The moment Shiv Sena (UBT) dismissed its spokesman Kishore Tiwari from the responsibility, he launched a tirade against the manner in which the party is being run. While going soft on leader Uddhav Thackeray, he has held some top leaders responsible for the Sena’s debacle.  The Sena is receiving one jolt after another almost daily due to desertions by its loyal workers and Tiwari’s unbridled outburst is bound to make its challenge graver for the coming local body elections. While Uddhav has tried to inject vigour into the rank and file by declaring his resolve to administer one mega blow to the ruling saffron alliance, Tiwari’s disclosures will force the party to defend its decisions, especially of distributing tickets for the 2024 assembly election. Tiwari has alleged that many of the tickets were ‘sold’ and certain party leaders had amassed a fortune. His main target is party MP Sanjay Raut, whose continuous controversial statements Tiwari has found very objectionable and damaging. Tiwari has criticized other leaders like Subhash Desai, Vinayak Raut and Milind Narvekar, who are closest to Uddhav. He told a news channel that he has revealed just one percent and will expose more and more misdeeds of the party and its leaders. Tiwari has been the Sena protagonist on various Marathi and national news channels. He has vowed to continue to work for the Sena ‘until I am expelled from the party.’ 

Controversial Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde has been down with Bell’s Palsy, which has incapacitated him. But the clamour for his resignation is not likely to subside. Munde has been the bone of contention within the ruling NDA regime due to the several serious allegations levelled against him. Some of his closest aides are behind bars and even his own future is bleak. A staunch supporter of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, the nephew of late Gopinath Munde, he has emerged as a formidable OBC leader in the state. Therefore, demands for his removal from the cabinet have been ignored by Pawar. However, the series of exposures with Munde’s alleged connection have landed the Fadnavis government into a tight situation. Munde’s ironclad hold over his home district, Beed, is said to have culminated into various scams and acts of violence. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has declared that Pawar will take a decision about Munde, whose illness has complicated the situation. Bell’s palsy is a condition that causes sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face. The weakness makes half of the face appear to droop. It can occur at any age though the exact cause for its occurrence is not known. Munde’s absence from the cabinet meetings and from public events had started rumours that he had resigned or had been asked to quit. He himself has so far stoutly denied any such decision. His affliction has temporarily stopped his critics but many of them have declared to continue the campaign against Munde by wishing him a speedy recovery.

The intitial turn out for India’s opening ICC Champions Trophy match at the Dubai International Stadium (DIS) was a far cry from the spectators who showed up for India’s home series matches against England  recently. It was full house in Nagpur and Cuttack, and around 60000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the third ODI. The men in blue are a big draw anywhere in the world but on Thursday — which is not a holiday here — there were not many takers, most of them having saved Dirhams for the India-Pakistan group match on Sunday, which is a weekend holiday. The DIS can hold between 25000 and 30000 people and by the time Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana struck blows in the first 10 balls of the match — after Bangladesh chose to bat  winning the toss — one could  see empty seats  at the Stadium. The venue which has a canopy like roof and gives a ring of fire like visual as  dusk settles in, has become a popular venue in the UAE — the other two being the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and the Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Tickets are priced as low as 250 AED and it goes up to a high of 12500 AED for the Grand Lounge at the DIS. The ticketing arrangements have been done by the host Pakistan Cricket Board  and Emirates Cricket Board and much of the gate receipts should be going to Pakistan’s kitty. Wickets were falling in a heap in the first hour of the match as India gained the upperhand and the only disappointing aspect was skipper Rohit Sharma spilling a catch at slip to deny left arm spinner Axar Patel, a hat-trick.

In a week’s time, that’s next Sunday on February 23, the world of cricket would swing to the passions reflected across India and Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy. The clash between the arch rivals in cricket will be a sell out with every seat at the Dubai International Stadium, where the expatriates will shell out thousands of Dirhams and create an electrifying atmosphere. Seventeen months ago, a near full house at the Narendra Modi Stadium rooted for the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team against Pakistan in the ICC World Cup. India which won that match was the host of the World Cup and Pakistan travelled to Ahmedabad for the marquee event. The Pakistan Cricket board (PCB) being the host of the ICC Champions Trophy, believed India would travel across the border to give the local fans — either in Lahore or Karachi — a real experience of a high-octane tension filled match, but the BCCI, not allowed by the government of India, refused to send its team to Pakistan — citing security concerns — and India’s group matches were scheduled in Dubai.  An India-Pakistan contest in any sport is an extraordinary event by itself, but one between the cricketers of the two countries is truly uplifting to the millions of fans of the country that wins the contest. Eight years ago Pakistan downed India by 180 runs in the Champions Trophy final at ‘The Oval’ in London. Pakistan holds a 3-2 edge in the Champions Trophy and 73-57 edge overall in ODIs, but it’s 2-0 for India in Dubai with Rohit Sharma totalling 317 runs in five matches with a high of an unbeaten 111 against Pakistan in the 2018 Asia Cup. 

Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district seems to be on the radar of corporate India. Two big projects, an iron ore, and a steel plant, involving huge investment is expected to transform this naxal-infested belt forever. Sajjan Jindal promoted JSW Group is setting up a 25 million tonne steel plant – world’s largest — by investing Rs 1 trillion over next seven to eight years. Helping the steel plant with regular supply of iron ore is B Prabhakaran-promoted Thriveni Sainik Mining. This company is a prominent player in the coal mining sector with a capacity to deliver 15 MTPA of coal. Coming to iron ore, Thriveni has entered into an agreement with Mukesh Gupta-promoted Lloyds Metals and Energy as Lloyds was granted a 50-year iron ore mining lease in 2007 for 348 hectares at Surajgarh Village. This area is known to have a major iron ore reserve. It may be recalled that Gupta was a high-profile businessman in the nineties running a clutch of companies from steel to real estate to pharma. Thriveni which got into play in 2021 after being appointed MDO or Mine Developer and Operator has already produced over 3 MTPA and plans to produce 25 MTPA iron ore. Sometimes back, Thriveni Group was in the news not because its promoter Prabhakaran was arrested over his role in a mining scam but, because the Union minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw before entering politics was a director in Prabhakaran-promoted iron ore company Thriveni Pellets Pvt Ltd set up in 2019. 

Nine years after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) headed by Pinarayi Vijayan blocked the then ruling UDF’s plan to allow private universities into Kerala, the LDF has had a change of heart. “The government’s latest decision is in sync with changing times,” says Higher Education Minister, R Bindu. Any agency which has experience and credibility can apply to set up a University provided it deposits Rs 25 crore as corpus money and also has the requisite land as per regulatory agency. In case the proposed Private University is a multi-campus varsity, then at least 10 acres of land is required. The government’s move is to ensure that Malayali students remain in Kerala. As per a joint study by Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT) and Centre for Development Studies (CDS), nearly 50.8% of Malayali students migrate to neighbouring Karnataka alone for higher studies. Though the government has indicated that the new policy has attracted many institutions/universities, it is too early to predict how things will play out due to certain stiff parameters included in the proposal.  They include 40% seat reservation for permanent residents of Kerala and that SC/ST students have to be provided scholarships and fee concessions. The LDF government has also indicated that its nominees — Higher Education Secretary and another Department Secretary should be nominated in the Private University’s governing council. And if this is not enough intervention, the state government will have a nominee as member of the University’s executive council and three nominees in the academic council. It will also comply with directions of regulatory agencies regarding appointment of Vice Chancellors and faculty members. Initial indications are that the Azim Premji University and another Gulf-based institution with the blessings of the promoter of Lulu hyper-market chain, M A Yusuff Ali, have indicated their interest.

The Union Home Ministry’s decision to grant actor-politician Vijay, the chief of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), ‘Y’ category security in Tamil Nadu has stirred the political pot. Sources said while the security was accorded after an internal security audit by the Intelligence Bureau, it has prompted a  sharp reaction from the AIADMK, which suspected that the BJP would use the security cover to get the newbie politician to its side at a time when it is planning a grand alliance with TVK and the Congress for next year’s assembly elections. It may seem the Centre’s security decision is being over analysed. But sources say the Congress is already under pressure from AIADMK to change its TN president ahead of the assembly polls as he is being viewed as too close to the DMK, post Erode assembly by-elections. Meanwhile, it is felt Vijay may accept the security cover as it will be helpful in managing the crowd during his public engagement as a politician. AIADMK functionaries however are unconvinced that the Centre’s decision was merely a security decision. Strongly backing the Centre’s decision to give Vijay ‘Y’ security cover, TN BJP chief K Annamalai pointed out that the Central government had given CRPF security to Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, regardless of whether the AIADMK was in alliance with the BJP or not. He pointed out that similarly the central government had given ‘Y’ security to Vijay. “The reason that Vijay is not able to meet the public is because of the huge crowds.” He also wanted to know why the DMK government in the state had not come forward to give Vijay this sort of security. 

The recent release of Chaava, featuring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna, has ignited significant discussions around the intersection of art and political scrutiny in India. While the film has garnered considerable buzz and attention at the box office, it has also faced backlash from various political groups, often dubbed as the “moral police.” This scrutiny particularly intensified around a promotional song featuring a traditional lezim dance that depicted the historical figure Sambhaji Maharaj in a manner some deemed inappropriate. Critics argued that the portrayal of the king dancing was historically inaccurate and disrespectful, prompting Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant to advocate for a review by historians to preserve the dignity of the Sambhaji Maharaj. In response to this pressure, director Laxman Utekar met with political leader Raj Thackeray and ultimately decided to remove the contentious scene. This incident reflects a growing trend where political entities feel entitled to intervene in Bollywood productions, raising concerns about the freedom of expression for artists. This pattern is not new; previous controversies, such as the uproar over the song “Besharam Rang” from Pathaan and the backlash against the song “Malhari” from Jodha Akbar which faced criticism for its use of the phrase “Vaat Laavli,” underscore the inconsistent responses from the industry and authorities. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, known for his grand historical narratives, has frequently found himself at odds with political outfits, from Jodha Akbar to Padmaavat to Gangubai Kathiawadi. This trend illustrates a troubling reality where the creative landscape is increasingly shaped by political agendas, often at the expense of artistic integrity and historical representation. As the lines between art and politics blur, it raises critical questions about the future of creative freedom in India. 

In Tamil Nadu, the Dravidian major AIADMK is going through a minor crisis of confidence with a senior member in Sengottaiyan staying away from an event that felicitated the party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS). The former minister explained it away saying he was told there would be no portraits of party founder MGR and his protégé J Jayalalithaa at the venue and the party explained it away by saying the event was by a federation of farmers. The minor misunderstanding alone is not, however, what the leader and former chief minister EPS is facing. He is deprecated as the ‘dubbing voice’ of the BJP by TN chief minister MK Stalin and assailed every day by those who he had forced out of the party like TTV Dhinakaran of the Sasikala clan. While Palaniswami may be forced to accept that to go with the BJP in the Assembly elections of 2026 could be the only option given the scattered vote share of the Opposition, he is being offered an olive branch by the ousted former chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) who now senses an opportunity to call for unifying all forces so the party may regain the strength of old and be a force to be reckoned with in the state. OPS is now saying he is willing to patch up and return even with EPS as chief. provided fair elections are held soon with all party members allowed to vote for their chief. Meanwhile, word has come in that political advisers are saying that only a front against the ruling DMK with AIADMK, BJP and Vijay’s fledgling TVK could fancy its chances of downing the ruling party. 

Maharashtra keeps proving that there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. So, the BJP which had launched a vociferous diatribe against Ajit Pawar’s Dhananjay Munde in Beed through its local legislator Suresh Dhas there, suddenly mediated a peace meet between them signalling de-escalations in political tensions on that front. Maharashtra reeled in a shock when Dhas admitted to dropping in to check up on Munde’s health following a surgery after spending weeks accusing his aides of extortion and murder. Uddhav too has started warming up to BJP chief minister Devendra Fadnavis prompting talks of a BJP-Sena alliance after calling each other names like Fadtus and Kadtus to each other. Fadnavis though met up with his cousin Raj Thackeray sparking talks of BJP aligning with him. Uddhav’s bete noire Eknath Shinde, on the other hand, displayed signs of warming up to Sharad Pawar. Sharad Pawar played a masterstroke by publicly felicitating Shinde, praising him and clearly dropping out Uddhav Thackeray from his books like a hot potato. Shinde these days is already having an upper hand with Operation Tiger; he intends to poach Uddhav’s three MPs. Ajit Pawar has already started attending events with the senior Pawar on the dais sparking talks of both the NCP factions warming up to each other. Amidst all these shifts and readjustments, probably to gear up for the forthcoming local body polls, the Congress is the only party which finds itself left lonely to nurse its wounds all alone. 

The silent war for supremacy claims between Rajini and Vijay’s fans has been smouldering for a few years now. Vijay has conquered that top slot in box office status which Rajini and Kamal shared. Who is the highest paid actor is the bone of contention…obviously the commercial success of Vijay’s formula padded high-octane films is hard to ignore, harder not to acknowledge it. Recently, it took an ugly turn when the X (formerly Twitter) handle of Rajini fan clubs carried an unsavoury threat to Vijay. The plan was to chuck rotten eggs at Vijay in his political meetings. The rotten eggs were to be sourced at bulk rates from Namakkal. This audio caused a major flutter and Rajini’s PR mouthpiece condemned the plan. “A genuine fan of our Thalaivar would never think of such base actions. Mutual respect for fans is what we profess. Don’t make cinema a divisive force”. Another distasteful event had preceded this one on February 7 when Ajith’s long-awaited Vidaamuyarchi hit the screens. Suddenly at the Nellai’s Ram theatre, a bunch of diehard Vijay fans and newly minted party acolytes came, waving TVK flags and matching swag to impress the crowd about their leader. A few Ajith fans caught hold of the enthusiasts and thrashed them, saying you want to watch a movie, do so without pomp and flag fare. Even when celebrity stars don’t resort to cheap publicity, the fan clubs bring a bad reputation. And when cine glitz transforms into politics, the stakes are higher. 

Aadav Arjuna, son in law of lottery king Santiago Martin, convinced poll strategist and founder of Jan Suraaj Prashant Kishor to meet actor Vijay at his Neelankarai residence. During the meeting, it is learnt, Kishor talked about forging an omnibus alliance in Tamil Nadu – Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), AIADMK and the BJP. The meeting that lasted over two hours left the media and watchers agog with curiosity and questions. TVK commands 20% of the votes in TN, a figure that Prashant is said to have spoken about to mainline media as well as podcasters. “My two-hour meeting has set 2000 kites flying with their own versions,” said Prashant. It was said that Prashant who visited Vijay as a friend has spelt out the dos and don’ts. He has set out three commandments. First suggestion, his exhortation to TVK and Vijay build up the party to reach every nook and corner. Cinema can only go so far in providing optics. The second commandment, TVK was recently started and does not have enough time to build a full-scale infrastructure in the short time before 2026 hustings. It is not possible to stand alone and hope to fight elections without the support of a strong alliance. The third one is seen as most strategic. In 2017 DMK was almost reborn after a 10-year Vanvas but it had seamlessly worked with alliances that stood the test of time. So instead of fighting a monolith coalition, try to wean away the unhappy B Listers. For now, Kishor has just thrown the bait …it was obvious that TVK and Vijay were working, planning and converting every chance into an opportunity. And now with the Centre’s Y security status accorded to Vijay, he is already in the chosen list. 

There is no dearth of one sensational turn after another in Maharashtra politics over the past three months. Ever since the state assembly election results came out in November, the polity has been in upheaval. The latest such development is firebrand leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s obeisance to RSS top leader Bhayyaji Joshi. Of and on attacking the Sangh Parivar, Bhujbal had nurtured his image as a secular follower of NCP founder Sharad Pawar. Many observers recalled how Bhujbal was the first to split the Shiv Sena in 1991 when Balasaheb Thackeray was at the height of his popularity. The issue was Thackeray’s refusal to accept the Mandal Commission report.  Again, it was Bhujbal who was among the top disciples of Pawar to join the newly-floated NCP in 1999. He rose to become Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister. The recent vertical split in the NCP found Bhujbal joining the faction led by Ajit Pawar and many of his closest workers were astounded. In a recent surprising turn, Bhujbal was not accommodated in the cabinet formed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. He had publicly lamented that Fadnavis wished to make him a minister but Ajit had stalled the move. Owing to such happenings, there is a whispering campaign to suggest that Bhujbal is on his way to join the BJP. He himself has never discounted this possibility. On top of this, Bhujbal’s unreserved praise of Bhayyaji at a Ram temple in Niphad in Nasik district a couple of days ago has once again heightened suspense about his next move. 

In Odisha’s BJP circle all talks are about who will take over as the state’s BJP president. One of the selection criteria is that whoever takes the top job position, should not pose any threat to the incumbent chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The CM has the full backing of the PM. This is why one of the top contenders for the president’s post Manmohan Samal may lose out but has the credentials for the top job. He played a decisive role in ensuring a big BJP win in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and sources say, if he is made Odisha BJP president there is a possibility that his personality could overshadow that of Majhi. So, Samal’s strong personality goes against him so far. With a view not to upset the apple cart the party high command are also looking at other names such as Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi MP from Kandhamal, Dr Jatin Mohanty- BJP General Secretary, Golak Mohapatra BJP Vice President, Sukeshi Oram. In all this rat race, one thing that has become loud and clear is that the Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan who had trained his eyes in the CM’s chair for a long time will have to forget it. Majhi is here to stay. 

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s son Amit has given indications that the organisation can change its course. At a party meet in Mumbai, Amit has dismissed his father’s claim that EVMs were responsible for his party’s defeat in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections. Raj had only recently doubted the election results by alleging that EVMs were manipulated to engineer the BJP’s victory. In a bold departure, Amit has told the party leaders that it will be futile to blame the EVMs and that a thorough introspective has been called for. Amit’s candid admission has assumed significance against the backdrop of local body elections, including in Mumbai, lurking on the horizon. Amit reportedly said in that meeting that notwithstanding his father’s observation about the EVMs, he was of the opinion that there were other reasons for the sorry performance. Amit had lost the assembly election from Dadar-Mahim constituency, the Shiv Sena’s birthplace in 1966. Amit’s outspoken stand and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis calling on Raj Thackeray just before the MNS meet are hardly a pleasant coincidence. Moreover, certain BJP leaders announcing that the party could go alone in the Mumbai civic election have been considered as a warning for the Sena led by deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. An additional factor is the nervousness pervading the Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray amidst reports that many of its prominent leaders are on way out. 

The ICC Champions Trophy set to get off the ground for the Indian team in Dubai from next February 20 is important for many reasons. Whatever may be the outcome, the eight-nation tournament will dictate the course of action from senior cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja. Soon after India won the ICC Twenty20 World Cup last June in Bridgetown, Sharma, Kohli and Jadeja took a call to quit the shortest format of the game (not from the IPL). Now the discerning and key personnel in the BCCI including the national selection committee would look forward to white ball career decisions to be taken by the senior professionals. Sharma, Kohli and Jadeja had a good outing in the home series against England, making a 3-0 sweep of the ODI series, the first time in 13 years after India won a home series 5-0 against the same opponent in 2011. The selection committee too would look to build a new team for the next ICC World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. After a disappointing 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Sharma’s team will get an opportunity to win another ICC title. As a first task, it has to get across the group matches hurdles against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand. Two wins will ensure India’s passage into the semi-finals in order to face a team from the other group that has Australia, South Africa, England and Afghanistan. India will be without Jasprit Bumrah and hence will lean heavily on the spinner allrounders to deliver the goods and the title of course. But the million-dollar question is: “What will Sharma, Kohli and Jadeja do after the tournament.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly accepted an invitation of the Tamil Nadu BJP to inaugurate the newly constructed party office in southern most part of the state — Ramanathapuram on February 26. From there he will be travelling to Coimbatore. Around the same time PM Narendra Modi will also be in the state to  relaunch the new railway bridge connecting mainland India to Pamban Island at the south western tip of Tamil Nadu; it  is expected to open for train traffic on February 28. Built over nearly six years at a cost of Rs 531 crore, the 2.1-km structure has been hailed as an engineering marvel. It is India’s first vertical lift bridge, featuring a navigational span that can be raised up to 17 metres to allow floating pontoons. The decision to construct a new bridge was taken in 2019 after the old cantilever bridge — opened on February 24, 1914 — became structurally weak due to corrosion. Train movements on it stopped in December 2022. The old bridge was a historic engineering marvel until India’s longest sea bridge — Bandra-Worli Sea Link opened in Mumbai in 2010. Besides, it also had several limitations. Its Scherzer rolling lift span had to be operated manually by 16 people, and the process took 45 minutes. The old bridge had only a single, unelectrified track. In contrast the new bridge has been designed for a speed of 80 kmph due to the presence of a 2.65-degree curve. The old bridge had a speed limit of 10 km. As many as 130 trains can operate on the bridge per week. Currently, trains terminate at Mandapam, 17 km northwest of the temple town of Rameswaram.

At a time when pollsters are giving thumbs up to entry of actor Vijay and his party TVK in Tamil Nadu politics and see him as a potential challenger to the ruling DMK in 2026 assembly elections, the DMK has decided to acquire some star power and nominate veteran actor Kamal Haasan to the Rajya Sabha from its quota. He will most likely be a DMK MP, and not be known by the party he founded, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM). Following up on its announcement, Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin met Haasan at his Alwarpet office in person to congratulate him. It is significant that at a time, actor Vijay’s entry into active politics is making waves, Haasan should opt out of state politics and move to the Rajya Sabha. TN political circles feel the veteran actor’s exit could well spell the end of the road for his MNM, a party he had founded in 2018 and did not meet with much success in 2019 Lok Sabha polls or the 2021 assembly elections.  The DMK had assured Haasan, a Rajya Sabha berth as part of their electoral pact in 2024.  As a result, Haasan’s MNM extended its support to the INDIA-bloc in TN. On March 9, 2024, Haasan had visited the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, where he signed an agreement with DMK president and TN chief minister MK Stalin. It isn’t just Kamal who has become part of the DMK juggernaut, even an ally like the Congress has not shown much willingness to resist DMK’s push for consolidation as it surrendered its claim to the seat in the latest round of by-election to Erode assembly seat The by-election was necessitated by the death of Congress MLA EVKS Elangovan in December.

The Congress party is taking steps to bring back its house in order in Maharashtra, the second largest state, electorally. However, the initial signals in response to Rahul Gandhi’s decision to appoint Vidarbha’s Maratha leader Harshwardhan Sapkal as MPCC president are not very heart warming. The party was in search of a leader to occupy the post after incumbent Nana Patole had resigned in the wake of the assembly election debacle. Sapkal’s appointment has been frowned upon by senior party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, who was hopeful of occupying the post. A staunch OBC proponent, Wadettiwar was earlier in hot water for publicly praising chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Congress party’s zero performance in the Delhi assembly election for a successive third time has spread a pall of gloom for its workers. Top leaders like Prithviraj Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat have gone into political retirement and have refused to head the state unit. Younger leaders like Vishwajit Kadam and Satej Patil, too, have declined the offer. On top of that, a nondescript worker like Harshwardhan Sapkal has been appointed to steer it. Sapkal’s only known qualification to be elevated to the post is his close contacts with Meenakshi Natarajan, an inner circle member around Rahul. His first test will be the coming local body elections. His loyalty is not questionable but his ability. Many feel that Rahul should have consulted at least some state leaders before taking this step.

According to the West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress super boss Mamata Banerjee, the absence of alliance between AAP and Congress is the main reason for the defeat of AAP by the BJP in the Delhi assembly elections. But nephew Abhishek Banerjee, party’s general secretary differs. He believes that even if such an alliance had been formed, it would not have made a significant impact. According to him, at best, the alliance could have influenced the results in four or five seats, but it would not have altered the overall outcome. After 27 years, the BJP has stormed to power in Delhi, winning 48 out of 70 seats. AAP secured 22 seats, while Congress for the third time failed to win any seat. Didi voiced that if Congress had been more flexible in seat-sharing with AAP, the results could have been different. She also cited Haryana as an example, arguing that just as AAP’s actions hurt Congress in Haryana, Congress did the same to AAP in Delhi. However, Abhishek maintained that public sentiment was the most crucial factor; Delhi voters wanted change, and AAP failed to effectively counter the BJP’s narrative. Referring to West Bengal’s example, Abhishek stated that when the BJP had claimed that the central government was sending funds, but the TMC was not distributing them to the people, TMC launched a counter-campaign, challenging the Centre to release a white paper on the funds. Although Didi blamed both Congress and AAP for the lack of an alliance, she made it clear that TMC would contest alone in Bengal and return to power with a two-thirds majority.

In Maharashtra, the three-party Opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will have to draw its roadmap afresh since tension is growing within the anti-BJP combine, whose only game plan is to oppose the ruling Mahayuti saffron alliance. But the picture for MVA is not too bright since the NCP led by Sharad Pawar does not have much space in the state politics although it performed well in the last Lok Sabha election. The state NCP president Jayant Patil has been holding the reins for the past decade but has been retained despite vociferous demands from the rank and file for his replacement. Pawar’s recent feelers to the NDA have not gone down well for MVA. On the other hand, the Sena led by Uddhav has been losing its leading lights with frightening regularity. Still, Uddhav is not seen ready to change his style of functioning. Continuous reports about his Lok Sabha MPs deserting the party have created grave apprehensions within the organization. The third MVA partner, the Congress has appointed a new state president by choosing the relatively unknown Harshwardhan Sapkal, a Maratha leader from Vidarbha. But there is no enthusiasm seen in the organization.  In short, the Opposition in Maharashtra is in a disarray and will have to mend its house soon to mount an effective challenge to the ruling dispensation. Not surprisingly, Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s decision to meet Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal but not Sharad Pawar has generated fresh speculation about the future of MVA.

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

As members we may not see them taking an active part inside the House. However, we now find both LoPs of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have used the Parliament-in session as an excuse to skip an inaugural investor summit in Bengaluru.  Such a decision is odd, participation of both the leaders must have been confirmed in advance. As for the Budget debate, neither the leaders nor even those who participated in Budget discussions like either P Chidambaram or Dayanidhi Maran   ever bothered to listen to FM’s reply. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X that Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were unable to attend the ‘Invest Karnataka’ summit as they were tied in the Parliament’s Budget Session. He said both the leaders were extremely tied up on “account of the continuing debate on the Budget. Hence they have regretted their inability to attend the inauguration of the Karnataka Investor Summit.” They have sent their best wishes for the Summit and are confident that it will be a very productive and successful one in keeping with Karnataka’s unique competitive and comparative advantages.” It is not clear why Delhi leaders should hesitate to visit the state now with the MUDA scam against chief minister Siddaramaiah having receded into the background.  After a semblance of political stability was restored in the state, Karnataka Deputy chief minister D K Shivkumar seemed resigned to his fate and perhaps became the only Congress leader in high office who travelled to Prayagraj over last weekend with his family for a holy dip in Sangam. Guess, as far as the Congress high command was concerned, he realised he had nothing to lose but only his shackles!

Election strategist Prashant Kishor on Jan 10 had a three-hour meeting with actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay in Chennai and promised his “support and guidance” for the party’s victory in the 2026 assembly election. Kishor, who has floated a political party, Jan Suraaj, in Bihar, will take on the role of ‘special adviser’ to TVK. DMK had hired Kishor ahead of the 2021 assembly election, which it won and came to office after 10 years. “Kishor will be a ‘special adviser’ to TVK, though no formal technical agreements will be made,” said a source privy to the developments. Vijay is looking forward to periodic meetings with Kishor in the coming months as his party is keen on positioning itself against DMK and BJP, and setting the stage for an intense contest in 2026. Kishor continues to have his primary focus on politics in Bihar. Kishor would act as a special adviser to TVK similar to his role for TDP, which swept the 2024 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections. Incidentally, the meeting between Kishor and Vijay was facilitated by Aadhav Arjuna, who himself heads a political strategy firm, within a fortnight of the latter joining the TVK.  As founder of Voice of Commons and a political strategist, Arjuna had worked closely with Kishor when he was roped in by DMK for the 2021 assembly election. The meeting between the two and the outcome signify the importance Vijay attaches to the 2026 assembly polls, his first elections after a grand entry into politics in October 2024. Vijay has identified the BJP as his ideological enemy and DMK as his political enemy. Arjuna was suspended from Dalit outfit VCK following his outbursts against DMK.

Even as PM Modi promised to repay the trust Delhi voters placed in his party by vowing  to turn Delhi into a “developed capital of a developed country” and said he will fulfil BJP’s poll promises, clean the Yamuna and ensure accountability for corruption under the AAP regime by promising to present all pending 14 CAG reports in the  assembly, many within the party wondered if it was enough to oust AAP out of the  Delhi state assembly. Or more needs to be done. As Modi said “This is not an ordinary victory. The people of Delhi have driven out AAP-da. The mandate of Delhi is clear.” BJP insiders pointed out that when the new Delhi government will begin its work on making the city garbage free, it is quite possible that AAP could still put a roadblock on its work via the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). That is because AAP controls the MCD with its 134 councillors; the BJP has 104 councillors. Elections to the civic body were held in December 2022. A section in the BJP feels Modi government should go in for fresh MCD polls in the light of assembly poll win, if it must clean up Delhi. Party sources, however, feel there is no need for any drastic step as many AAP MLAs and councillors may want to cross over to the BJP seeing the public mood. Sources also acknowledged that the BJP hugely benefited getting the lion’s share — an estimated 67% of women’s vote. It was clearly the Haryana effect of Rs 2100 payout under Lado Lakshmi Yojana that had swung the Delhi women to the BJP. They were no longer enamoured by AAP’s free bus rides.

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

Tennis buffs were happy to read the bold and interesting catchline — Larsen & Toubro: Celebrating Excellence in Women’s Tennis — at the tennis courts of South Mumbai’s sports-minded Cricket Club of India (CCI). India and the world’s top engineering, construction and manufacturing company, was the title sponsor, for the fourth year, of the “LT Mumbai Open” which is a Women’s Tennis Association’s (WTA) category 125 professional tournament that draws budding and experienced international players who aim for the 125 WTA points and move up the world rankings. The tournament also helps promising Indian players who are not among the top notch get a “wildcard” entry into the qualifiers and the main draw. The CCI was a superb venue for the event, but the week-long tournament — revived after six years — enabled a rookie Indian junior, Maaya Rajeshwarann Revathi to cut her teeth in the big league and make a terrific impact. Thanks to the L&T, CCI and the Tournament Director, Sunder Iyer, four Indians — Ankita Raina, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaishnavi Adkar and Sahaja Yamalapalli — got a wildcard entry into the main draw of 32, and Maaya and Akanksha Nitture for the qualifier. But the young lass who impressed the most was the 15-year old from Coimbatore, Maaya who won two qualifier rounds and three main draw rounds to enter the semi-finals to be assured of 49 WTA points to enter the WTA world ranking list. She also earned a prize money of $ 5300. The week ending February 9 turned out to be path breaking for Maaya who trains at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy in Spain. Tennis needs more corporate patronage, just like the L&T ‘s support for the Mumbai Open.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has reaffirmed its stance on party discipline, taking decisive action against three leaders whose public statements embarrassed the party. However, the party’s inaction against three prominent actor-turned-legislators and parliamentarians despite their controversial remarks has raised questions about a perceived selective approach to discipline. TMC’s disciplinary committee acted against MLAs Humayun Kabir, Narayan Goswami and Madan Mitra. Kabir’s call to appoint the party’s National General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee as Deputy Chief Minister with control over the police department did not sit well with the leadership. Goswami faced scrutiny after making incoherent statements and singing at a public event. Mitra triggered controversy by accusing the party’s advisory agency, I-PAC, of extortion. All three leaders either faced show-cause notices or issued public apologies to mitigate the damage. However, the party has remained silent on controversial statements made by Chandipur MLA Soham Chakraborty and MPs Rachna Banerjee and Shatrughan Sinha. Soham contradicted the party’s official stance on the high-profile rape and murder case at R G Kar Medical College by suggesting that the convicted individual may not have acted alone. Sinha, on the other hand, stirred controversy by advocating for a nationwide ban on non-vegetarian food, aligning with the ideological stance of the BJP. The disciplinary committee’s swift response to one group of leaders while ignoring others raises questions about selective approach. Is the party hesitating to take action against its celebrity MPs due to their public appeal? Or is there an underlying strategy to maintain a delicate political balance?

Vizhinjam Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram is fast emerging as a key link between Asia and Europe with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest container shipping company by fleet size and cargo capacity, announcing its plans to make it a port of call. MSC’s Jade service, which connects Asia and Europe will now include a stop at Vizhinjam before continuing to the Mediterranean. This move would bring larger vessels with capacities ranging from 23,000 to 24,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). to dock at the port boosting its prospects. Since its inception in July 2024, Vizhinjam Seaport has handled 144 ships and 2,90,000 containers, showcasing the port’s increasing capacity and operational efficiency. Smaller MSC vessels have been primary contributors to its growth. This port has seen a steady rise in MSC ship calls. “We plan to increase the number of calls to 48 a month immediately, with a medium-term goal of reaching 60 calls per month. The projection will lead to having two MSC ships calling a Vizhinjam every day,” according to a MSC spokesman. Also, Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, Thiruvananthapuram, is replicating the success of Adani-run Mundra Port, Gujarat, by setting up a SEZ that will foster an industrial eco-system and port-led development. According to Harikrishnan Sundaram, head of container business at Adani Ports, the development of Vizhinjam Port has exceeded initial expectations by handling one million (TEUs) in its first year itself, an Indian record.  To sustain this growth Adani Ports plan to develop essential infrastructure including SEZs, logistics hubs and warehouses. He drew parallels with Jebel Ali Port which successfully created an eco-system supporting the UAE’s economic development.

In Bollywood a new trend is emerging. The traditional approach of the big launch of star kids via big screen is history. For instance, Saif Ali Khan’s son Ibrahim Ali Khan’s debut film Nadaaniyan will be released on Netflix with the usual marketing drive. According to film historian Dilip Thakur, “Gone are the days when big launches would happen for newcomers or star kids; the last big launch was that of Hrithik Roshan…that was 25 years ago.” There is not going to be any superstar with the advent of OTT culture and GenNext seems okay with it. Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor’s film Loveyapa is their first theatrical release; both have already made their debut on OTT with Maharaj and The Archies. Junaid’s father Aamir Khan is going around promoting them. Unlike Janhvi kapoor, Khushi had a rather quiet launch with The Archies but her acting prowess was noticed. Both are somewhere sure that they have been accepted and therefore fine with it. Thakur says the business of cinema is all about the first weekend and that the game is over unless it is Pushpa or a Pathaan.  Besides the exposure to OTT is more than the cinema and only spectacles are going to work in cinemas and the generation next knows it and is practical about it. Hypothetically, if they don’t make their cut in acting, the paparazzi culture has already made them influencers so they will be around in some form connected with Bollywood.

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

The antics of Tamil Nadu Congress MP Manickam Tagore have not gone unnoticed in the wake of the Delhi poll results. Displaying what was clearly his delight at the AAP taking a tumble in the Delhi elections, the MP had posted on X just two words – ‘Delhi Results’ – along with a video of Arvind Kejriwal declaring that there be no tie-up in Delhi. While schadenfreude is understandable, what the post tries to make is a case that Kejriwal was to blame for the Congress not agreeing to adjustments and the grand old party going ahead to contest in all 70 seats and playing the spoiler. In fact, it was Congress, which often accused the AAP of being the BJP’s B team, ended up playing the role of ‘BJP B’ in the Delhi polls by clearly affecting the results in 14 seats, including that of Kejriwal, and turning the contest around for a BJP sweep. If the INDIA alliance had been in place and Congress contested only a few seats to keep up its Delhi identity and poll ambitions, the verdict may have been totally different with the AAP prevailing in a close contest. What happened in the end was that Congress scored a triple bagel – 000 – in three successive Delhi polls and Kejriwal lost power and Congress spokespersons were looking at the crumbs of the poll verdict and predicting the party’s comeback in 2030.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has described the BJP’s spectacular victory in Delhi assembly election as one more example of Ek hai toh Safe hai. Welcoming the verdict, Fadnavis recalled how Maharashtra voters had supported the NDA in the recent assembly election, scripting the first instance of Ek hai toh safe hai after BJP’s poor show in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Fadnavis explained how the BJP had lost the Dhule Lok Sabha seat since it had hardly received any votes in the Malegaon assembly segment in which Muslims are in majority. In all the five other segments, the BJP was leading but had to accept defeat due to the substantial anti-BJP voting in Malegaon alone. He termed it as the ‘Love Jihad’ effect and said a dozen Lok Sabha seats were lost by the NDA due to the same reason. Fadnavis said that for the assembly election, PM Narendra Modi toured Maharashtra and spread the message of Ek hai toh safe hai and the impact was magical. After Maharashtra, the message has shown its power in Delhi, he observed. Fadnavis had campaigned in the national capital assembly election, too. He had held several meetings in the Marathi-speaking population of Delhi and mobilised their support. The CM has ridiculed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for alleging that a sudden spurt in the registration of new voters was noticed in Maharashtra just before assembly polls. He advised Rahul to introspect and learn to accept the popular mandate.  

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has hit out at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and held him responsible for his party’s resounding defeat in Delhi assembly election while analysing the pro-BJP outcome in the national capital. Anna said about his one-time ardent disciple that Kejriwal was influenced by power and money so much that he was not ready to listen to alarm signals voiced time and again against his style of functioning. Anna’s recent video clip, released on the eve of the election, had told Kejriwal in no uncertain terms to mend his ways. The message was mostly ignored by the media though shortpost.in had uploaded a news item about it just before the polling. Reiterating his stand, Anna said after the results were declared, “Ideology and actions should be pure in public life. An individual should not carry any stigma so that the electors develop confidence in that leader. I repeatedly conveyed this message to AAP but it was ignored.” An exasperated Anna had asked the voters not to support AAP in this clip. In fact, there are many in Maharashtra who feel smug, ridiculing Anna and supporting Kejriwal. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged Anna’s stand while addressing a BJP victory rally in party headquarters in Delhi. Modi also focused on AAP’s corruption by pointing out that all its top leaders had been in custody. Modi said Anna’s anti-graft crusade had catapulted Kejriwal to become the Delhi CM and expressed happiness that Anna’s stand had been endorsed by the people of Delhi. “Finally, Anna has been liberated from the AAP shroud,” the PM said to a huge applause.

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi is firing on all cylinders as he is in a hurry to cross several milestones. Plans are afoot to set up a new city near Bhubaneswar. In fact, his development basket for Odisha now goes beyond ‘Viksit Gaon-Viksit Odisha’ (Developed Village, Developed Odisha) scheme for which Rs 5,000 crore has been earmarked to be spent over the next five years. Majhi, it is learnt, is putting pressure on District Collectors to deliver quick results; toward meeting this objective he has asked the District Collectors to submit a prospective development plan of villages block-wise to his office by February 18. Besides this, the CM has outlined Greater Bhubaneswar Economic Region (GBER) plan. He is now adding Puri and Paradeep to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar encompassing a sustainable economic zone spanning 8,500 sq km creating a size greater than Bengaluru and Chennai metropolitan areas. This ambitious Greater Bhubaneswar project having one of the largest urban development initiatives in Odisha’s history is aimed to transform the region into a major economic hub as Odisha aims to be a developed state by 2036.

The rout of the AAP in Delhi assembly polls was best summed up by PM Modi on X: “Development wins, good governance triumphs. It is our guarantee that we will leave no stone unturned in improving the overall quality of life for the people and ensuring that Delhi has a prime role to play in building a Viksit Bharat”. For the  BJP which rode to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years with 48 seats win on the basis of Modi’s guarantees, home minister Amit Shah’s hard work and the unstinted support of RSS network, the results were more or less on expected lines .The Congress which half-heartedly went into the electoral battle at the eleventh hour drew a blank for the third time. INDIA bloc partners like J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and Samajwadi Party were blaming the Congress for lack of unity in the Opposition alliance. A miffed Congress leader Jairam Ramesh insisted that “2025 Delhi Vidhan Sabha election results reflect nothing more than a referendum on Arvind Kejriwal and his 12 years of misrule.”  and asserted that it was not a vindication of the policies of PM Modi as the AAP had decisively won in Delhi in 2015 and 2020 at the height of the PM’s popularity”. Clearly the Congress which propped up Kejriwal when he was short of numbers in 2013 after defeating Sheila Dikshit to keep out BJP is getting defensive. It is quite possible some of AAP’s top losers like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Saurabh Bharadwaj may have been spared the defeat if there had been a AAP-Congress alliance. BJP’s Parvesh Verma polled 30,088 votes against Kejriwal’s 25,999 while Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit polled 4568. Sisodia’s defeat by 600 odd votes was more stark. He had shifted his constituency from Patparganj to Jangpura to avoid defeat.

The Indian corporate world and the IPL team owners’ “big time” interest in the England and Wales Cricket Board’s nascent franchise league “The Hundred” has made a big splash. Initially the pessimists felt that the “The Hundred”, meaning a 100-ball competition for eight clubs would not be able to make an impact akin to the one made by the IPL which kicked off in 2008. After 17 years the IPL brand value is around $ 12 billion. The fact that three IPL team owners — Ambanis of Mumbai Indians (MI), Sanjiv Goenka of Lucknow SuperGiants (LSG) and the Marans of the Sunrisers Hyderabad have bought partial or full stake in the three clubs shows their respect for the game in the UK. Now the MI has 49% stake (60 million pounds) in the Oval Invincibles, the LSG has a 70% stake (81 million pounds) in the Manchester Originals and the Sunrisers have a 100% stake (100 million pounds) in Yorkshire’s Northern Superchargers.  The Indian techie consortium of Adobe, Google and Microsoft has a 49% stake (145 million pounds) in the London Spirit team. And, finally the Washington DC based Sanjay Govil has a 49% stake (40 million pounds) in the Welsh Fire team. The ECB, which has sold its 49% stake in each of the eight teams, wants to deploy the money to assist struggling counties and grassroots development. Most of the IPL owners have cast their net wide owning teams in Twenty20 leagues in the Caribbean, South Africa, Middle East and the Major League Cricket in the USA. Their overwhelming interest in “The Hundred” is likely to make it the biggest one in the near future.

There has always been a great race among the Indian States to attract investors – global and local. So, it was not surprising to see West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee going all out to woo investors for the Bengal Global Business Summit held on February 5-6. Full page ads were splashed across all mainline and financial dailies for several days. With who’s who of the corporate world gracing the occasion, the Bengal government said it has signed investment proposals worth Rs 440,595 crore. Marketing maven Suhel Seth, tweeted, “you may disagree with her politics but no Chief Minister has tried so hard to garner investments into West Bengal as she has.” But BJP’s IT Head Amit Malviya was not so charitable. He wrote on X, Mamata Banerjee and her advisor, Dr. Amit Mitra, have once again launched their elaborate sham—the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS). This grand spectacle, filled with lofty claims and fraudulent promises, is designed to deceive Bengal’s population into believing in an illusion of economic revival. It is a mirage of prosperity, fuelled by exaggerated yet hollow proclamations of astronomical investments.” He asked: Why, despite promises of Rs 3.42 lakh crore in 2022 and Rs 3.76 lakh crore in 2023, have 98.82% and 97.21% of these investments, respectively, failed to materialize? Why is there a glaring absence of verifiable official data to substantiate the claims of a 50.27% implementation rate of investment proposals and the creation of 28 lakh jobs between 2015 and 2019? Why has Bengal received only 0.7% of the total FDI inflows—amounting to just ₹12,827 crore between October 2019 and June 2024…while Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka command 16%, 31%, and 21% of FDIs, respectively?

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s spree of making audacious allegations one after another is reaching new heights now, with his latest shocking claim. According to Raut, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is not shifting to the CM’s official residence ‘Varsha’ since during previous CM Eknath Shinde’s tenure, a he-buffalo’s horns had been interred in the premises of the bungalow. The horns were that of an animal sacrificed at Guwahati’s famous Kamakhya temple, Raut had said, adding that the ritual was performed to ensure that no Shinde successor should continue in CM office for long. Fadnavis has ridiculed the slur. He has clarified that he would continue at ‘Sagar’ bungalow as his only daughter’s 10th standard examination is due soon and that she has requested him to stay there till it is over. The family will shift afterwards, he has clarified. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has lambasted Raut for the insinuation, telling him that it was none of the MP’s business to ask such a question. Raut had also asserted that Fadnavis was not shifting to Varsha for fear of such a black magic. Raut’s reference to Kamakhya temple relates to the Shiv Sena’s split and a majority of Sena MLAs aligning with Shinde at Guwahati, where they went for a pooja at the temple. Raut is in the news for making a claim in the Rajya Sabha about the number of casualties at the ongoing Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj.

The re-release of Sanam Teri Kasam, a 2016 romantic drama starring debutants Harshvardhan Rane and Mawra Hocane,has been surrounded by an intriguing wave of drama and fanfare. Recently, a passionate group of fans gathered outside the office of producer Deepak Mukut, accompanied by actor Harshvardhan Rane, fervently urging him to re-release the film. In a surprising turn of events, Mukut not only confirmed the film’s re-release but also announced a sequel, generating significant buzz in the industry. Initially launched to lacklustre box office performance, Sanam Teri Kasam was deemed a disaster upon its first release. However, the film’s soundtrack, featuring hit songs, kept it alive in conversations, gradually transforming it into a cult favorite. Now, with its re-release across 400 to 500 screens, Sanam Teri Kasam finds itself in direct competition with two fresh titles: Loveyappa, starring Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor, and Himesh Reshammiya’s Badass Ravi Kumar. Interestingly, while both new films struggled to make a significant impact at the box office, Sanam Teri Kasam has shown promising advance bookings, leading many exhibitors to consider increasing its showtimes over the weekend. This resurgence is particularly noteworthy for a film that was initially dismissed, highlighting a curious trend in the industry where previously overlooked content receives a second chance. Adding to the irony, the film’s popular music was composed by Himesh Reshammiya, who is simultaneously competing with his own project, underscoring the unpredictable nature of audience preferences and the evolving landscape of Bollywood.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is set for an unprecedented 11-day visit to West Bengal from February 6 to 17, marking the longest stay of an RSS Sarsanghchalak in the state’s history. He will attend multiple programmes in Kolkata and Bardhaman, with two days reserved for the RSS’s top committee, the Akhil Bharatiya Toli’s meeting in Kolkata. Bhagwat’s extended stay comes amid reports of alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh, fuelling speculation about its timing. Some analysts believe his prolonged presence is linked to these developments. However, RSS spokespersons deny any connection, emphasizing that the Sarsanghchalak’s schedule is set annually and isn’t influenced by external events. They clarified that Bengal is divided into three organizational regions — North, Central, and South — and Bhagwat will focus on South and Central Bengal, not staying in one place continuously. RSS functionaries downplayed the significance of the high-level meeting in Kolkata, calling it a logistical decision aligned with Bhagwat’s tour. Political observers however remain sceptical, noting a three-day gap between his engagements in South Bengal (ending February 10) and Central Bengal (starting February 14). He could have attended the meeting at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur or Delhi before returning but instead chose to stay in Bengal. Sources close to the RSS suggest that developments in Bangladesh have significantly impacted public sentiment in Bengal. They believe Bhagwat’s extended stay will help shape strategic responses while strengthening the RSS’s influence in the state. The organization is expected to leverage prevailing sentiments to expand its outreach.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s repeated clarifications that he is not unhappy in the cabinet headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis have failed to stop the surge of speculations about his next move. The reason for such discussions is Shinde’s frequent absence from important state meetings. As a result, Shinde continues to generate suspense for the ruling coalition. The discussions revived after Shinde skipped a “war room” meeting held by Fadnavis to discuss some important schemes and projects. These included the departments like health, housing and water supply and sanitation under Sena ministers. Though Shinde failed to turn up, another deputy CM Ajit Pawar was present for the marathon meeting. Shinde had also cancelled some other official engagements and a cabinet meeting last week. Fadnavis has time and again tried to explain that there was no complication for his dispensation and that Shinde was working wholeheartedly with him. Shinde also has reiterated that he is not unhappy. “When I was the chief minister, Fadnavis worked under me. Now that he is the CM, I am working under him. For both of us, the interests of Maharashtra are paramount,” Shinde told the media. Despite this, certain signals from the BJP side are interpreted to be making Shinde uncomfortable. His supporters recall how he consented to join the Fadnavis cabinet at the eleventh hour, keeping the Mahayuti on tenterhooks. BJP strategists feel that Shinde will yield at a proper time.

Ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump next week, both the Houses of Parliament erupted in protest over the manner in which 104 illegal Indian immigrants from the U.S. landed in Amritsar in a U.S. military aircraft– shackled and restrained. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar sought to downplay the issue and said that such expulsions were routine. “It has been there for years. Hundreds of Indians have been deported annually, with figures ranging from 530 in 2012 to over 2,042 in 2019,” Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha.  He pointed out that handcuffs were used on deportees since 2012. Asserting that it was “the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad”, he said efforts were being made to talk to deportees to track agents who sent them. The Opposition felt the government must stand up to the Trump Administration just as Columbia had done. “Why can we not fly back our citizens just as Columbia had done?” asked CPI(M) MP John Brittas. Colombia balked at the U.S. military flights and sent its own Air Force jet to pick up 110 deported Colombians. U.S. deportation flights are not new but the use of military flights is new, with the agency previously using commercial and chartered flights to deport people. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said while the U.S. may have a legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country, “but the manner in which it was done, in handcuffs, squeezed into a military aircraft, in such an abrupt manner, is not acceptable.” He pointed out how under the Biden administration last year, 1100 Indians were deported but there was no such humiliation.

In his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi was at his aggressive best as he savaged LoP Rahul Gandhi. From mocking the Congress leader and two members of his family for becoming MPs — mother Sonia and sister Priyanka — at the same time to turning “certain spaces into personal museums”. He was referring to the manner in which the Gandhi family maintains control over Indira Gandhi Memorial and had refused to share documents pertaining to the Rajiv Gandhi era with the Prime Ministers’ Museum. The PM said we have established the Prime Ministers’ Museum, where the legacy of every Prime Minister—from the first to my predecessors—has been honoured. “I urge their family members to visit it.” Taking a swipe at the three Gandhis who are all MPs, Modi said, “I pose an important question to the citizens through this House — have there even been three MPs simultaneously from the same family of SC community? I also ask, tell me if there ever were three MPs simultaneously from the same family belonging to the ST community…” There is a vast difference between their words and actions. However, the harshest jab was when Modi felt leaders have compulsions to raise questions on foreign policy to be taken seriously — he was referring to questions raised by both Rahul and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on tensions with China. He asked them to read Bruce Riedel’s book JFK’s Forgotten Crisis— as it details discussions between India’s Nehru and the U.S. President John F Kennedy, revealing how foreign policy was handled during challenging times and the games played in its name. Congress leaders are apparently not amused by this suggestion.

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

Ever since mid-January when Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was accompanied by his son Nishant Kumar at a political function in Bakhtiyarpur, there has been a buzz that the JD(U)leader’s son would be taking a political plunge.  The event was to pay tributes to freedom fighters, including Nitish’s father Ram Lakhan Singh, who too had participated in the freedom movement. Soon after the function, 50-year old Nishant, the only child of Nitish and his late wife Manju Sinha, told the local gathering that his father had put Bihar on the fast track of development and appealed to them to make him CM again. Nishant’s appeal came in the midst of reports that he was keeping indifferent health and had reduced public interaction. An engineer by training, Nishant had so far kept away from public glare. Raised by his mother, he is known to have spent time away from his father and dabbled in spiritualism. He came to live with his father only after his mother passed away in 2007. Those who have known the JD (U) supremo personally as well as politically feel with an indifferent health Nitish may no longer be in a position to even oppose entry of his son into politics much as he has always opposed dynastic politics. A section of JD(U) dominated by Kurmis is reportedly rooting for Nishant’s entry to perpetuate Nitish Kumar’s legacy; this section doesn’t care if it fits with Nitish Kumar’s vision of politics. It is being argued that JD(U) can’t survive without Nitish’s legacy. As for those competing against the towering stature of Nitish Kumar in Bihar — both the BJP and RJD — are also keen that a bumbling newbie and dynast Nishant does take the plunge and salvage JD(U). Ahead of assembly polls, JD(U) is likely to witness a churn.

What goes out seems to return to the same place. Well, how else could one view the unfolding scenario. Reports suggest that Aditya Birla Group-owned UltraTech Cement is in advanced talks to acquire Heidelberg Cement India. Heidelberg Cement India is the subsidiary of HeidelbergCement Group, Germany. It entered India in 2006 with the acquisition of erstwhile Mysore Cement, Cochin Cement and a JV with Indorama Cement. The company has plants at Damoh (MP), Jhansi (UP), and Ammasandra (Karnataka). If this acquisition happens, UltraTech may get Zuari Cements as well, which is a part of the Heidelberg Group. In such an eventuality, the Sitapuram plant of Zuari will also come under UltraTech. The Sitapuram plant was once with The India Cements (ICL). The India Cements got the Sitapuram plant as a bonus when it acquired Raasi Cement many years ago. Subsequently, India Cements sold the Sitapuram plant to Zuari to raise funds. The Parli grinding unit of India Cements, it may be recalled, was acquired by UltraTech. Since UltraTech has taken over India Cements, the Parli grinding unit has technically returned to its original place (since India Cements has now become a subsidiary of UltraTech). Well, the world is small after all.  And, the world is indeed round!

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

After all the hype over the low-cost DeepSeek artificial intelligence from China that seemed to be threatening the earlier model, doubts have begun to surface, at least in India, about its ability to continue posing a challenge to ChatGPT in the long term. The new app, which became the most-downloaded free app on the iOS App Store in the U.S. a fortnight after its launch on 10 January 2025, resulted in a steep fall in the share price of the more established Nvidia. While various users and reviewers have hailed it as a harbinger of the “global AI space race”, experts here are raising the old question of the longevity and reliability of anything made in China, especially when it is priced at a fraction of others in the same space. Says one leading infotech player, expressing the opinion of many in the field: “Like any data from China, nobody knows the real cost — it may be a whole lot higher than those incurred by Open AI.” Drawing a parallel with renewable energy, this expert points to a record 11 Gw of wind turbines commissioned years ago with turbines in almost all remote areas but no connection to the grid. “Renowned global consultants based in China whom I have met, always take any data from the Chinese government or otherwise from China with a pound of salt,” he adds. “It is perhaps disruptive news to pull the U.S. down. Let’s wait and see.” The Chinese company, established in Hangzhou, Zhejiang in 2023, is owned and funded by Chinese hedge fund High-Flyer, which develops open-source large language models (LLMs).

In recent times, Bollywood has seen a noticeable shift, with many newcomers struggling to leave a lasting impression on audiences. This decline can be traced back to a variety of factors, including the selection of projects that fail to resonate with viewers. Gone are the days when iconic films like Betaab, which introduced Sunny Deol or Rocky which launched Sanjay Dutt, captivated audiences and launched the careers of these stars. So too Jackie Shroff with Hero. In contrast, today’s newcomers like Suraj Pancholi, Siddhant Kapoor and Sasha Agha find themselves lost in films that do not provide them with the platform to showcase their talents effectively. The recent film Azaad featuring Aaman Devgan and Rasha Thadani serves as a case in point. Aaman Devgn, nephew of Ajay Devgn has struggled to make a significant impact, while Raveena Tandon’s daughter Rasha Thadani managed to capture some attention with her performance. Many of the films do not offer the newcomers a fair opportunity to shine; often focusing more on star power than on storytelling. For instance, in Azaad, the narrative centres around the titular horse rather than the lead pair, which diminishes the impact of the human characters. This misalignment can lead to a lack of engagement from the audience, making it difficult for the actors to connect with viewers. Aaman’s performance, despite being camera-friendly, lacks the emotional depth and histrionics that are often necessary to truly engage the audience. In contrast, Rasha stands out with her strong screen presence and impressive dance moves, showcasing a talent that could potentially elevate her career. Ultimately, even when a film does not resonate with audiences, a standout performance can create opportunities for newcomers to prove themselves.

The England captain Jos Buttler did not mince words on the matter of fast bowler Harshit Rana replacing Shivam Dube as the like-for-like “concussion substitute” in the fourth Twenty20 international in Pune. The scoreboard will show left-hander Dube having scored 53 off 34 balls with 7x 4s and 2x6s – a fine performance that went a long way in India posting a stiff 181 in 20 overs after being rocked by Saqib Mahmood’s three-wicket burst in his first over. It was Dube’s first international match in eight months. Rana, who replaced Dube after India chose to use the “Concussion substitute” rule at the innings break, ended up with flattering figures of 3 for 33, sending down his full quota of four overs. Rana took the wickets of Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell and Jamie Overton – all capable of giving the ball a solid whack. A pertinent question that cropped up was whether “Rana was a like-for-like’’ replacement for Dube, particularly as a fast bowler. In his previous 33 matches, Dube had sent down 45.3 overs and taken 11 wickets with a 3 for 30 as his best against Bangladesh in Nagpur in 2019. He did not bowl in 11 matches and went wicket-less in 15. Buttler disagreed with “Rana coming in for Dube” and wondered if Dube’s bowling speed had shot up by 25 miles per hour or if Rana’s batting had improved. On the face of it, Rana was a far from like-for-like replacement for Dube. India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, explained that the team forwarded Rana’s name and the match referee, Javagal Srinath approved it. The unsavoury event will compel the ICC to mull over the “Concussion substitute” rule.