ruled Scheduled Caste citizens will lose status immediately upon converting to Christianity, forfeit protections under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in sync, albeit inadvertently. India’s purge of foreign nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar (Rohingyas) also coincides with a larger census plan. Tejaswi and other backward community leaders’ vice-like grip on India’s reservation pie will phase out. The ‘M+Y’ political formula...

The tour operator led mostly Hindu families to the Pahalgam terror site (aka mini-Switzerland) causing 26 male killings, well aware that visits to interior regions needed prior army sanction before tourists could be taken to the scenic meadow, nearby regions. Tour operators were intimated the area would be turned open to tourists from June 2025. The Hamas signature style terror strike upon India, preceded by public rally in Pakistan where Hamas operatives were in full view, vocally exhorting Pakistani state sponsored terrorists (including Hafiz Saeed) to carry out wanton attacks like they pulled off in Israel on October 7, 2023. In addition, terror attack fatalities included officers attached to the Indian Navy and Intelligence Bureau which has raised questions about whether local over ground workers (OGWs) were the resort of terrorists before the attack took place. The local pony operator’s death was confirmed as inadvertent since he was caught in crossfire. Scores of terrorist aiding suspects were rounded up in quick time after the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) took over investigations. “Even the 2008 26/11 attack upon Mumbai city was launched in similar pattern with local infrastructure support with then Mumbai police chief Hassan Gafoor admitting privately that 16 to 20 Indian locals were involved, before he was issued a gag order by the then state government that soon enough eased him out of his post,” sources reveal. A senior intelligence officer had then stated that the 10 Mumbai attackers only landed upon Mumbai soil with a cache of bullets and were provided weapons and hand grenades in Mumbai city itself, as revealed to this scribe back then.

PM Narendra Modi has planned something ‘big’ against Pakistan following the J&K terror attack upon innocent Hindu tourists. Pakistan’s army Chief Asim Munir, is on India’s crosshairs, like former Pakistan armed forces Chief Qamar Bajwa was after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack claimed lives of 40 Indian CRPF jawans. Then, NSA Ajit Doval employed his wherewithal to neutralize Bajwa following the Balakot strikes and soon Bajwa was eased out of service, like his predecessor General Asfaq Kayani who took refuge in Australia after being deposed. The Balakot bombings and aerial dogfight that cost Pakistan an advanced (American) F16 fighter plane brought down in aerial combat by Captain Abhinandan from the Indian Airforce operating his antiquated MIG (Russian) fighter plane even as the Balakot air strikes were concluded by his colleagues using other fighter jets. Bajwa’s exit as army chief was precipitated and he eschewed his homeland choosing France after suffering ignominy of a four-hour wait to meet Saudi Arabia’s political leader with his begging bowl seeking a $4 billion soft loan that was also declined. Asim Munir also finds himself in an unenviable position after internal strife engulfed the neighbouring country with terror attacks by Tahereek-e-Taliban against Pakistan police, army posts alongside eruptions of unrest in Balochistan. Munir’s desperation was evident when he resorted to a public forum while dwelling upon cultural differences between Islam and Hindus only days before the Hindu-religion-discriminated terror attack was launched. Bajwa got away lightly, being ousted from power but Munir’s fate will likely be worse with his very life at stake now. The political formations in Pakistan are also rallying up against Munir, whose days are surely numbered now.

PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Look South’ policy may see former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai’s induction as Union cabinet minister (Rajya Sabha) or general secretary of southern states (TN, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala) like Hemanta Biswa Sarma took charge of North Eastern states. Three-time MLA, N Narendran, elected as AIAIDMK MLA twice under Amma’s tenure, turned BJP president of TN playing a crucial role for fostering improved coalition relationship with his former party. Similarly, four to five state BJP presidents are likely to be replaced before BJP announces its national president by the end of this month. Manoharlal Khattar, Bhupinder Yadav are still front-runners for post, even as Manoj Sinha, Dharmendra Pradhan candidatures were seriously considered. Consultations with RSS next week will finalise the name of the next incumbent. An open secret in BJP that Shah effectively was backseat driving BJP’s politics even while JP Nadda held the post, adding grist to rumour mills over his candidature for presidential responsibility. His holding crucial ministries (Home and Cooperation) is the only hitch. Next incumbent will lead BJP’s election juggernaut at the 2029 general elections so appointment will require persuasion of the Hindutva brigade. Pertinent to note here, Nadda was RSS prerogative in 2014 when PM Modi imposed Shah as national president. Shah’s heightened activity of addressing Parliament, visits to Maharashtra, Kashmir and West Bengal on a single day exposed the fact that he runs BJP’s national politics as de facto president. The May-June cabinet reshuffle may see BJP leaders from Bihar elevated with an eye on the forthcoming state assembly elections.

Two months after President’s rule was imposed in Manipur, West Bengal’s Murshidabad riots converted Hindu families into refugees pouring in exodus to neighbouring Malda district. Possibilities of imposition of Central rule in West Bengal have turned probable now as mobs of masked (mostly juvenile delinquents) carried out coordinated attacks upon the majority community. Hindu homes were targeted with stones, sticks, sickles by rampaging mobs threatening mass rapes of women in the TMC administered state. They were apparently only venting anger over amendments to the Waqf Board law legislated by the Indian parliament last week. On Friday (Apr 12), right after Muslim congregations offered prayers, coordinated protests were witnessed across Mamata Didi’s West Bengal followed by the targeted Murshidabad terror attacks upon Hindu families that continued well into Saturday. Highly placed sources tell shortpost.in there is clear and present danger of West Bengal being engulfed in communal frenzy as part of the tool kit being perpetrated from across the borders (from Bangladesh and Pakistan). “The BJP led Central government bit the bullet in Manipur, sacking its own party CM Birendra Singh, imposition of President’s rule there. West Bengal is steadily deteriorating over Mamata Didi’s reluctance to act against Muslim hardliner elements (including illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingya immigrants) comprising her core voter base,” sources reveal adding, “For long the possibility of WB’s balkanization into north and south Bengal over communal fault-lines has loomed large. Central rule may become the only option to prevent disintegration of India’s Bhalo Bhashi state. “The Calcutta High Court also ordered immediate deployment of central forces in Murshidabad district. after the incidents of widespread violence, vandalism and arson in the region over the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah are looking South now to replicate their winning ‘Look East’ political gambit from North East India.  BJP leader K Annamalai, their go to man for the job, may be appointed Chief of four southern states including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana just like Assam CM Hemanta Biswa was entrusted seven sisters (states) comprising the NE region of India. Annamalai, while securing 4 lakh votes lost Coimbatore’s Lok Sabha seat in 2024, tendered resignation as BJP Tamil Nadu president after Shah’s TN visit stitched up political alliance encompassing AIADMK factions, rival Shashikala grouping (including former CM J Jayalalitaa’s adopted, then disowned son VN Sudhakaran). Amma’s medically unfit companion Shashikala endorsed nephew Sudhakaran as her party’s face even as BJP broadens its voter base by emphasizing politically influential ‘Thevar’ community. BJP went with Annamalai’s political ‘going solo’ advisory to register 11% of TN’s voter preference while DMK secured 40% to storm the state assembly. BJP now seeks to leverage its voter base alongside the 20% voter preference for AIADMK factions and Shashikala’s ‘Thevar’ community that had elevated late GK Moopanar in TN’s Congress ruled dispensation of the 90s. Superstar Vijay’s new political party TVK will eat into DMK’s vote-bank helping BJP. Senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain says, “Annamalai’s political elevation, like Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s, is a given although he may personally be unaware of the dynamic political development within the party just like ‘Mamaji’ was, till appointment to head all development projects by PM Modi for India. Annamalai’s name also figures now in the list of potential National BJP Presidential candidates.”

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis stands cited for his continued vacillation over ‘Hindutva’, overdependence upon bureaucracy, failure to move ahead on ‘Love Jihad’, Uniform Civil Code, mob lynching case of ‘sadhus’ in Palghar, Disha Salian death case according to sources. The high command is believed to have reiterated its ‘Perform or Perish’ diktat while expressing dissatisfaction based on the litany of complaints against Fadnavis. Delay in prosecuting government officials beyond mere suspensions (25,000 birth certificates issued to illegal Bangladeshis, Rohingyas exposed by former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya) and Fadnavis’ predilection leaving the sensitive Home department under control of bureaucracy has irked the party’s high command. BJP’s former Maharashtra deputy CM, late Gopinath Munde’s daughter, cabinet minister Pankaja Munde was similarly cited for leaving her ministerial portfolios (including women and child development department) to bureaucratic discretion during Fadnavis’ 1.0 tenure (2014 and 2019) costing her dearly and being kept out of government under Fadnavis’ 76 hour 2.0 tenure and, CM Eknath Shinde’s 2.5-year tenure in 2022. Pankaja Munde is back in government, however, CM Fadnavis’ constant comparison with Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Assam counterparts over apparent ‘Hindutva’ shortcomings bodes ill for him. Maharashtra will likely witness major overhauling in coming days, a bureaucratic reshuffle on the cards at the very least. Meanwhile, only days after MoS (fisheries) Nitesh Rane conducted ‘Bhoomipujan’ for crucial jetty infrastructure off the eastern coastline of south Mumbai, BJP’s speaker in state legislative assembly Rahul Narvekar, close confidante of Fadnavis, started courting opponents of the project (falling within his assembly constituency) opening up a new political battleground for Fadnavis.

Indo-US political compatibility will witness preferential tariff rates worked out for India by the latter with clear bias against China. Well-placed sources explained, “China faces a 60% tariff rate imposed on exports by the U.S. President Donald Trump. Disparity will be evident when similar exports from India will face sub-40% tariff rates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi bargained hard, on pain of cutting off exports to the USA, taking Indian goods to the European Union instead.” This worked tremendously in favour of Indian exporters who won’t face sudden spikes in duty rates levied. President Trump is now eager instead, to up bilateral trade between our two nations to scale up to $500 bn by 2030. Sector specific negotiations are currently underway even as nations like Canada, China and the European Union experience trepidation over Trump’s tariff war against them. The U.S. conceded to India’s demand for technology transfer under long pending agreements for fifth and sixth generation fighter planes. Sharp negotiations progressing with Russia and France encompassing a wider arena of joint collaborations including marine drone technology, space missions helped tremendously. The proposed visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India will focus upon enhanced business in the wake of sanctions against Russian crude on the verge of being lifted. Strong winds are also blowing to foster cultural relations between India and Russia as a new coalition of global players is being disrupted to include the USA, France, Italy and Israel for a new world order. Ukraine and Hamas (in Gaza) stand relegated to minion status on the world stage in the meanwhile. 

Right wing organizations, including RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, have turned into Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ Achilles heel even in his 3.0 Avataar. Nagpur riots ensued after Hindu hardliners demanded razing of Moghul tyrant Aurangzeb’s tomb and yet, these organizations failed to step up after riots to assuage, provide financial aid, moral support to Hindu community that suffered collateral damage. Hindus living in Nagpur city, particularly in Muslim dominated (demographically) localities are on verge of exodus though Fadnavis promised to make rioters pay-up, recoup losses suffered during mayhem unleashed by minority community using his version of the bulldozer policy. BJP insiders reveal, “A near identical mayhem unleashed in 2012 by Raza Academy and Samajwadi Party at Mumbai’s iconic Azad Maidan grounds left several fresher women police constables molested in its wake. After a decade of incident (eight years under Fadnavis) trial had not begun. Will Nagpur, where a senior woman police officer was similarly targeted, go the same way?” The molested women police constables, numbering nine, from the Azad Maidan incident, mostly daughters of poor farmers in Maharashtra, resigned their jobs after their FIRs at Azad Maidan police station failed to elicit due justice or restore even a semblance of their dignity. In 2015 right-wingers similarly upped the ante (Fadnavis being CM) over 2008 Bombay High Court order, threatening to take to streets and exposing their own trepidation to act similarly when Congress governments ruled, worried over police lathis. The more that things change, the more they remain the same?

PM Narendra Modi and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat will meet close to an hour in Nagpur come March 30, 2025. The first official visit by PM Modi to the RSS HQ since 2014 will finalize the consensus candidate as next BJP National President with elections in Hindi heartland states on the anvil. Three contenders currently in the fray include Union Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar (Power, Housing, Urban Affairs), Bhupinder Yadav (Environment, Forest, Climate Change) and Manoj Sinha (LG of J&K). Reliable sources reveal Sinha’s candidature faced opposition from RSS over lack of organisational experience. Modi confidante Khattar held organisational posts as hardcore Hindutva Pracharak over 15 years. Khattar also held Haryana CM post despite being non-Jat. Former MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan was similarly elevated to Delhi, notwithstanding, his apparent reluctance being unaware of Modi’s masterplan for next two decades. Today Chouhan is anointed Chief Overseer of PMO projects under Modi’s sign and seal elevating him to second highest political perch in India. Union Home Minister Amit Shah enjoys good relations with both Khattar and Bhupinder Yadav with the new incumbent replacing Nadda needing to work closely with him. Shah himself was spotted by Modi for active work from college election days in ABVP and Yuva Morcha. As Gujarat CM Modi had anointed Shah as MoS (Home) while holding the Home ministry. Shah contested seven elections, won every time and Modi made him Union Home Minister and National BJP President, even rejecting JP Nadda’s candidature proposed by RSS in 2014, upon assuming India’s Prime Ministership. Nadda waited for two tenures before being installed as the next party Chief.

Even as the world awaits with bated breath, bourses plunge to new found depths over Trump’s tariff war prospect, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have preempted the probable negative repercussions upon our nation. While the U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged PM Modi as a better negotiator than even himself, India has smartly leveraged American keenness to sell its F35 fifth generation fighters while securing for itself what may at worst play out as a friendly tariff war. Highly placed sources reveal that the Indian PM’s visit to USA was strategically preceded by NSA Ajit Doval and external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s coordinated foreign tours to France, Russia where possible technology transfer deals were fine tuned in the wake of the two-year delay by USA to despatch two futuristic sixth gen fighter engines through GE. While Trump threatens reciprocal tariffs, Modi’s pre-emptive strike of shopping for the technology elsewhere may dampen American spirits enough to ensure a preferential trade agreement instead being hammered out before the end of the 2025 calendar year. Russia and France are only too ready to offer next gen aviation designs, marine drone technology, joint ventures into space and much more while the USA lobbies hard to register F35 sales to India. Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged Modi’s role leading to the de-escalation of the Ukraine war and also promised to forge better relations between India and China going ahead. This would also hang heavy over Trump were he to launch his tariff tirade against India more specifically. Meanwhile, Iran is on the watchlist for a collective military offensive in the coming days over its nuclearization plans.

BJP MLC Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil’s son Vijayibhav Vishwatjejsinh wed the daughter of UdaySinh Rameshrao Chikli, K Shivanshika at Akluj, Malshiras taluka in Solapur on March 8. While a lakh people attended the holy matrimony to include Maharashtra’s royalty, Rajaharshi Shahu Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Shivendra Raje, Maloji Raje Bhonsale (Kolhapur), Nagpur’s Sangram Sinh Raje Bhosale and the Mewad Rajput clan and yet, no BJP leaders showed up. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, deputy CMs Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde missed the do. Maharashtra’s political history reveals 52 years old Ranjitsinh’s own wedding attended by over a lakh plus people and, even his father, former deputy CM Vijaysinh Mohite Patil’s wedding ceremony way back in 1971 witnessed one lakh people in attendance along with politicians from across the political lines. The lakh plus attendance at the three marriage ceremonies was maintained despite being familial affairs and non-political. When former DCM Vijaysinh Mohite Patil tied the knot with Nandini Devi (Mai Saheb) in 1971 criticism emanated over the sheer opulence exhibited when every well in Akluj (a water scarcity hit region) was filled with slabs of ice in every household to ensure free flow of water. Vijaysinh’s father Shankarrao Mohite Patil (Maharashtra’s founding Minister of Cooperation) simply explained, “Every family invitee to my son’s wedding has hosted me earlier and outside whose house I have washed my hands (had a meal). At my own son’s wedding ceremony, I invited each of them.” The Maharashtra minister is also famously cited for organizing free helicopter flights in his hometown for local farmers who he insisted would easily afford flights upon attaining their true potential as agriculturists.

Spiralling upwards, setting the national record, the Maha 2025-2026 budget close to Rs 10 lakh crore may be announced for Maharashtra with an emphasis on capex expenditure (infrastructure building) come Monday. This translates into 50% incremental funding over last year keeping with incremental government spendings registered across BJP ruled states of India. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath just kicked off his Rs 8.08 lakh crore budget without including supplementary demands added during the next fiscal year following up his Rs 7 lakh crore (base) 2024-2025 budget that grew close to Rs 8 lakh crore subsequently. Bihar has announced a Rs 3.70 lakh crore (base) budget. Earlier, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a similar package for the state in her budget speech. Maharashtra’s deputy CM Ajit Pawar will present the Budget on March 10, which is expected to be in sync with PM Narendra Modi’s development template across India, and will bear the signature style of CM Devendra Fadnavis. Critics argue burgeoning debt and increasing fiscal deficit will turn unmanageable but, financial planners will confidently dive into infrastructure spending across Maharashtra, further enhancing creation of economically prosperous infrastructure corridors for high ROI for the state in coming years. For example: The Samruddhi expressway will mushroom economic hubs on either side of the roadway providing necessary impetus to achieve multi-fold target growth albeit, after a few years. Similarly, planned solar energy infrastructure for agriculture aims to convert foodgrain producers into energy providers while installed capacity of the state (currently 45000 MW) will rise to 85,000 MW in five years.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is on mission mode since assuming office and extended his micro-management skills (exhibited in run up to state assemblies) to laser focus the state administration. Rooting out inefficiencies, corruption (as shortpost.in reported on Feb 4) within bureaucracy under his 3.0 tenure, Fadnavis has targeted truant IAS officers (including former BEST GMs Anil Diggikar, Harshdeep Kamble) as also kept on hold recommendations from his own cabinet colleagues for appointing personal secretaries, officers on special duty (OSDs). The CM had cleared 109 out of 125 recommendations received by the CMO. Fadnavis silenced criticism emanating from some ministerial quarters over pending postings while emphatically stating it was his prerogative and decision that was final. Maharashtra’s state secretariat is abuzz about collective political grouping within the Mahayuti alliance upset with the CM putting his foot down against ministerial staff carrying legacy of inefficiency and corruption. Fadnavis is enraged over corruption charges levelled against MMRDA by a French consultant involved in his pet ‘Maha Mumbai Metro’ project, ordering a probe. A political war of words broke out, meanwhile, between alliance counterparts: deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar over one-upmanship for second spot in Maharashtra’s political leadership. Shinde’s averment, “Don’t take me lightly,” found resonance in Pawar’s jibe, “Keep check on public averments as alliance protocol.” Pawar also noted he could overturn the horse-cart. All eyes will be on Maharashtra’s budget that deputy CM Pawar will announce over the next fortnight and implications for Shinde’s party held departments, as the political feud escalates. 

Former J&K Governor, Manoj Sinha, under whose watch sections 370 and 35 (A) were shrugged off from India’s constitution, elections held in Ladakh, J&K Union Territories peacefully, has made the shortlist for appointment as BJP’s next National President come March 15. Even former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Bhupinder Yadav are in the fray with the latter enjoying a slight edge over the former, who donated all his property to the PM Relief Fund. Some within BJP are unenthusiastic over Sinha’s candidature though he always held vital Ministries even earlier. His lack of organizational (general secretary post) skills has RSS less than supportive. “Sinha was never overtly pro-Hindu. He restarted religious processions of the Shia community, stopped since militancy peaked in the forehead state of India.” His less than friendly relationship with   UP CM Yogi Adityanath (who put his foot down when Sinha was seriously considered for CM’s post in the Hindu heartland state of UP). Then, BJP’s high command acceded in deference to Yogi, made Sinha (who lost Gazipur seat) wait two years before appointing him as J&K Governor. Outgoing President JP Nadda was similarly RSS’ first choice in 2014 and yet, PM Modi anointed Amit Shah. Thereafter, Nadda was accommodated as leader of Rajya Sabha, a post Piyush Goyal had to vacate. Nadda’s organisational helming of affairs for BJP was marred by Himachal Pradesh loss, his own backyard state, his exit from top leadership post became an almost certainty, although he was given one year extension due to 2024 general elections of India.

BJP’s loser in two assembly elections as well as for Mayor’s post of Delhi MCD, Rekha Gupta, can’t believe her luck after anointment as Delhi’s chief minister, over giant killer Parvesh Verma and Vijendra Gupta, new Speaker of the state legislative assembly. The BJP high command intends to transform Delhi into the best example of governance although currently exemplifying everything wrong across public welfare parameters following decade long AAP misgovernance. Before Gupta aligned with the legacy of late Sheila Dixit and, more recently Atishi Singh Marlena, PM Modi had requisitioned Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena for Yamuna clean-up. Saxena’s political link up with the Union Home ministry makes crystal clear who (Shah) runs Delhi’s political affairs and, at whose (Modi’s) behest? Political pundits confused over deputy CM Parvesh Verma, who successfully fought against Arvind Kejriwal, being overlooked for CM’s post. Even Vijendra Gupta, a Baniya from Kejriwal’s community, won MLA seat in the last three state assemblies even when AAP won 67 out of possible 70 MLAs. Both shadow CMs, will bolster Delhi’s affairs backing CM Rekha Gupta. Next up is an ambitious plan to ramp up and extend the Metro rail services in and around Delhi. That apart, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari has set three-year deadline to complete mega flyovers project directly connecting Delhi with UP (Noida, Gurugram, Meerut) and Haryana to island national capital against vehicular traffic flowing through it and headed to these destinations to reduce pollution quotient (AQI) of Delhi. Delhi’s public transport service will also be replaced with 100% pollution free EV buses.

India incorporated, particularly the Pharma and IT sectors (H1 B visas), can heave a collective sigh of relief and thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for averting a (trading) tariff war with the USA. Highly placed sources say Trump’s high praise for his Indian counterpart was the outcome of consistent backroom parleys over several months by NSA Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar for phenomenal and strategic business growth between the two nations the trajectory of which would be impacted adversely if tariffs were imposed upon India. “Reciprocal tariffs are unlikely for Indian exports from pharma sector ($7.55 bn in 2023), pearls/precious stones/metals/coins ($10.17 bn in 2023) and electrical and electronic equipment ($9.89 bn) like exporters of goods and (IT) services to America. India secured an exemption due to the exemplary foresight of PM Modi and his business acumen that seeks to propel India to reach the $5 trillion target even as early as 2028,” the source reveals. Unfair news media constantly compares the Indian economy with the USA and China although both are $20 trillion plus economies, the source adds. Indian exports witnessed steady incremental growth since 2015 ($40.3 bn), 2016 ($42 bn), 2017 ($46 bn), 2018 ($51.7 bn), 2019 ($54.3 bn), 2021 ($71.5 bn), 2022 ($80.2 bn), 2023 ($75.8 bn) with the exemption of the Covid-19 pandemic fallout impacting exports in 2020 of $49.3 bn. recording namaste. More importantly, India seeks to reduce its annual business imports from China sounds like sweet music for the U.S. president Trump.

BJP’s Delhi win has bolstered its Lok Sabha plan to up the numbers from the earlier 272 target to 289 plus in coming days. Decks are being cleared to usher in three long pending legislations before Parliament to include Uniform Civil Code, Waqf Board reforms and finally the One Nation One Poll (ONOP) political reform. Several MPs from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) Sena and Sharad Pawar led political formations are keen to enroll with BJP in Maharashtra but, Shiv Sena DCM Eknath Shinde and NCP DCM Ajit Pawar want to embrace them into respective party folds delaying the process. Giant killer of Delhi assembly elections Parvesh Verma (former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma’s son), a Jat leader, also credited with ensuring 12 assembly seat victories in Delhi, is frontrunner for CM’s post. “Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were the first to call, congratulate Verma immediately after his victory. Also, following the Haryana assembly win by BJP, influential Jat leadership was upset for being overlooked for CM’s post. Delhi may install Jat CM to compensate Haryana and build for Punjab and Bihar state assemblies,” a senior BJP leader says. Before the results the candidature of Dushyant Kumar Gautam, a senior BJP national general secretary was being considered as the Dalit CM face for Delhi but, Gautam lost a close fight for Karol Bagh seat to Vishesh Ravi of AAP by just under 8000 votes. Ravi clinched the seat twice before with winning margins exceeding 25000 each time.

Non-government privately operated Indian agencies, in the sphere of education, healthcare, infrastructure and governance as well as undisclosed Indian nationals received huge financial outlays from USAID under the Biden administration in the USA. Allegations that USAID was a front for American governments of the past to undermine, engineer coups to change the political leadership across the globe have emerged now. USAID played during the Ukraine Maidan uprising of 2014, for instance, with leaked phone call conversations from February 2014 between the U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt and Victoria Nuland (Assistant Secretary of State, European and Eurasian Affairs) exposed American efforts to dislodge then Ukraine President to install U.S. preferential candidate (read Vladimir Zelensky) through a regime change operation. Similarly, high fund allocations to Indian entities including Gurugram-based Priyanka India Pvt Ltd ($238,560), SF&B INC ($18,989), Jefferson Consulting Group LLP ($129,477), New Delhi based Impact Investors Council ($ 14,567), Techno Relief (Overseas) India Pvt Ltd ($226,670), People’s Science Institute ($176,037) based out of Dehradun in Uttarakhand, Boland India E ($267,393) by USAID are under the lens. More intriguing is the huge fund allocations made under the head of miscellaneous foreign awardees (from India) distinct tranches ($4732; $16,750; $16, 200) besides several payouts to undisclosed American entities with allegedly close India ties ($783,736; $15,823; $188,100; $176,665; $218,084; $214,103; $237,271.51; $368,466; $324,686; $529,142.98). Actor Sonam Kapoor’s husband’s firm as also Tata Communications (formerly VSNL) were also similarly funded $18,906 by USAID as now revealed. Indian agencies are keen to know the nature of inputs provided by these social sector agencies to the government for policy formulation.

Congress bossman Rahul Gandhi told Parliament that External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar’s USA visit only sought an invite for PM Narendra Modi for the U.S. President Donald Trump’s oath ceremony. Jaishankar refuted RaGa’s averments, without revealing the true purpose after having accomplished never before witnessed outcomes. Highly placed sources reveal, “India’s MEA secured distinction of only nation’s representative holding bilateral discussions with the newly installed U.S. government both, before and after, official transition of power.” Dr Jaishankar didn’t elucidate beyond dismissing Gandhi’s tall tales to the Lok Sabha, but actually established grounds for PM Modi to ink U.S. deal for technology transfer regarding fifth/sixth generation fighter engines deliberately kept in abeyance over two years by erstwhile Biden administration. India will be on par though F35 fighter was doled out to Pakistan and, even poised to counter Chinese aviation capabilities with next generation fighters. Dr Jaishankar also held discussions with newly installed FBI director Kash Patel, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard over sensitive issues regarding Indian nationals targeted by earlier dispensation. Another positive outcome: Funding cut off for Gurpatwant Singh Panun, separatist pro-Khalistani rebel, creating aviation scares in India through threats of blowing up Indian commercial airliners. More covert results were achieved to become apparent sooner than later even as Rahul Gandhi termed Dr Jaishankar’s international statesmanship as mere kow-towing to U.S. hegemony.

An estimated 30% of the IAS administered Indian bureaucracy actively considers the VRS option. According to well-placed sources, “Last three years registered a spurt in the number of pending applications to exercise the VRS option, most officers still having over five years of service left. The handsome pension amount appears lucrative to many, including those put on notice by the Union government (and respective state governments like Maharashtra) for low productivity, efficiency and delinquent public service.” Majority of the pending applications seek the cushy handshake option, while those who fell foul of GOI evaluation parameters were told to consider exit plans sooner than resignation options later. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 1.0 and 2.0 tenures (between 2014 and 2024) had witnessed not only weeding out of senior officials through shortening of tenures under government service but also witnessed the lateral entry of professionals and industry domain specialists into government service. Similarly, several officials continue to perform government service notwithstanding their respective retirement from service due to their diligent and outstanding performance till retirement to include Pravin Pardeshi (CEO of MITRA). Others like former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Dr Nitin Kareer are also expected to be tapped for active post-retirement service to the nation, sources reveal. As pen-pushing, non-productive Babus opt for early retirement the Maharashtra IAS fraternity anticipates similar cleansing of Maharashtra’s state secretariat that may be on the cards once again.

A population explosion occurred in Maharashtra over the last three years, apart from the natural births registered, with over 60,000 citizens mostly Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals belonging to the Muslim community, issued birth certificates by the Maharashtra government as Indian citizens. The scam came to light Tuesday (Jan 21) when deputy collector of Akola, Vijay Patil, provided data confirming 15,845 people (mostly in the 30 to 70 years age group) were issued birth certificates in Akola district alone. Another 10,273 applicants on the verge of physical delivery of the certificates were put on hold. “Ninety nine percent of 1,50, 000 applicants, over 60,000 issued birth certificates already, illegal Muslim Bangladeshi/Rohingya immigrants into India. In majority of cases only photographs were provided as supporting documents,” BJP leader Kirit Somaiyya has said. In Akola city 4849 (3953), 1899 (896) in Akot, 468 (1164) in Balapur, 1070 (787) in Murtijapur, 1262 (938) in Telhara, 3978 (1576) in Patur and 1319 (959) in Barshitakli already secured government endorsed birth certificates while similar number (in brackets) were pending physical delivery when the scam came to light. Senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain says, “This is organized crime with 99% applicants found to be foreign nationals. Government officials found complicit in crime must be booked under the provisions of terrorism laws applicable in India.” Suspensions of concerned officials complicit in issuance of certificates to even fictitious entities as Indian citizens and its terror implications is still being assessed. Ironically, the Special Investigation Team ( SIT) formed to tackle the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Maharashtra years ago has not met a single time since its inception or. at least rarely.

The world’s oldest public transport service provider, Mumbai’s BEST undertaking’s plan to ramp up its comfortable air- conditioned travel option for last denominator citizens has ended in abject failure. The target 10,000 zero pollution EV buses by 2024 for Mumbai city, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to transform into the international Fin-tech capital has not materialized. BJP’s Maharashtra executive committee member Mahendra Jain has written to the PMO and Maha CMO seeking a high-level enquiry into reasons for the failure seeking full accountability over holding Mumbai city’s progress to ransom. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis shunted out BEST GM Anil Diggikar in December 2024 itself, appointed Harshvardhan Kamble as the next IAS incumbent. Kamble was shunted out too and the BEST is headless. PM Modi provided Rs 450 crore, lying unutilized in BEST’s bank account, under the National Clean Air Programme. BEST admits to having only 3100 EV buses as of January 2025, devastating the PM’s dream. Global tenders floated by BEST in 2021 and Olectra group, a part of Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) quoted the lowest L1 value @ 49 per km for supplying 2100 EV buses within a maximum of 18 months-time while Ashok Leyland’s Switch Mobility quoted the L1 value for supplying 200 double decker EV buses.  After tenders were opened, litigation held up the process till November 2022, finally settled by Bombay High Court. But what happened thereafter? Till January 2025 MEIL only provided wet lease services of 275 single decker buses out of 2100 promised while Swift Mobility provided less than 60 of 200 double decker EVs till date.

Delhi has BJP worried over outcomes considering 12 of 70 MLA constituencies are dominated by the minority community enjoying majority vote count. Rahul Gandhi, keen on BJP losing even at own party’s cost, predictably commenced campaigning from Muslim dominated Seelampur assembly constituency that counts over 50% voters from the minority community. Gandhi targeted PM Modi as usual, consciously launched broadside against Arvind Kejriwal under pressure from Congress local leaders Ajay Maken, former Delhi CM, Sheila Dikshit’s son Sandeep. For once Congress high command heeded local leaders’ advice to fight alone rather than according AAP walkover on pain of losing out erstwhile political bastion, even suffer further in Punjab like it did for general elections and was trounced. In Delhi 3:4 ratio of coalition drew a blank with BJP clinching all seven Lok Sabha victories. Gandhi’s sudden detour to meet RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar Saturday surprised some but was to smoothen political relationship for next-up, Bihar state assemblies at instance of Sonia Gandhi notwithstanding Tejashwi’s hard stance against Congress. Delhi Lieutenant Governor granted prosecution permission against AAP leaders putting Kejriwal in a bind even as conditional bail pre-empts his CM post assumption if AAP wins. NCP leader and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar preferred fielding 30 candidates for Delhi polls, including 13 Muslim aspirants, than settling within NDA coalition that accorded solitary seats to Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan.  Pawar’s gambit is similar to 30 assembly candidates he fielded in J&K, 24 in Jharkhand although the impact of his national foray is yet to register a winning mark.

Operation 272 MPs was launched with the flight of Opposition MPs scheduled for a BJP landing with ETA in April 2025. Sources say the earlier target 260 BJP MPs (reported by Short Post) from current strength of 241 in the Lok Sabha was rescheduled to higher benchmark following hectic parleys with aspiring Opposition MPs, particularly in Maharashtra, keenly looking for greener pastures. This has seriously dented merger plans of Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar with nephew, Ajit Pawar’s NCP. Uncle Pawar deployed womenfolk in the family to convince Ajit Pawar for a merger while making an overture to PM Modi using his reconciliatory gambit. BJP is rather keen over 2/3 of nine UBT Sena MPs, eight from SP camp jumping ship to join its party without attracting anti-defection laws besides regional party MPs from other states to reach the majority magic figure on its own. Ajit Pawar, who succumbed to emotional blackmail by the womenfolk in December 2019 and broke alliance with BJP bringing down the 76-hour long government back then, is unlikely to do a repeat. Ajit Pawar has also nixed senior party MLA Chhagan Bhujbal’s ministerial aspirations over his extra-party OBC activities. Bhujbal’s gambit to use the good offices of CM Devendra Fadnavis also came to naught with the Maha Chanakya CM politely asking him to sort out his problems with Ajit Pawar himself. The so-called NaNi (Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar) factor was always a non-starter sans JD(S) Union Ministers quitting their posts in an election year leaving RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav red-faced and worried about own political future in Bihar just like Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra.  

The Maharashtra state assembly elections gained BJP 132 elected MLAs out of 288 in the legislature and yet, some of its candidates lost out after contesting on tickets from alliance partners Shiv Sena and NCP. What does the future portend for them and will they rejoin BJP? BJP sources reveal the leaders so loaned out never resigned their parent party membership at all. Assembly elections witnessed chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Maha Chanakya, micro-managing not just candidatures for 148 seats his party contested but also fielding nine BJP leaders to contest from deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and five from deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s NCP. Over 19 BJP leaders were fielded, some even as independent candidates, to upset the apple cart of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Unfortunately, BJP leaders like Santosh Shetty contesting from Bhiwandi, Ajit Pingle from Dharashiv, Shaina NC from Mumbadevi lost the electoral battle as Shiv Sena candidates and must contemplate their political future seriously. They were loaned out to alliance partners for the express purpose of impacting election results in favour of the Mahayuti alliance. It is clear Shaina NC performed creditably from south Mumbai’s Mumbadevi assembly constituency securing over 40,000 voter ayes in her favour despite over 55% of voters comprising minority community members who single-mindedly voted Congress’ Amin Patel (since 2009). Shaina and other BJP leaders who contested from different alliance parties continue to be BJP members, however, the problem of plenty that the BJP now enjoys will lead to a lot of jostling for space within the party.

BJP’s top brass ignored RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s latest broadside seeking to curtail the rising momentum to reclaim, reinstall old temple sites to their pristine glory. A politically savvy RSS man says, “There is little likelihood of response or retort from either PM Modi or Shah to Bhagwat’s vocalisation for limiting the number of devastated temples in India needing reinstallation.” Legal remedies are increasingly the resort of Hindus thanks to the mountain of evidence unearthed by the Archaeology Survey of India (ASI). Modi-Shah will plough ahead with their rejuvenation plans for Hindutva ignoring Bhagwat even as their political favourites: UP CM Yogi Adityanath, his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma espouse political advocacy stridently furthering Hindutva’s agenda. Notwithstanding PM Modi’s radio silence over Bhagwat’s repeated outbursts, last time prescribing arrogance shedding over general election results that restricted BJP to 240 MPs, social media platforms unleashed criticism waves targeting the RSS Chief over his soft advocacy of Hindutva. “Typical of RSS claiming credit for political wins registered by BJP after Haryana and Maharashtra elections while feigning sleep over their own track record in states like Jharkhand over RSS’ abject failure at outreach in tribal belts through Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram,” the RSS man says. NASA has confirmed the structural engineering marvel of the Ram Setu while Dwarka city is truly resting underwater and yet, India dilly-dallies over Moghul-British era false narratives including scheduled castes and tribes introduced by the latter. Latest infringement at Sambhal was exposed by the ASI to be the remains of a 200-year-old temple built over a mosque and yet, Bhagwat preaches secular values today. Advocacy of Moghul-British invaders next?

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 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) , under siege from Sharad Pawar and UBT MPs, MLAs and Opposition political formations across India, is set to increase its numbers in Lok Sabha from 240 to 260 odd soon ending its need for outside support in Parliament for much longer. BJP’s senior functionary told shortpost.in, “Not only Maharashtra (UBT and Sharad Pawar’s party), but also from Congress in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and even south India MPs are doing office rounds of BJP’s senior leadership. Like Maharashtra, they desire to become deserving partners within NDA’s fold.” Meanwhile, Maharashtra politics witnesses a turnaround of BJP’s political gambit that groomed Shiv Sena (DCM) Eknath Shinde as CM for nearly 2.5 years, empowered him to consolidate leadership of Shiv Sena party, unleash slew of development projects in state. Hereon, BJP’s emphasis will be upon Ajit Pawar as politics will revolve around whether the Congress is able to counter him in Western Maharashtra, Marathwada regions of the state. Pawar will be groomed, empowered since he holds no political animosity towards BJP and is keenly interested in big ticket infrastructure projects while possessing requisite political calibre, ability to perform well while keeping Congress in check. While uncle Pawar effectively controlled Congress’ politics based out of Maharashtra, nephew Ajit has no such pre-occupations. Praful Patel will sync in as Union Minister with industry related portfolio, not Sunetra Pawar, while Union government portfolios are up for grabs by newbie incumbent MPs into BJP that seeks to up its own tally. With the senior Pawar set to be 90 before next Maha elections are due, vacant Union portfolios are proving difficult to ignore for his own flock and several more.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (3.0) faces a problem of plenty, and may likely go the whole hog constituting a full strength cabinet of ministers touching the 43-member mark. Clamouring ensued within BJP itself, with ministerial aspirants seeking plum portfolios even as earlier phased plan ‘A’ of limited 30 to 32 strong cabinet ministers may now be enlarged under intense lobbying from alliance partners. Fadnavis retains the contentious home department, Shinde’s claim remains on urban development while Pawar’s sway over finance likely continues, even including the irrigation portfolio. BJP MLAs tussle for the revenue portfolio even as Ashish Shelar and NCP’s Aditi Tatkare flash credentials seeking the Housing department. Education will see new learning programs even as revenue assumes huge significance to launch BJP high command’s programs alongside emphasis on the Dharavi recast. Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who raised illegal migrants’ issue on collector’s land in suburban Mumbai’s Malwani and Yogesh Sagar, briefly MoS of UDD department in 2019, are contenders in fray for Revenue portfolio taking BJP’s plan to ferret out Rohingyas and Bangladeshis ahead. Pilot project was launched in J&K where the LG cut off power and water to illegal migrants’ conclave only to be nixed by the Omar Abdullah government recently. BJP’s plan ‘B’ of 20 ministries with itself, around 12 for Shiv Sena, 8 to 10 for NCP tallies with Union Home Minister Amit Shah fresh target set for Shinde and Pawar of inducing remaining MPs, MLAs from Uddhav’s Sena and Sharad Pawar’s motley crew to elect themselves into the NDA fold.

The auspicious day December 5, 2024, was scheduled by BJP for the swearing in function of Maharashtra’s next chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, without awaiting erstwhile Shiv Sena CM Eknath Shinde’s decision to enjoin with the government. Meanwhile, consternation is brewing in New Delhi over Shinde’s recalcitrance to formally announce his party’s stand like Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Ajit Pawar has done. Friday (Nov 29) night’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah was marked by Shinde making a solo appearance even as Pawar was flanked by Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and three four other party colleagues. Shinde’s apparent reluctance to enjoin formally has not gone down well with the BJP leadership despite his family doctor announcing that Shinde was under the weather set to improve over two days of medical treatment. The first discord before the new government is formed relates to Shinde’s insistence upon being accorded the same status as erstwhile DCM Fadnavis who enjoyed full control over the Home department. This fell foul of the BJP template of always holding crucial portfolios to include Home, Rural Development, Revenue and even Finance as a thumb rule. This equation was altered only to accommodate Ajit Pawar who was handed over the Finance department. Highly placed sources indicate that Shinde may be contemplating offering outside support to the BJP led government. 

With the Maharashtra chief ministership media narrative turning into a non-issue the focus of political attention in the state laser focuses on the fresh new faces to be inducted into CM-in-waiting Devendra Fadnavis’ cabinet of ministers. “One thing is sure there will be the induction of fresh new faces from the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions where the BJP enjoys brilliant showing of MLAs. The emphasis on forthcoming BMC elections likely in January will witness winning MLAs of Mahayuti from Mumbai, Thane cities figuring in the state council of ministers,” says a senior BJP leader. He insists that further micromanagement will be evident as Mumbai’s MLAs given cabinet rank will include a good mix of Marathi, Gujarati and north Indian winners. The BJP today boasts of seven Jain MLAs today representative of real minorities in India to also include Christians and Sikhs despite which these communities are largely bereft of fruits of conventional reservations in the political sector, job sector that aimed at social empowerment as was enshrined in the Indian constitution. Erstwhile BJP ministers Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Sudhir Mungantiwar among BJP stalwarts currently seized of political palpitations over being possibly overlooked in the new state cabinet. Will Girish Mahajan, who delivered on his promise to politically checkmate Fadnavis’ BJP bete noir Eknath Khadse and got into former CM Eknath Shinde’s cabinet by the skin of his teeth the last time, be able to repeat his magic once again? Other veteran political stalwarts from Shiv Sena and NCP can only hope BJP’s political template change does not manifest with either Eknath Shinde or Ajit Pawar’s scheme of politics in Maharashtra.

The “Mahayuti” NDA government being installed in Maharashtra will register PM Narendra Modi’s emphasis upon fresh faces with mission Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in January also prioritized. Devendra Fadnavis handled seat sharing talks independently of BJP high command for general elections to 48 Maharashtra parliamentary seats and then 288 assembly constituencies, facing no competition for CM post though no Monday morning swearing in is scheduled either while partymen were advised to maintain radio silence on the subject. Erstwhile Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s men gloss over popular Ladki Bahin Scheme reiterating his repeat candidature even as NCP chief Ajit Pawar rues his vociferous opposition to batenge toh katenge theme launched by BJP to counter ‘Vote Jihad’. Even after a record Maharashtra victory BJP cites 34 MVA MLAs elected through ‘Vote Jihad’ to include Mankhurd, Byculla, Mumbadevi, Dharavi, Versova, Bandra (east), Kurla, Anushakti Nagar, Malad (west), Chandivalli, Sion Koliwada, Kalina, Mahim, Malwani, Malegaon assembly segments. Matoshree now worries over the UBT motley crew of MPs taking flight. PM Modi on Saturday ticked his ‘To Do’ box created in 2019 for decimating the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar led political formations from Maharashtra after Matoshree’s alliance jilt and Pawar’s retirement jibe. The Thackeray legacy lies politically squandered over secular ties and now, even cousin Raj’s MNS political future stands jeopardized though MLA aspirant son Amit will likely find MLC accommodation. BJP’s Pankaja Munde, Ashok Chavan may rue their opposition to party tagline. Eventually Modi’s nuanced poll theme Ek Rahenge To Safe Rahenge inspired by old English adage, “United we stand, divided we fall” won Maharashtra’s political bout. So, what was the brouhaha all about?

The ‘Satta Bazaar’ is betting down (dampened market sentiments) over Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) forming Maharashtra’s next government. A market player says, “Punters have never been wrong before. Dampened stock market spirits indicate the Mahayuti Alliance is unlikely to win notwithstanding sops galore unleashed by CM Eknath Shinde.” Differing with market pundits, BJP says, “Markets crashed after Foreign Portfolio Investors withdrew Rs 1.25 lakh crore in October (out of total Rs 71 lakh crore total stock investments in India) seeking better pastures after China announced stimulus. FPIs sold Rs 8700 crore stocks in April, Rs 25,600 crore in May then bought Rs 26,600 crore worth in June, Rs 32, 400 crore in July, Rs 7300 crore in August and Rs 57,700 crore in September before the big sell off in October. Already overleveraged NSE slumped, the subdued corporate sector quarterly results after much hype triggered a profit-booking mindset among investors.” Donald Trump’s ascendancy as the next U.S. president (previous tenure witnessed negative bias towards precious metals) bodes badly setting price corrections of gold and silver even as the U.S. dollar firms up, adding to Indian stock market woes. The BJP leader adds, “Maharashtra contributes around 14% to India’s GDP but even when MVA ruled for 2.5 years Modi-nomics ensured high buoyancy on Indian bourses despite stalling of bullet train project, Rs 14,000 crore cost escalation of Metro project.” The market punter, however, cites India’s financial capital Mumbai in Maharashtra that ensures most Indian business gravitates around the state while explaining the gloomy market mood over MVA’s likely win. November 23 will reveal the truth when the political bets are finally called out.

The third term consecutive BJP government in Haryana proactively introduced seven laws before the state legislature’s winter session, even as Congress’ failed CM aspirant Bhupinder Singh Hooda declined handing over the leader of opposition (LoP) post to another party colleague. Before the session began intensive in-fighting broke out for the LoP post with Hooda deferring the appointment though Congress has legitimate claim with 37 MLAs to hold the post. Holding Haryana’s state legislature to ransom Hooda said the LoP would be decided only after the results of the Maharashtra state assemblies are declared on November 23. His stand of “If it ain’t me, it won’t be anyone else,” has already set the ball rolling with a majority Congress MLAs seeking fresh political pastures with strong indications of en masse defections to the BJP, says senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain. “Not only in Haryana, but also in Maharashtra, mass defections are likely from the Congress party and the Sharad Pawar/Uddhav Thackeray led political formations respectively post November 23, 2024. There will be a big political Khela in the two states,” Jain predicts. Ironically, after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress party was unable to secure the LoP status for Rahul Gandhi in India’s parliament have elected only 44 MPs back then while Hooda’s obstinacy does not allow the party to legitimately designate Harayana’s LoP despite commanding required numbers for the same. The BJP is exploiting the situation to engineer a Congress breakup in Haryana while ensuring the same in Maharashtra at the expense of the UBT and Sharad Pawar’s NCP in a repeat performance.

Maharashtra has locked-in six political parties fighting the mother of all poll battles. Upbeat NDA (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP) — despite initial assessments indicating alliance bagging below 130 seats — hopes orchestrated triangular fights will register 140 wins. BJP wants 105 like 2019, and expects a two-digit final outcome like Gujarat (99 MLAs won). Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP’s CM face, discerned his party’s 148 candidates as also for Shiv Sena/NCP led by CM Eknath Shinde/Ajit Pawar respectively, even supplanted BJP candidates on alliance party tickets (Shiv Sena:9, NCP:5). Congress leads MVA bloc fighting over 100 seats, UBT Sena fights 90 plus (below 126 in 2019). Sharad Pawar’s NCP shortlisted 35 candidates, then handled a problem of plenty after 85 bounty, finding 50 more candidates post haste. Uddhav Thackeray discerned winning candidates to rectify Lok Sabha debacle (nine MPs from 21 contested seats). Independents, (over 25) from MVA ranks while BJP mostly quelled rebellion, expected to play king makers in Maharashtra government formation post November 23. BJP’s Borivali MLA Sunil Rane rues double bad luck being dumped in favour of Sandeep Upadhyay even as CM Shinde fielded reluctant MP Milind Deora from Worli constituency. Samajwadi Party’s Mankhurd MLA Abu Azmi worries over minority reports swaying towards NCP’s Nawab Malik while BJP’s ‘Bullet’ Patil hopes to gain from “Chanakya Niti” by Fadnavis. Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik’s son Sandeep quit BJP after senior leader Manda Mhatre got the party ticket making independents unofficial third front in polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s secret political agenda, at work since assuming national power in 2014: Empowerment of one lakh non-political dynasts across political spectrum of India from local self-bodies right up to the topmost constitutional post of President of India. Common man and Dalit Ramnath Kovind became India’s president followed by tribal BJP grassroots worker Draupadi Murmu in the last presidential elections. Latest entrant to big ticket politics is Navya Haridas, international software professional from Kerala, blooded for the Kozhikode civic elections in 2015, now fielded for prestigious Lok Sabha byelections from Wayanad relinquished by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. According to a BJP insider, “PM Modi consciously and overtly launched a broadside against the all prevalent dynastic politics on the Indian political landscape first. He covertly also launched his personal mission for introducing meritorious people into active politics having little or no prior political backgrounds to empower one lakh such candidates across the nation. Navya Haridas is only the latest candidate introduced into national politics to fulfil this endeavour.” Haridas has already served as a two-term civic councillor from Kozhikode and was pressed into service by PM Modi for relief efforts when floods and landslides visited the Wayanad region in Kerala recently. A humble RSS worker’s daughter, relative newcomer to politics, Navya is tasked with taking on Priyanka Gandhi, a political heavyweight ironically being tested for the first time in national politics herself. The result may be a foregone conclusion to many but, for Navya her national political journey has just begun.

Maharashtra’s state assembly elections will witness, for the first time, a third front of politicians predominantly comprising rebels and independent candidates in the fray after failing to secure official nominations from their respective parties. This third front of rebels will effectively ensure a triangular fight in around 25 assembly segments for Mahayuti and a higher number for Maha Vikas Aghadi and likely to impact government formation, post polls. The BJP indirectly settled the issue of its Chief Ministerial candidate taking over helm of Maharashtra’s political affairs post state assemblies by effectively fielding candidates in close to 170 constituencies. While 148 official BJP contestants sport the lotus, nine party MLA aspirants wield the bow-and-arrow (Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena) while another five sync time with the clock symbol (Ajit Pawar’s NCP). Another four smaller allies include RPI that fielded a BJP leader as its only candidate in Maharashtra. Ajit Pawar’s national spokesperson Brijmohan Srivastav rationalizes, says, “If 25 constituencies out of 288 witness rebel candidates, it is not a dire situation. Most will likely withdraw from the fray by November 4. Internal shopping of candidates within Mahayuti is based on winnability, exposing our sharp political coordination.” BJP’s Mahendra Jain says, “Our party always benefitted by triangular fighting in Maharashtra, securing 122 MLAs in 2014 and 105 MLAs in 2019. The large number of rebels, independent candidates has effectively created a similar circumstance for ensuing state assemblies even as 80% of our own rebels will be satiated enough to withdraw.”

The Congress has bitten the bullet in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh by conceding parity to regional partners: UBT Sena, NCP (SP). In UP, Congress similarly left the field open for Samajwadi Party for 9 state assembly by-polls after refusing to play ball in Haryana with SP and AAP failing to come to power. High stakes play for Maharashtra state assemblies sees a wiser Congress high command establishing a direct link up with UBT Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray, who refused to continue seat sharing talks unless MPCC Chief Nana Patole was excluded. Sharad Pawar’s earlier political gambit, in tandem with Thackeray, has paid off big time for the Maratha leader. Pawar will now field 85 candidates just like UBT and the Congress, keeping hopes alive for assuming the helm of Maharashtra affairs as CM himself or, deputing party president Jayant Patil if SP NCP secures most seats among MVA partners while cumulatively crossing the 145 assembly seats mark for government formation. The Congress party has factored in the realization of regional alliance partners including DMK in TN, that Congress’ growth adversely impacted their own regional growth. A pragmatic Congress high command focussed attention on government formation in Maharashtra rather than sitting pretty over high Lok Sabha strike rate (17 MPs) in just concluded general elections. Congress’ Maharashtra observer Ramesh Chennitala forged an understanding with Thackeray ensuring seat sharing discussions excluded Patole, who was only authorized to announce the resultant formula ratio of 1:1:1 (85 seats each). For the remaining 33 seats the field is still open.

National media attention over the Haryana/J&K state assembly elections blindsided the rest of India from political goings on in neighbourhood Punjab. Fully fit CM Bhagwant Mann quietly reshuffled his cabinet of ministers stamping his authority in Punjab notwithstanding changing intra-party dynamics. Chetan Singh Jauramajra with nine portfolios to include Defense Services Welfare, Freedom Fighters, Horticulture, mining and geology, water resources, conservation of soil and water got the pink slip. AAP’s Jalandhar MLA Mohinder Singh Bhagat (who had left AAP for BJP pastures) secured ministership and first three of these portfolios. Another newly inducted Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal got the remaining departments and a place in Punjab’s council of ministers.  Another big loser in the political stakes was Anmol Gagan Maan who held Hospitality, Investment Promotion, Labour, Tourism & Cultural Affairs till CM Mann replaced him with another biggie, Tarunpreet Singh Sond allocating to him Gagan Maan’s portfolios and department of industries and commerce as well. In addition to these Sond also takes charge of rural development and panchayat departments that another downsized minister Lalit Singh Bhullar held till September 23. Local Government and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Balkar Singh lost his portfolios but not cabinet rank and will administer the Jails department of Punjab. Ravjot Singh became minister and took over his erstwhile portfolios. Hardeep Singh Mundian is another big new ministerial find for CM Mann and takes charge of housing and urban development (CM held portfolios) along with revenue, rehabilitation and Disaster Management (held by Brahm Shankar Jimpa, who also got the axe. Harjot Singh Bains also found induction as the new Information and Public Relations minister in last month’s reshuffle. Was CM Mann pre-empting a coup? Only time will tell.

PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah launched their national political plan while proactively handling Haryana’s assembly poll affair to elect 90 MLAs. Focussed on the anti-incumbency factor and unsure BJP’s sitting CM Manoharlal Khattar resigned in March 2024, donated worldly possessions worth Rs 1 crore to PM Relief Fund and was replaced by party’s Haryana OBC face Nayab Singh Saini. ‘Jat’ political predominance was sidestepped with emphasis on Dalit, backward communities instead, never before seen in Haryana. Saini’s eight-month tenure as CM backed several pro backward community measures culminating with his decision to encompass all crops grown in Haryana under the state sponsored MSP regime. The BJP distracted from its held election SOP and announced Saini as its CM face. Senior BJP leader Anand Vij, holding high respectability for probity in public service announced mid-poll campaign he would take leadership as Haryana CM, post elections causing Saini’s swearing in ceremony as CM postponed from October 13, 2024 to October 15 and then finally, held on October 17. BJP’s southern Haryana royalty factor: Rao Birendra Singh also needed assuaging, then said he follows party line after meeting Shah. Amit Shah, appointed by PM Modi, then busy with international challenges, ensured smooth government formation. An insider says, “Saini’s importance envisaged by PM Modi (Shah) factored the impact his community holds in Haryana and also Punjab, Delhi and Rajasthan. Shah smoothened ruffled feathers, accommodating Vij’s political growth just like another day in office. The opposition said rebel infighting within BJP delayed swearing-in but only Congress suffered, then lost elections due to infighting.” 

Surprising India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Pakistan and yet, it was purpose driven, centric to the ‘Akhand Bharat’ philosophy. Without official government assertion on this so far, the MEA Chief exploited his first speech from Pakistan highlighting advancements India registered over the last decade while Pakistan resorted to begging bowl diplomacy seeking foreign funds. India’s MEA S Jaishankar emphasized the stark difference between Bharat and Pakistan, deployed honest yet offensive diplomacy citing India’s undisputed status as defence hub of South East Asia. Contrasted with radical Islamic, state sponsored terrorist pre-dispositioned of the Pakistani military establishment, Jaishankar’s message resonated with Pakistani citizens. Jaishankar simply elucidated that China was not Pakistan’s ally but had taken over leadership position akin to an exploitative employer. The MEA boss’ emphasis on PM Modi’s 2014 ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy reference informed Pakistanis about strong bonds established between India and Afghanistan, an Islamic state, that today calls India its true friend irrespective of the $ 3 billion Indian infrastructure building there. Says a BJP leader, “The Maldivian government has come to its knees, Sri Lanka’s newly elected leftist President seeks closer ties and now, the desperate Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was soundly exposed over his false deep state narrative rant against India sans proof. Trudeau will likely face full force of negative voter sentiments by the majority of Sikh, Punjabi, Gujarati PIO citizens during his bid to hold power in Canada since Modi plays social influencer like never before witnessed global paradigm.

The BJP has finalized its polls strategy for the Maharashtra state assemblies for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and UP CM Yogi Adityanath will be the star campaigners. The troika will address 18, 26 and 26 public rallies respectively across Maharashtra in a blitzkrieg of public rallies. This carpet-bombing political strategy seeks to exploit the party’s recent success in the Haryana assembly elections where the BJP returned to power for a record third time and improved performance in the Jammu region of J&K where this troika delivered the goods so-to-speak in good measure. International political developments particularly, in neighbouring Bangladesh played a crucial role in consolidating the Indian voter base of the BJP. Additionally, the RSS had organized 16,000 public meetings in Haryana over the last four months encompassing 6,000 villages in the state through a targeted door-to-door campaign by deploying its Karyakartas in the run up to the state assembly elections with a message of Hindu unity that worked like a charm for the BJP. The RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat publicly announced that his cadre of Pracharaks has laser focussed its attention to the forthcoming state assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand just like it did for Haryana and the general elections of India prior to that through a micro-outreach program. “Our culture, country and (Hindu) religion must not only survive but thrive,” Bhagwat has stated in obvious reference to consistent international (deep state) efforts to undermine India’s growing economy and its cultural identity that has been re-established over the last decade.

The Maharashtra government’s appointment of 283 Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) doctors as Medical Officers has been set aside by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) for not factoring in their Covid-19 public service to society – they were supposed to get additional marks. MAT ordered the state on October 10 to refrain from assigning postings to 283 shortlisted BAMS MOs. The CM Eknath Shinde government was keen to project a pro-jobs initiative on the eve of state assembly elections (to be) scheduled in November 2024. However, the MAT stayed these postings over the lack of due procedure followed while selecting the best candidates for the MO posts. Advocate Gaurav Deshpande, who secured the stay for 24 candidates out of 22,000 odd who applied says, “The written examinations conducted in two sessions last month by IPBS (Indian Banking and Public Services) did not factor in the aspect of normalization of the marking system.” As per the JD for the posts the good doctors would be eligible for enhancement in final scores (out of 200 marks) for every year of public service experience they possessed (to a maximum of five marks). The erstwhile MVA government has emphasized upon the doctors who volunteered for Covid-19 duties at the height of the pandemic terming them as medical ‘Yodhyas’ (warriors). Only, on October 5, 2024, the results of the written examinations were officially announced when these medical warriors were left out without gaining due weightage of enhanced marks that they truly deserved. Just before the 2024 Lok Sabha also 14,000 (legal) notaries were appointed in a similar ad-hoc manner for votes that faced no legal challenge though.

Maharashtra politics is on the boil over alliance angst breaking out openly for more seats for forthcoming state assembly polls with Sharad Pawar and UBT Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray ganging up against the recently Haryana humbled Congress party, even as NCP’s Ajit Pawar seeks 60 seats for his clock symbol. State cabinet meeting on October 10 witnessed deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar walking out within 10 minutes following with slew of decisions pertaining to his finance department discussed and cleared over next couple of hours. The BJP seeks to satiate Pawar between 40 and 50 assemblies with Shiv Sena CM Eknath Shinde eyeing 80 seats after his 40% strike rate in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll. Sharad Pawar is hand holding with Uddhav Thackeray and key Congressmen to renew his bid for one last political stint at helm of political affairs in Maharashtra. Thackeray also upped the ante citing Congress’ inability to win Haryana assemblies after shrugging off alliance Dharma to its own detriment. Following the 2019 state assemblies Pawar literally leveraged the majority of 44 Maharashtra Congress MLAs forcing Congress high command into MVA alliance, and power. Congress strategist, late Ahmed Patel, was forced to take backdoor exit from the party’s Dadar office after facing belligerent party MLAs who disagreed upon eschewing power in Maharashtra. Will the Congress retain its leader status in Maharashtra, hold sway over 125 seats for forthcoming assemblies? Come Dussehra, we should know?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to Maharashtra, cemented seat sharing talks within the Mahayuti and announced BJP’s CM face. During introductory remarks at a closed-door intra-party BJP meeting Shah recognized Devendra Fadnavis as “Humare Party Ke (Maharashtra) Sarvosarvah” while introducing other state level party leaders by respective designations. Shah’s predominance over 50% of organizational work, the domain of National BJP president JP Nadda, sets to rest speculation over Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s candidature as next BJP president. Chauhan’s exemplary work in agriculture and current emphasis on Maharashtra saw the former Madhya Pradesh CM, son-in-law of Gondia in Maharashtra cosying up to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Shah finalized seat sharing numbers for assemblies; BJP will contest between 150-160 seats, Shiv Sena 70-80 and NCP 40-50. Second round discussions will focus on sitting MLAs within the alliance after which, second placed Lok Sabha losers from NDA will also be factored in. Shah also injected confidence in the party cadre asking, “Why are you depressed? We returned to power for a record three times not-just-withstanding INDIA Bloc but also forces from abroad who proactively used AI and funding to defeat PM Modi.” The BJP’s political strategist emphasised the need to grow the NDA vote share by a couple of percentage points in the forthcoming assembly elections bearing in mind the marginal percentage point reduction during Maha Lok Sabha polls in 48 constituencies. Shah’s gameplan also seeks MVA alliance’s vote share effectively curbed may see disgruntled MVA aspirants independently playing spoilsport come elections. Now if only, Nitin Gadkari would also toe the party line?

The secrecy cloud over National Security Advisor Ajit Doval missing out the USA meeting between Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dissipated. Neither Doval’s preoccupation with J&K assemblies nor his apprehensions over Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s criminal lawsuit saw him missing in action. During his American absence India’s intelligence intellectual Doval devoted full-time efforts cementing the Indo-France defence deal for fabrication of nuclear attack submarines, transfer of technology for 110 kilo-Newton thrust aircraft engines and fully weaponized underwater drones. All in a few days work, accomplished by singular minded efforts by India’s top spymaster. Apart from consistent interference in Indian political affairs by U.S. administration both tacitly (George Soros’ broadside on the Adani group) and not-so-tacitly (Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s lawsuit), Indian talks also faltered with Americans over 16 General Electric F404 engines (promised by March 2024) being deliberately stymied for near two years by the latter notwithstanding stated objectives of INDUS-X (India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem). While Biden sought brownie points during his Modi meet-up, Doval set upon an accelerated emphasis on the Indo-French technology connection that now only awaits the official declaration, come September 30. Busy-as-a-bee Doval has not only tied up India’s defence deals for fifth generation fighter jets, nuclear attack subs and all-purpose drones but also, established a Russian channel to dissipate Indo-China tensions leading to new world order axis of nations including India, Russia, China, France, Australia and more set for an economic-defence common cause states enlarged grouping of the Global South.

The shoe is on the other foot now, for the U.S. administration under President Joe Biden that brazenly interfered before, during and continues even after general elections held in India in April returned the BJP-led NDA to power. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, observing a less than a tit-for-tat policy, is emerging as the big social influencer for the forthcoming Presidential polls in the USA. While stopping short of responding in equal measure over U.S. meddling, Modi has leveraged his popularity among the Indian diaspora in the USA pitching for Donald Trump’s second innings at the helm of American political affairs. India’s exasperation with U.S. meddling and constant interference during the Lok Sabha polls was further aggravated even thereafter, when more coordinated efforts were launched from U.S. shores targeting Indian industry, political outreaches to regionally disruptive players from India. The proverbial last straw on the camel’s back came when Khalistan proponent Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, backed by U.S. administration, launched a criminal suit broadside against India and even warned against Indian flyers using the national air carrier, followed up by Leader of the Indian Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi loud speaking about Sikhs in India being unable to visit gurdwaras or even sport religious accessories like the Kada during his recent U.S. visit. The CIA toolkit of interference in Indian political affairs now faces Modi’s comeback albeit, only as a positive influence for the candidature of Trump as the next U.S. President. NSA Ajit Doval also gave the PM’s Biden meeting a miss right after his Russia and Ukraine engagements adding further grist to the ill.