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The Indian corporate world and the IPL team owners’ “big time” interest in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s nascent franchise league “The Hundred” has made a big splash. Initially the pessimists felt that the “The Hundred”, meaning a 100-ball competition for eight clubs would not be able to make an impact akin to the one made by the IPL which kicked off in 2008. After 17 years the IPL brand value is around $ 12 billion. The fact that three IPL team owners — Ambanis of Mumbai Indians (MI), Sanjeev Goenka of Lucknow SuperGiants (LSG) and the Marans of the Sunrisers Hyderabad have bought partial or full stake in the three clubs shows their respect for the game in the UK. Now the MI has 49% stake (60 million pounds) in the Oval Invincibles, the LSG has a 70% stake (81 million pounds) in the Manchester Originals and the Sunrisers have a 100% stake (100 million pounds) in Yorkshire’s Northern Superchargers. The Indian techie consortium of Adobe, Google and Microsoft has a 49% stake (145 million pounds) in the London Spirit team. And, finally the Washington DC based Sanjay Govil has a 49% stake (40 million pounds) in the Welsh Fire team. The ECB, which has sold its 49% stake in each of the eight teams, wants to deploy the money to assist struggling counties and grassroots development. Most of the IPL owners have cast their net wide owning teams in Twenty20 leagues in the Caribbean, South Africa, Middle East and the Major League Cricket in the USA. Their overwhelming interest in “The Hundred” is likely to make it the biggest one in the near future.
There has always been a great race among the Indian States to attract investors – global and local. So, it was not surprising to see West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee going all out to woo investors for the Bengal Global Business Summit held on February 5-6. Full page ads were splashed across all mainline and financial dailies for several days. With who’s who of the corporate world gracing the occasion, the Bengal government said it has signed investment proposals worth Rs 440,595 crore. Marketing maven Suhel Seth, tweeted, “you may disagree with her politics but no Chief Minister has tried so hard to garner investments into West Bengal as she has.” But BJP’s IT Head Amit Malviya was not so charitable. He wrote on X, Mamata Banerjee and her advisor, Dr. Amit Mitra, have once again launched their elaborate sham—the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS). This grand spectacle, filled with lofty claims and fraudulent promises, is designed to deceive Bengal’s population into believing in an illusion of economic revival. It is a mirage of prosperity, fuelled by exaggerated yet hollow proclamations of astronomical investments.” He asked: Why, despite promises of Rs 3.42 lakh crore in 2022 and Rs 3.76 lakh crore in 2023, have 98.82% and 97.21% of these investments, respectively, failed to materialize? Why is there a glaring absence of verifiable official data to substantiate the claims of a 50.27% implementation rate of investment proposals and the creation of 28 lakh jobs between 2015 and 2019? Why has Bengal received only 0.7% of the total FDI inflows—amounting to just ₹12,827 crore between October 2019 and June 2024…while Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka command 16%, 31%, and 21% of FDIs, respectively?
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s spree of making audacious allegations one after another is reaching new heights now, with his latest shocking claim. According to Raut, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is not shifting to the CM’s official residence ‘Varsha’ since during previous CM Eknath Shinde’s tenure, a he-buffalo’s horns had been interred in the premises of the bungalow. The horns were that of an animal sacrificed at Guwahati’s famous Kamakhya temple, Raut had said, adding that the ritual was performed to ensure that no Shinde successor should continue in CM office for long. Fadnavis has ridiculed the slur. He has clarified that he would continue at ‘Sagar’ bungalow as his only daughter’s 10th standard examination is due soon and that she has requested him to stay there till it is over. The family will shift afterwards, he has clarified. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has lambasted Raut for the insinuation, telling him that it was none of the MP’s business to ask such a question. Raut had also asserted that Fadnavis was not shifting to Varsha for fear of such a black magic. Raut’s reference to Kamakhya temple relates to the Shiv Sena’s split and a majority of Sena MLAs aligning with Shinde at Guwahati, where they went for a pooja at the temple. Raut is in the news for making a claim in the Rajya Sabha about the number of casualties at the ongoing Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj.
The re-release of Sanam Teri Kasam, a 2016 romantic drama starring debutants Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane,has been surrounded by an intriguing wave of drama and fanfare. Recently, a passionate group of fans gathered outside the office of producer Deepak Mukut, accompanied by actor Harshvardhan Rane, fervently urging him to re-release the film. In a surprising turn of events, Mukut not only confirmed the film’s re-release but also announced a sequel, generating significant buzz in the industry. Initially launched to lacklustre box office performance, Sanam Teri Kasam was deemed a disaster upon its first release. However, the film’s soundtrack, featuring hit songs, kept it alive in conversations, gradually transforming it into a cult favorite. Now, with its re-release across 400 to 500 screens, Sanam Teri Kasam finds itself in direct competition with two fresh titles: Loveyappa, starring Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor, and Himesh Reshammiya’s Badass Ravi Kumar. Interestingly, while both new films struggled to make a significant impact at the box office, Sanam Teri Kasam has shown promising advance bookings, leading many exhibitors to consider increasing its showtimes over the weekend. This resurgence is particularly noteworthy for a film that was initially dismissed, highlighting a curious trend in the industry where previously overlooked content receives a second chance. Adding to the irony, the film’s popular music was composed by Himesh Reshammiya, who is simultaneously competing with his own project, underscoring the unpredictable nature of audience preferences and the evolving landscape of Bollywood.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is set for an unprecedented 11-day visit to West Bengal from February 6 to 17, marking the longest stay of an RSS Sarsanghchalak in the state’s history. He will attend multiple programmes in Kolkata and Bardhaman, with two days reserved for the RSS’s top committee, the Akhil Bharatiya Toli’s meeting in Kolkata. Bhagwat’s extended stay comes amid reports of alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh, fuelling speculation about its timing. Some analysts believe his prolonged presence is linked to these developments. However, RSS spokespersons deny any connection, emphasizing that the Sarsanghchalak’s schedule is set annually and isn’t influenced by external events. They clarified that Bengal is divided into three organizational regions — North, Central, and South — and Bhagwat will focus on South and Central Bengal, not staying in one place continuously. RSS functionaries downplayed the significance of the high-level meeting in Kolkata, calling it a logistical decision aligned with Bhagwat’s tour. Political observers however remain sceptical, noting a three-day gap between his engagements in South Bengal (ending February 10) and Central Bengal (starting February 14). He could have attended the meeting at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur or Delhi before returning but instead chose to stay in Bengal. Sources close to the RSS suggest that developments in Bangladesh have significantly impacted public sentiment in Bengal. They believe Bhagwat’s extended stay will help shape strategic responses while strengthening the RSS’s influence in the state. The organization is expected to leverage prevailing sentiments to expand its outreach.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s repeated clarifications that he is not unhappy in the cabinet headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis have failed to stop the surge of speculations about his next move. The reason for such discussions is Shinde’s frequent absence from important state meetings. As a result, Shinde continues to generate suspense for the ruling coalition. The discussions revived after Shinde skipped a “war room” meeting held by Fadnavis to discuss some important schemes and projects. These included the departments like health, housing and water supply and sanitation under Sena ministers. Though Shinde failed to turn up, another deputy CM Ajit Pawar was present for the marathon meeting. Shinde had also cancelled some other official engagements and a cabinet meeting last week. Fadnavis has time and again tried to explain that there was no complication for his dispensation and that Shinde was working wholeheartedly with him. Shinde also has reiterated that he is not unhappy. “When I was the chief minister, Fadnavis worked under me. Now that he is the CM, I am working under him. For both of us, the interests of Maharashtra are paramount,” Shinde told the media. Despite this, certain signals from the BJP side are interpreted to be making Shinde uncomfortable. His supporters recall how he consented to join the Fadnavis cabinet at the eleventh hour, keeping the Mahayuti on tenterhooks. BJP strategists feel that Shinde will yield at a proper time.
Ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump next week, both the Houses of Parliament erupted in protest over the manner in which 104 illegal Indian immigrants from the U.S. landed in Amritsar in a U.S. military aircraft– shackled and restrained. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar sought to downplay the issue and said that such expulsions were routine. “It has been there for years. Hundreds of Indians have been deported annually, with figures ranging from 530 in 2012 to over 2,042 in 2019,” Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha. He pointed out that handcuffs were used on deportees since 2012. Asserting that it was “the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad”, he said efforts were being made to talk to deportees to track agents who sent them. The Opposition felt the government must stand up to the Trump Administration just as Columbia had done. “Why can we not fly back our citizens just as Columbia had done?” asked CPI(M) MP John Brittas. Colombia balked at the U.S. military flights and sent its own Air Force jet to pick up 110 deported Colombians. U.S. deportation flights are not new but the use of military flights is new, with the agency previously using commercial and chartered flights to deport people. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said while the U.S. may have a legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country, “but the manner in which it was done, in handcuffs, squeezed into a military aircraft, in such an abrupt manner, is not acceptable.” He pointed out how under the Biden administration last year, 1100 Indians were deported but there was no such humiliation.
In his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi was at his aggressive best as he savaged LoP Rahul Gandhi. From mocking the Congress leader and two members of his family for becoming MPs — mother Sonia and sister Priyanka — at the same time to turning “certain spaces into personal museums”. He was referring to the manner in which the Gandhi family maintains control over Indira Gandhi Memorial and had refused to share documents pertaining to the Rajiv Gandhi era with the Prime Ministers’ Museum. The PM said we have established the Prime Ministers’ Museum, where the legacy of every Prime Minister—from the first to my predecessors—has been honoured. “I urge their family members to visit it.” Taking a swipe at the three Gandhis who are all MPs, Modi said, “I pose an important question to the citizens through this House — have there even been three MPs simultaneously from the same family of SC community? I also ask, tell me if there ever were three MPs simultaneously from the same family belonging to the ST community…” There is a vast difference between their words and actions. However, the harshest jab was when Modi felt leaders have compulsions to raise questions on foreign policy to be taken seriously — he was referring to questions raised by both Rahul and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on tensions with China. He asked them to read Bruce Riedel’s book JFK’s Forgotten Crisis— as it details discussions between India’s Nehru and the U.S. President John F Kennedy, revealing how foreign policy was handled during challenging times and the games played in its name. Congress leaders are apparently not amused by this suggestion.
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.
Ever since mid-January when Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was accompanied by his son Nishant Kumar at a political function in Bakhtiyarpur, there has been a buzz that the JD(U)leader’s son would be taking a political plunge. The event was to pay tributes to freedom fighters, including Nitish’s father Ram Lakhan Singh, who too had participated in the freedom movement. Soon after the function, 50-year old Nishant, the only child of Nitish and his late wife Manju Sinha, told the local gathering that his father had put Bihar on the fast track of development and appealed to them to make him CM again. Nishant’s appeal came in the midst of reports that he was keeping indifferent health and had reduced public interaction. An engineer by training, Nishant had so far kept away from public glare. Raised by his mother, he is known to have spent time away from his father and dabbled in spiritualism. He came to live with his father only after his mother passed away in 2007. Those who have known the JD (U) supremo personally as well as politically feel with an indifferent health Nitish may no longer be in a position to even oppose entry of his son into politics much as he has always opposed dynastic politics. A section of JD(U) dominated by Kurmis is reportedly rooting for Nishant’s entry to perpetuate Nitish Kumar’s legacy; this section doesn’t care if it fits with Nitish Kumar’s vision of politics. It is being argued that JD(U) can’t survive without Nitish’s legacy. As for those competing against the towering stature of Nitish Kumar in Bihar — both the BJP and RJD — are also keen that a bumbling newbie and dynast Nishant does take the plunge and salvage JD(U). Ahead of assembly polls, JD(U) is likely to witness a churn.
The BJP has emerged as a big bossy brother in the ticket distribution process in Maharashtra insisting on cornering almost 66 % of the seats in Maharashtra — it wants 32 tickets of the total 48 seats. While Eknath Shinde may get 10 tickets instead of 18 that he had demanded, Ajit Pawar could get only 4 instead of 10 that he has sought. This squeezes out the aspirations of those who came in with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar hoping for better prospects and gives a free hand for criticism from the opposition. Both the rebel wings are not giving it up easily and instead putting up a strong perception fight in the media via statements from leaders like Ramdas Kadam and Chhagan Bhujbal. While Kadam, who is upset about BJP fiddling in his son’s Dapoli constituency, stated that the BJP cannot be growing at the cost of others, Bhujbal insisted that the NCP should get tickets on par with the Shinde’s Sena. Both have been asked by Amit Shah to be practical in their demands and focus instead on candidates having winning potential. A new compromise strategy is being floated to accommodate these aspirants from Shinde and Pawar factions — the BJP wants a few to contest on the lotus symbol. This has sparked sarcastic comments from the Congress leader Nana Patole commenting that BJP is now stealing candidates from other parties since they don’t have their own. This is also believed to be a strategy to weaken the rebel parties and quell any prospect of rebellion, post the elections.
Splinter Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray dared Gadkari to quit BJP and contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls on his own to kick out the arrogance of the central leadership, if his party fails to give him a ticket. Uddhav promised full support from his Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance for his victory. Though the BJP has announced over 195 candidates for states like UP, MP, Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal. The second list wherein states like Maharashtra will figure is yet not out. But, rumour mills are doing overtime that Gadkari could be dropped. This is fuelled further by statements of the likes of Sanjay Raut, who allege that there is a conspiracy to sideline Gadkari to avoid a scenario of him emerging as a consensus PM candidate were the BJP coalition to end up with a lower tally of 220-225 seats. There is strong simmering discontent within the BJP which is abuzz with the talks of majority of the 14 sitting MP’s from Maharashtra of Shiv Sena being dropped to accommodate ‘winnable’ candidates from within BJP or from other coalition partners, to strengthen Modi’s fight for third term. Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis did state that Gakari’s candidature could be announced once a decision on list of Maharashtra’s candidates was completed. Gadkari enjoys strong support across the political spectrum. The simmering discontent within the BJP and the Mahayuti alliance is also evident from the fact that seats sharing in Maharashtra could not be completed despite personal visit and intervention by home minister Amit Shah.
It is only in fitness of things that author Sudha Murty was nominated to the Rajya Sajya on March 8, International Women’s Day by President Droupadi Murmu. With a reputation of having breached many glass ceilings including becoming the first female engineer to be hired at India’s largest auto manufacturer Tata Engineering & Locomotive Company (TELCO), Pune (now Tata Motors) in the early 70s, Sudha’s nomination to Rajya Sabha could not have come on a better day. PM Narendra Modi in a post on X said that “Sudha Ji’s contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring. Her presence in the Rajya Sabha is a powerful testament to our ‘Nari Shakti'”. Her elevation was not entirely unexpected considering only last year she was honoured with a Padma Bhushan. Interestingly, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivkumar came out greeting Sudha’s nomination to RS. Married to Infosys founder NR Naryana Murthy, Sudha is credited with playing her bit role in sustaining the software giant by lending a small sum of money to her husband in the initial years. How she got a job at TELCO makes for interesting reading. The 1950 born Sudha had written a postcard to the company’s Chairman JRD Tata complaining of the “men only” gender bias at TELCO. As a result, she was granted a special interview and hired immediately. In 1996, she started Infosys Foundation and to date has been the Trustee of Infosys Foundation. She has written and published many books which include novels, non-fiction, travelogues, technical books, and memoirs. Her daughter Akshata is married to UK PM Rishi Sunak, while her US-based son Rohan runs Soroco, a technology company.
The Labour Party leadership is leaving no stone unturned to understand the global connections and faith commitments felt by many among the almost 1.8 million people of Indian heritage in Britain. With general elections likely to be held this year, the party is making all attempts to woo the Indian voters back to its folds and build a pro-India narrative fiercely. The Labour party governed the UK from 1964 to 1970, and 1974 to 1979. In the 1990s, Tony Blair took Labour to the centre as part of his New Labour project which governed under Blair and then Gordon Brown from 1997 to 2010. To re-establish its India connection that was lost to Conservatives in recent times a top Labour party delegation from the UK visited India to strengthen community, political and business ties. The delegation included shadow deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Navendu Mishra MP and the Indian-origin Vimal Choksi of Tameside Council. The trio met Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of Women Development Smriti Irani. The visit was organised by the Labour Convention of Indian Organisations. They also met social community, religious and business leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was in Bengal to start his unofficial poll campaign met his political rival – West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee at Raj Bhavan. Since then, state BJP unit has been trying to address queries from party cadres about this bonhomie. Significantly Mamata after the meeting said that both of them discussed several things which are not related to politics. Likewise even Modi said the same thing to the senior state leaders like Sukanta Majumder and Suvendu Adhikari. Furthermore, Modi did not meet any of the party leaders during his stay at Raj Bhavan this time. Incidentally, the theory of “Modi-Didi setting” is doing the rounds not only among the Left parties but even among the grassroots cadres of the BJP. Party insiders said that the state leadership is faced with uncomfortable questions such as why the PM never criticized Didi’s nephew and party’s second-in- command Abhishek Banerjee during these rallies. It may be recalled that during Modi’s earlier rallies ahead of the State Assembly election, he was quite outspoken and had taunted Bua-Bhatija governance style. Political observers say that Modi’s speeches had a conscious effort of not going on a personal attack on Didi, since it went against the BJP during 2021 State Assembly polls. It may be recalled that PM’s “Didi-O-Didi” jibes during his political rallies did not seem to go well with average Bengali voters.
‘Mission One Thousand’ is the brainchild of Maratha reservation demand’s exponent Manoj Jarange Patil, aimed at challenging the Lok Sabha election process by fielding a thousand candidates in some constituencies in Marathwada region of Maharashtra. Mobilization with this object has started, according to reports reaching the state election authorities. If the scheme becomes a reality, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be unable to process the voting, as each machine has a limited capacity to show the number of candidates. In case ballot papers are decided to be used, each will run into a score of pages. Though these are mere possibilities at this stage, the eventuality can’t be overlooked. Sensing this, Dharashiv district collector and election officer Sachin Ombase has written to Maharashtra chief electoral officer S Chokkalingam about the probable challenge. Reports also suggest that some gram panchayats have passed resolutions to field two candidates from each village. Over 2000 candidates are being prepared to file nominations in Beed district. If similar steps are taken by supporters of the Maratha leaders elsewhere, the situation will be difficult to handle, officials fear. Moreover, Rs 30,000 will be reportedly raised for each candidate and messages have been sent to collect the funding from Maratha community members. Such a strategy, if it reaches its logical conclusion, will be the first in India’s electoral history. It will be interesting to watch how the Election Commission faces this imbroglio.
In West Bengal BJP seems to be going all out to capitalise the Sandeshkhali controversy to the hilt. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public rally in Bengal recently, minced no words to target Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over exploitation of women by TMC leaders. He termed Sandeshkhali controversy as ‘jhor’ (storm) that will reach every part of West Bengal, accusing the TMC government of protecting criminals and trusting its own leaders over the testimonies of oppressed women. Later PM Modi met some women from Sandeshkhali. Not one to take it lying down, Didi countered it with a massive march themed, Mahilader Adhikar, Amader Angikar (women’s rights, our commitment) on the eve of International Women’s Day. Mamata charged BJP with turning a blind eye on women atrocities in Manipur and other places. Interestingly, some of the women from Sandeshkhali who were present at Didi’s rally claimed that the villagers had regained their land as a result of “Didi’s” stern and prompt actions. Significantly, in the West Bengal assembly elections of 2021, approximately half of the female voters cast their ballots in favor of the TMC, whereas 37% supported the BJP. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP received 38% of the female vote share, while the TMC garnered 47%. TMC has taken several initiatives like Kanyashri, Rupashree, and Lakshmir Bhandar focussing on women empowerment. Political analysts pointed out that in 2021, the two Ms — Muslims and Mahila helped Trinamool win hands down and keep BJP at bay.
Mithun Kamath, founder of the Bengaluru-based Tantalum Academy and Dr Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor of the Gurugram-based World University of Design have joined hands to provide Soft Skill Curriculum for the students of the World University of Design. Perhaps, a first of its kind initiative in the country, this comprehensive curriculum aims to equip students with a diverse set of skills crucial for success in the professional landscape. Soft skills such as effective communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving will be integrated into the academic framework, ensuring that graduates from the World University of Design are not only technically proficient but also possess the interpersonal and communication skills demanded by today’s employers. Industry experts view this collaboration as a significant step towards holistic education. Nurturing soft skills is integral to preparing students for the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. Tantalum Academy’s expertise in this area is expected to enrich the educational offerings at World University of Design. Both the institutions are confident that this initiative will have a positive impact on the students when they step onto the real world. Tantalum’s Gamified Learning Programs are recognised globally as a Path Breaking Approach to Competency Development. Programmes for the Higher Education Institutes throw light on various skills development, particularly employability and entrepreneurship.
There was a time in the eighties when South Indian stars like Kamal Haasan, Rajnikanth tried their luck in Bollywood – they bought a house in Mumbai and learnt Hindi too. But, sadly they could not survive because of Bollywood politics; they were bullied and finally went back to Chennai. Maybe the producers were not willing to take risks because of their south Indian accent, skin tone and average height. But not anymore. Today, South stars like Ram Charan, NTR Jr, Allu Arjun are bigger than the Khans; their fan base is bigger than all the three khans put together. Most stars from the south are money making machines. Reacting to the way Shah Rukh Khan said “Idli Ram Charan” at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant pre-wedding celebration at Jamnagar, a Bollywood insider said, “Ram Charan does not dance to anybody’s tune and nobody dares address him the way Shah Rukh Khan did…” Ram’s associate Zeba found it insulting and expressed her displeasure by walking out. On the contrary, Ram Charan did not react negatively, he was cool. But the fans of Ram Charan have been trolling King Khan. Today, the tables have turned, south actors are not desperate to shift lock, stock and barrel to Mumbai. They are signing up films on their terms which is breaking records in the Hindi belt. Surely, SRK who is always politically right and measured in his talks must have said it in a lighter vein but this seems to have not gone well with South Indian audiences.
To clear all the haggling over seat sharing with allies, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has made a generous gesture of allotting the one extra seat over and above the negotiated quota to each party that was clamouring for it. He told his negotiating panel headed by TR Baalu to go ahead and give the extra seat to Congress, which was asking for 9 seats, one over the offer of 8. Kamal Haasan will get two seats rather than just one for himself and the VCK will now get 3 seats instead of 2. The seat sharing among the DMK+ alliance will be tied up by Friday (Mar 8). This comes after the Congress got a bit heated up over being offered only 8 seats though it had won 9 of 10 seats allotted in 2019. Similarly, Kamal had indicated that he would feel sorely done if he went back to his party with just one seat that he may stand in himself. The VCK has been clamouring for 3 and that too has been granted now. The Communist parties that have been given two each may be told to be happy with that offer while the DMK+ may not offer an extra seat to MDMK, which might get one Rajya Sabha nomination instead. All’s well that ends well might well be the emotion on display as the DMK+ gets ready for the poll battle of 2024.
Nearly two months after his armed goons attacked and injured a raiding team of Enforcement Directorate officials, the much dreaded and “suspended” TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh was handed over to the CBI on directions of the Calcutta High Court. TMC leadership delayed the handing over to CBI by hours in spite of two court directives by claiming it had moved the Supreme Court. What surprised Delhi political circles was that more than the accused, the TMC regime was averse to handing him over to the CBI. It was as if West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was worried about having Shahjahan in CBI custody. That’s why Union Minister Hardeep Puri lashed out against West Bengal for moving the apex court against transfer of the probe to the CBI. “One can understand if the aggrieved person –the accused– had filed a plea. Why is the state government rushing in here?” Significantly, action on Shahjahan came on a day PM Modi gave a clarion call at Basirhat rally that “storm of Sandeshkhali” will reach every part of West Bengal; he had also met with women victims Sandheshkhali soon after the rally. The island village of Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district has been in the eye of the storm since January 5, when ED officers arrived to search the home of Shahjahan. The ED team came under attack from an angry mob, leaving three officers injured. On February 7, other violent protests began erupting in Sandeshkhali and other areas, mostly by local women, alleging sexual harassment and land grabbing by Shahjahan and his men.
If the same opinion poll can disturb both opposing camps with its forecast, the India TV-CNX Opinion Poll has just done that. Its Maharashtra poll survey has predicted 35 seats for the NDA and 13 for the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Denizens of both camps are somehow disappointed by this forecast. Interestingly, this prediction has come out close on the heels of the visit of Union home minister Amit Shah to the state and his resolve to win at 45 of the total 48 seats. The Opinion Poll has dampened the mood among the three MVA partners – the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, the Congress and the NCP under Sharad Pawar. Already miffed by the changing stance of Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar over seat sharing, MVA is yet to finalise its seat distribution. In the fluid atmosphere, the survey has endorsed the general impression that the BJP will be the largest gainer in the state, winning 25 seats. According to another prediction, sitting MP Supriya Sule will face defeat in the family fiefdom, Baramati, which will be the most prestigious fight in the state. If the MVA is still groping for an understanding, the three parties in the NDA have given indications that they have almost finalised their slices following a discussion with Shah. This happened only after CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Ajit Pawar diluted their original demands. Now, more surveys are awaited to heighten the election fever.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been experiencing internal tensions and factional feuds, which could potentially impact its performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha Election. Though TMC failed to stop its veteran leader and MLA Tapas Roy from resigning as legislator and quit the party, it managed to heal the rift between party spokesperson leader Kunal Ghosh and veteran leader and Kolkata North MP Sudip Banerjee. However, insiders of the party and close aides of Roy have confirmed that former poll strategist and Jan Suraj party leader Prasant Kishor (PK) personally called Roy following his resignation from the party and asked him not to join any party in a hurry. Kunal Ghosh met Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay at his residence in presence of local councillors to resolve the issues. Both Ghosh and Roy had been vocal against Bandyopadhyay on several occasions. Interestingly, despite being close to party’s supremo Mamata Banerjee, Roy has been supporting Mamata’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s idea of a new guard. It may be noted that Didi had always utilised Roy’s organisational capabilities rather than inducting him in her cabinet. Post his resignation, speculations of Roy joining BJP are rife within the political circuit. Party insiders said that PK, despite not officially functioning as poll strategist, continues to advise Didi. Many are also saying that Bandyopadhyay was advised by PK to invite Ghosh at his residence to resolve the matter, since Kolkata North is a potential seat of the ruling TMC.
It may sound strange but the changing fates of chief ministers in Bihar and Telangana have resounding repercussions in Maharashtra over the past week. While the state unit of the Janata Dal (U) has been closed down, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) branch is awaiting a word from Hyderabad about its future. As the most accomplished turncoat, Nitish Kumar, revived the alliance with the BJP and his follower, Kapil Patil, who is the sole party legislator, announced that he was snapping his ties with JD(U). Soon, Patil declared the formation of a new party, Samajwadi Ganrajya Paksh (SGP). This event was attended by Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray. Both leaders declared that they will unitedly take on the BJP and NDA. However, soon thereafter, Patil’s close associate Jalindar Sarode entered the Sena (U). Similarly, various prominent BRS leaders across the state had a meeting at Sambhaji Nagar in Marathwada to consider their future course of action since they were left high and dry for a long time. They decided to quiz former Andhra CM K Chandrasekhar Rao if he wished them to continue or shut shop. After his response is received, their next step will be decided, according to BRS Maharashtra Manik Kadam. To exacerbate the atmosphere, the BJP’s state and national leaders keep hinting that more incomings are on the cards. Hence, a pall of suspicion is felt in the opposition camp.
The DMK-Congress alliance that has stood the test of time is on the point of cracking up now. A wordy duel between a DMK and Congress representatives over seat sharing ended in both parties coming to breaking point with a deadline of March 7 given to the DMK now for acceding to Congress demands or face a rupture in ties. The DMK is determined not to let the Congress dictate which 9 seats will be given to them but would like to have a say in which candidates Congress will pick as there is some resistance to Karti Chidambaram and Jothimani getting seats. Ajoy Kumar of the Congress left fuming after the meeting and seems determined to inform his high command that the AIADMK offer of 12 seats and campaign funding looks attractive if the DMK offer does not match expectations. Chief Minister MK Stalin was closeted with his senior colleagues on Tuesday (Mar 5) morning at the DMK HQ, but then they had no inkling then that the Congress would get shrill in the seat sharing talks that they had with TR Baalu and his poll seats panel. The issues could get sorted out at the highest levels if any of the senior Gandhis intervene in the seat sharing process, otherwise a 20-year alliance seems to be at risk.
After breaching the 500-wicket mark in Test cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin is on the verge of another magnificent landmark of turning out in 100 Tests. The 37-year-old is set to play his 100th Test against England in Dharamsala on March 7. The significance of the fantastic feat gets enhanced when one takes into account the fact that only 76 cricketers (from 3174) have been capped in 100 Tests and more. For some reason or the other Ashwin did not feature in 24 Tests after his debut against the West Indies in November 2011. The tall off-break bowler who bowls the stock ball (turning from off to leg) and many variations, is only the eighth spinner who has taken 100 wickets and more to reach the magic marking of 100 Tests. The others are Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nathan Lyon, Harbhajan Singh, Daniel Vettori, Anil Kumble and Carl Hooper. He will be the 14th Indian to compete in Test cricket for such a long time. Ashwin has not only excelled with the ball taking 507 wickets (354 at home and 153 abroad in 40 Tests which is the second highest after Kumble’s 269 wickets in 69 Tests overseas), but he has also scored 3309 runs with five centuries and 14 half-centuries. He has held 33 catches. 100 Test caps is a remarkable feat his family, the cricketing fraternity in his home State of Tamil Nadu and India will be proud of. He has been part of 58 Test wins, the highest by any Indian bowler.
Actor Kamal Haasan is not in political limbo. He will get one seat for his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), and he will be the candidate for the seat. It is just that the DMK has been playing with the Congress a bit, trying to downsize the GOP’s demand for the nine seats that it won in the last Lok Sabha elections. The DMK has been wanting to cut the Congress quota as it is dealing with demands for additional seats from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. It was even suggested to the Congress that it take nine seats but allot one seat to Kamal out of that. The Congress offered to accommodate that provided the actor stood on the ‘Hand’ symbol, which Kamal is reluctant to do as he has spent a lot of time and energy on his political party MNM, which has a shining torch symbol. The DMK may not offer him the Coimbatore seat that he craves because that seat has been pledged to a western TN leader. Kamal will probably plump for the South Chennai seat. It appears now that he cannot expect two seats from DMK+ but one seat of his choice may be his if he is the candidate. Since the seat sharing talks could not proceed in time, Kamal even cancelled his US visit to await word from the DMK boss MK Stalin on a meeting and a Lok Sabha seat.
AIADMK supremo Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) is striding like a sumo wrestler. Political wags are impressed with his show of bravado even as the mighty BJP like the canny spider is inviting him to “come to my parlour”. He has stood his ground of stand-alone status for the Lok Sabha polls for six months, a defiance that has confused and confounded his flock. A senior analyst from the Vikatan Group warns against anyone taking his leverage for granted. This analyst quotes Palaniswami’s resilience in the wake of Jayalalithaa’s demise and how he managed to complete the elected term for the party, in the face of open rebellion by OPS and backroom manoeuvres by Dinakaran and Sasikala to hijack and Two Leaves election symbol and many an attempt to unseat him. He is confident of the support of the moneyed Gounders and his own party strongmen Jayakumar, Shanmugam and others who are voter influencers. Despite several concerted efforts of the BJP to wean him back, EPS stands adamant. EPS shared logic with his close aides “Suppose we get into the alliance, win some MP seats, where’s the guarantee that they won’t be enticed to cross over? I would rather prove our own strength to have bargaining power, than cave in to be used expediently.” The BJP is sure to have its own strategy …EPS or no EPS. As Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, nor failure fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts”.
Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar has been administering one jolt after another to the embattled Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over his changing demands regarding seat distribution for the coming Lok Sabha election. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) founded by Ambedkar has reportedly demanded half a dozen seats whereas MVA leaders are not inclined to grant it more than three. Therefore, Ambedkar’s present warning to his followers not to attend any MVA discussions for seat sharing without his clearance has once again added to the suspense. Ambedkar had kept himself away from all major parties in the 2019 LS election, causing the defeat of several candidates across the board all over Maharashtra. Hence, MVA leaders are not taking any chances with him this time. They are scheduled to meet in Mumbai on March 7-8 to finalise their seat sharing formula and candidates, too, perhaps. Veteran leader Sharad Pawar has said that VBA would be welcome to team up with MVA if it were willing. Pawar once upon a time had eschewed Ambedkar and had taken his Republican adversary Ramdas Athavale along. However, Athavale has donned the saffron garb while Ambedkar has chosen his own path. His influence is still substantial in some areas though not enough to win seats but certainly more than enough to defeat certain contestants. As this is a battle for survival for MVA, efforts to woo Ambedkar have intensified, notwithstanding his varying stance.
When Rajya Sabha terms of 7 Union ministers recently ended and they were not renominated, there was an expectation that they would be asked to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Significantly, at least 5 of them figure in the BJP’s first list of 195 candidates for 2024 Lok Sabha elections along with PM Narendra Modi (Varanasi) and Home Minister Amit Shah (Ahmedabad). Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is contesting from Porbandar, junior IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been pitted against incumbent MP Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram), Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav will face-off in Alwar, Fisheries Minister Parshottam Rupala in Rajkot and junior EAM V Muraleedharan will contest from Attingal (Kerala). The party has also tried to fortify its foray into Kerala by fielding actor Suresh Gopi(Thrissur.) and Anil Anthony (Pathanamthitta). What clearly showed that PM Modi is not taking challenges of AAP-Congress alliance in Delhi lightly was the way the party dropped 4 of the 5 sitting MPs. In Chandni Chowk the party decided not to experiment and opted to field Praveen Khandelwal; he heads the traders’ body. Yet, the biggest surprise of course was in fielding a very young and energetic Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of late Sushma Swaraj for the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat. The complaint against incumbent MP and Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi was that she remained aloof and inaccessible most of the time. She was known to be rude to the demands of her voters and direct them to councillors. If PM Modi gave a fresh face for New Delhi, how did Hema Malini pushing 76 managed to get the Mathura Lok Sabha seat? Was it an endorsement of her work in Mathura? Ought to be.
Tamil Nadu is where power packed deals are taking shape for seat sharing talks with DMK cracking the whip. To deal with pouting allies and demands. Take veteran Vaiko heading the MDMK. He insists that this time, his party wants to contest on its own symbol. Vaiko is also insisting on the coveted Trichy Lok Sabha seat. Stalin agreed for the first condition, but was not budging on the demand for one Lok Sabha and one Rajya Sabha seat. Vaiko’s six-year Rajya Sabha term ends in 2025, and he wants son, Durai to move in seamlessly. The DMK is challenged to accommodate CPI, CPM and other allies. The Congress has a new leader, Selvaperundagai who is keen to show that the new boss has his own agenda and perception. After two rounds of high decibel negotiation with DMK, he is bent on getting the nine seats, the same number it contested in 2019. Kamal Hasaan who has also aligned with DMK is bent on getting either Coimbatore seat or south Chennai but incumbent Marxists MP is refusing to budge. Will Stalin accede to Kamal’s request or promise him Rajya Sabha seat? But Annamalai is the Trojan horse in this alphabet soup as it is his untiring image building which has turned this election to a three cornered fight for the first time in TN. As for the AIADMK, which has cut loose from the NDA fortress, it is very clear that only those with deep pockets (deep enough to register their claim at Rs 15 crore a pop for a seat) need apply.
Used to witness clashes between legislators belonging to the Treasury Benches and Opposition, Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan was astounded when news broke out of a virtual fisticuff between a top minister and a ruling alliance MLA on Friday. Top minister Dada Bhuse and NCP (Ajit) faction member Mahendra Thorve rushed at each other after a brief verbal duel just outside the house lobby. Immediately, another minister, Shambhuraje Desai, tried to soothe them and took them inside. However, by that time, over a dozen legislators had seen the disturbing scene. While Bhuse later told the house that no clash had taken place, Thorve made it a point that he had asked Bhuse why certain works in his constituency were not getting clearance. Thorve has been elected from Raigad district and is considered close to DCM Ajit Pawar. Otherwise a low-profile leader, he lost his cool, he said, since even CM Eknath Shinde’s son had intervened so that the work would receive a nod, but in vain. When the CM was asked about the reported fight, he dismissed the question by saying, “Ask me about the house session, not such things.” The matter, however, was raised in the assembly by Opposition leaders Vijay Wadettiwar and former finance minister Jayant Patil. They both condemned the incident and expressed concern that physical assaults had now reached the legislature precincts.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and both deputy chief ministers, Devendra Fadanvis and Ajit Pawar, have expressed their inability to enjoy veteran leader Sharad Pawar’s hospitality in Baramati, where the three ruling alliance leaders will be visiting on March 2. Interestingly, the venue of a gathering, ‘Namo Maha Rozgar Mela, is the Vidya Pratishthan grounds. The institution occupies a pride of place in the numerous such bodies headed by Pawar. The Mela has been organised by Ajit Pawar, who is taking on his uncle’s might on both their home turfs. As Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule is determined to retain her Baramati Lok Sabha seat, the family feud has been fuelled by persistent media stories that Ajit’s wife Sunetra is most likely candidate in the constituency on behalf of her husband’s NCP faction. Pawar had written to the CM and DCMs on 28 February. In the letter, he had expressed willingness to attend the Mela and extended the invite to all three to join for tea and a meal. Shinde and Fadnavis have cited pre-scheduled events for being unable to join and have assured Pawar that they will certainly accept his repast at a suitable future time and date. The gesture shown by Pawar was quite intriguing but his habit of administering political shocks, to friends and adversaries, is well known. Moreover, as even his statements are taken with a pinch of salt, breaking bread with him by Shinde or any of the DCMs would have become sensational news.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narndra Modi’s visit to Odisha on March 5, the Biju Janata Dal government headed by Naveen Patnaik is pressing BJP to confer the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna to daring aviator-businessman-politician the late Biju Patnaik coinciding with his birth anniversary. Biju Patnaik who passed away in 1997 was the two term chief minister of Odisha. Father of the current chief minister senior Patnaik also worked at the Centre as the Union minister for steel & mines, and Union minister for coal. Political parties in Odisha like the Congress, and others are not comfortable with BJD-BJP’s continued bonhomie. They are now asking BJD-BJP to lower their mask, clarify their relationship as friends, foes or just having tactical understanding during polls. Sources say, buzz of formal or informal alliance is growing with BJD because, one, PM had recently addressed Naveen Patnaik as a friend at Sambalpur, two, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh in his recent trip to Odisha did not criticize Naveen directly, three, BJD’s extending support to Ashwini Vaishnaw for Rajya Sabha nomination and four, VK Pandian, man Friday of Patnaik, in a TV interview admitted that Patnaik and Modi are good friends. Historically, there has been an informal understanding between BJD and BJP but this time there is a strong buzz in Odisha that the BJP-BJD will have a formal seat sharing arrangement for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan have received the short end of the stick — not offered the annual retainership — for not showing commitment to the Ranji Trophy tournament. Iyer has to face the consequence because he did not play against Baroda and Kishan, not a match this ongoing 2023-2024 season. Iyer played against Andhra a month ago. The tournament began in the first week of January 2024 and the BCCI issued an advisory to its members in mid-February that players with annual retainership must play in the premier tournament when not on duty for India. So it’s the whims and fancies of someone in the system responsible for the “must play Ranji Trophy” idea being introduced mid-way through the tournament that has advanced to the semi-final stage; unfair to the players of the teams taking part in the tournament. India Head Coach Rahul Dravid was the one who went public saying that Kishan could come back (after taking a break from national duty in South Africa) after playing in the Ranji Trophy. The mid-season rule would not have come about without the knowledge of Dravid and the India captain Rohit Sharma. Just because they were seen training allegedly with their IPL teams is a flimsy reason not to consider them for the annual retainership. The BCCI with World Cup star Roger Binny as its president ought to have shown sagacity and dealt with it in a better way, and not by showing its iron fist.
Will Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar or Rajiv Bhatia as he is known be fielded by the BJP from Delhi’s Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat? Well there is a strong buzz that the actor who grew up in Old Delhi could be fielded from the Delhi seat more so since the AAP and the Congress have decided to contest 2024 seats in an alliance. The AAP has already announced four candidates for Delhi. Chandni Chowk is going to be fought by the Congress. The AAP-Congress alliance will certainly impact the BJP’s approach to candidate selection in Delhi since the contest is now bipolar and not three-cornered as it was in 2019. It is believed the BJP, which won all seven parliamentary seats of the national capital in 2014 and 2019, may field the actor. Speculations about Akshay entering the election fray gained strength ahead of BJP’s Central Election Committee meeting on February 29 which is expected to clear about 150 names. Akshay may be replacing former Union minister Dr Harsh Vardhan who won the Chandni Chowk seat twice in 2014 and 2019. Almost preparing for public life, the actor had acquired Indian citizenship, giving up his Canadian passport last year. Posing alongside the snapshot of his citizenship certificate, 56-year-old Akshay had conveyed his emotions, stating, “Dil aur citizenship, dono Hindustani. Happy Independence Day! Jai Hind!”.
A letter war within the powerful Pawar clan that has gone viral has found patriarch Sharad Pawar losing his temper when asked about it. The first salvo was lobbed by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, whose letter was circulated on social media two days ago. In it, he has explained why he has chosen to follow PM Narendra Modi. Which indirectly means that it is a justification to break away from his uncle. In reply, an unsigned letter has described how Ajit was selected to represent the second generation of the family in politics and how his cousin Rajendra was side tracked. Rajendra is the son of Appasaheb Pawar, eldest brother of Sharad Pawar. Their third brother was the late Anantrao, father of Ajit. For the third generation, Rajendra’s son Rohit was selected by the family boss to carry the mantle ahead, keeping aside Ajit’s son Parth. Since then, discontent was simmering. Rajendra told the media that his son Rohit decided to contest the assembly election from neighbouring Ahmednagar district to avert any tension with others in the family. When Pawar was quizzed about the internecine clash, he was livid. “Don’t ask me such trivial questions,” he snapped. However, at the same time, he did not forget to mention that he had read an edit in local Marathi daily Loksatta (belittling Ajit for his letter). Alongside the electoral battle between Supriya Sule and Ajit’s wife Sunetra, the strain among the male members has come out in the open, indicating further disclosures.
As the Maratha agitation in Maharashtra may have fizzled out, the political knives are out between Devendra Fadnavis and Sharad Pawar. The agitation was scuttled in the backdrop of allegations of financial kickbacks, secret midnight meetings and even conspiracies to kill Manoj Jarange Patil. While the BJP has fired all guns against the original Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, accusing him of being the mastermind behind the agitation and even hinting that the conspiracy was managed from Rajesh Tope’s sugar factory, Sharad Pawar has dared that he has nothing to fear and that no phone calls were made from him. Tope admitted that he had simply provided food and water to agitators from his constituency. Jarange Patil has hinted that leaders from all political parties would stand exposed in the SIT investigation, sparking speculation that the agitation had the tacit support from blocks within both the ruling and the opposition fronts. The Eknath Shinde government has been accused of deliberately playing footsie with Jarange Pati. All parties may have unanimously voted for 10% reservation for the Marathas in a special session of the legislature on February 20, 2024, but the aftermath of the agitation has led to a bitter fall out between parties eyeing the politically powerful bloc of Maratha vote bank. This vote bank continues to be splintered across parties and political machinations have failed to consolidate it behind any particular political block.
When all eyes were fixed on Rajya Sabha polling in Karnataka and UP, it was the polling for a single Rajya Sabha seat in the hill state of Himachal that was threatening the survival of the Congress Government of Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu . It is because a high profile candidate like senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi entered the fray and got trounced. Party sources said defeat of the official candidate could cost CM Sukhu his chair but Sukhu dismissed such suggestions saying he must be voted out in the state assembly. At least 9 MLAs — 6 Congress MLAs and 3 independents — backing the 43-member Sukhu Government had cross-voted for the BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan. Himachal has a 68-member state assembly. The cross-voters were reportedly whisked away in a CRPF vehicle to Panchkula in Haryana. Now the Congress managers are more keen to save their government in the hill state than worried about Singhvi losing. They got a super boss like former Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel to reach Shimla. Party sources say Congress leaders are apparently prepared to sacrifice CM Sukhu and get a new CM face and appeal to those party MLAs who cross-voted to return back to Congress-fold. Sukhu himself made it clear that he is no push over and challenged his rivals to defeat him on the floor of the assembly. In Karnataka, a determined Deputy CM DK Shivkumar ensured a snub for his JD(S) rival HD Kumaraswamy by ensuring election of all the 3 official candidates, defeat of the JD(S) candidate and cross-voting by two BJP MLAs.
Amid major political backlash due to the Sandeshkhali controversy, ruling Trinamool Congress will be holding its third Mega Rally named as Janagarjan Sabha at the historic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on March 10. Chief minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee will address the rally, which is seen as her official poll bugle for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. Second in command of the party and Didi’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee will also address the gathering. Party insiders pointed out that both the leaders will mainly highlight the issues of pending central dues to the state government under various central-sponsored schemes with a focus on the 100-day job scheme under MGNREGA and the housing scheme under PMAY. It may be recalled that before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, TMC brought all the Opposition parties including Congress under the banner — United Front at a similar mega rally at Brigade Parade Ground to counter Narendra Modi-led BJP. However, the rally did not yield results, rather failed to stop the BJP’s clear sweep. This time TMC has made it clear that every district and block unit must ensure packed houses instead of displaying their personal stature. According to political analysts, Didi finds herself on a sticky ground over the ongoing Sandeshkhali controversy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s poll campaigns slated during the first week of March, where in all probability he will address a rally in North 24 Parganas district and also meet local women allegedly victims of sexual harassment and violence by TMC’s strongman Sheikh Shajahan.
With India already clinching the ongoing five-test cricket series following a 3:1 victory against England, the cricket enthusiasts are now eagerly awaiting one more edition of the popular IPL (India Premier League). The indefatigable Mahendra Singh Dhoni is expected to lead the five-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) yet one more time! As the expectation of fans rises to a crescendo, CSK will defend the title this time around with a new sponsor! Well, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is the new official sponsor of CSK. The partnership was unveiled at a special ceremony held in Chennai some time ago. Edition after edition, The India Cements Ltd (ICL) had been an inseparable principal sponsor of CSK for long. The Etihad partnership will come to life across Chennai Super Kings’ events and platforms with Etihad showcased on the back of the Chennai Super Kings’ jersey. That Etihad has replaced The India Cements as the principal sponsor is hard to visualise for many long-time watchers of CSK, which has become an iconic brand. Since Brand CSK commands quite a respect in the marketplace, the CSK management, perhaps, thought it prudent to pitch the principal sponsorship at a premium. It apparently took a lot to convince the management of India Cements, especially its boss N. Srinivasan. It is a win-win for both CSK and The Indian Cements, nevertheless.
Speculations are rife whether Odia superstar and Biju Janata Dal MP Anubhav Mohanty will get the 2024 Lok Sabha ticket? Unlikely, say BJD insiders. The Kendrapara seat which he won in the 2019 election may be given to former Rajnagar Congress MLA Anshuman Mohanty who switched over to BJD few days ago. So what went wrong with Anubhav? The marital discord with his ex-wife Varsha Priyadarshini saw him hitting the headlines instead of political work. He was spending more time on fighting the divorce case than nursing his constituency. The court did grant him the divorce finally. But, this discord kept him away from attending party meetings, registering his presence at the government programmes, participating in Durga Puja festival or involved in Panchayat poll campaigns, party insiders say. People close to Anubhav reveal that he has been sidelined in the BJD for quite some time now. It is learnt that BJP’s Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda busy with UP election responsibility is unlikely to contest from Kendrapara. And BJP is yet to announce its list of candidates for Odisha. So given this situation, BJD seems well prepared to defend its traditional “Kendrapara” fort.
Indian toy factories seem to be getting badly affected and many of them are faced with closure because of various issues caused by non-implementation of various rules and guidelines. Members of the Toy Association of India and The All India Toy Manufacturers’ Association feel that both these representative bodies urgently need to present various facts to the government, especially as Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has focused on the toy industry in his own speech stressing the Aatmanirbhar programme. Officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is tasked with certifying toys among other items, have also been pleading pre-occupation with other work over the past three years. Some foreign manufacturers have invaded the market by flouting BIS norms and rules under various umbrellas provided to protect the Indian industry. Another issue is the huge, continuous supply of imported non-BIS compliant toys – especially from China – because of leakages in the ports, with many customs officers and, later, BIS/ISI inspectors, willing to look the other way for a consideration. Also, the fact that components attract the same customs duty of 50-60% as readymade toys allows importers to misuse this and take advantage of the lower rates of around 20% levied on other products by declaring consignments as other products. This makes it important to define what a ‘component’ is: an organ inside a toy, like mechanical gearboxes, electric motors, coreless motors, PCBs, chips, LED for toys and the like. The duty on these should not be more than 20%, with strict adherence to the law. Unless these and other issues – including the unhealthy challenges from some e-commerce platforms – are addressed at the earliest, the Indian manufacturer will succumb to the uneven competition.
Most of us know about safety instructions video ennui, even as we buckle up our seat belts and wait for take-off. Whether shown as live mime by bored air hostess, or as a video shot with performing robots, take off videos are pushed into the lowest rung of consciousness, except if you are a first time flier. After Tatas took over they are changing many of Air India’s touchpoint profiles — new livery, new aircraft, a whole new attitude to commercial travel’s competitive ethos. McCann Worldwide’s Prasoon Joshi, music icon Shankar Mahadevan and Bharatbala have conjured up a winner in the new safety instruction video which has gone viral. Ingeniously projecting India’s exotic and energetic dances, the safety instructions are embedded and nuanced through eight dance forms set against ancient temple architecture and verdant landscape. India is unique for its art forms…let alone one classical dance, how many countries can boast of such a variety in which the costumes, jewellery and energetic moves make for such an immersive experience? Air India started its first branding image …a child holding up a frame to watch myriad countries to tempt her wanderlust, this new video uses the same frame to view the dances. Incredible India and its facets are packaged in short vignettes…showcasing tourism promo, safety and exotic art all at once. Mile Sur Mera Tumara, Tho Nrithya Bane Hamaara.
When it comes to alliances, it seems, the Congress seems to be getting a raw deal – whether it is from a newbie like AAP or even from an old ally like Samajwadi Party. The Congress with diminishing bargaining power it seems did not have much say on the seats it would contest in states — be it in Gujarat or UP. It was as if everything was left to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal or SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to finalise the seat sharing pact. That is probably why the party did not bother to resist claims of AAP for Bharuch Lok Sabha seat — a constituency once represented by Sonia Gandhi’s close aide and AICC treasurer Ahmed Patel — or Farrukhabad Lok Sabha seat once represented by former Union Minister Salman Khurshid. That is why Khurshid, who is a CWC member, did express his disappointment that his Lok Sabha constituency was not part of the Congress-SP alliance. So did the late Patel’s children– Faisal and Mumtaz. They both gave voice to disappointment among Congress workers in Bharuch over the AAP-Congress poll pact. Faisal went a step further to assert that Bharuch which has been with the BJP since 1989 can be won only if the Congress contests from there. Meanwhile, the Congress hopes to wriggle out of this unequal electoral pact thrust on it by AAP only if ED finally catches up with Kejriwal.”If ED arrests Kejriwal, our alliance will end. We are hoping it will happen soon,” admits a Congress leader.
When the national selectors chose Dhruv Jurel in the squad for the first two Tests against England in mid-January, there were plenty who shrugged their shoulders and asked: Jurel who? Such was the surprise element in his selection as a spare stumper to Kona Bharat for the Tests in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. With KL Rahul not in the scheme of things as the primary ‘keeper — which he was in South Africa — the choice fell upon Bharat who had donned the big gloves in the previous four-Test home series against Australia. The concussion-related like-for-like rule fast-tracked Jurel’s entry into the big league of Test cricket, more so after Ishan Kishan was ‘discarded’ from the selection process. For many talent scouts, Jurel held promise in 2020 when he led India in the under -19 World Cup; then Rajasthan Royals made him its main ‘keeper for IPL 2023. The national selector kept an eye on him and plumped for him for the opening two Tests, After the Visakhapatnam Test, Head Coach Rahul Dravid and Captain Rohit Sharma firmed up to look at Jurel as a serious option from the third Test in Rajkot. Bharat’s poor returns with the bat cost him a lot. Thereafter Jurel — son of a Kargil War soldier — has only excelled in front and behind the stumps; his brilliant 90 and 39 ensured India victory in the Ranchi Test and thereby the series 3-1. He’s been top-class with the big gloves too. So far, so good… Jurel!
Multi-talented Saleel Tambe seems to be on a roll. This tabla maestro, wildlife photographer, IT professional must be feeling elated to see his posters all over Croydon in England for a project conceptualised by London Mozart Players as the Face Of Croydon. Saleel’s portrait was created by specialist photographer Kaupo Kikkas from Estonia who was specially commissioned for this piece of work. For the London-based Tambe who works with Deloitte as senior manager, the year 2024 began on a positive note. He won the First Prize, out of 40,000 entries, in the prestigious International Wildlife annual photo contests conducted by the National Wildlife Federation, USA. Saleel’s two images were awarded in the World Monochrome Photography Contest. Besides photography, he will be on a concert tour over the next 3-4 months travelling across Scandinavia with a Flautist in May, then with a Santoor player for the SAJDA Festival and a series of concerts in Spain with a Sitar player. On his recent visit to India, he did a full house presentation on wildlife to the Army Officers in MCTE, Mhow (Indore) in Madhya Pradesh.
The 24th of February was an unusual day. It was Masi Magam (as per Tamil calendar), the auspicious Magam star of the Masi month — an unusual combination of date of birth and star birthday falling on the same day of the late J Jayalalithaa (Amma). So, VK Sasikala, (Chinnamma), a close confidante of Jayalalithaa hosted the mother of all lunches at her mint new house, Jayalalithaa Illam in Poes Garden, Chennai. Sasikala had formally celebrated the Gruhapravesam, a month back. She planned this grand event on Masi Magam to honour and relive the memory of her patron and friend. Sasikala’s house is bigger than Jayalalithaa’s bungalow and the lunch spread was sumptuous. Cars were milling around as numerous former AIADMK members and Sasikala faithful’s elbowed for vantage and advantage. Just across the narrow stretch, JJ’ niece Deepa hosted a memorial lunch too at Veda Nilayam, the landmark residence of Jayalalithaa, one of the most powerful women politicians of this country. But one visitor to Sasikala’s house who caught everybody’s attention was the superstar Rajini clad in a dhoti and white shirt with a housewarming gift in hand. As he came out of Sasikala’s house, surmises, presumptions and speculations were buzzing around. To the waiting media Rajini said “This house is like a temple. I pray to God and wish the lady much fame, name and happiness here “. When a journalist asked, “Who will fill the vacuum left by Jayalalithaa”? The superstar quipped “No politics please”, and walked away with super energy.
Nothing spooked AIADMK more than a recent weekly magazine survey which showed that the BJP had stolen the salience over other Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu and was headed to a larger vote share than the grand old party of MGR-Jaya. Insiders were busy arguing over what was going wrong in the Edappadi K Palaniswami-led party. Naturally, the blame was shifted to the leader for his inability to form an alliance that alone guarantees some success in vote share in the complicated Dravidian politics. There is no doubt that the national BJP, taking baby steps in TN with a reshuffle that found a leader in K Annamalai who has become a well-recognised face in the state, moved up in the party’s reckoning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s contribution by way of referring often to the state’s Tamil literary luminaries also sizeable. The Lok Sabha polls will throw light on how far the party has come in difficult terrain, but there is no doubt that the Ram temple opening has moved a lot of people of faith into the party’s corner. Meanwhile the AIADMK, struggling to find allies, was picking on the PMK and DMDK not having decided yet on where they will go to offer them a number of seats closer to their expectations. All may not be lost yet for the AIADMK front, but the writing is on the wall that the BJP may be stealing a march in Dravidian turf.
Will Rahul Gandhi contest again from Wayanad (Kerala) Lok Sabha, a seat that he had secured by a comfortable margin in 2019? Or will he again look for a safe seat in Karnataka, Telangana or UP? What triggered the buzz was that the CPI announced it was fielding Annie Raja, the wife of the party’s general secretary D Raja, from Wayanad. It was felt it will not “look good” for the I.N.D.I.A front that one of the prominent leader’s wife will be contesting against Rahul Gandhi. Congress leaders from Kerala, however, made it clear that securing the seat wasn’t going to be an issue. “If Rahulji decides to contest from the seat, he will secure it. He is currently abroad (away to the UK for a lecture) and he has to decide. As for who is LDF fielding against Rahulji is not our concern,” said a top AICC functionary. Party sources also made it clear that his second seat, if any, would not be from the South. It could only be from UP now that an alliance with the Samajwadi Party has been stitched. Meanwhile, CPI’s D Raja also made it clear that the Wayanad contest should be purely seen as a UDF versus LDF battle, and not as a clash between Rahul Gandhi and his wife. Congress sources also pointed out that the issue of IUML’s claims over the Wayanad seat — a constituency with Muslim majority voters — had been settled.
Maratha reservation agitation’s icon Manoj Jarange Patil has abandoned his audacious plan to lead a march to the Mumbai residence of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to press his demand. Already roasted by his former associates, chief minister Eknath Shinde’s stern warning to Jarange and his followers that they will face stringent action if they took law in their hand is believed to have resulted in his withdrawal of the march. Even Opposition parties, too, have indirectly expressed unhappiness over Jarange’s impossible demands, like asking the government to take and announce a decision within the next few hours. Now, his associate for 18 years, Baburao Walekar has charged that Jarange is hungry for publicity and had instigated his followers in the past to indulge in violence though keeping himself away from such acts. Walekar is the third leader to come out in the open against Jarange. The first was Abhay Baraskar, who is a noted Keertan exponent. He was followed by Sangeeta Wankhede, who became Jarange’s follower after he launched his agitation. She has alleged that Jarange was taking erratic decisions at the behest of a top NCP giant. Interestingly, Fadnavis had stated a day earlier that Jarange’s script resembled the statements of Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. On Monday (Feb 26), Jarange has announced the end of his indefinite fast. The battle over Maratha reservations is expected to enter the precincts of judiciary soon.
The AAP and the Congress are set to jointly contest from Delhi, Haryana, Goa, Chandigarh and Gujarat. As per the pact, AAP will contest four of the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, two of the 26 seats in Gujarat, and one of the 10 seats in Haryana, while the Congress will contest the rest of the seats in these states. In Gujarat, the AAP will contest two – Bharuch and Bhavnagar – and in Haryana, it will contest the Kurukshetra seat. Late Congress leader Ahmed Patel’s children — Faisal and Mumtaz — have opposed giving away their home turf Bharuch to AAP. Incidentally the Congress tie-up with AAP comes full circle nearly a decade after the party first came to power in Delhi riding an anti-Congress wave in 2013. Kejriwal with 28 MLAs was propped by the Congress with its 8 MLAs. It is clear that Kejriwal, who had tasted a tough fight during MCD polls to take control of the Delhi civic body in December 2022 is not keen for a repeat in May 2024. He had boasted about limiting BJP to 20 seats in the 250 member MCD. The BJP went on to notch a cool 104. “It is clear both the Opposition parties are too scared to face the Modi juggernaut alone,” said a BJP poll strategist. It also shows that by joining hands with the Congress, Kejriwal has shelved his PM ambitions for now. It is not Kejriwal alone who has seen his limitations. Congress stalwart in Haryana Bhupinder Hooda also knows there is no way he can beat the BJP bulwark in Lok Sabha. By pitting AAP in Kurukshetra — a seat held by state BJP chief — Hooda has tossed an unwinnable seat in AAP’s lap and got an alibi for poor show in 2024.
NCP founder Sharad Pawar’s decision to unveil the new symbol, Tutari (Tura), allotted to his faction at the historical Fort Raigad has been facing derision from different quarters. Raigad was the place Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had selected for his capital in 1674. Pawar’s one-time confidant Chhagan Bhujbal has reminded his former mentor in an oblique quip that the NCP was formed in 1999 and had lost a substantial chunk of votes since its symbol, wall clock, was unfamiliar for voters. Water resources minister Girish Mahajan said neither will the Tutari make any noise nor will Uddhav Thackeray’s symbol, Mashal, be alight. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray, however, disclosed that this was the first time Pawar had shown any regard for Chhatrapati Shivaji. Though Pawar always praised social reformers like Mahatma Jotiba Phule, Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur or Dr BR Ambedkar in his speeches, the Maratha strongman seldom paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji, Raj remarked. He recalled Pawar telling him on an earlier occasion that he (Pawar) would lose Muslim votes if there was any mention of Chhatrapati Shivaji by him. On his part, Pawar has clarified that the symbol was allotted by the Election Commission and that he had not asked for this particular image of a man sounding a trumpet, called Tutari in Marathi. This is the fifth election symbol Pawar’s party would be using during his long political career.
Who is behind the farmers’ agitation near Delhi? The two Punjab-Haryana border points – Khanauri and Shambhu – have been the epicentre of the clashes as police personnel fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse the farmers trying to march to Delhi. Farmers have rejected a government offer on MSP for five crops and crop diversifications to save the water table. The basic aim of the protesting farmers is not to secure a MSP for all the 23 crops that they produce– they want a law guaranteeing MSP. Such a law farmers argue will ensure that market prices will not go below the MSP. It is also possible that it could force the government to buy farm produce that is not picked up by the market. The thrust of the protests organised by AAP and the Congress is to take the sheen out of PM Modi’s popularity and continue the protest till the April-May Lok Sabha elections. The game is to pull Modi down politically. In this game, while AAP in Punjab is trying to project itself as “friend of the farmers”, with its chief minister Bhagwant Mann playing mediator in the Centre-farmer talks, the Congress, which rejected Swaminathan Committee report in 2006, has also lent support to the farmers’ demands. Punjab urgently needs sustainable agricultural practices. But AAP and Congress are intent on backing the agitation to downsize Modi.
It was an abuse that shocked everyone in UP and Delhi. Rahul Gandhi who hollered away in Amethi about drunkenness and dancing in Varanasi and had also stretched his aversion for Hindu rituals by deriding those chanting Jai Shri Ram. That too at a time when Ram Mandir at Ayodhya has been drawing huge crowds – upwards of 50 lakh devotees within a month’s since its inauguration. So it was expected that the Gandhi scion would be appropriately trashed. And that’s what happened. PM Modi, who reached Varanasi on a two-day visit, panned Rahul for hurling a pejorative ”nashedi “at Varanasi youth — young men of his Lok Sabha constituency from where he plans to contest for a third term. So it was a protective Modi who came to the fore. “They spent the decade abusing Modi. But now they are taking out their frustration on the people. “Jinke aapne hosh thhikane nahi hai, wo UP ke, mere kashi ke bachcho ko nashedi keh rahe hai,” he said. Strongly condemning Rahul Gandhi’s comment, Modi said “A person who belongs to a dynasty is always threatened by the common youth force. And now they have another reason to not like Uttar Pradesh after Ram Mandir’s inauguration. They do not like the new face of Kashi and Ayodhya. I did not know Congress had so much hatred towards Lord Ram. They can’t see or think beyond their family and vote bank”. He also made it clear that the SP-Congress alliance would make no impact. It is an alliance where they come together before every election and then abuse each other after they get ‘nil battey sannata’.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has shut all doors for the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. In a TV channel interview, Fadnavis freely expressed his hurt over the way he was treated by Uddhav after the 2019 assembly election in the state. Fadnavis said political differences can be ironed out. But it will not be possible for the BJP rank and file to overlook the insults hurled by Uddhav at Prime Minister Narendra Modi day in and day out. Recalling his friendly relations with Uddhav for 25 years, Fadnavis said that the Sena leader even refused to take his telephone calls after the assembly election results. It is extremely hurtful to be stabbed in the back by someone you had close ties with, the DCM said. He also attacked NCP founder Sharad Pawar for going back on his pact to form a government with the BJP. Fadnavis made it clear that the people flocking to the BJP were coming by accepting its ideology. “We had just two MPs in 1984. Now we are in power. But throughout, we have never compromised with our basic principles,” he maintained. His statements have indicated that more incomings into the BJP are still possible. One such name being discussed is that of Eknath Khadse, a pillar of the Maharashtra BJP once upon a time. The Congress, too, is worried by the possible exodus. The state BJP leadership will soon administer some more political shocks, it is felt.
After striking a deal with the Samajwadi Party and AAP over seat sharing for the state of Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi, Congress High Command is once again in talks with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on seat-sharing. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh has said that the party is hopeful that I.N.D.I.A Bloc will fight the BJP unitedly. Sources said that a new proposal has been formulated for seat sharing with TMC. Insiders of Congress say that Congress is seeking 6 out of 42 seats in Bengal including its own seats of Baharampur and Maldah Dakshin. In exchange for this Congress is willing to offer TMC seats in other states. Apparently, discussions are on with TMC over the seats of Maldah Uttar, Raiganj and Darjeeling constituencies, plus one more. In lieu of this it will leave two seats for TMC in Assam and one in Meghalaya. Although there’s no confirmation from the TMC, sources said that Didi has softened her previous stance where she was categorical that her party would go alone in Bengal since the Congress is in talks with the Left. Congress insiders further said that it will ask NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to convince Didi on the same. Meanwhile, political observers viewed that this might make Mamata rethink since seat sharing in other states with Congress might help TMC gain the national party recognition.
In an attempt to go all out on the target of gaining 35 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit West Bengal to kick off the 2024 Lok Sabha Election campaign. He will be addressing a rally at Arambagh in Hooghly district on March 1. Arambagh is BJP’s stronghold but it lost the seat in 2019 to TMC’s Aparupa Poddar. Notable, the Hooghly seat is held by BJP MP Locket Chatterjee. Followed by Arambagh, the PM is likely to hold a rally in Krishnanagar on March 2 which was helmed by TMC MP Mahua Moitra before being expelled from Parliament over ‘cash-for-query’ case. While BJP has been accused of vendetta politics in the removal of Moitra from Parliament, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has already announced her re-nomination for this seat. Modi’s last meeting in this first leg of campaigning is likely to be held at Barasat, on one of TMC’s strongest turf in South Bengal on March 6. Significantly, Didi has begun a series of district-to-district tours announcing a slew of projects. Meanwhile, BJP insiders said that the meeting at Kachhari Maidan in Barasat on March 6, Modi is likely to meet the ‘victims’ of Sandeshkhali. They are likely to be brought from Sandeshkhali under the leadership of BJP state president Sukanta Majumder. Political observers said that since the state BJP has not succeeded in countering Didi, bringing Modi from the beginning of the poll campaign is nothing but a clear attempt of challenging the ruling party ahead of the polls.
India took the field for the fourth Test against England in Ranchi without its best bowler in the series, Jasprit Bumrah. The BCCI explained that Bumrah has been rested taking into account the “duration of the series” and the workload he has taken in recent times. It takes some guts to keep a player, nay a match-winner in many ways in the previous two Tests in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot, out of a winning combination. England would not be disappointed with the decision taken by the Indian team, selectors and the BCCI. With India leading 2-1 in the five-Test series the “rest Bumrah” call has not gone down well with former India left-arm seamer Karsan Ghavri. “When you are getting a chance to play for India, keep playing. The series is in a vital stage and to rest a key player in the middle of a series is not a wise call” said Ghavri who has taken 100 plus Test wickets. Beset with injuries to key players, India has been handicapped to field a full-strength team in the last three years. The national team’s head coach Rahul Dravid pointed out this aspect after winning the second Test in Visakhapatnam. Ghavri added: “Bumrah could have taken a break after the fate of the series is decided, as much as he wants.” India may win the fourth Test in Ranchi and thereby the series, but England thinks it can win the series 3-2. So was it the right call to rest Bumrah for the Ranchi Test?
It is happening…ancient Indian ethos and its myriad mythologies are mined for breathtaking cinema, to combine scale, complex story plots, heroism, venality and religious fervour into spectacular cinematic art. Most would agree that after Lord Rama, Karna is the most recalled warrior hero. Bollywood director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has zeroed in on this epic character, Karna and plans to create a pan India screen extravaganza at a cost of 500 crore. Popular Tamil hero Suriya has been signed for the same. Suriya is now striding the pan India scene with his about to release Kanguva, another period drama. Sudha Kongara of the Surarai Pottru fame is directing Suriya in Purananuru.. Suriya’s leading lady in Karna is late Sridevi’s daughter Janhavi Kapoor, a choice that is bound to add value to this Kapoor who is yet to snag that super hit status her mother repeated in many films. Karna is a character with a gold mine potential to explore his many facets …a first born whose mother Kunti does not acknowledge him, his five Pandava brothers who are unaware of Karna’s blood bond, and a warrior who stands by Duryodhan for all the wrong life decisions, and how Lord Krishna cajoles him to part with his life guarding Kavach appealing to Karna’s legendary largesse. Even the most cynical audience is bound to be moved by his charisma. A hero like Karna and a talent like Suriya’s ….waiting to happen.
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The entry of one ex-chief minister Ashok Chavan into the BJP fold seems to have landed another ex-CM, Narayan Rane on a sticky wicket. It has upset Rane’s plan to take the easier option of taking the Rajya Sabha route to Parliament. Instead, he is now forced to contest for Lok Sabha elections from the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency, from where his elder son Nilesh Rane lost twice in a row in 2014 and 2019 to Uddhav Sena’s Vinayak Raut. Raut has now developed a strong local base and presents a formidable challenge here. The Rane’s continue to share bitter relations with the Uddhav’s Sena. Elder son, Nilesh Rane recently, issued threats to Uddhav’s legislator Bhaskar Jadhav from the dais of a public rally following a riotous situation between warring party workers with stone pelting leading and police lathi-charging and tear gases being used. Also, the Uddhav Sena faction has not forgiven Rane for his rebellion in 2005 and is gunning to defeat him. Rane, who is a party hopper, having moved on from the Shiv Sena to the Congress before joining the BJP with his two sons, is facing competition for his ticket from his own alliance partners. His constituency is being eyed by Eknath Shinde supporter, industries minister Uday Samant for his brother Kiran Samant, who has already started campaigning there. The Konkan belt had always been a Shiv Sena stronghold which the BJP is keen to get Rane to spearhead its party into the region.
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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter
Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.