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The National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) spot inquiry team looking into the suicide of a Nepali girl student at the KIIT University campus in Odisha on February 16, has held KIIT responsible for it. It has labelled it as sexual harassment case. As per NHRC “KIIT officials disposed of the girl’s sexual complaint in a very casual manner.” NHRC has recommended UGC’s National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to initiate requisite action against KIIT and its sister concern KISS for violating guidelines. Similarly, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Satyabrata Sahu has also been directed to submit his report in next four weeks. Likewise the Commissioner of Police and UGC have also been directed to submit their action taken report. Amidst NHRC’s strong follow up action initiatives, the student’s community are asking “what happened to the high-powered committee report. It is learnt that KIIT founder-promoter Achutya Samanta is on a damage control mode and is pulling all stops out to water down the negative impact. For instance, his channel Kalinga TV recently held a conclave titled Pragati Pathe Odisha in Bhubaneswar where the who’s who of Odisha cutting across the party lines — BJP, BJD, Congress –not only participated in the event but praised Samanta for this initiative. Clearly, Samanta’s diffusing strategy seems to be working …a few months down the line the incident will be forgotten. Meanwhile, there are reports of another suicide case of a KIIT student. His body was found in the basement of a half constructed building away from KIIT university at Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar a few days ago.
After sporting the famous Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Lion crest for seven seasons, left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal has chosen to leave a champion side and join a non-achiever in domestic cricket like Goa from the next season (2025-26). A cricketer raised in the tough world of Mumbai maidan cricket has rarely taken such a move; even Sarfaraz Khan went to UP, but returned to sort of his moorings. Mumbai has a history of encouraging cricketers, and quickly too, at the first sight of gifts in a budding cricketer. Yashasvi was given the opportunity by the MCA. Over a period of seven seasons, he has played 10 Ranji Trophy matches for Mumbai, but never a full season and he has not been on the title winning Ranji Trophy team. Once he started piling up runs for Mumbai, West Zone, India ‘A’ and for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, he was capped in Test cricket and he has played 19 Tests and accumulated runs. As a professional cricketer he availed a BCCI provision and has opted to play for a State, a popular tourist destination known for fish, feni and football. The MCA will not fret over a departure of a talented cricketer; its ecosystem throws up talent aplenty to cater its first-class and white ball competition teams. But why did Yashasvi quit Mumbai? As a professional he has made a move for personal reasons which can be interpreted in many ways. And insiders in MCA are privy to certain unpleasant happenings during the backend of the Ranji Trophy season. Well, Yashasvi has the right to make a career-choice and he has made it.
The recent failure of Sikandar serves as a significant blow to Salman Khan, particularly given its release during the auspicious Eid season — a time when he has historically been a major crowd-puller with hits like Wanted, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Kick. Unfortunately, the film’s lacklustre performance is just the latest in a string of disappointments that have plagued his recent projects including Dabangg 3, Race 3, Tubelight, Bharat and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. This trend suggests a worrying decline in his box office appeal. Khan’s portrayal in Sikandar has been criticized for its apparent laziness and lack of enthusiasm. His signature mannerisms, which once captivated audiences, now come across as repetitive and uninspired. Even during emotional scenes, his performance fails to resonate, leaving viewers feeling disconnected. This perceived disinterest in his craft raises questions about his commitment to selecting compelling scripts and delivering performances that capture the audience’s imagination. The essence of Khan’s on-screen persona seems to have shifted towards a brand of “toxic masculinity,” where his attempts to appear effortlessly cool have become tiresome and unoriginal. This disconnect between his star power and the expectations of his audience is becoming increasingly evident, as fans seek more meaningful narratives and authentic performances. The unfortunate fate of Sikandar serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of complacency in the film industry. The film has been rejected by both the masses and critics alike, highlighting a growing sentiment that Salman Khan’s current approach to filmmaking and performance is out of sync with contemporary audience preferences. If he hopes to reclaim his status as a box office titan, a re-evaluation of his acting choices and a renewed commitment to the craft may be imperative.
Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram has thanked the Modi government for exempting Adivasi (tribal) lands from the purview of the newly amended Waqf Board Act. An important outfit of the Sangh Parivar, the Ashram had urged the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for such a relaxation. It had brought to the notice of the JPC that large scale Waqf registrations had been loaded on the Adivasi lands in several states in contravention of the 5th and 6th Schedule of the Constitution. After verifying the claim, the JPC recommended to the government to grant such an exemption. Minority Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju was also petitioned by the Ashram. Its president Satyendra Singh has thanked the Union government for this gesture. In a statement, Singh says the Adivasis across the country are elated owing to this decision, announced by Rijiju in the Lok Sabha while speaking on the Waqf Act Amendment Bill. The other insertion in the new Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 provides for prevention of ASI-protected monuments. It pertains to historical monuments. The amendment concerned says that any declaration or notification issued under this Act or under any previous Act in respect of Waqf properties shall be void, if such property was a protected monument or protected area under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904 or the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, at the time of such declaration or notification. This means ASI-protected monuments have now been excluded from Waqf’s ambit.
Now that both the houses of Parliament have passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 with a comfortable majority for the ruling NDA, indications are that the political permutations and combinations in Maharashtra will emerge in a different shape. Maharashtra has over 92,000 acres of land named as Waqf properties. Their worth can run into thousands of crore rupees if developed systematically. But the more dominant consideration will be political. Certain sections in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi are reported to be uneasy since their party whips had compelled them to vote against the Bill contrary to their will. Those claiming to be staunch Hindutva proponents are hence feeling the dilemma more acutely. Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant has openly invited such elements to the saffron fold while speaking on the Bill in the Lok Sabha. Ever since the Fadnavis government took over, there has been a steady trickle from the MVA towards either the BJP or the NCP led by Ajit Pawar or the Shiv Sena under Shinde. On the other hand, MVA leaders are finding it difficult to keep their flocks together. Sensing the potential of such a huge land bank, the Centre will be devising a formula that will further its objective of liberating the Waqf properties from the clutches of a few and involve a larger number of Muslims in running the affairs of various Waqf boards. Given the volume of opportunities to be generated, shifting of political loyalties is expected to accelerate in near future.
On the penultimate day of the Budget Session, the MPs belonging to the DMK were spotted in the Parliament wearing black shirts. It was not clear what they were protesting about. One of their MPs — P Wilson — who is on the panel to preside over Rajya Sabha could be seen sporting a black shirt and presiding over the House. In the past few weeks the DMK MPs have been protesting Centre’s approach to the state, particularly over New Education Policy and denial of funds to it. schools. In the state assembly chief minister MK Stalin sported a black badge and even got a resolution moved against the Waqf Bill that was passed by the Lok Sabha. This must be added to the state’s tally of assembly resolutions denouncing the Centre’s moves. First one was on the NEET. Meanwhile, it is learnt Sivaganga Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram managed to get a quiet word with PM Modi last week over the menace of stray dogs. He pointed out how India was home to one of the largest stray dog populations — 6.2 crore – globally. The meeting with Modi must have boosted Karti’s stock among TN leaders and also surprised Rahul Gandhi who has always cold shouldered him. In a post on X, Karti explained how India was endemic for rabies, responsible for 36% of the world’s rabies-related deaths. “I raised concerns about the inadequacy of the current system, where local bodies lack the resources, funding, and technology to tackle this issue effectively. It’s clear that urgent action is required. I suggested establishing a National Task Force to provide a holistic, humane, and scientific solution while working closely with local bodies.”
The last two years have been tough on Kollywood star Jyothika. When she and hubby Suriya, a popular Tamil star, moved out from Chennai to Mumbai, setting up a mound of tittle-tattle about in-law trouble and outlaw response, when the truth was the couple were just seeking different school systems and more career opportunities. Then Suriya’s much anticipated Kanguva nosedived at the box office and overnight, he became less of the revered hero, more of a bad luck star. Jyothika had only her current web series, Dabba Cartel and her role in it was no Titanic. But Jyothika being feisty and fearless, found the ideal outlet to enjoy and smile. A few days back, she hosted a party for her Chennai colleagues and friends at her Mumbai residence. Heroines Trisha Krishnan, Ramya Krishnan, Radhika Sarat; dance master Brinda Gopal, Ramya Subramanian and popular emcee Divya Dharshini (DD) were on hand to enjoy, have an exuberant and happy time with Jyothika. She posted these pictures on Insta and embellished them with catchy copy …“Time flies, takes us higher…we are strong when we cheer each other and our smiles say it all”. Probably the most apt message was for Brinda …“Cheers to the woman who made us dance on her fingers”. And her post to Ramya said it all: “To the one who keeps friendship alive with love”. Jyothika is not one to whine and whimper about turns that life or career take…she is her own strong motivator.
Contrary to expectations there weren’t fireworks in the Lok Sabha when the government took up Waqf Bill (Amendment) for passage. It even saw some lighter moments between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the selection of the next BJP president. Speaking in the House, Akhilesh Yadav mocked the “biggest political party” for its inability to elect its own president.” To which Shah quipped that the process in the BJP was unlike other parties, where presidents were selected from few family members.” Akhileshji made his remark with a smile, so I will respond in the same manner. The parties sitting across from us in this House all have national presidents who are selected from just five family members. But in our party, we have to conduct a process involving 12-13 crore members, so naturally, it takes time,” said Shah. “In your case, it will not take much time. I am saying that you will remain president for 25 years,” Shah said in jest. The process to elect the next BJP president has been pending for 10 months after incumbent JP Nadda was inducted into the Narendra Modi Cabinet following the BJP’s win in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Yadav also took a veiled dig at PM Modi over his visit to the RSS headquarters on March 30, saying the “yatra” (pilgrimage) was to save his chair. While the banter showed that the Opposition had no real issue against the bill, Yadav claimed that the Waqf Bill would hurt India’s secular image in the world and that it was being brought as part of the BJP’s “divisive agenda”.
If the IPL, had among a number of awards along with the Orange Cap to the leading run-getter and Purple Cap to the leading wicket-taker, founded the best talent scout award over multiple seasons, it would have been won by John Wright hands down. The former New Zealand opener and a former coach of the Indian team should get the credit for recommending Jasprit Bumrah to Mumbai Indians for the 2013 season after seeing him bowl for Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 tournament. Bumrah has to be deemed the find of the IPL and India in the last decade having taken 443 wickets across formats and 165 wickets for the MI. The Ambani family owned MI has a pool of talent scouts — and so do the other nine teams — and this season, the five-time winner introduced three raw talents in left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, seamer PVSN Raju, batter Robin Minz for a trial by fire start in the unforgiving world of IPL competition. While Puthur created a buzz in Kerala and across the country, it’s the Punjab left-arm seamer Ashwani Kumar, a tyro in Indian cricket’s domestic tournaments, who demanded compelling attention with his 4 for 24 in the team’s first home match; it was a peach of an effort that won MI its first match of the Tata-IPL-18 against Kolkata Knight Riders. The talent scouts of the 10 franchisees spot talent, travelling to the nook and corners of the country. These are early days for the likes of Puthur and Ashwani, and only a good run in the hectic IPL season can enable them to crash open the doors of the national team.
In his interactions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai had reportedly made it very clear that the BJP should enter into a pre-poll alliance with the AIADMK only if it did not agree to projecting to anyone from the regional party as CM candidate. Armed with facts and figures, he explained to Shah that the AIADMK under Edappadi K Palaniswami’s (EPS) leadership had been steadily declining including its vote share. Annamalai insisted that the BJP must work on stitching up a NDA alliance in TN that builds on gains that the BJP made in 2024 Lok Sabha elections by going alone. It may be recalled that it was the AIADMK that had walked out of the NDA alliance in Sep-Oct 2023 months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Yet, the BJP managed to double its vote share from 3.66% to 11.1% though it did not win a single seat. It would be interesting to see how the AIADMK chief EPS responds to this precondition from BJP. EPS has been pushing for the NDA to project him as the CM face. BJP sources say EPS has been playing tricky. Soon after his meeting with Shah, EPS reached Chennai and repeated charges against Modi government that the DMK government has been making regarding the NEP and Centre not clearing state’s dues. His comments surprised some Congress leaders. So, will Annamalai who has been TN BJP chief since 2021 be eased out? Such posts are for three-year terms only. For the sake of caste dynamics — as there are one too many Gounder community leaders like Annamalai and Mahila Morcha chief Vanathi Srinivasan, it is felt the party may go for a Thevar leader Nainar Nagendran, a BJP MLA from Tirunellveli. A final call on Annamalai, who has opted to work as cadre, will of course be taken post PM Modi’s TN visit on April 6.
The world has indeed termed this as an abrasive action by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russia-Ukraine military face-off has certainly thrown the nation states across the globe in a tailspin. The ongoing war between the two hostile neighbouring nations is bound to have far-reaching implications for the international community. Nearer home in Chennai, this business group is keeping its fingers crossed. The abrasive action of Putin has put this abrasive maker in a tight spot. Carborundum Universal (CUMI), a Murugappa Group company, it may be recalled, acquired 84% of the ordinary shares of Volzhsky Abrasive Works (VAW), located in the Volgograd Region of Russia, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, CUMI International Ltd., Cyprus, for a consideration of around $37 million sometime in 2007. The Russian venture fetched CUMI a PBT of Rs 1,350 million during 2020-21. The company expanded the capacity of the nitride bonded silicon carbide facility at VAW. This was ostensibly done to provide the company the capability to address the increasing global requirement of nitride bonded refractories for non-ferrous and waste-to-energy applications. Well, the dynamics have completely changed now. With the two countries at loggerheads, a sense of uncertainty has gripped Indian business in Russia. An abrasive action has put this abrasive maker in a bind, it appears.
Madras Race Club To Make Invitation Cup A Festival Of Revival For Racing In Its Diamond Jubilee Year
The Madras Race Club, oldest in the country, started in 1777 by the Brits has been a pulse pounding draw for the glitterati and moneyed of Chennai for years. Invitation Cup and Derby’s drew legendary thoroughbreds and even more iconic breeder owners from across the country, to mix and mingle, bet and brag over chilled beer and gimlets, events that bring in money on weekends for the race course. Late MAM Ramaswamy, that enfant terrible corporate King, breeder and racing aficionado ruled the roost and the racing scene as well. Then, one fine day, three decades ago, Kalaignar Karunanidhi halted horse racing in its tracks, citing a vague rationale. The Race club had to eschew its marquee event, like an emperor without clothes back then. MAM was a super legend, having won 9/Invitation cups. Race enthusiasts still talk about one exciting race when MAM‘s horse, Star Haven was pitted against actor Sanjay Khan’s Khartoum. Most unexpectedly, Khartoum won and the crowd roared its delight. MAM’s son MAMR Muthiah is now preparing for this weekend’s Invitation Cup, in which Forest Flame and Star is Born, Juliet and Own Opinion are being touted as probable winners. So what about the ban? The DMK has just lifted the ban. The public is mulling over this change without any rhyme or reasons provided.
TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee’s uneasy equation with Lord Shri Ram came to the fore in Uttar Pradesh, his birthplace, where there is no avoiding Rama’s political themes either. When Didi reached Varanasi to campaign for Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, the Bengal CM’s cavalcade was blocked by Hindu Yuva Vahini members carrying black flags and chanting Jai Shri Ram. A Vahini functionary said the protests were justified in the wake of the “genocide of Hindus in Bengal” after which Mamta had the gall arriving into Kashi. By chanting Jai Shri Ram aloud, “We want to bring to her notice that this part (read state) of Bharat was always the land where Sanatan Hindus dwell unlike Bengal, where one may insult Hindus and still get away with it. This is Uttar Pradesh.” For Akhilesh, campaigning in Ayodhya for a party candidate, the protests against his ally was quite embarrassing. Mamata, who faced protests on her way to Dashashwamedh Ghat to see the ‘Ganga Aarti’, got off the vehicle and faced the Vahini crowd. She boarded her vehicle only after police personnel took the activists away. It may be recalled that Mamata walked out of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary celebrations in WB in January 2021 after crowds chanted Jai Shri Ram even while sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently regaled audiences in Chennai, at the release of Chief Minister MK Stalin’s autobiography One Amongst You, about how his mother Sonia Gandhi used google to discover the age of the DMK leader. Complimenting Stalin for looking young at 69, Rahul suggested he must write another book sharing his secret to good health. While the book launch brought together Opposition parties such as Congress, DMK, RJD and CPI (M) on one platform ahead of 2024, the book itself is being translated into Hindi while projecting Stalin as national leader. A section of the DMK is pushing for Udhayanidhi to take over as CM, wanting Stalin to move base to Delhi for a national role, since Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats. It is almost like watching an action replay of happenings in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee, who got her biography written even as nephew Abhishek keeps snapping at her heels to take-over, is hoping to clean sweep all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Meanwhile, when senior DMK leader TR Baalu called upon Congress President Sonia Gandhi, he was in for a surprise. She apparently asked him about phone calls Home Minister Amit Shah had made to Kanimozhi and; even sought to know the frequency and purpose of these phone calls.
In order to checkmate poll strategist Prashant Kishor hired by KCR in Telangana, Rahul Gandhi has made an elaborate plan to counter him. The Congress leader has picked his onetime protégé Sunil Kanugolu — who worked with 5 parties and with PK in 2013. Sunil who worked with the DMK in 2019 LS polls and worked for the AIADMK in the Tamil Nadu assembly polls has been roped in via AICC functionary Manickam Tagore. Rahul recently informed party leaders from Karnataka and Telangana that Sunil would closely work with them. Unlike PK, Sunil has been asked to join as a senior AICC office bearer and will undertake his new responsibility — most likely as political economist Praveen Chakravarty 2.0. Party leaders of course wish to ask what would be the ideological commitment of professional election strategists like Sunil who closely worked with the BJP and, which AICC High Command vehemently demands of its leaders. A Telangana leader pointed out how Sunil was hired by KCR before PK had joined him. Switching over from DMK to AIADMK overnight also indicates he is just a professional ready to do a job. But what is nagging Southern leaders is why Sunil a close friend of Amit Shah, is not being deployed in Gujarat but in Karnataka and Telangana where Congress victory has a high probability?
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has once again triumphed over opposition political formations in Orissa. In the recent Panchayat elections, his party Biju Janata Dal (BJD)decimated BJP and Congress bagging 765 of the total 851 Zilla Parishad seats. BJD was able to install 30 Zilla Parishad presidents in the 30 districts, placing a question mark on the future of both BJP and Congress. All this was achieved although Patnaik did not hit the campaign trail. His work speaks for itself; he has transformed Odisha over the last two decades and won people’s hearts. This win may have implications for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. BJP’s MP, Basant Panda attributed BJD’s sweeping electoral success to the BJP’s own failure to convince people to not vote for the BJD. Both BJP MP Pratap Sarangi and Niranjan Pattnaik, President of Odisha Pradesh Congress blamed their losses on the financial might of BJD. Political analysts say both BJP and Congress are now giving lame excuses. They will need to put a strategy in place to beat BJD’s organisational skills and mass appeal of the electorate. And even if they do, will they get a State leader who can match the charisma of Naveen Patnaik?
The Stalin era in Tamil Nadu’s politics was firmly established, even as the wounded AIADMK tried to make its way back into people’s hearts. Probably, the return of Jayalalithaa’s aide and confidante Sasikala and nephew TTV Dhinakaran are viewed as vital to rebuilding a political challenge in the unending Dravidian narrative of TN politics. So long as former CMs Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) and O Panneerselvam (OPS) stood united, the remnants of Poes Garden rule in Sasi and her nephew were disallowed entry to the party HQ on Lloyd’s Road. Breaking that unity was key to the reunion that Sasikala was dreaming of. She was able to force a crack through her old scheming ways, favouritism and heroine-worship based politics. DMK’s success in the recent state assemblies, came after the 2019 debacle when just one MP, OPS’s son, was elected. AIADMK swept the remaining 38 Lok Sabha seats in the state, then also ruling the roost in the state legislature. In the 2021 assembly polls EPS-OPS were not totally wiped out but, local body polls saw a decisive sweep by the DMK, prompting the need for a united AIADMK. That may, however, mean a big loss for EPS, not so much for OPS, who was Chinamma’s choice for acting CM whenever Jaya had to eschew the gaddi.
Come April 1, 2022, the IPO market will witness three major changes that will immensely benefit retail investors. First, as per RBI stipulation, investors cannot borrow over Rs 1 crore from NBFCs to apply for an IPO. Second, SEBI has split the current HNI category into two. The first part, 1/3 of the bucket size of HNI portion, is for Rs 2-10 lakh and, the second bucket size of Rs 10 lakh and above is for HNI-Non-Institutional Investors. Third: change in lock-in period for anchor investors from current 30 days in two bucket groups: 50% shares will have 30-day lock-in and balance 50% for 90 days. Clearly, institutional investors are uncomfortable with the 90-day lock-in with good reason. The last three months saw all new age companies losing around 50% values since their listing. Allotment for HNI category, in case of oversubscription, would be similar to the retail category with one lot per applicant. For example, in the Rs 2 lakh plus category it would be just Rs 2 lakh. Similarly, it would be Rs 10 lakh in the Rs 10 lakh plus category. The new rules will see unrealistic over subscriptions by over 200-300 times disappear to more realistic levels in turn, making grey markets vanish. It will also force promoters to price IPOs more realistically.
A little-read news piece got buried in the avalanche of revelations on Chitra Ramkrishna, her shenanigans at the National Stock Exchange and more. The interesting news has lost relevance now thanks to the identity disclosure of Ramkrishna’s ‘Himalayan Guru’ – Anand Subramaniam — her right-hand man at the NSE. A couple of days before the bombshell caused a blast, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (superstition eradication committee), founded by the late rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, had submitted a memorandum to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), also Mumbai Police seeking the arrest of the NSE’s former CEO and MD under the Anti- Superstition and Black Magic Act. Pointing out that Subramanian’s appointment as the exchange’s COO in 2013 had cost the NSE Rs 5 crore, the Samiti said the entire case was an embarrassment for India, as a highly-educated person like Ramkrishna took advice from a self-proclaimed guru. “MANS has brought it to the notice of CBI and Police Commissioner Mumbai that according to the Act it is an offence to claim divine powers and deceive people on the basis of it,” the organisation had said. “The current case is a clear incidence of a person holding important public office working under the influence of superstitious beliefs and hence doing harm to the greater public good hence we have decided to take up this issue.”
A fake Instagram post, its origins possibly in India, threatened Australian cricketer Ashton Agar with a message to his partner. It is believed the post was aimed at scaring the Australian cricket team that is touring Pakistan after 24 years and which is scheduled to hold its first practice session on Wednesday (March 2). The social media message was assessed as not credible. The post – “Your children will miss their Father if he comes to Pakistan. Our snipers will blow his head” — was clearly wrong as Agar and his partner have no children. Security agencies analysed it and assured the Aussies that there was nothing to fear. Having lost the New Zealand tourists on the day of their first scheduled international match last year, the Pakistan security establishment will put in place a 4,000 strong police cordon around the Aussies for the 3-Test, 3-ODIs and one T20I series. Pakistan-born Australian Test batsman Usman Khwaja brings a unique flavour to the tour as he visits his country of birth and where he has relatives. But the tour bio-bubble rules are so strict that he may not get to meet them. A successful tour for Australia, known to be very fussy about security in Asia, may generate hope in Pakistan that Team India also travel there soon.
One former colleague Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly misses, while handling the outpouring of parental pressure of over 15,000 students stranded in war-torn Ukraine, is the late Sushma Swaraj, former External Affairs Minister. Swaraj became known for introducing a humane touch in the ministry and, directly communicating with people via Twitter. At various times of crisis in the Gulf region, whether the hostage crisis in Iraq or, evacuation of Indian nationals from war-torn Yemen, Swaraj was visibly active. Her famous tweet “Even if you are stuck on Mars, the Indian Embassy there will help you,” remains etched in public memory. This time around, to assure parents about the wellbeing and safe return of their children, Modi instructed four ministers to supervise the evacuations from Ukraine’s neighbourhood. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will be based in Romania & Moldova, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju in Slovakia, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in Hungary while Minister of State Gen VK Singh is stationed in Poland. The MEA’s new twitter handle @opganga stays connected to stranded students. In a major setback to India, Naveen Shekharappa, a fourth-year medical student at the Kharkiv National Medical University, hailing from Karnataka was shot by the Russian army in Kharkiv while he was in a queue to buy groceries. Meanwhile, PM Modi called on the IAF to join evacuation efforts; the IAF is expected to deploy its several C-17 aircrafts as part of OpGanga.
Those who questioned Alia Bhatt’s calibre to play Gangubai Kathiawadi have been forced to eat their own words and, Kangana Ranaut tops the list. The actress had said she didn’t expect the movie mafia’s film to do well. While Kangana taking pot-shots against top actors, to increase her social media influencer reach is plain to see, even those within Bollywood were unsure if the woman-centric film would do well at the box office and, with Alia in the lead role. In fact, only a handful of women-centric films have managed to get good numbers at the box office. Gangubai Kathiawadi has surprised everybody. Trade experts say that film is getting a good draw and business could have been 20% more had cinemas opened to 100% capacity. While there is no comparison between Alia and Deepika Padukone has been made, although the self-proclaimed Queen of Bollywood thinks so, there is little doubt that Alia has arrived which may be giving heebie-jeebies to the established likes of Deepika. Twenty-nine-year-old Alia, who debuted as a child artiste, got her first big break in Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year. Avid cinema goers were impressed by her performance in Raazi, Gully Boy and, Highway just to name a few.
Shreyas Iyer carved a niche for himself in the three match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka. Without his individual stroke making ability, India may not have found it easy against the Emerald nation that flew from Australia where it lost a series 1-4. Sri Lanka has been trying to rebuild its team after the retirement of its top guns Muthiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vasa, Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara. So it was no surprise that it was beaten hollow in the Twenty20 internationals, with Shreyas knocking off 204 runs off 117 balls with unconquered scores of 57, 74 and 73 and scoring at 10.46 an over. An impressive batter raised in the tough environs of Mumbai’s highly competitive maidan cricket, Iyer has positioned himself for a middle order slot in the Indian team in all formats. Recently he made a Test century on debut against New Zealand at Kanpur and followed it up with a half century in the second innings. Injuries have kept him out of a few series, but he has been the bright spark whenever he has returned. Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant were absent from the series against Sri Lanka and Iyer grabbed his chances with both hands and demanded a place in the playing XI in the future series.
The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC), currently hearing the annual revenue requirement to fix bulk supply price for 2022-23, was subtly asked by the state government to disallow tariff hikes sought by power utilities. The popular Naveen Patnaik government has told OERC to find a win-win solution for all stakeholders. “The balancing act of finding a solution without consumer tariff hikes is the prerogative of OERC, which is doable,” an industry expert says. The rationale for “no power tariff hikes”: The Four Tata Power DISCOMs in Odisha especially, TPWODL posted excellent results for the nine-month period in the current financial year. Their performances contributed to a total of Rs 600 crore regulatory surpluses. In the regulatory framework, DISCOMs are permitted pass through of reasonable expenses and only 16% return on equity (RoE) and hence, the possibility to adjust the Rs 600 crore revenue surplus of Tata DISCOMs suitably while accommodating pass through of genuine expenses of GRIDCO, OPTCL and other state generation companies (OHPC & OPGC) with no increase in retail tariffs for consumers in 2022-23. The quality of power supply and consumer services in the State are expected to improve with capital investment of Rs 2000 Cr by the Odisha Government over the next 2-3 years.
After the first two phases of elections in Uttar Pradesh concluded the BJP heaved a sigh of relief. Unlike the dire predictions of a decimation for the party in western UP, both phases went off smoothly for the party with internal surveys indicating a much better than expected performance too. The two phases also featured the Mainpuri and Karal assembly seats from where SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav contested. Notwithstanding, the scheduled rallies for the remainder of the UP poll tour, Modi switched his focus on the Punjab poll challenge, a well-placed source revealed. “The first two phases were consciously scheduled to cover the difficult political terrain where BJP feared anti-incumbency. This did not happen and the remainder phases encompass BJP strongholds. We may fall shy of the 2017 mark but are winning the UP polls,” the source said. Meanwhile, a trending poll slogan reverberated in the remaining phases, “Tumne Namak Khaya Hain, Namak Harami Na Karna” (You have had the salt of this government, do not betray us now). Simply put, in the remaining phases where BJP seeks to consolidate its traditional votebanks in Eastern and Northern UP, the free rations, DBT cash transfers and other benefits are being leveraged to hold sway over voters. The BJP denies it started the new trending story though terming it a people’s calling.
Long before the bookies predicted a Congress win in the Uttarakhand state assemblies, former party CM Harish Rawat threw a celebratory lunch. The select few present witnessed Rawat’s claim on Congress winning the elections with a tally of 48 from the 70 assembly seats. Oddly, there were few believers in his party over his predictions, most convinced it was Rawat’s ploy to prop himself up for CM if the Congress party won. “It is going to be a very close call in as many as 15 seats. The election can simply go either way,” said a senior Uttarakhand Congress leader. Rawat was very upset as he was not projected as the CM face and so, claiming a decisive win while staking his claim to the top office. Rahul Gandhi is learnt to be backing CLP leader Pritam Singh. As for the BJP, which is banking on PM Narendra Modi’s charisma to be voted back to power, the party admits that the organisational network in the hill state is a treacherous terrain. Even as Pushkar Singh Dhami instilled some hope among the party cadre, many seniors including former CMs worked overtime to defeat the BJP. Even for the Congress, the return of ex-party leaders like Harak Rawat into the party-fold has not proved to be a smooth affair.
The bookmakers’ odds is one barometer to predict poll outcomes. Their dynamically fluid odds are to be taken under extreme caution, changing as they do by the minute depending on inputs or, even the sheer weight of money at stake. Without exit polls in the currently extended election schedules, bookies are the best guide to assess likely poll outcomes. Bookies had tipped BJP as favourites to retain Uttar Pradesh but, odds had indicated a sharp climb down for the ruling party from the 2017 high of 325 seats to a mere 150 wins. First phase polls (two rounds) in western UP, which had the party worried, did not fare as badly as earlier projections said and the BJP now expects to win 225-plus seats. The Punjab odds have changed and expect a closer fight, uncertain of a clear Congress majority, though the party will likely win the Uttarakhand polls clearly, say bookies. Going by the odds, Goa is also too close to call though bookies slightly favour BJP over the Congress while Manipur is yet to vote. The bookies’ assessment may not be crystal clear on sure winners but provide a good enough poll prediction.
The fast unfolding drama around Chitra Ramkrishna, the erstwhile MD of NSE, has pushed the issue of Corporate Governance back into focus. Breached more than it is practiced, it is the most widely abused term in the corporate world. Instances are a dime a dozen of vociferous proponents of corporate governance gave it a go by to suit their own interests. A trip down memory lane reveals this hard truth. When co-founder NR Narayana Murthy returned to head Infosys again, he brought his son Rohan along with him! A revered personality in the corporate world, he subsequently turned activist of an unusual kind. He went ballistic in public against the Infosys board, triggering the ouster of chairman R Seshasayee. In like manner, it still remains a mystery how a member of the search panel for the appointment of a chairman for Tata Sons landed the coveted job for himself. The mystery deepened when Cyrus Mistry was unceremoniously thrown out subsequently. “How could I go against the Tatas?” an independent director put it succinctly. It is easy to preach but, difficult to practice. When it came to cutting his stake in his bank the banker, who headed the panel on corporate governance, prevaricated. Corporate governance appears to follow a “heads I win, tails you lose” maxim. NSE isn’t so unique experience after all.
With the votes cast and EVMs sealed, it may now be told that the star of Punjab’s assembly elections was neither Charanjit Singh Channi or Navjot Singh Sidhu but, the humble poet and former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas, who hijacked the political narrative from the Congress. Vishwas recalled how AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal sought the support of separatists. “One day, he told me he would either become CM (of Punjab) or first PM of an independent nation (Khalistan),” recalled Vishwas. AAP, seen as a front-runner in Punjab polls, got dented by Vishwas’s terror-tag for Kejriwal. Though the effect his claims will have on the electorate remains to be seen, both BJP and Congress demanded to know, with Rahul Gandhi asking, “Why is Kejriwal silent on these allegations? Just say yes or no, is he lying or not?” He also cited Kejriwal regarding his overnight stay in the house of ex-militant Gurinder Singh during the 2017 assembly elections. Vishwas, who contested against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in 2014 and lost, was given Y category security by the Centre. A livid Kejriwal has strangely taken on Vishwas but, in his UP rallies and questioned PM Modi’s consultations with “a Ghaziabad poet on terrorists, instead of the security agencies.”
With polling for UP state assemblies due in Purvanchal and Awadh, polarisation on basis of religion and caste is at its peak. However, within all the hate, a fragrance of love is in the air too. A three-decade-old Hindu-Muslim romance is winning hearts of people in Bahraich district where Muslims, OBCs, SCs constitute over 50% of the electorate. Kiran Bharti, a Hindu-Dalit, and Shaukat Khan’s love story started in Delhi University’s North Campus in 1992. “I was then the secretary of the Delhi University Students’ Union,” Shaukat told shortpost.in, adding that he always wanted to get into electoral politics. However, in 2012, BSP supremo Mayawati advised him to let Kiran be the face and asked him to work from behind the scenes. Since then the duo has bagged the majority of Muslim and SC votes in Balha. In 2022, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi too fell for their love saga. Sources in the UP Congress claim Kiran and Shaukat’s jodi was hand-picked by Priyanka. “She has played a masterstroke. The party that was never in the fight is now the prime challenger in the region,” a local BJP leader confessed, adding that the couple’s influence is seen in the adjoining seats as well. “No matter which party they contest from, they’re always the first choice of Muslim and SC voters,” he claimed.
Award winning actor cum filmmaker but, ever controversial, Kangana Ranaut’s recent jibe at Alia Bhatt over the latter’s movie Gangubhai Kathiawadi was in bad taste say Bollywood insiders. Is the 34-year old Kangana, a known BJP sympathizer, only trying to enhance her social media presence further? Kangana has been speaking out via social media platforms on all major issues and, was instrumental in changing the narrative in the Sushant Singh Rajput case. Has she now targeted Alia over her enmity with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt? Generally, Bhatt senior would have jumped to his daughter’s defence through a tweet but, he has instead adopted a ‘let sleeping dogs lie’ strategy. Alia called Kangana’s video cute while quoting a verse from the Bhagavad Gita. It may be recalled that Mahesh Bhatt had launched Kangana in Gangster and there were videos of her praising the filmmaker but, today both stand swords drawn. A majority in the film industry avoids Kangana, some boycott her while fence sitters like Ekta Kapoor cash in on her public controversy and, has signed her up for the most fearless reality show Lock Upp. Apparently, Kangana asked Ekta to sign up her bete noire Karan Johar for the reality show. In 2020, lyricist Javed Akhtar had filed a defamation case against her.
Dilip ‘Colonel’ Vengsarkar has worn many hats in his distinguished career. He was raised in the maidans of Mumbai at Matunga Gymkhana, Shivaji Park, Azad, Cross, the Oval and many more, and he played for the interschool powerhouse King George, for RA Podar College and Bombay University before cutting his teeth in the domestic and international cricket and earning the sobriquet “Lord of the Lord’s” for scoring three Test centuries at the famous London venue. He excelled as Chairman of the BCCI Selection Committee and as Head at the National Cricket Academy. He was also a vice-president of Mumbai Cricket Association for four terms. The Lodha Cricket Reforms has stalled a significant role for him at the MCA and the BCCI, but a person who has the eye to spot talent recently appealed to the MCA to run the city’s intercollegiate cricket. And according to Jagdish Achrekar, Treasurer, MCA’s Apex Council has acceded to Vengsarkar’s request. The former India captain’s plea to MCA came at the Nadeem Memon organised 125th anniversary inauguration of the MSSA Harris Shield at the Brabourne Stadium, Cricket Club of India. More than half a dozen former Test cricketers graced the occasion where the CCI President Premal Udani extended support to school sports and the Dubai-based Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket For Care Foundation presented kits to 40 needy schools. It was in this gathering that Vengsarkar highlighted the importance of intercollegiate and University cricket.
It was a landslide victory for DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance in recently held corporation, municipality and panchayat elections. AIADMK was decimated. DMK won all the 21 corporations, 130 out of 138 municipalities and, 350 out of 489 town panchayats. AIADMK had won 10 civic corporations in 2011. Flashback to the MGR-led AIADMK, that ruled from 1977to 1987. MGR, the popular star, quit DMK in 1972 frustrated with corruption and the authoritarian culture of the founding family. When terminally ill MGR chose his protégé and film star, J Jayalalithaa, to be his successor. The AIADMK thrived under Amma’s rule. She kept the DMK at bay for 10 years. TN’s electorate is not binary and; savvy enough to punish or reward, in equal measure. Corruption, in-fighting, leadership duels in AIADMK, coupled with the Sasikala factor seems to have done the party in. The BJP, after initially befriending the AIADMK, has seen the writing on the wall and begun distancing itself. Under TN chief K Annamalai the BJP wants to become a political force to reckon with on its own. The fresh poll results clearly indicate Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s model of governance has got the people’s mandate. Stalin also dreams of becoming a deputy PM of India and, is grooming his son Udhayanidhi to take over the mantle from him.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is a changed man. In his heydays, as a CPM trade union activist he red flagged businesses, organised strikes, hartals and lockdowns. But as CM now, his government has rolled out the red carpet to turn Kerala into a popular business investment destination. Recently, he visited the UAE and wooed investors. Ironically, trade union leaders in his party are busy closing down or threatening MSMEs in the name of Nokku Kooli, an euphemism for extortion. What takes the cake is two controversial decisions by Vijayan’s government. After Air India was privatized, handed over to the Tata Group, the Kerala government took back land it provided for AI’s headquarters in Trivandrum. The logic: the land was provided when AI was a Government of India undertaking. For the record the original owner of the land, the Royal family of Travancore and AI had paid for the land. The same government is courting another Tata Group flagship, TCS to set up offices in Trivandrum’s Techno Park. The other googly Vijayan delivered is over the Trivandrum airport, set up in 1932, run by Adani Group. Post privatization, the Left government has placed one too many hurdles on its expansion plans. It will be interesting to see how the Adanis tackle this challenge even as they are struggling to develop a greenfield Vizhinjam port, also located in Trivandrum.
Looks like there will be no let-up in the probe against the “mystery Yogi” who gave divine instructions to former MD & CEO of the National Stock Exchange, Chitra Ramkrishna. At an official weekend meeting, PM Narendra Modi made clear that investigations must be conducted thoroughly to delve into the depths (gehariyan) of the scam. This means Ramakrishna will not get away with pleading innocence for having taken instructions from a godman who resided in the Himalayas. The official keenness to get to the bottom of the story is also because Ramkrishna, a qualified CA, was connected with an influential political family, a father-son duo, from Tamil Nadu since 2012. It was this connection that helped her secure the coveted job in 2013. Sources close to Ramkrishna, keen to protect her, are peddling multiple theories including one, about the yogi being a finance ministry bureaucrat besides speculative assertions about him. He was probably a Karnataka cadre officer, once a close aide to the senior Tamil Nadu leader. Interestingly, the political class seems very keen to see a bureaucrat is made the fall guy in the Chitra Ramkrishna episode so it fails to impact their political space.
The Indian cricket field will soon witness a major turf war of a different kind, a battle for media and digital rights. Amazon and Reliance Industries, two corporate majors locked in a head-on battle for physical shopping space in Future Retail, will also flex their muscles to bid for the 2023-2027 IPL rights. Valuations have breached the stratosphere already with talk of bids reaching $7 billion dollars and, many other giants ready to do battle as well. The previous 5-year cycle that attracted a consolidated Rs 16,347.5 crore from Star-Disney ends with the 15th IPL featuring 10 teams and more matches than were on offer under the 8-team format. Disney-owned Star India may have to reach deep into its pockets to take on the global e-commerce giant Amazon with its Prime Video OTT pay channel, even as India’s industry and commerce behemoth Reliance, with a broadcasting arm in Viacom18, opens up its considerable war chest to bid for what is seen in broadcasting as an everyday Super Bowl with a 2.5 billion worldwide audience. The BCCI may unbundle the TV and digital rights. IPL has probably already factored in its Rs 7,000 crore a year rights earnings, which is believable as cricket is king in India and IPL dishes out magical live sport entertainment.
L’ affaire Wriddhiman has been rather unkind to the sports journalists’ fraternity in India, in particular with the former India stumper refusing to name the alleged sports journalist who sent him intimidating messages. Wriddhiman Saha, who has been brutally told the truth that he is on the way out of the India scheme of things because he is considered to be too old to be a No 2 man with the big gloves, has brought into the public domain the conversation India Head Coach Rahul Dravid had with him about the improbability of his future roles in India cap and red ball cricket during the recent tour of South Africa and a text from the BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly, assuring to protect his place in the India team. But the Bengal-based stumper has still not revealed the name of the sports journalist who has behaved like a loon to say the least. No professional sports newsperson would resort to such unethical means to extract news from a sportsperson. Saha, a long time understudy to Mahendra Singh Dhoni has played 40 Tests that mirrors the permanency he enjoyed in the Test team, but of late the dashing Rishabh Pant has been anointed as the No 1 stumper across all formats and Kona Srikar Bharat, 28, being looked at as the immediate standby. But the big question now is, will Saha name the uncouth media person?
This news comes as a much needed relief for many family-run enterprises. In a sudden about-turn, SEBI decided to make splitting of the posts of chairperson and managing director (CMD) by listed entities voluntary and not mandatory. A dozen such enterprises thrive in the Dravidian land. With one too many family members within such enterprises, splitting the CMD could have triggered considerable tensions within such enterprises. The consequences for them would have been a lot severe if it was enforced with a stricter fiat from the market regulator? What made the regulator do a U-Turn? One can debate the volte-face endlessly. One thing is sure, however. Regulation by force has often proved ineffective, and hasn’t really delivered the intended result. We have seen this happening in the unfolding Chitra imbroglio in the NSE. The entire governance structure at NSE appears to have gone for a toss. Will more rules solve the problems? They won’t. Be it in the re-nomination of the Maran couple on the board of Sun TV Network or the infamous Tata-Mistry imbroglio, corporate governance has been a consistent casualty. It reflects the erosion in the value system of society. The Venu Srinivasan and R Dinesh-led wings in the now partitioned TVS group have gone for non-family members to chair some of their boards. That’s refreshing. Laws often don’t get the right result.
Maharashtra is on edge, focused on forthcoming BMC elections, the semi-final match for Lok Sabha and assembly prospects of 2024. BJP says the 416 seats it won in January’s Nagar Panchayat polls is proof the voter base of third placed Shiv Sena with 301 seats (NCP/376 and Congress/297) is eroding. Truth being, Sena fared well in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar with limited success in Konkan. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has entrusted the task to raise Sena’s tally in BMC to over 100 corporators to son and suburban Mumbai’s guardian minister, Aaditya Thackeray. Meanwhile, erstwhile BJP CM, Devendra Fadnavis seeks a CAG audit over financial irregularities in Mumbai’s jumbo Covid centres, apparently run by unregistered medical operators, with familial ties to Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut. Did Raut make a distressed late-night call to Amit Shah recently? Union Minister Narayan Rane said Maharashtra’s politics will change post March 10 which was interpreted as fresh efforts to dislodge the MVA government. “Post BMC polls no elections are scheduled in Maharashtra till 2024. After March 10 fresh efforts will commence to dislodge the MVA government. Whether this means cases registered against the CM, his wife or Raut’s kin being arrested has to be seen. After March 10 they will come to us,” a BJP leader told Shortpost.in. Clearly, the battle for BMC has begun.
Every time Odisha faces a poll, the rumour mills work overtime regarding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s fragile health. Patnaik knows this game is played by opposition parties to cut into his vote base. Now, with Panchayat elections around the corner, Patnaik took the wind out of the opposition sails by addressing the media while on a visit to the Lingaraj Temple. “I am fit and fine,” he conveyed to waiting newspersons. Although appearing slightly under the weather he fronted supreme confidence. Voters in Odisha know Naveen babu’s health is not in the best of pink but, they simply adore and love him for his delivery. No other chief minister in the country enjoys his kind of popularity. The rumours of his ill health also served as a wake-up call to his party, the Biju Janata Dal. Succession talks on taking over the mantle of the BJD have begun. While there are no clear answers, political analysts feel the BJP which was waiting in the sidelines for years feels the inevitable political vacuum being created and its double engine formula may fill this space in the coming days.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu is spending his last few months in office reaching out to old friends from across the aisle. This was on display when he made a point to call upon senior DMK leader Arcot Veerasamy during his visit to Chennai recently. Veeraswamy, who is undergoing medical treatment for a fractured leg, was the Power Minister in the Karunanidhi Government (2006-11) and, close to the late DMK supremo M Karunanidhi. His son, Kalanidhi Veerasamy is at present Lok Sabha MP from Chennai North. Naidu spent about 15 minutes with Veerasamy. Naidu’s businesswoman daughter Deepa Venkat also lives in Chennai. Likewise, a week after Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhawan was thrown open to the public, President Ramnath Kovind invited Supreme Court judges to come visit. Guests led by Chief Justice N V Ramana, accompanied by his wife, grand-daughter and brother judges went for a stroll. A lawyer by training, Kovind played a perfect host to the CJI’s grand-daughter, Sriya, a kindergarten student, showering her with chocolates.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin would like to be a player on the national scene but, on his own terms. While his ambition to the Deputy Prime Minister’s post isn’t a secret anymore, the Tamil Nadu CM won’t pursue it unless ally Congress fits into the scheme of things. Stalin feels Mamata Banerjee is no national leader, not KCR, Uddhav Thackeray or, Pinarayi Vijayan either. Stalin will only play ball if Congress is in the loop. After openly promoting Rahul Gandhi’s PM candidature before the 2019 polls, Stalin will not abandon him and his party. Stalin looks at Mamata Didi’s national front initiative as a meeting of non-BJP CMs in New Delhi to forge unity for a combined national opposition ahead of the 2024 polls. Stalin is convinced on Congress’ national party status and, cling to its coattails forgetting old grievances against Indira Gandhi for sacking the DMK government and put Stalin in jail under MISA, no more relevant after decades of built-up friendship. He sees no non-BJP, non-Congress front possibly gaining national ascendancy. While he seeks a national role, while placing his son on the TN CM’s seat at Fort St George, Stalin will only do so provided the Congress joins the political front..
Battle to secure the Karhal seat, which goes to polls on February 20, intensified on the second last day of campaigning as the key candidate and, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav brought his 83-year-old father Mulayam Singh Yadav popularly called Netaji on the campaign trail with him. The ageing and ailing SP patriarch came to Karhal from Lucknow. He was accompanied by the extended Yadav family including brothers Shivpal Yadav and Ram Gopal Yadav. Mulayam made a brief appeal seeking votes for his son and promised development. Mulayam’s last-minute effort of an appearance for his son exposed the chinks in Akhilesh’s armour. This was simply explained by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was campaigning in Karhal for BJP candidate and Union Minister of State Prof SP Singh Baghel. Taking a swipe at Akhilesh for dragging his father to campaign for him, Shah said it exposed the weakness of the Samajwadi camp. Incidentally, Baghel was a PSO to Mulayam and was brought into politics by Netaji himself. In the past few elections, Karhal has traditionally been a SP seat. Though both Akhilesh and Baghel are now Lok Sabha MPs, the BJP has made winning the seat a prestige issue. “If lotus blooms here in Karhal it will be equal to getting 300 seats in UP, ” thundered Shah.
Superstar Rajini Signs Up For His 169th Movie, Pushes Producer To Cast Aishwaryaa Rai As His Co-Star
After a lot of hype and hoopla and, sky high expectations for Rajinikanth’s Annaatthe, the film hit the bedrock, a rejection the superstar is still smarting under. Despite a nubile Lolita like Keerthy Suresh in the lead (she was cast as his sister whom he protects like a nuclear code), icy Nayanthara as his ambiguous love interest and, buxom Khushbu, playing matronly Meena to gird Rajini’s masochism, Annaatthe sadly lulled audiences to sleep. The buzz among fans is that Thalaiva must ‘quit while he is still the icon’. Not ready to walk off into the sunset, Rajini has signed up his 169th movie to be shot by his director of choice, Nelson Dilipkumar. Shootings expected to start in May and completed within five months’ time, for an October 2022 Diwali week release. Producer of the film Sun Pictures is in a quandary as Rajini has insisted on Aishwaryaa Rai-Bachchan as co-star. But her signing up fee of Rs 10 crore is out of their budget. Rajini being Rajini, has said get her at any cost. Come October, one will see how Rajini’s style magic combines with Aishwaryaa’s beauty to make cash registers ringing big time. Fans are hoping his 169th film is not the swan song for both.
For some strange reason, news of Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaching out to DMK MP Kanimozhi to greet her on her birthday on January 5 became public only a month later. The Shah-Kanimozhi conversation apparently irked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is her brother. Disclosures about the birthday wishes were confirmed by one section of DMK that is unhappy with the manner Stalin is launching ahead with his succession plans to anoint son Udhayanidhi as heir apparent in the DMK. Udhayanidhi, who heads the DMK youth wing, had also started inducting young women into the party fold to the annoyance of aunt Kanimozhi, since she heads the DMK’s women’s wing and, is deputy parliamentary leader of the party. It is also being said Udhayanidhi won’t allow Kanimozhi to thrive once he takes charge. Besides, both Kanimozhi and A Raja are aware of the pending CBI appeal in the 2 G case and may seek a patch up with Delhi. Senior leaders like TR Baalu does not fancy spending his remaining years in the Lok Sabha – till 2024 – as an opposition MP and has been frequently seeking an appointment with PM Narendra Modi. For its part, the BJP dismissed the Shah-Kanimozhi conversation as a routine courtesy call with no political overtones whatsoever. Only time will tell.
When Congress spokesperson, former Union Minister and, Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari called for a press conference, there was palpable excitement in the media. Would he also quit the party like his colleague Ashwini Kumar did? Manish had nothing nice to say on Kumar’s exit and stated, “Ambition for a Rajya Sabha seat makes people do many things”. So where does this leave Tewari? “I have called the press conference in support of the Congress,” he said. True, he had canvassed for Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in Chamkaur Sahib, that is part of his Lok Sabha constituency. But, he complicated equations with the party high command by rebutting Priyanka Vadra’s remarks, “(PM Modi) Wearing a turban on stage doesn’t make (him) one a Sardar”. Tewari knows the pagari is a sensitive issue in Punjab and sought no politics over it. He also dismissed talk of his quitting the Congress, even after having tweeted “never seen such chaos and anarchy as what is playing out in Punjab Congress today.” He had also lashed out at the Punjab government for non-implementation of the Centre’s move to extend BSF jurisdiction and, also defended his close family ties with Capt Amarinder Singh. Tewari has now asserted he was “elected for five years” and would stay unless, of course, he is pushed out.
Tata Power operations in Odisha is firing on all cylinders for an uninterrupted quality power supply. According to Shenbagam Manthiram, CEO of Tata Power Central Odisha, by 2023, the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar will have power quality on Mumbai city standards, thanks to its SCADA technology and LT protection system. This apart, Tata Discoms is putting in place a cyclone resilience disaster network spanning 60 km between the Puri and Konark shoreline to withstand cyclones which annually ravage Odisha, paralysing its power supply. Moreover, it is focusing on a single digit AT&C loss through Capex plans of Rs 1500 crore over the next three years. It will soon launch smart pre-paid self-reading certified HPL 3 phase meters on rental basis at Rs 150 per month and re-charge options. “From February/ March 2022 power purchase in Odisha will go hi-tech, enabling customers with pre-paid meters,” says Manthiram. Initially, covering only 3 phase consumers the scheme will scale up to include others subsequently. The aim is to cover 175,000 customers, improving progressively thereafter. To achieve this goal, Tata Discoms has automated 155 sub-stations linked to SCADA, another 300 will be added this year so that by 2023, 80% of its sub-stations will be unmanned. By 2024 it plans to eradicate low voltage power supply pockets in Odisha and, unveil roof top solar projects in Odisha.
Attention is riveted these days on the Indian women team’s preparatory white-ball series against New Zealand (Silver Ferns) at Queenstown, before the ICC Women’s World Cup in March-April. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the famous Punjabi lass, India lost the one-off Twenty20. Thereafter, India led by Mithali Raj, posted good scores batting first in the 50 over ODIs, but it has not been able to defend it in two consecutive matches. In the second ODI, India made 270 and in the third, 279 and lost them by three wickets each. India had lost the first match by 65 runs. The team played the three ODIs without Smriti Mandhana. Apart from the dismal defeats, the poor form of Harmanpreet has hurt the team from racing to formidable match-winning totals. Known for her big hitting prowess, Harmanpreet has been out for cheap scores of 10, 10 and 13 in the three matches and former India captain and a former member of the Committee of Administrators that ran the BCCI for four years, Diana Edulji told this writer: “Now that India has lost the series, Harmanpreet should be promoted to No 3 (if in the playing XI). And some tough calls have to be taken if India has to make a serious bid for the World Cup. The players who are performing should be in the playing XI. Some players need to be pushed to perform.”
The timing was too convenient for it to be a random decision. The moment the polls were over in Western UP where the Samajwadi Party is more popular, all curbs on poll rallies were gone. A BJP insider concedes that it was planned like this so as not to give any ground to SP, which might have been able to gather big crowds at rallies in its stronghold. It would have been bad optics for the ruling BJP if the opposition was seen displaying its popular appeal while the party struggled to get crowds for its star campaigner in Prime Minister Narendra Modi in eastern UP. The moment the vote got over in the first phase of the UP polls on February 10, the Election Commission convinced itself that Covid was no more a threat and that rallies and road shows were allowed in all the five states going to the polls. The BJP, with sufficient pull in the central and eastern parts of UP to be able to match SP in crowd-pulling rallies, was at it again with rallies and meetings taking over from virtual campaigns starring the PM and the UP CM. The party with the biggest funding for elections was back to dominate the scene with a pliant EC back in its comfort zone backing the ruling forces.
In the corporate world, the phrase ‘All is fair in love and war’ has assumed a new meaning. Well, all is fair if rules are observed is now the touted line and reasoning given to explain away an ethically and morally unjustifiable action. Institutional shareholders voted against a resolution but found themselves unable to vote out the resolution in the face of a steamrolling majority held by the promoters. A classic case was when the resolution relating to the reappointment of the Maran couple — Kalanithi and Kavery — sailed through at the annual general body meeting of the Sun TV Network despite a majority of institutional shareholders voting against it. The Maran couple are the highest paid executives in India. They have taken home close to Rs 1,500 crore by way of managerial remunerations over the last decade. The promoter remuneration is now the subject of intense debate. Is it ethical for promoters to vote on a resolution pertaining to their own compensation? The whole issue has made a mockery of the so-called SEBI-ordained tight governance system. Like the RBI does, can’t corporations be told to make public disclosure of detailed minutes of meetings that clear the compensation paid to promoters? At least that will give the minority shareholders a clue about the logic for the high pay packets.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), with a record 41 Ranji Trophy wins, is loath to give a fitting tribute to one of its most outstanding cricketers Ajit Wadekar and, It is puzzling. Belonging to the pantheon of Mumbai cricketers, Wadekar sported MCA’s lion crest from 1958-59 till the 1974-75 Ranji Trophy seasons, was part of the winning team 11 times, four times as captain and, led India to its maiden Test series win in the West Indies and England in 1971. Wadekar’s missing name is the notable one at MCA’s home ground on D Road in Churchgate. As one enters the Wankhede Stadium through the gates named after Polly Umrigar and Vinoo Mankad, cricket fans have the option to watch a match from the stands named after illustrious cricketers — Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sachin Tendulkar and a stand named after a former president Vithal Divecha. The home and visiting teams occupy the Vijay Manjrekar Dressing Rooms. A long time MCA and BCCI official Prof Ratnakar Shetty has suggested to an MCA official that the Grand Stand above the pavilion be named after Ajit Wadekar. “His name should be visible to the public,” Shetty tells this writer. An icon like Wadekar should be honoured, remembered properly adds Shetty, whose book My Years in BCCI: ON BOARD Test. Trial. Triumph. will be released soon.
Punjab assembly elections are barely a week away and the Congress is quite aware that its house is not in order, though some last-minute fire-fighting is on. Many party MPs have opted to stay away from the field after their wishes were ignored. Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Gill tweeted about AICC in charge Harish Chaudhury as “Thug of Barmer” responsible for the mess. Gill had secured his Lok Sabha seat for the Congress after 43 years in 2019 but the party did not give an assembly ticket to his son Gursant or brother Rajan Gill. Instead, it chose to field sons of Jalandar MP Santokh Chaudhury and Fategarh Sahib MP Amar Singh — both Dalit MPs. The Congress was equally tough on Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari, who as part of G-23, was not included among star campaigners. “We are on a hara kiri in Punjab. Why not use Manish in Punjab, he is after all our MP,” rues an old-timer. PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, one-time star campaigner, shunned by party cadre in Amritsar (East) is relying mainly on wife Navjot Kaur and daughter Rabia to campaign for him. With the CMO out of his reach now, Sidhu has completely turned against CM Channi — he refused to speak at a joint rally where Priyanka Vadra was present.
The Congress is not swayed by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s antics — be it the high-pitched offensive against PM Narendra Modi, raising doubts over the surgical strikes or, even his lashing out at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma for comments against Rahul Gandhi. Congress leaders dismiss the KCR outreach to the Gandhi family by way of targeting the BJP. They feel it is probably just KCR’s effort to stay ahead of the game and other political parties even as anti- incumbency hits him hard. After all, he is into the end of his second term and has lost two by-elections–Huzurabad in November 2021 and Dubbak in November 2020. Both the elections were won by BJP. The buzz is KCR has plans to advance assembly election dates, just like he did in 2018 and he has hired poll strategist Prashant Kishor. “From what we know KCR is planning an early assembly poll which is due only in December 2023 like he did in 2018. That time he did not want assemblies coinciding with the Lok Sabha polls,” says a senior Telangana Congress leader. Of late, he has been hitting out at the Modi government as he is keen to move to national politics and hand over the reins to his son KT Rama Rao.
Big budget movie 83 on Kapil Dev led India winning the 1983 World Cup cost Rs 270 crore to make but did not do well. The biopic on MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, made with a budget of Rs 106 crore, did much better. 83 did not connect with today’s audience while Dhoni did. Trade pundits say the subject of 83 was overexposed; an old chapter in the history of India’s cricket and whatever was shown in the film was available on YouTube. Dhoni’s biopic, in that sense, was an untold story so had a huge audience connect. Also what worked in the biopic’s favour is Dhoni’s huge fan following coupled with his participation in the film promotion. Dhoni’s movie had romance, portrayed the journey of a small-town boy becoming captain of the Indian cricket team. It was aspirational. 83 was only about cricket which perhaps put off today’s generation despite Ranveer Singh. People who went to see 83 were in the 40-plus bracket, who are fewer in numbers. Also, it was not a family outing as their children were not keen to see 83. It was also impacted by the Omicron wave. Clearly, Sushant Singh film had a bigger draw than a Ranveer Singh film. Incidentally, not all biopics do well. The one on Mohammad Azharuddin played by Emraan Hashmi bombed.
Did BJP leader Amit Shah decline funds offered for UP elections by AIADMK’s Joint Coordinator, Edappadi K Palaniswami? The same Edappadi’s fundraising efforts were praised during the Karnataka, Bihar polls. Why? Five state elections with Tamil Nadu local body polls has exposed the worst in political expediency – the use and throw model. Strangely, poll campaigning in TN is reverberating over happenings in North India. Jothimani Sennimalai, Congress MP from TN, threw the gauntlet and said, “Dissolve AIADMK, Merge it with BJP”, “AIADMK is BJP’s B team”. The BJP, however, won’t piggyback on the TN party anymore. In TN, under state chief K Annamalai BJP has charted a new course. After the Rajinikant fiasco, Annamalai has been given carte blanche by the high command to create an enabling environment for BJP’s entry into TN on its own although Rahul Gandhi proclaimed that, “BJP can never set foot in TN”. Insiders say, the real action will start after election results of the five States are known. Annamalai, it seems, does not hide his contempt for Edappadi and has even advised Amit Shah to eschew AIADMK funding. The BJP distanced itself from the southern state party by not joining issues with AIADMK on the NEET subject. Edappadi and his flock may now pay a price for kowtowing and their BJP compromise.
Kerala is making news, not because of Shashi Tharoor or Arundhati Roy but the effort the State made to eliminate poverty through progressive measures and improving human quality of life. India’s recent first ever Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) of NITI Aayog has revealed that Kottayam District in Kerala has no poor residents. District Magistrate PK Jayasree of Kottayam said “Kerala has eight more districts Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kannur, Palakkad, Alappuzha, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta which are below 1% poverty line, efforts are on to make it to the level of 0 % poverty in the next financial year.” The District Magistrate is now introducing ISO standardisation at Kottayam Collectorate followed by other government offices in Kottayam’s District Headquarter. Political observers say, “It is a reflection of the Left Government’s unwavering commitment towards social welfare and initiating updated standardisation which makes it stand out against the rest.” Kerala’s national average of poverty index stands at 25.01%, whereas Kerala, Puducherry and Goa have stable poverty levels, while the worst performers today are UP, MP, Jharkhand and Bihar. NITI Aayog’s MPI index has three quality parameters spread between health, education and standards of living conditions which comprise cooking facilities, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, living conditions, assets and bank accounts. India’s MPI measures use globally accepted robust methodology by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman Shuts Up Tharoor And Maran, Over Sick MTNL/BSNL And Her Rajya Sabha Nomination
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to task during a budget discussion. Maran had questioned Nirmala’s absence in the Lok Sabha saying she was not ‘elected’ and, Tharoor condescendingly sought a bail out for BSNL and MTNL ‘even if the UPA Government had mishandled them’. Ticking off Maran, Nirmala said a point being “raised that I am just a nominated Member, and how arrogant can I be? Though he is not here to hear my speech, I would like to correct the fact as I am not a nominated Member. I was elected to Rajya Sabha. I want to add that (even) nominated members are dignified members. If that is hurting, let me ask, why they sat in the cabinet of Dr Manmohan Singh, a Rajya Sabha member (himself)?” Sitaraman then exposed how Maran, as telecom minister, made BSNL and MTNL sick. Even as the FM was listing out how the UPA sickened Indian telecom companies, Tharoor countered, “You have been in power for eight years, why don’t you bail them out?” An upset Sitaraman shot back, “Look at his courage. Come on Shashi Tharoorji. This is not done,” she said and pointed out that her Government had decided on a Rs 69,000 crore revival package for BSNL/ MTNL and also allotted 4G to them.
There is great news for coffee drinkers, bombarded for years by their brothers and sisters on the other side of the coffee-tea divide and, all they heard was about the health benefits of tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriate. The findings from a large research group of 4.70 lakh people over 11 years suggests that coffee could help you live longer. Scientists not only know how many cups per day of beans to cup coffee are best but have also found out that three cups of ground coffee a day is the best. The findings also suggest that decaffeinated coffee gives almost as much benefit while not so in the case of instant coffee. Moderate coffee drinkers who take up to three cups of ground coffee a day are 12% less likely to die too soon and, 17 to 21% less likely to die from heart disease or stroke, according to a study by the Semmelweis University in Budapest and Queen Mary University, London. The benefits are only partly due to caffeine containing antioxidants while other chemicals play a larger role. The focus of the study was on the effect of coffee on cardiovascular health. But higher coffee intake was also found linked to cause cardiovascular mortality. So, do drink up to three cups a day without guilt.
Chennai’s real estate market is abuzz over news that the TVS Group has put its landmark property on Chennai’s Mount Road on the block. This 2.14 lakh square feet property that houses Sundaram Honda Sales, Madras Auto Service and a clutch of family-run companies, is a bespoke landmark, along with Spencer’s, LIC and Higginbothams. Generations have gawked at these imposing car dealerships. It is learnt that real estate biggies from Bengaluru like Purvankara, Brigade, Prestige and Embassy have thrown their hats into the frenzied bidding ring. Sources say Brigade Group has pocketed the deal with a Rs 550 crore offer. Senior VP of Anarock Property Consultants, Sanjay Chugh, says the sale will set the trend for commercial and retail development on Chennai’s arterial Mount Road and its hinterland. The $ 8.5 billion TVS Group quietly restructured the family holdings while putting an end to the holding company practice. Hereon, each of the four families will completely own the businesses they have grown, following the mega sale monetization of the assets. Corporate analysts say the sale of the Mount Road property could be the starting point of many more future deals. It may be noted that TVS Group owns a big chunk of properties in Chennai’s Poonamallee, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai. Cashing in when the going is good seems to be the motto now.
The contentious issue of the hijab is taking a heavy toll on the Congress in Karnataka. The party stands divided. While former CM Siddaramiah is more worried about alienating Muslims, PCC chief DK Shivkumar is devastated and, feels the issue could botch up Congress prospects of returning to power in the 2023 state assemblies. Common citizens are upset with the aggressive pro-hijab campaign being run by the Campus Front of India (CFI), an arm of the Islamist Popular Front of India. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s faux pas, equating “uniform” and “bikini”, hijab and jeans, has pushed Shivkumar into damage control mode and fighting for the uniform in educational institutions. Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray wisely aired his views; saying students must wear uniforms as prescribed in schools and colleges and, keep political controversies out of the centres of education. On the hijab row, PM Narendra Modi finally opened up in the Muslim-dominated Saharanpur, UP. He said people were inventing ‘new ways to block the rights and development of Muslim women’ in India. “When Muslim women started openly supporting the Modi government, (political) opponents got anxious. But we stand with every Muslim woman.” In a tight slap to the CFI, the Supreme Court declined an urgent listing to hear the Special Leave Petition against Karnataka High Court’s orders regarding the hijab petitions.
Thirty-five-year-old Richa Chadha’s latest web series The Great Indian Murder directed Tigmanshu Dhulia has received mixed reviews. But there is no denying that Richa has arrived in Bollywood. Hailing from an academically-oriented family, Richa entered Bollywood in 2008 with a small role in the comedy Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! In the last 13 years she acted in over 27 films and shot to fame for work in the Fukrey series, her supporting role in Gangs of Wasseypur also won her many awards. Unlike other Bollywood stars, this St Stephen College alumni is headstrong and speaks her mind on raging social issues. She is one of few actresses who protested the attack on JNU students. In the recent Karnataka hijab row Richa, who enjoys over 5 lakh followers tweeted: “Raise your sons better! A bunch of ugly, cowards attacking a lone woman in a pack and feeling proud of it? WHAT LOSERS! Shameful. They’ll be jobless, more frustrated and penniless in a few years. What poor upbringing! No sympathy, no redemption for them (sic).” Little wonder she has signed up for films with strong social issues, subjects or characters who are change agents. Recently, she and her fiancé Ali Fazal set up their own production house, Push Button Production.
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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.