Vishwajeet Kadam, who jolted the MVA alliance in the recent Parliamentary polls, is set to ruffle feathers again in the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. Kadam, who backed Congress rebel Vishal Patil to victory over the MVA’s official Sena nominee, now seems to have the backing of the Congress high command this time too. The message was sent loud and clear when Rahul Gandhi flew down on September 5 to unveil his father –Patangrao Kadam’s statue in the presence of the entire top brass of Congress and even NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. The prominent positioning of rebel Vishal Patil MP on the dais at the event, between the state Congress and NCP chief — Nana Patole and Jayant Patil — signalled Vishwajeet’s insistence to have things work his way. The high-profile event estimated to cost over Rs 50 crore, with over 1.5 lakh people housed in a Rs 8 crore canopy spread over 20 acres, was also meant to pitch Vishwajeet for the top slot in state politics. The absence of Uddhav Thackeray from the event clearly signalled that the friction between the Congress and Sena, is here to stay. Currently, of the eight legislative assemblies in Sangli, only two are held with Congress. Another two seats are held with the BJP, which is keen to wrest control of the prosperous sugar belt. The Congress, which has sensed victory in Maharashtra, after emerging with the highest tally among MVA partners in the recent LS polls, is in no mood to relent to their coalition partners’ demands. The NCP has been tamed while the recalcitrant Uddhav is being ignored. The Congress which wants to play the big brother could give Vishwajeet a free hand to chart party’s revival in the state.

Raja Randhir Singh may have triggered a fresh debate on whether administrators’ maximum tenure of 12 years is good for developing sport in India. India’s National Sports Development Code (NSDC) 2011 specifies terms, tenures, age, and cooling-off rules for sports federations.  A five-time Olympian, several-time Asian Games participant in the Trap and Skeet shooting event, a gold and bronze medal winner has been an administrator for around four decades at the national and international sports bodies and is all set to become the 44th President of the Olympic Council of Asia wef September 8. In recent interactions, the 77-year-old former member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said that Yoga will become a medal sport from the 2030 Asian Games, but more significantly, he touched upon an essential aspect of the governance structure and strict rules.  He believes more than 12 years is needed for administrators at the sports bodies. While the NSC stipulates a 12-year time restriction for national sports federations, the Justice Lodha Committee report that the Supreme Court has endorsed stipulates a maximum period of nine years together at the State and BCCI and with a cooling off period after six years that was initially three years. Being an experienced hand, Raja Randhir may have a point that will only get full support from the BCCI, but the Apex Council of the country believes that sports federations cannot be a fiefdom for an individual or group of people. The BCCI has been lucky to get relief from the Supreme Court on the cooling-off period restriction, but they may hope for further ease in restrictions. Given a chance, both the BCCI and the sports federations would like the cooling-off period and tenure restrictions, junked!

Now that N Srinivasan-headed India Cements has changed hands, the focus is clearly on what will happen to Chennai Super Kings Ltd. Once a division of India Cements, CSK was spun off into an independent entity following the conflict of interest issue. Post-India Cements sale, the focus obviously has turned to CSK. Where is it heading? Well, Srinivasan and his family have now consolidated their holding in CSK. They have increased their stake in CSK to nearly 42% from just above 28% in March 2023. The promoters now hold 158,016,303 shares. They had 86,726,373 shares in March 2023. The equity share has a face value of Rs 0.10 (ten paise). CSK Ltd. is the owner of the Chennai franchise of the IPL (Indian Premier League) T-20 cricket team. With the player auction for the upcoming IPL season coming up soon, the consolidation of holdings by the Srinivasan family in CSK reflects the commitment and passion of the promoter group to the cause of cricket. Not surprisingly, the board of CSK has decided to elevate K Viswanathan, popularly known as Kasi, a close loyalist of Srinivasan, as the managing director for a three-year term. Well, the context may have changed following the sale of India Cements. Srinivasan and Co, nevertheless, is focussed like a blinkered-horse on furthering the cause of cricket.

Caste dynamics has political formations of India in a tizzy for the imminent Haryana state assembly elections with the BJP set to also launch a new poll strategy to dampen the Congress dream of a clean sweep in the Nuh belt of the state along with others where the minority vote plays a dominant role. The AAP and Congress vowed to fight solo after the zero-voter verdict their alliance evoked in Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha constituencies, then kissed and yet, to make up. While AAP wants 10 seats, Congress is willing to part with only seven. The SP too wants seats to field candidates in Muslim proliferated constituencies. Congress believes minority votes will accrue to itself, particularly in three assembly constituencies in Nuh region dominated Muslim voters. Only former Congress CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda appears worried over his political future. The BJP too, worried over anti-incumbency, wants to buck the political tide and announced 16 OBC candidates, 13 from Jat community with 17 reserved SC seats. Though the OBC community is the majority voter segment in Haryana, Jat community always holds sway over political affairs be it the Lal clan troika (Bansi Lal, Devi Lal) or the Chautala clan among dominant segments of farmer leaders. The BJP elevated another community leader Kiran Choudhary to the Rajya Sabha and will also accommodate her daughter for state assemblies. Similarly, late Jat leader Ajit Singh’s son Jayant Choudhary was inducted into the NDA alliance for the Haryana assembly. The BJP has topped up its poll plans by clearing a slew of farmer packages in the state before the elections were notified in the state to include most of the crops sown in Haryana under the ambit of its MSP protection.

The pre-release hype and hoopla for top star high budget films are hard to ignore. But Archana Kalpathi, Creative Head of Kalpathi Films has more than swivelled 360 degrees to hit the target for Great Of All Time (GOAT) – superstar Vijay’s penultimate film. The usual suspense about extra shows ended when TN cinemas announced a special 9 am show. Kerala went a step further and had a 4 am show as crazed fans from Coimbatore and state border towns pole-vaulted to Kerala cinemas. The (unofficial) ticket cost of Rs 1000 shot up to 2k. Such is the hold of superstars and the besotted fans…a launch pad for politics that TN stars transit from formula films to politics with ease. Tamil news had snippets of who watched GOAT where …top heroine Trisha watched the movie with Archana, Director Venkat Prabhu preferred Kamala cinema. If the delirium surrounding Vijay was not already palpable, another snippet conveyed that Thala Ajit was one of the first to call, and wished Vijay all the best for his mega hit. The buzz about the AI and De-ageing technology used in the film to differentiate between father Vijay and his son is sure to kindle curiosity. The last few years had a rush of filmi gossip about Vijay’s estranged parents and wife Sangeeta, even son Sanjay’s rebellion. Suddenly, photos of the entire family bonding watching the film at this time were flashed in the media.Vijay’s newly minted party TVK is now planning the mother of all public gatherings to present Vijay as the new messiah of TN. Interestingly, throughout the film, Vijay drives a car with the number plate TN07 CM 2026! Talk about subtlety!

In the wake of the horrific rape-murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata has been rocked by widespread protests. This disturbing incident has had a profound impact on the business landscape, leading to a significant decline in consumer activity. From the traditional pottery artisans of Kumortuli to the bustling marketing hubs, sweetmeat shops, and restaurants, the city’s economic pulse has noticeably weakened. The usual pre-Puja rush, which begins usually at this time, is notably absent and instead of shopping bags, people are holding placards demanding justice. The usually bustling Kumortuli, the heart of Durga idol creation in Kolkata, has fallen into an unusual quiet this year unlike previous years. Karthik Pal, Secretary of the Kumartuli Potters Association, attributed this change to the recent tragic incident, stating that the usual influx of enthusiastic photographers, young people with cameras, crowding the place even on weekends, has dwindled. Further, there has been less number of buyers for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi and Vishwakarma Puja this month. The food and restaurant businesses have seen a decline of 15% in August and if protest continues September could losses of upto 30% says Sagar Daryani, All India Vice President of the National Restaurant Association of India. Dhiman Das, state president of the traders’ organization Mishi Udyog and director of KC Das & Sons, said that from Vishwakarma Puja to Diwali, the profit from this period sustains businesses for the rest of the year. However, if the agitation continues, the industry is fearing a 70% drop in business.

At a time when the Congress in Kerala had hit the streets against the CPI(M) for not letting go of its actor Kollam MLA M Mukesh against whom a rape case had been registered in the wake of the unveiling of the Justice Hema Committee report on the basis of complaint by an actress, allegations of casting couch in the Congress by a former party functionary and PSC member, Simi Rose Bell John, seemed to have come at an inopportune time. That is because Simi John did not get support from women leaders within the party who may have suffered at the hands of their male colleagues. The Congress top leadership as usual managed to push everything under the carpet and promptly expelled Simi John from the party to contain the damage of her “revelations”.  However, the “casting couch in Congress” may have come as a brief relief to the Pinarayi Vijayan government that was battling with its LDF ally CPI, which also wanted MLA Mukesh to resign. In a statement, Kerala PCC described Simi John’s accusations as being aimed at mentally harassing and defaming lakhs of women leaders and workers in the Congress movement. It was felt Simi John may have been allegedly in collusion with political adversaries. She had alleged that only those close to the leadership get opportunities in the party. She also made it clear that women who have dignity and pride could no longer work in the party. Challenging the party to release evidence of the alleged conspiracy with the CPI(M), Simi fondly recalled her close bond with former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Kerala Congress leaders feel Simi’s outburst will not hit the party in the state.

Tatas, Birlas, Wipro and many other business houses have done it – acquiring brands/companies abroad and making the country proud. Joining this prestigious list is the Chandigarh-based KDDL, a pioneer in watch dials, which has acquired 92% stake in a Swiss company which owns the iconic brand Favre Leuba. Favre Leuba, established in 1737, was a popular luxury brand in India too.  A whole generation in the 60s, 70s, 80s grew wearing this brand. The watchmaker headquartered in Grenchen, Switzerland is the second oldest watch brand in the world, with Blancpain being the oldest. The iconic Favre Leuba brand was relaunched on August 29, this year at the decentralised event, Geneva Watch Days. KDDL founded by Yash Saboo is a pioneering manufacturer and supplier of watch dials, hands and indexes to top end global watch brands. Its subsidiary Ethos Watches is India’s largest chain of luxury watch boutiques with more than 60 stores selling over 60 premium luxury watch brands.  KDDL had bought Favre Leubra from Titan a few years back. Making a comeback, Favre Leuba has ambitious and exciting plans for the Indian market. The company plans to offer affordable and yet high value watches with a strong vintage inspiration specifically from the 1960’s when the brand was known for their robustness and functionality. The brand is looking to unveil 22 references across three distinct collections – Deep Blue, Sea Sky and Chief. 

Tamil Nadu leads in current headlines. Yes, F4 is what you are thinking. The first family has come a long way from the modest roots of Thiruvarur. Today Stalin Jr is conducting a car race event…you’ve come a long way, baby. But intel reports are pointing out that Bangladesh illegals too have come a long way to escape strife ridden country, seek jobs and livelihood and perhaps turn TN into a state like Kashmir? The Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has warned TN authorities about this increasing penetration by illegals with fake IDs like Aadhaar cards and others. The Dibrugarh to Trivandrum train via Coimbatore brings job seekers and migrant workers, and it is easy to “vanish” in the crowded industrial and knitwear centres of the hinterland. A labour hungry knitwear industry gobbles up labour. According to KM Subramanian, Tiruppur Exporters Association, “TN textile industry is one of the largest…so illegals head job prospecting head straight to Tiruppur and Karur with fake documents”. About 8 lakh people are employed in the knitwear sector, with 2.5 lakhs from North India. Even 20,000 workers can be absorbed at any given time. The penny dropped with frequent visits of chief Ajit Doval to TN. His latest meeting with Governor RN Ravi has catapulted this security issue to high levels. Is this frequent visit by Doval, a signal that Governor Ravi may get an extension? 

For the second time in three months, near about 380 member-voters of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) have been called upon to cast their vote for the high-profile position of Secretary, a post that needed to be constitutionally filled after Ajinkya Naik (Secretary) was elected President in July. There has not been a political drama preceding the election on September 3 and people are not even speculating whether Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is playing behind-the-scene role; he appears to have done before the election of the President following the untimely demise of his friend Amol Kale. Candidates believe that they need to have the backing of bigwigs across the political spectrum and in recent times Fadnavis’ name has surfaced more than any other. Abhay Hadap, one of the two candidates for the Secretary’s post, is banking on the goodwill he has gained following his work at maidan level for three decades and his rapport with the Secretary and officials of member clubs. Suraj Samat’s candidature proposed by Sachin Tendulkar has puzzled the cricketing fraternity in the city who feel that the legendary cricketer has been, hitherto, sagacious not to be on a particular side of the electoral process. Hadap and Samat were elected to the MCA Apex Council two years ago and were probably looking forward to hierarchical progress next year, but Kale’s death on June 10 left a vacuum providing an opportunity for the ambitious ones to try their strength and popularity.  People in the MCA feel that the two ‘by-elections’ — for the President and Secretary doesn’t matter much, and that next year’s election for the Apex Council will see either the Mahayuti (NDA) or Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA- INDIA Bloc) call the shots. 

Controversy seems to be the middle name of this 38-year old Queen of Bollywood. Once again actor-director-politician Kangana Ranaut is making headlines over soon-to-be released movie, Emergency where she plays the role of Indira Gandhi. Even as she hops from news channel to news channel promoting her movie and giving her version of the story, the political parties like Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have sought a ban on the movie. Looks like she is a proxy for hitting the BJP.  SAD, which has sent her a legal notice wants Kangana to delete a scene which shows Indira Gandhi being assassinated by Sikh security guard.. Surprisingly, even though her party BJP is backing her, the movie is yet to receive the go ahead from the Central Board of Film Certification. Most of her movies in the last few years have not done well. Nearly six of her movies like Katti Batti, Simran Panga and Tejas have not got big numbers at the box office. According to Trade Analyst, Girish Wankhede Emergency does not look strong enough to resurrect her career. Reportedly, she has decided to quit films after being elected from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency. It is learnt that more than Rs 80-90 crore is riding on Emergency. A hardcore nationalist, Kangana who speaks her mind and not bothered of consequences has been told by her party to not to give comments on any issues.  

Quarter century is indeed a cause for celebration.  Why not? For, it has come a long way and is now seeking to carve out a new identity for itself. With a portfolio of close to 50 projects spanning over 24.4 million square feet, primarily in Bengaluru, and Chennai, and Kolkata, Shriram Properties is gearing up to pursue a new path.  Many in Southern India often relate this to the indomitable spirit of R Thyagarajan, the founder of the Shriram Group. An iconic name in Tamil Nadu, especially, the Shriram group has gone on to hit national headlines with a series of reorganisation. Today, the group is prominently known in the financial services space. As it gears up to chalk out a hectic growth path, Shriram Properties is ready to step out of the shadows of the Shriram group. Founder Thyagarajan is ever ready to acknowledge the fact Shriram Properties is largely the creation of Murali Malayappan, its Chairman and Managing Director. As Murali is preparing to take control of the company, Shriram Properties has chosen to have its own logo. This signals its first step towards having an independent identity. Yet, claims to be a part of the Shriram groups in its advertisements. Yet, the logo change signals the transition away from the Shriram group for this company conceived and nurtured largely by Murali. Shriram Properties, perhaps, is among the earliest organised players to get into the realty field. As he tries to lay a new road for Shriram Properties, Murali has a definite task on hand.

Thrust the Malayalam film makers to rework things amidst the OTT boom, especially yesteryear producers/directors who are missing the present day boom. Malayalee film goers are queuing up to watch some of the yesteryear classics like Manichitrathazhu, Devadoothan, Spadikam etc first released 20 to 30 years back. The re-release boom is fast catching up with at least 15 to 20 old Malayalam classics being lined up for re-release. Film maker Sibi Malayil, who is behind the re-release of Devadoothan, says that “one thing we need to ensure is that the quality of the visuals and sound improves on re-releasing a movie. Better quality raw materials help in giving audiences a better theatre experience, he added. It costs about Rs 1 crore to rework an old movie to give a 4K experience. Devadoothan, a Mohanlal starrer was a colossal flop when it was released first, 24 years back. Today, after restoring the film, re-editing and removal of unnecessary scenes and even adding spice to some of the fight scenes, the film has grossed Rs 4 crore in two weeks at the theatres. The movie is still running full house in the third week. Movies being lined for re-release include Mohanlal’s Devasuram (1993), Araam Thampuran (1997), Mammoothy’s Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha (1989) and Palery Maanikyam Oru Pathira Kolapaathakathinte Katha (2009). But, theatre owner Liberty Basheer sounds a word of caution. “We cannot predict the audience. Most of these films are available on YouTube or have been telecast on TV. Not everyone would want to experience the 4K version. “Kerala of late has been witnessing huge footfalls at theatres following successful launches of new generation films like Manjummel Boys, Avesham, Premalu etc which have grossed theatre collections over Rs 100 crore. 

Their dreams of seizing power or even sharing it long over, the BJP and AIADMK are fighting a turf war for second place in Tamil Nadu in a bitter manner. The language of exchange between the two parties has hit a nadir with BJP TN chief K Annamalai calling former CM Edappadi K Palaniswami a ‘frog in the well’ and an ‘ignoramus,’ among other things. Not to be outdone in verbal calisthenics, AIADMK leaders took potshots at Annamalai calling him ‘an octopus’ and ‘a leech’ and burning his effigies routinely until he left for the UK for a 3-month sabbatical to join the Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence programme. It is hard to imagine the two friendly parties in J Jayalalithaa’s time and officially allies after her death in 2016 for seven years till Sept 2023 could turn out to be such sworn rivals. The fight is for second place in TN behind the ruling DMK, which both parties are aspiring for in the 2026 assembly polls though the dynamics in those elections may be churned by the presence of superstar Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) that will be splashing its entry into state politics this month. With Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh releasing a commemorative Rs 100 coin for M Karunanidhi centenary in Chennai, the rumour mills are working overtime imagining secret pacts between BJP and DMK. As they say, anything is possible in politics, more so in TN. 

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar’s ambivalence regarding his relationship with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has once again rubbed the saffron sympathisers the wrong way. The second deputy chief minister of Maharashtra is still somehow finding it difficult to align with the BJP fully, since time and again, he has chosen to keep his distance from the RSS. His latest two-day Nagpur visit was more in the news due to his absence from the RSS headquarters where chief minister Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis bowed before the memorial to RSS founder KB Hedgewar than his party political activity. Interestingly, Shinde and both DCMs later held a marathon meeting behind closed doors to discuss and plan their strategy for the assembly election. Ajit’s cautious approach towards the BJP-RSS stands in stark contrast with Shinde’s unhesitant camaraderie with Fadanvis and Union home minister Amit Shah, among others. Shinde has been complimented by PM Narendra Modi during his Maharashtra visits, sending mixed signals. In Nagpur, Ajit held a series of meetings with his followers to assess his prospects in Vidarbha after his break away from his uncle Sharad Pawar.  Although the BJP has reportedly promised to accommodate the NCP(A) in the post-election equation, the speculation surrounding him does not end. The Nagpur visit has only provided cannon fodder to Ajit’s detractors, who have been making use of such incidents to corner him. 

Despite the fact Tata Power invested Rs 4,245 crore in infrastructure development and network upgradation in Odisha, there was a sudden protest-march from farmers in Western Odisha’s Bargarh district. The protesting farmers led by Saheed Madho Singh Regional Farmers’ Organisation dumped over 3,000 smart power meters in Tata Power’s office alleging that their electricity bills are inflated and are disproportionate to their actual usage. It seems farmers who were earlier getting monthly bills of around Rs 500 per month and this number has gone up anywhere between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 today. Also, there are allegations that farmers have been asked to pay arrears anywhere from Rs 50,000 to Rs 4 lakh. Besides, faulty billing farmers are complaining of frequent power cuts and low voltage as well. Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution CEO Praveen Kumar Verma, however said the smart meters are accurate in measuring the readings. He has assured the farmers their concerns would be addressed including replacement of old cables, voltage fluctuations and power cuts. 

Ajit Pawar is facing coalition compulsions of a completely different kind. Even as he faces a blatant dig by Eknath Shinde’s minister Tanaj Sawant that Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ideologues puke him off, Pawar chose to tamely ignore it. Known for his brash arrogant straight talk, his supporters were startled to hear him say that he would rather focus on his work, not forgetting to hint at how he continued to enjoy the confidence of Amit Shah. Along with Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar continues to be the only other senior leader in Maharashtra who has the ears of Shah. This is probably his trump card as also the reason for his restraint, despite a few loud voices in both the BJP and his own party, trying to raise the pitch against each other. That hasn’t stopped him from chartering his own independent path ahead though. He was the first leader from Mahayuti alliance, to tender an apology about the falling of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Konkan. Not stopping at that, NCP’s own workers staged dharnas protesting, clearly aimed at tapping into the strong anger in Maharashtra about it. Pawar is already on a state-wide campaign in his now-trademark pink jacket, even as he simultaneously continues to participate in rallies with Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis. 

The media’s reporting lingo is now being picked up by political leaders, it seems. Nowadays, several leaders on both sides are seen claiming that the information they are sharing has been ‘learnt’ by them. Like the media, they do not disclose the source of the information. Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has now joined the galaxy of such leaders. He has claimed in an interview to a private television channel that the Maha Vikas Aghadi will win around 180 seats in the coming assembly election, according to surveys conducted by Central agencies. Of course, he has not named any such agency. Based on his own revelation, Chavan has predicted that President’s Rule will be imposed in the state for some time to cool down the atmosphere, in which the ruling Mahayuti alliance is facing flak due to various reasons. Elections will be held after that cooling period, he has stated. Similar predictions have been made by many opposition leaders, forgetting their own statements the next day. Before the Lok Sabha election, almost every opposition leader worth his or her salt had alleged that the EVMs will dominate the election results in favour of the Modi government. After 4 June, hardly any opposition leader has lambasted the EVMs. An otherwise inactive Chavan’s sudden efforts to court controversy of one kind or another has raised eyebrows, mostly in his own Congress party. Especially as he has not been known for making outlandish statements. 

In the backdrop of the recent roll out of Mazhi ladki bahini yojana by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde it was interesting to see PM Modi, taking a break from reticence of not taking names of officials and acknowledging roles women officers played in building institutions.  Lauding the state government for its women-led development approach, Modi said that Maharashtra had laid the path of women empowerment for the nation. Referring to women officers doing an excellent job in many high positions in the state, PM Modi for the first time took names of all the officers who were helming their departments and contributed to Maharashtra’s governance. He mentioned Sujata Saunik who was guiding the state administration as Chief Secretary for the first time in the history of the state. He referred to DGP Rashmi Shukla leading the state police force, Shomita Biswas who was heading the state’s Forest Force and Suvarna Kewale handling the responsibility of the state’s Law Department. He also mentioned Jaya Bhagat who had taken charge as Principal Accountant General of the state, Prachi Swaroop leading the Customs Department in Mumbai and Ashwini Bhide as the MD of Mumbai Metro. Referring to women in Maharashtra in the field of higher education, PM referred to Lt Gen Dr Madhuri Kanitkar, the Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra Health University, and Dr Apoorva Palkar, the first Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra’s Skills University. “Successes of these women are proof that women power of the 21st century is ready to give a new direction to society,” Modi remarked adding that this woman power is the biggest foundation of Viksit Bharat. He was speaking at Palghar.

The BJP appointed a 6-member Coordination Committee to run its party unit in Tamil Nadu, in the absence of state president K Annamalai who left for the United Kingdom on a three-month sabbatical. Veteran leader and former MLA, H Raja was made Convenor of the Committee. State vice-presidents M Chakravarthy, P Kanagasabapathi, State general secretaries M Muruganandam, Raama Sreenivasan and State treasurer SR Sekhar “will be the members of the committee,” said a circular. For the next three months (Sep to Nov), H Raja-led 6 member panel would run the party, after consulting the State Core Committee. The party also made it clear that the committee will hold discussion with the “State Core Committee and take decisions about party activities.” Party sources said with this H Raja, the former MLA and NEC member had once again returned to the limelight after a decade.  The current re-entry of H Raja is due to his closeness with Annamalai. “H Raja, who was almost sidelined in the party, has now got due recognition. It was Raja who tried hard to become the state president and governor. Although he is the Convenor of the Coordination Committee, Raja will only listen to Annamalai and take decisions. Annamalai hopes that by appointing H Raja as convenor who is a hardliner, he can overcome the crisis of other leaders including Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan who are against him in the party. It will be interesting to see how ties between BJP and the DMK pan out. Like Annamalai, H Raja too is known to play a straight bat.

The Maharashtra poll battle has reached criticality of purpose with both the MVA (Congress, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, UBT Sena) and Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP) alliances fine tuning their seat sharing plans. The BJP has resorted to a party cadre-based assessment over professional surveys this time, and feels assured of breaching the 100 benchmark for a record third consecutive time. The party intends to field at least 135 candidates but is negotiating hard to increase this number to 160, the Shiv Sena led by Shinde may have to accept around 70 seats while the NCP will need to be satisfied with 45 odd seats in its kitty. On the other hand, the Congress, using a survey, has pitched for 160 seats while expecting Sharad Pawar to accept around 70 seats with the remainder for Uddhav Thackeray. UBT spokesman MP Sanjay Raut had stated earlier that the party was scrutinizing 126 assembly constituencies followed by his Chief Thackeray calling upon the Congress high command in Delhi that has apparently come to naught. Thackeray may still bag maximum seats in Mumbai and Thane. In the 2019 assembly elections the Sena that fought 126 seats, emerged victorious in 56 may likely feel slighted by Congress’ discrimination. CM Shinde also may demand a higher than 70 allocation for the assembly polls while Ajit Pawar eyes more in Western Maharashtra. Meanwhile, BJP in Delhi quietly celebrates its Rajya Sabha victories (11 out of 12 seats) and will improve its majority in the upper house of Parliament through four more President Draupadi Murmu nominated MPs soon. This political gambit was reported by the Short Post recently.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath was much in the news recently for launching Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, under which it was decided to prepare a list of social media influencers who will receive state advertisements for promoting schemes and achievements of the state government. Those sharing information on government schemes, initiatives and projects were offered a choice of earning up to Rs 8 lakh through government’s advertisements. The influencers were to be rated according to the number of subscribers and followers they have on online platforms. These influencers were to be paid a maximum of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for their accounts on X, Facebook and Instagram. Yogi’s move provoked a caustic post from Congress leader Priyanka Vadra who tweeted saying, “Jo tum ko pasand vahi baat kahenge,tum dinko agar raat kaho to hum raat kahenge.” She went on to ask in which category will the voices of women seeking justice fall in the social media policy of the UP government? Netizens promptly trolled her as they found that it was not the first time that a state government was using social media influencers. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot had relied on influencers in the run-up state elections in 2023. AAP ruled Punjab had already incentivised influencers.  Around the same time as Yogi, the Congress government in Karnataka too had announced it would engage influencers and other digital media entities with 1 lakh followers to promote its schemes and programmes. In Telangana, CM Revanth Reddy has hired former Deccan Chronicle Editor Sriram Karri as media & communications director.  Of course, media outreach that began in the states has a Delhi dimension too.  It is being said PM Modi has already initiated his series of informal interactions with journos.

A purported internal survey carried out on behalf of the Congress party has reportedly forecast that the party will be the largest partner of the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the coming assembly election. This will lead to a stronger bargaining position of the Congress when seat sharing equations are discussed. The survey, it is said, has predicted that the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray will be the smallest partner with just around 35 seats in the 288-member house. The NCP led by Sharad Pawar will get nearly 60 seats while the Congress will emerge as the major claimant with an estimated 85 seats. This calculation, if it materialises, will mean that the MVA will win 180 seats and will form the next government. Meanwhile, the race for the next CM of the state is already on the cards. Uddhav’s appeal to the other two partners to declare the name of the possible chief minister has been ignored by both. Pawar has made the scenario murkier by declaring that his party will not be interested in occupying the hot seat. This has boosted the Congress party’s morale since it could win the largest number of Lok Sabha seats from the state. The first likely obstacle to be overcome in the negotiations could be the seat sharing in Mumbai, where the Sena wants to contest 22 of the 36 seats from the metropolis. The two other parties are awaiting to open their cards.

Even before the dates for the Maharashtra assembly election are finalised, strategies to discredit each other and spread confusing information to hurt the other side are gaining speed. Although the exact electoral adjustment plans of MNS leader Raj Thackeray, Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi are unclear, there is no dearth of speculation about which way they can go. To cash in on this suspense, NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew Rohit Pawar has made a prediction that is bound to confound the picture. Rohit has claimed that the BJP bigwigs have hatched a plan to create a third front in the state to ensure that the opposition votes are splintered among several candidates. Rohit says that his uncle Ajit Pawar will be a major factor of this so-called formation and even Raj Thackeray could join it. Rohit has emerged as Pawar’s chief spokesman ever since Ajit broke away from the parent NCP. Rohit’s prediction comes after Ajit expressed regret over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja’s statue at Malvan in the Konkan a few days ago. Mahayuti, the three-party alliance government led by Eknath Shinde has been under fire for this serious mishap. Against this backdrop, Ajit’s unilateral decision to undergo penance has been interpreted variously. The damage control efforts of the alliance are said to be underway, sensing the potential of the stature mishap.

She is a multifarious personality – swimmer, athlete, singer and songwriter. Meet Mumbai’s Neha Tomar, popularly known as NATO THE ARTIST. In fact, some call her desi ‘Taylor Swift’. A much-sought after singer, she is on a UK tour to perform for VOICE and at Indian High Commission’s Nehru Centre where she is quite popular. NATO is one of the rare music composers and perhaps first female composer who has been delivering rare and unique genres of fusion with Punjabi, Spanish, Arabic pop and Sufi rock. NATO brings a unique and rare artistic skill. Fluent in languages like Hindi, Punjabi English, Spanish and Tamil has made it possible to fuse her language fluency with her music making, giving her a distinctive edge vis a vis huge fan following. On Instagram alone she has 1.1 mn followers. Her song Maula, written and sung by her, has attracted a large audience. Haldi, Kudi Patakainto and Reboot are some of her other popular tracks that brought her in the limelight. Her songs have a wide range of versatility and it speaks volumes about the expanse of her musical sensibility cutting across cultural boundaries and countries. Popular singers like Kailash Kher, who follows her followers on Instagram, had Neha doing the opening act at his LIVE show in Mumbai sometimes back. Neha has emerged as a global citizen with an international vibe to her fusion songs.

Vidal TPA is one of the leading health services management firms and amongst the world’s largest third-party administrators. It has a huge presence in India with over 35 million members and 12,000+ empanelled service providers such as hospitals, diagnostic labs and clinicians. Every year, it processes approximately one million claims and 800,000 pre-authorization requests. It claims that it is an early technology adopter. It reportedly oversees the well-being of over 180 million lives across India, spanning 28 states and 800 cities. It has over 40 offices nation-wide. A change appears to have happened at Vidal TPA. This has, perhaps, forced public sector New India Assurance Ltd to discontinue the services of Vidal TPA with effect from 1st October, 2024 from its Retail Health Insurance Policies. “We have made necessary modifications in our system,” said New India Assurance in a communication to its policy-holders. Surprisingly enough, New India Assurance hasn’t given any reason for discontinuing the services of Vidal TPA. However, grapevine tells us that Vidal TPA has changed hands, and reportedly come under the fold of a competing private entity.  Well, the discontinuance of Vidal has put many policy-holders of New India Insurance in a spot of bother. Hopefully, the New India Assurance will quickly put in place a new arrangement without any inconvenience to the policy-

Is Ram Madhav being readied to take over the role of the next BJP national president? His recent appointment, along with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, as overseers of political affairs for the forthcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections to 87 constituencies is a silent indicator in this regard. While general knowledge about Madhav’s last assignment in India’s forehead region state of J&K painted him in bad colours, the truth is farther from the apparent facts. “Back then, information was muddled over apparent issues relating to his unsolicited interest in an Indian corporate’s foray in J&K, which could not be further than the truth. On the contrary, Ram Madhav, had actually been tasked with making quick inroads with the Mufti Mohammed led PDP and he succeeded in his assignment. The BJP formed a government with PDP as a result, albeit a short tenured one,” says senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain. Following this Madhav was tasked with another important assignment that took him to foreign shores, including Iran, where he was entrusted with the task of fostering better ties abroad. During his foreign assignment, Madhav, who was presumed to have been relegated to the backwaters of BJP politics, was actually interacting with international scholars, RSS functionaries and meeting up with offshoots of the Sangh Parivar there particularly, in Islamic nations. His mission was accorded the tag of having been a ‘good show’ in terms of achieved results as a BJP asset deployed abroad. The buzz in BJP circles, in the wake of Madhav’s appointment to oversee the J&K assembly elections is that he is being primed up for the top post as National BJP president to replace JP Nadda, who has been inducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi into his Union Cabinet of Ministers.

  Jay Shah, 35, would have weighed the beneficial options of taking the opportunity to become the youngest independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC).  Come November, the ICC which has grown in profile since the time Star Sports became its global media rights partner with a billion dollar support, will have a new face at the helm, and Shah — the son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah — is tipped to replace New Zealand’s Greg Barclay, a legal person who took over from another legal person, India’s Shashank Manohar who also called time after two terms. Once he takes a call to leave the high profile position as Secretary, BCCI, and gets elected through the ICC’s electoral process, Shah will have nothing to do with the establishment in India as he is supposed to be “independent” with no strings attached to the BCCI. Since 2019, when the BCCI put in place a new governance structure in the form of 9-member Apex Council, Shah has been the face of the BCCI which had a former India captain Sourav Ganguly as its President. Ganguly was in the spotlight during his three year tenure. He did not get a second term though, neither did the BCCI show any interest to back him for the top position of the ICC. But Ganguly’s successor, Roger Binny, a 1983 World Cup winning star has kept a low profile leaving Shah to hog the limelight. Shah, who was chosen for the best sports administrator by Harsh Goenka’s Ceat Cricket Rating, has taken a number of welfare measures for the cricketers in India. He will leave a void should he assume office at the ICC unless he anoints a like-minded individual to run the BCCI. 

What is the conflict of interest? How do you define it? It defies a strict definition. Nevertheless, it lends itself for varied interpretations. When India Cements chairman N Srinivasan was heading the BCCI (Board for Control of Cricket in India), the conflict of interest issue hit the peak and he was forced to quit his post. The conflict of interest issue assumed gargantuan proportions when he (rather India Cements, the company promoted by him) was also the owner of the Chennai franchise of the IPL (Indian Premier League) team, Chennai Super Kings. The conflict of interest issue in this instance became a full-blown legal war and moved up to the highest court of the country. The term conflict of interest has become very popular thanks to the squabble in the cricketing world in the context of the ownership of the IPL world by a BCCI functionary. Are we not witnessing this in a different field now? The country’s leading lawyer Kapil Sibal is now appearing for the West Bengal government before the Supreme Court in the doctor rape-murder case that has shaken the whole country. He was part of the Congress party but now he is an Independent Rajya Sabha MP. He is also a Member of Parliament, which frames laws to protect women. He wears multiple hats. Is he not bound by any conflict of interest constraint? How strictly can he quarantine each of his roles without necessarily stepping into the conflict of interest terrain? A purported letter terming the incident “symptomatic malaise” and signed by Kapil Sibal under the letter-head of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA)is in circulation. A counter letter is also now in circulation purportedly signed by a former president of the SCBA, which questioned Sibal on the legitimacy of issuing such a letter under the guise of SCBA resolution and also his subsequent decision to appear for the West Bengal Government in this case.   When one is wearing contradictory hats, what kind of a message will that send out down the...

A weighty book release turned into a stunned arena when Superstar Rajinikanth took the mic to speak and set out a big cat among the pigeons. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin presided over the book launch Kalaignar Enum Thai penned by his minister E Ve Velu. Rajini was at his punching best. He lauded that CM Stalin had inherited much from his founder father and learnt even more through osmosis. Winning elections was the proof. But Stalin is like a school teacher. He is comfortable with the new crop of youngsters. But 10 or 15 old students are making it hard for Stalin to go ahead with his strategies…mind you these are not “failed” students but entrenched power holders who are working for themselves. Especially an old warrior, Duraimurugan who could take on Kalaignar himself. Pat came Duraimurugan’s reply, “Like old actors with falling teeth and scrawny beards want to keep on acting. Not allowing younger talent to rise”. This old boys club proved to be the roadblock for Stalin to decide on a succession plan…anoint his son Udhayanidhi as deputy CM. Rajini shattered the perception that Udhayanidhi’s ascension was delayed by Stalin.  The obvious inference, on the contrary, the son wants a clear field …an Augean stable pitted with roadblocks and challengers, urgently in need of clearing up. The applause from the cadres was as resounding as Stalin’s response. “Yes, I am aware of all this. I am vigilant and shall act, soon”. TN is now flummoxed….is Rajini, the Sutradar unfolding the play or is Stalin playing puppeteer? Rajini has flung a pebble in the DMK waters…how far will these ripples spread? 

  The Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das seems to be on a roll. For the second consecutive year, the 67-year old Das has been ranked as the top central banker globally by the US-based Global Finance magazine. The RBI tweeted, “Happy to announce that for the 2nd consecutive year, RBI Governor @DasShaktikanta has been rated ‘A ‘, in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2024.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him. Mahindra Group chairman, Anand Mahindra tweeted saying “Shakti has won a gold medal in the Central Bank Olympics” and added “his parents have named him suitably.” Das has emerged as one of India’s most effective RBI Governors bagging the international rating recognition. Sources say, this recognition is a silent rebuttal to Doubting Thomases who compared Das with past RBI Governors who were economists like Raghuram Rajan and Urjit Patel against Das’s history specialisation and his unassuming personality. But, Das has quietly walked the talk. The recent global recognition essentially means Das’s strategy has outperformed his peers. The report card said Governor Das achieved this through his domain knowledge, originality, creativity, tenacity in handling India’s inflation control, economic growth, currency stability, interest rate management. Being a seasoned bureaucrat — he was Economic Affairs Secretary, Revenue Secretary before he became a regulator — he did not fall into the usual trap of challenging the government of the day. He quietly let his work speak and the market has always given him thumbs up. His term ends in December 2024 and speculations are rife whether he will get a second extension.  

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party Chief, Ajit Pawar has announced the names of six candidates for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections out of a total 15 to be fielded for the polls out of a total 90 constituencies. While setting to rest intense political speculation around the prodigal nephew’s return to Uncle Sharad Pawar’s political formation, DCM Pawar has exposed his intentions to grow his party and possibly secure national recognition. National general secretary of NCP, and freshly minted J&K Vidhan Sabha 2024 poll in-charge, Brijmohan Shrivastav confirmed the candidatures of Sajjad Ahmad Mir (Anantnag West), Kirpal Singh (Ramban), Mushtaq Ahmed (Banihal), Mohamad Yusuf Hazam (Tral), Ishtiyaq Ahamad Sheikh (Pulwama) and Arun Kumar Raina (Rajpura) assembly constituencies. A source reveals that Shrivastav was assigned the task over the last six months to flesh out the NCP’s foray in J&K inviting comparisons with the 1999 effort by former party president Sharad Pawar, who had similarly and, originally formed the NCP in 1999 to face up to the Lok Sabha elections within six months of leaving the Congress party. Out of the six candidates fielded three each will contest in the Jammu and Kashmir regions respectively for the first phase of the assembly polls, while another nine are to be fielded during subsequent phases of the elections. The NCP seeks to consolidate its position in the BJP-led NDA alliance, while seeking the allocation of a full Union cabinet berth for the party president Praful Patel in New Delhi. Ironically, the NCP move comes amidst a disenchantment registered by J&K voters during general elections against the usual political suspects (Congress, NC and PDP candidates).

Chief Minister MK Stalin was bemused when the media accosted him about news of a possible cabinet reshuffle on the day that actor Vijay was unfurling the flag of his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The rumour may have been floated by someone in the bureaucracy to draw media attention away from the much-anticipated Vijay entry into politics, which is worrying the established parties because he is capable of commanding a 15% share of the votes straightaway, which would be mostly that of the youth. But the TN cabinet is so fixated on their former minister in jail, Senthil Balaji, being free once again to resume duties that a cabinet reshuffle has been put off until then. He had been a minister without portfolio while in jail for a while before he resigned. There were indications that the politician, a known handler of ‘funds,’ who was with the AIADMK when it was in power before successfully changing loyalties to the ruling DMK, would be released soon from jail as the PMLA case against him has made no headway. They value his silence under heavy interrogation so much that they can’t wait to see him back. The CM will be leaving this week for the USA for inviting investments as well as a health master check while naming only who will be in charge when he is away. It would be interesting to see whether that would be the senior most minister Duraimurugan or his son Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Political poaching by various parties is gaining traction in Maharashtra, in view of the forthcoming assembly election. Now that the Election Commission has given indications that the election, otherwise due in October, could be held after Diwali, all political parties are gearing up to face the five-year test. After the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of the three opposition parties trounced the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the Lok Sabha election, the politicking began in earnest. Veteran leader Sharad Pawar is leading the pack. A couple of days ago, Kolhapur’s influential BJP leader Samarjeet Ghatge announced his decision to enter Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party. Even as the shockwaves are subsiding, rural Pune’s prominent BJP leader Harshwardhan Patil is said to be on his way to Pawar. Significantly, Patil is an ardent opponent of Ajit Pawar. Seizing the opportunity, Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule has recalled her lifelong association with Patil. The trigger for Patil’s likely change of loyalty is said to be Ajit’s announcement to field his lieutenant Dattatraya Bharne once again from Indapur, Patil family’s fiefdom. Patil is expected to declare his final resolve in a couple of days. Sensing the possibility, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule has made it clear that if Patil wishes to walk out, nothing will stop him. On the other hand, trafficking between the two Shiv Sena factions is on an increase while the Congress, too, is looking for an influx. The picture will be clearer after the 10-day Ganesh Festival is over by mid-September.

Something very laudable is happening in Kollywood. Acclaimed film director Bala was all praise and laurels for a just released film Vaazhai, directed by Mari Selvaraj which would have easily passed into oblivion, as it has no glitzy stars nor high amp pre- promos. Just a cute story that unfolds and tugs at your heartstrings, the kind of film that the audience relegates as Festival types. A teary-eyed, highly talented director Bala hugged Mari Selvaraj and said, “We are surely and supremely on the road to global acclaim for Tamil cinema and artists”. Ace director Mani Rathnam too praised the film. Result: 60% of the theatre audience have watched this movie due to endorsements by these well-known directors. There is a big sea change happening, and a very essential change in the themes, treatment, cast and most telling in the budget. Sensible producers like Sivakarthikeyan and directors like Vinothraj have touched audience sensibilities that over the top budget and cast do not make a film watchable. Actor Sivakarthikeyan is glowing with pride that his just released Kottukkaali (fresh from its showing at the 74th Berlin Festival) has garnered rave reviews from peers and patrons. Soori, the film’s main protagonist/antagonist has risen like a colossus from his earlier avatar as a comedian, sidekick. Bollywood and its bean counters are sure to be wondering if it is not big money, then what is the secret sauce of such small budget films. Simple themes but powerful storytelling.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown his earlier self again, exhibiting his trademark confidence by challenging his detractors. At the same time, Modi’s unambiguous endorsement of the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme and the Mahayuti’s proposed election strategy is expected to heighten the morale of the ruling dispensation to retain power after the next assembly election, too. Modi was in Jalgaon in north Maharashtra for ‘Lakhpati Didi’ gala launch on Sunday. “Compare my 10 years with the seven decades of the previous governments,” Modi said aggressively while addressing a massive women’s rally at the venue. Just back from a visit to Poland and Ukraine, Modi once again underscored the role of women, receiving huge applause from over one lakh women present at the rally. To rub in the message more strongly, Modi condemned the atrocities against women while calling for the most stringent action against the perpetrators. Though he did not name any state or leader by name, his target was obvious. He sent clear signals that the campaign for the coming state assembly election in the state would dwell on garnering women’s support. The Maha Vikas Aghadi of the three opposition parties has focussed its campaigning against the Mahayuti government by time and again highlighting the Badlapur school atrocity against two tiny girls. CM Eknath Shinde has charged that the MVA is rattled by the unprecedented response received to his ‘Laadki Bahin’ scheme from women around the state and hence indulging in reprehensible tricks to attack his government.

In a surprising political development, the BJP backed, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led Maharashtra government has included the Kunjda (Muslim) community under Other Backward Castes (OBC) categorization alongside the Mali, Baagwaan and Raien communities. “Nothing unusual about this,” says former Congress CM Prithviraj Chavan adding, “The BJP had done this in Gujarat also.” Another political observer counters this and said, “It is surprising given BJP’s avowed stance against Muslims getting reservations under SC, ST and OBC categories. Former Telangana CM KCR introduced 5% reservation for Muslims and BJP vociferously opposed it. In Maharashtra, former Congress CM Sushil Kumar Shinde introduced 5% (reservation in education) for Muslims that was put in abeyance by former BJP CM Devendra Fadnavis. Why has the Maharashtra government accepted the recommendation of the State Backward Caste Commission in this regard under the watch of DCM Fadnavis?” In 1990 the Mandal Commission’s recommendations were enforced to include Muslim caste categories including the Pinjari, Khatik (meat cutters), Shikalgaar communities. “The current inclusion of the Kunjda (Muslim) community is likely a gambit by DCM Fadnavis to carve out a segment of the Muslim community as a vote bank just before state assembly elections or, pushed by DCM Ajit Pawar who claims a Muslim voter base by offering OBC reservations. What about offering the same OBC categorization to backward, poor Maratha Community?” a political source asked. Maharashtra BJP executive committee member Mahendra Jain said, “This is a good move. Going further we must conduct a caste census of the Muslim community also to identify more such backward segments like the Pasmandas (Dalit Muslims (Arzals) and backward-caste Muslims (Ajlafs) were identified by PM Narendra Modi, so they too can benefit from reservations.”

Veteran leader Sharad Pawar has once again confounded the political situation in Maharashtra. Known for his practice of making surprise moves and statements at the most unexpected occasions, Pawar has now declared that the Nationalist Congress Party faction under him is not interested in claiming the chief ministerial chair. The statement is significant since the other two Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners – the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress – are seen haggling over the next prospective state CM after the assembly election. Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray’s repeated entreaties to declare the name of the likely candidate and the Congress party’s stern refusal to respond to him have already created an impression that all is not well in MVA. Pawar has set the cat among the pigeons, it is felt, by warning all CM hopefuls not to take things for granted. Political observers recall how Pawar had compelled the then Congress leadership to replace Vilasrao Deshmukh in 2008 as chief minister after the Pakistani terror attack on Mumbai. Pawar had asked his party leader RR Patil to step down as the home minister, leaving no choice for the Congress but to ask Deshmukh to relinquish. The Centre’s decision to deploy Z-Plus security for Pawar has already generated curiosity among his followers and opponents alike. On top of that, his latest statement has only added to the complexity of the situation. This is typical of Pawar, both sides concur.

Maratha caste reservation demand’s chief proponent Manoj Jarange Patil has now decided to wage a battle to ensure that loans of the farmers in the state are written off. Already hitting headlines for his various announcements about fielding candidates in most assembly constituencies in the state, Jarange has now announced that he will tour Maharashtra to mobilise support for securing support for the new demand. The stand taken by Jarange before the Lok Sabha election earlier this year had cost several seats to the ruling Mahayuti. Ever since, leaders of all political parties are treating every statement by Jarange with caution. In recent weeks, two former Maharashtra CMs called on Jarange “to enquire after his health.” While Ashok Chavan has recently joined the BJP, his successor CM Prithviraj Chavan is seen becoming active. His supporters feel that in case Maha Vikas Aghadi has a majority after the election, he can emerge as a consensus candidate. Though belonging to the Group– 23 earlier, Prithviraj has mended his fences with the Congress high command after Mallikarjun Kharge took over as AICC president. Though Jarange’s demand for the Maratha reservation is still entangled in a judicial battle, Jarange is becoming more and more intransigent by the day, sensing the political uncertainty. His next plan of action will be declared on 5 September.

The informal economy in India was estimated at 25.9% in FY16. This has come down to 23.7% in FY23, according to a report by SBI. In absolute terms, about Rs 26 lakh crore was formalised between FY16 and FY23. India has indeed been the number one country in the world in terms of digitalization. Today, street vendors in tier-3 and -4 cities too are using BHIM, PayTM, GPay and the like. Yet,a number of unorganized sectors are still making payments via cash. What is surprising, however, is that the so-called elite professionals comprising doctors, lawyers and chartered accountants continue to take recourse to cash transactions. The hospital market in India is expected to achieve a revenue of $ 126 billion in 2024, according to Statista market research. This number is anticipated to touch $162 billion by 2029.It is expected to grow annually at 5%. Doctors’ consultancy fees are usually received in cash. The consultancy fee ranges from 10 to 25%. Estimates suggest that the doctors’ consultancy fees work out to $ 12 billion. There are elite professionals such as advocates, chartered accountants and the like who too have a cash component to their receivables. There are also other professionals in the informal sector such as plumbers, electricians et al who are paid in cash. The electrical and plumbing services market is nearly $ 5 billion and expected to grow 25% in 5 years. A fourth of the economy is still outside the formal system. What will be the efficacy of policies pursued by the Reserve Bank based on three-fourth of the data? Insufficient numbers aside, the quality of data hasn’t done much to help the cause of RBI. Many governors of the past have complained about this. Well, the solution lies in fast-tracking the formalisation.

The recent brutal rape-murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has put Mamata Banerjee’s government under immense pressure, marking perhaps one of the most significant challenges of her political career. The Supreme Court which took up the issue suo moto saw veteran advocate representing West Bengal government Kapil Sibal facing a barrage of questions. Throughout Didi’s three-term tenure, cases of rape have periodically ignited outrage in Kolkata. In 2012, only a year into her tenure, she dismissed the Park Street gangrape as a “shajano ghotona” (fabricated incident). Similarly, the 2013 Kamduni gangrape saw delayed police action, prompting Mamata to respond only after protests erupted. Recently, the Sandeshkhali incident ahead of Lok Sabha elections, where several women accused local TMC strongmen of sexual harassment. Despite these controversies, TMC saw its seat share increase. This time it seems, public’s ire is particularly directed at her, given that she holds both the Home and Health portfolios—two areas central to the incident. Internal discord within TMC is becoming evident. Party’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata’s nephew privately expressed deep dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of the case, criticizing the internal politics of the health administration.  Additionally, veteran leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy tweeted about the police’s role, leading to a brief controversy with Kolkata Police summoning him. However, after the party’s senior leaders — Sudip Bandopadhyay and Subrata Bakshi– intervention, Roy deleted his tweet. In a significant move, both Mamata and Abhishek called for strict anti-rape laws, urging swift and harsh punishment for perpetrators within 50 days of such crimes.

The hospital acquisitions of Blackstone, a private equity firm, is getting bigger by the day. Blackstone gained controlling stakes in two South Indian hospital chains– Hyderabad’s CARE Hospitals and KIMS (Kerala Institute of Medical Science) in May 2023 for an investment of Rs 8300 crore. The combined entity under the CARE brand name has emerged as the fourth largest hospital group in India. Now, Blackstone is believed to have struck an all share deal with Aster DM Healthcare to merge their hospital entities under the brand name — Aster DM Quality Care Pvt Ltd. The merger, reported to be in the ratio of 50:50 is between Aster Healthcare and CARE Hospitals. The promoters are expected to approach the National Company Law Tribunal soon. The deal is subject to clearance from the Competition Commission of India. The deal, which would be a share swap agreement, will see the Azad Moopen family’s 42% in Aster DM diluted in the joint entity and Blackstone’s increased. Aster Healthcare is today valued at Rs 19,068 crore and CARE at Rs 16,800 crore. The merger would place the new entity as a major hospital chain with Aster having 5000 beds capacity and CARE another 5000 beds. Apollo Hospital is the biggest hospital chain in this segment. Dr Azad Moopen, chairman of Aster is expected to head the new entity as executive chairman with a professional management team running the day-to-day affairs.

Come September, Tamil film superstar ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay has positioned his intense leap from films to politics. GOAT is hitting the crazed fans with promos not seen before (it is not Aadujivtham, a goat’s life that got awards).It is Vijay’s penultimate film Greatest of All Time from the house of AGS…much anticipated and hyped. September 5 is D Day.  September 23 Vijay launches his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam with the greatest gathering of eager party cadres at Vikravandi Assembly constituency…a red letter day for him. Vijay is poised to enter the 2026 election arena as a challenger for the Dravidians, BJP – a fourth dimension to churn up the ocean of murky politics. He has already launched the flag and anthem. In case the flag is seen as nondescript Vijay ensured that the Spanish flag with two red borders and a band of yellow was his choice…to make it even more attention catching  it carries the Tamil Sangam period Vagai flower held by two elephants. His political ambitions are clear and present a danger to current equations in Tamil Nadu. Vijay has worked super energetically. Is he hoping to wear the Vagai flower garland of victory like the conquering kings of the Sangam era? GOAT is all set.

Opposition political formations especially, the INDIA Bloc, are euphoric after the prompt formation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for consultations, legislative progress on the Waqf Board reforms bill introduced by PM Narendra Modi’s government. They bask in political glory having forced the government to backpedal and JPC scrutiny. BJP strategically exhibited due alacrity in JPC formation, keen to fast track, re–introduce bill before parliament again. “The bill seeks reforms including inclusion of non–Muslims in the appellate tribunal regarding Waqf Board issues ushering transparency into the functioning of the board. The draft bill was circulated over a month back so, the sudden furore is surprising,” a senior BJP leader says adding that opposition’s predilection with proposed bill on Waqf Board, the largest land holder in India after Indian Railways, and defence allowed BJP to bring in another amendment related to the CAA Bill as well as focus on forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections for 12 MP scheduled in the first week of September. “The BJP expects to grow the number of Rajya Sabha MPs to around eight out of the 12 seats to be filled up including presidential nominees. Misplaced focus of opposition formations out–of–sync with India’s changed political template under Modi means they have missed the boat, so to speak,” the leader noted. With effected amendment in 2024 to the already legislated CAA Bill of 2019, the Union government has removed stringent requirements of banking account details, (Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Afghanistani) passports among other prerequisites for persecuted Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Christians to now simply enrol for Indian citizenship. The murderous coup in Bangladesh followed the amendment earlier this year for compassionately absorbing persecuted minorities there into India.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan are in the news again, but on the positive side of the spectrum. Not long ago, both appeared to be losing their way in the midst of a career that had opened up for one (Iyer) and on the cusp for the second (Kishan).  Among the two, Iyer, the Mumbai batter was the one to feel the heat –– immediately after the second Test match of the home series against England. A fragile back nagged him to the extent of being left out of the last three Tests, but apart from this big setback, he was not given the central contract by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and not considered for the World T20 that India won defeating South Africa. Iyer was punished for missing out one Ranji Trophy match against Baroda in the quarter–finals. But he played his part in Mumbai’s 42nd Ranji Trophy win and led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to its third IPL title win. He was recalled for the three match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Kishan, upon his request, returned home from South Africa citing personal reasons. He remained absent from the BCCI’s domestic tournaments. But following a tough stance taken by the BCCI, both have chosen pathways in order to be in the national reckoning. The big question is when will they be inducted into the annual contract system that provides financial security to the cricketers? Kishan is in action for Jharkhand in the Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai and a good show in the Duleep Trophy afterwards will keep him in the mind of the national selection committee. From a period of despondency, time has enabled Iyer and Kishan to gather their wits and look at their career with positivity, aplenty!

The city of Chennai is known for a robust ecosystem that fosters family business. Traditional family businesses are dime a dozen in this part of the world. They have contributed enormously for the development of Tamil Nadu, in particular, and the country as a whole.  Formidable business groups such as TVS, Murugappas, Amalgamation, Sanmar, India Cements, Ramco, Rane, Apollo, the Hindu and the like have all become iconic names in Chennai. An amalgamation of events – opening up of the economy, expansion of families, intense competition et al – has brought tough challenges to the family businesses. Not surprisingly, a wind of change is sweeping the Chennai business families.  The Chennai corporate world was caught by surprise when TVS Sundram Fasteners Pvt Ltd, which had 48.36% stake in Suresh Krishna–headed Sundram Fasteners, sold 32,95,500 shares of Re 1 each at a whopping Rs 1,381 apiece. Post the dilution, TVS Sundram Fasteners will hold 46.79% in Sundram Fasteners. The dilution was ostensibly to help one of daughters of Suresh Krishna to raise funds for a new venture. Observers see in the dilution a kind of `family arrangement’ that has sort of provided some sort of an exit window to a family member in the business. Not long ago, there was a similar `family arrangement’ which saw a “non–compete family arrangement” between Venu Srinivasan, his wife Mallika Srinivasan and their kids. Much earlier, the Murugappa group inked a `family arrangement’ with one of the female members of the group – Valli Arunachalam – who had gone public, demanding either a role in the business or fair compensation.  It took several decades for the four families that formed part of the larger TVS group to go their separate ways legally. The TVS model for `family arrangement’ appears to be a useful guide for many `family arrangements’ that are increasingly likely in the new–normal family business environment. Maybe, the Murugappas and Apollo have a lot to ponder over. 

 This 37–year old Bollywood actress quietly made a big splash. Shraddha Kapoor’s latest film Stree 2 has drowned both John Abraham’s Vedaa (Rs 10.5 crore) and Akshay Kumar’s Khel Khel Mein (Rs 9.95 crore) in the box office. In three days Stree 2’s collection was Rs 100 crore… Rs 150 crore on the fourth day. Movie critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweets “Indeed, #Stree2 is rewriting the rules of the game”.  Bollywood watchers say she can well be called the franchise queen. Shraddha, daughter of Shakti Kapoor, who has acted in over 38 films entered Bollywood in 2010 with Teen Patti followed it with her first leading role in the teen drama Luv Ka The End (2011). She is considered Alia Bhatt’s rival in a way. She has acted with all the big heroes. She was in Aashiqui 2 produced by Mahesh Bhatt, Street Dancer with her childhood crush Varun Dhawan and Baaghi with Tiger Shroff. In the last three–four years Shradda –– the second most–followed Indian actor on Instagram –– has made a big impression with her fans. It started with Stree (2018), Chhichhore (2019) and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (2023) and the action thriller Saaho (2019). Besides acting, she, like Alia Bhatt has hummed quite a few numbers. One of India’s highest–paid actresses, she has been featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list since 2014. She endorses several brands and has her own line of clothing. Trade Analyst Girish Wankhede says Shraddha is at the top of the game with the stupendous success of Stree2. The franchise has rejuvenated her stardom after series of average hit films.

The Bengali film industry has been hit hard by Bangladesh crises and the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata. The turmoil has led to the postponement of film releases, teaser launches, and promotional events, causing significant setbacks to the industry as it gears up for the festive season. As a mark of respect for the Kolkata tragedy, popular actor Dev has postponed the teaser release of his highly anticipated Pujo film Khadaan. Acclaimed director Srijit Mukherjee’s film Padatik has also been affected. Despite having a strong connection to Bangladesh through its lead actor, Chanchal Chowdhury, the film was only released in West Bengal, and the Bangladesh premiere has been indefinitely postponed. Chowdhury, a celebrated Bangladeshi actor, was unable to attend the Bengal premiere. Director Raj Chakraborty’s film Babli managed to hit the screens, but notably, no promotional events were organized. Another director Shiboprasad Mukherjee has announced that his film Bahurupi will not be released during Durga Puja. Similarly, the music launch of celebrated actor Sashwata Chatterjee’s much awaited movie Jamalaye Jibanta Bhanu, a tribute to yesteryear Bengali comedian Bhanu Bandopahdya was postponed. The Bengali film industry is now at a crossroads, with major films release date delayed and promotional activities scaled back. Tollywood which has strongly supported the rape victim and called for justice, is still facing backlash from netizens on social media. Raj remarked that the entertainment industry has become an easy target, with some people expressing their frustration online despite the industry’s protests and solidarity with the “Night Reclaim” movement. 

Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj, a Hindu holy figure, has unintentionally triggered a war of words between the BJP and the NCP(Ajit) over his certain controversial remarks about another religion. The Mahant’s purported statement had led to a serious law and order situation in Nasik in north Maharashtra. While a few criminal cases have been filed against him, spokesmen of NCP(Ajit) and the BJP have added fuel to the fire by their respective utterances. Pawar’s confidant Amol Mitkari, MLA, has made certain objectionable comparisons of the Mahant while advising him caution. The use of the word dog in that comparison has enraged the Mahant’s followers. BJP legislator Ram Satpute has asked Mitkari not to forget that his party, the NCP(Ajit), is a constituent of the Mahayuti. Alleging that Mitkari has had an aversion against Hindutva, Satpute said, “Commercial thinkers like Mitkari have no business to tell Hindu religious leaders on what position to take about such matters.” Even as the duel was raging, a BJP demonstration against deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in Pune district has provided another pointed angle to the Mahayuti equation. Maharashtra NCP (Ajit) president Sunil Tatkare has angrily asked the BJP protestors not to do something that could sour the relationship between the two parties. The BJP workers were upset since only Pawar’s image was flashed at an official event’s venue, ignoring CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis. 

Tamil film superstar Vijay’s hunt for a venue for his party Tamil Vetri Katchi’s inauguration has been a tale of frustration that betrays the fear people have of being seen promoting a new player on the political scene. The hunt had led Vijay’s party members to several cities and towns in the state looking for a venue like an open ground that can accommodate around 10 lakh people who are expected to attend. Having looked at suitable venues in Trichy and Salem, the party had to cancel with the parties owning or controlling the venues pulling out for fear of getting into trouble with the powers. The party had then approached a private college management to lend their campus and ground in Vikravandi, a town about 120 kms south of Chennai. The venue may not be big enough if a million people get there for the inaugural slated for September 22. The party is said to be still trying for a more suitable venue even as preparations are on for releasing the party’s flag on August 23 so that supporters and fans can carry the flags to the venue on the inaugural day.  The party is determined to get the party off the ground in a spectacular way in September. Vijay’s final film – The Greatest of All Time or GOAT –– before his political plunge will hit screens on September 5. 

A consolidation of hectic kind is sweeping the Indian cement field with the Adanis and UltraTech Cement of Aditya Birla Group engaging in a no–holds–barred acquisition binge. The cement industry, perhaps, is moving away from distributed production to concentrated production. The churning is indeed a part of a dynamic process. The change, however, pushes the system down the memory lane, it appears. In former times, the IT industry had a lot of ERP companies such as Oracle, JD Edwards, Peoplesoft, BaaN, SAP and the like. Similarly, the CRM space had plenty of players like Vantive, Seibel et al. In the first decade of this century, a shift had happened in ERP space. Peoplesoft first took over JD Edwards. Then, Oracle acquired Peoplesoft. Later, Oracle came out with a blended ERP which had the features of Peoplesoft and JD Edwards. SAP, in the meanwhile, had taken over Siebel CRM. The competition now is between two giants –– Oracle and SAP.  This is a far cry from the days when the ERP space had a host of small as well as big players. Indeed, change is the name of the game. Forget the adage “small is beautiful”. Big is the in thing today. How will the emerging new normal play out in the larger economy? Well, time alone will answer this.