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Last week, as Congress leaders protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s so-called “anti-Ambedkar” remark in Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi joined his party MPs in a blue T-shirt, giving up his trademark white polo T-shirt. His sister Priyanka also twinned with him wearing a blue sari. Clearly the Gandhi siblings opted to go for a very visual protest against Shah’s remarks. The choice of the colour of clothes of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) — usually spotted donning plain white T-shirts raised eyebrows. The colour blue has been associated with Dalit politics since 1942, when Dr BR Ambedkar established the Scheduled Castes Federation to campaign for the rights of the Dalit community. The body adopted a blue flag featuring Ashok Chakra. The flag was later retained by the Republican Party of India (RPI), founded by Ambedkar in 1956. Over time, blue became very closely associated with Dalit identity and activism. Even political parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party and the ASP, which champions Dalit welfare, embraced blue colour in their branding. As the Gandhi siblings lead the protest, it was the choice of colour of their clothes that caught everyone’s attention!
The Winter Session which saw a two-day discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution and introduction of One Nation One Election (ONOE) Bill has come to a close. It brought out sharp divisions over discussions and bills at least in two political parties — the Congress and DMK. In the Congress, if a first term MP Priyanka Vadra was seen opening the discussion on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, for some reason senior leader and eminent lawyer P Chidambaram did not get an opportunity to have his say about the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha. In the DMK, there was a clear division of views between the DMK parliamentary party leader TR Baalu and deputy leader Kanimozhi. While Baalu endorsed the government’s offer to refer the Bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, Kanimozhi seemed completely surprised by his stand and insisted that her party was opposed to the Bill and demanded its withdrawal.”DMK has consistently opposed the entire Bill. We do not accept that there can be ONOE because it is against the Constitution. It is against federal rights and it is against the will of the people. People choose state governments for 5 years, I don’t think you can take that right away from the people and give it to the EC to decide how many years governments can last or not. So, this is completely against the state, against federalism” said Kanimozhi. While her stand reflects TN assembly resolution passed in February against ONOE Bill this year, the media is awash with reports about how her late father Kalaignar M Karunanidhi had highlighted the benefits of simultaneous polls in his autobiography Nenjuku Neethi. Incidentally, Karunanidhi had advanced state polls to 1971 to coincide with LS polls.
The Thursday (Dec 19) visit of BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLAs to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur has become a hot political topic though there are other reasons, too, for intense politicking. Firstly, the MLAs belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar did not join the event. Secondly, those disgruntled due to their non-inclusion in the council of ministers have started expressing their anger openly. Like earlier two occasions, Ajit Pawar and most of his followers distanced themselves from the visit organized by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The presence of former CM Eknath Shinde and his MLAs proved to be another highlight. However, the discontent brewing within Mahayuti on other counts is now becoming more vocal. Political heavyweight Chhagan Bhujbal was the first to articulate it. His open criticism of Ajit Pawar surprised many since he had stayed by the side of Pawar all through. Now, there are reports that some of Bhujbal’s supporters want him to join the BJP to end his political wilderness. So far, Bhujbal has maintained that he is with the NCP (Ajit). The other notable leader to become the subject of political speculation is the legislative council’s deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe. Her detractors, mainly the recent Sena (UBT) entrant Sushama Andhare, have started hinting at Gorhe’s plans to go with the BJP. Gorhe, too, has not reacted to the talk. Ajit’s sudden disappearance for two days from the winter session only added grist to the grapevine. His explanation that he was down with a throat infection is hardly swallowed. More murmurs are expected to be heard once Fadnavis announces the allocation of the portfolios.
The Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has started preparing for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, expected to take place early next year. This will be the fight for political survival for Thackeray because the Sena has been in power in India’s richest civic body since 1985. Taking stock of the situation, other political parties, too, have begun their planning. The picture this time will be fundamentally different since the BJP has emerged as the largest party in the state after the assembly election. Its estrangement with the Sena (UBT), which split in 2022 owing to Eknath Shinde’s decision to walk out of it, will be a major factor in the coming election in which the Congress will be an insignificant player, given its lacklustre performance in Mumbai and the state as a whole. Equally exasperating is the condition of the state Congress committee as its president Nana Patole is perceived as an ineffective leader by the rank and file. The BMC’s last election saw the Sena winning 84 seats in the 227-member house while the BJP had captured 82. Owing to the alliance ethics, the BJP had made no effort to bag the mayoralty of the financial capital of India. However, the BJP is not prepared to take any chance this time and a decision about its Mumbai president is likely to be taken soon. Sitting chief Ashish Shelar is among the hopefuls though his inclusion in the council of ministers could be a decisive factor in the final choice.
This was to happen one day or the other with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) putting its foot down saying it will not send its national teams to India for any signature event of the ICC, like the World Cups in the two formats in men, women and the juniors. This was the PCB’s riposte to the long-standing BCCI position — citing security concerns — that it will not send its team across the border for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and that it will play only at a neutral venue. For three World Test Championship (WTC) the two nations have taken themselves off the Future Tours Programme (FTP). The cricketers of the two countries may enjoy good relationships when they lock horns in neutral country venues and have fans across the border, but the Indian government has been steadfast in denying permission to the BCCI. The latest communication from the ICC has confirmed that in the 2024-2027 cycle all ICC events given to India and Pakistan, the matches featuring the two countries will be held at a neutral country chosen by the host country; in the Champions Trophy case the PCB is the host. What all this means is the elimination of high security arrangements that India had to do when Pakistan played last year’s World Cup matches in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata. It took hard bargaining by the PCB with the ICC — with Jay Shah in Chair since December 1, 2024 — for it to agree to a hybrid model in order to ensure that it remains the host in a neutral country venue as well and where India will play and this country is said to be the United Arab Emirates.
The massive success of Pushpa 2, has reignited the debate over screen allocation in West Bengal’s single-screen theatres. While the blockbuster continues to dominate the box office, its stronghold has created challenges for four Bengali films— Khadaan, Shontaan, Chaalchitro, and 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane—which targeted Christmas Day for their releases. The overlap has sparked a heated controversy over securing adequate slots in single-screen theatres, which remain a key audience base for Bengali cinema. Single-screen theatres across Bengal are grappling with the balancing act of accommodating these films while catering to the massive demand for Pushpa 2. Tollywood’s Christmas lineup has been significantly impacted, with producer-actor Dev expressing frustration on social media. He alleged that Khadan’s shows and advance bookings were disrupted due to the overwhelming presence of Pushpa 2. Arijit Dutta, owner of Priya Theatre, reported dividing slots among the films: Khadaan (two shows), Chaalchitro (one), 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane (one), and Pushpa 2 (one). However, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty’s Shontaan was left out entirely, sparking outrage from its director Raj Chakraborty, who criticized the lack of consistent support for Bengali cinema. A distributor, speaking anonymously, blamed the simultaneous release of multiple Bengali films during the festive season, suggesting a lack of coordination among producers. He pointed to Bollywood’s strategy of staggering releases as a model Tollywood could emulate. Star Theatre owner Joydeep Mukherjee called for better planning within the Bengali film industry to avoid internal competition. Interestingly, allegations have resurfaced about Shontaan‘s producer, pressuring hall owners to prioritize its films. This history has led some distributors to side with independent producers in the current clash.
Sunday’s swearing in of 33 (16:9:8 ratio for BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP respectively) mostly young cabinet ministers in CM Devendra Fadnavis’ 3.0 government was not followed up by expected portfolio allocations even late Thursday (Dec 19). The unrelenting clamour for one specific portfolio by a senior BJP minister-in-waiting (in apparent conflict of interest), aspiration to improve upon earlier performance in power sector by another are in the open awaiting the Maha Chanakya to coolly decide upon. Scribes housed at the state government ‘Suyog’ facility within the Family court premises near Vidhan Bhavan enjoy the Nagpur chill over familial evenings at ‘Sneh Bojans’ hosted by these as-yet ‘Anamika’ ministers. DCM Eknath Shinde’s camp brews hostility from left out veteran MLAs and cherry-picking ministers-in-waiting who threaten boiling point anytime soon. This is unlike the chill that has set upon the near deserted NCP office at Vidhan Bhavan sans activity, notwithstanding the bustling beehive of activity right outside and within the state legislature that is hosting its winter session. It is probably the first time in Maharashtra’s political history for such an ongoing legislature session without specifically assigned ministers manning questions on the floor of the state assembly and council while responding to public interest issues of state. For now, all portfolios rest with CM Fadnavis. NCP veteran Chhagan Bhujbal, Sena’s Tanaji Sawant complain vociferously from out in the cold even as some BJP MLAs rue their bad luck despite winning big in Mumbai city where the richest civic body will face the hustings very soon.
The events outside Parliament House that led to injuries to two BJP MPs was best summed up by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in her X post. She explained how “During the INDI Alliance’s protest inside Parliament premises today, Rahul Gandhi had forcefully pushed an MP, causing a domino effect that injured 2 BJP MPs –Pratap Sarangi (Balasore, Odisha) and Mukesh Rajput (Farrukhabad, UP)” Both the MPs are now hospitalised as they have sustained head injuries. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was surprised that the Congress had so far not even bothered to say sorry. “I was wondering what was the purpose of Kharge-Rahul Gandhi’s presser, if they can’t say sorry. Our Nagaland MP, a tribal woman leader Phangnon Konyak had voiced discomfort that was caused to her by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.” She has written a letter to the RS Chairman. Adding further he said, “We feel Rahul simply does not deserve to be the LoP. When the Opposition is holding a protest, we usually take another gate. What was the need for Rahul Gandhi to wade into the area where BJP MPs were standing? He should simply quit as LoP.” BJP MPs including Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament Street Police station in connection with the scuffle between Opposition and NDA MPs. It is learnt that security forces repeatedly requested the Congress MP to use an alternative path, specifically arranged for a peaceful entry into Parliament. However, Rahul Gandhi declined the request. BJP’s Thakur said “The kind of attitude Rahul Gandhi has, he thinks he is above the law.” Responding to the allegations, Rahul said BJP MPs were trying to stop him and were threatening him “
Home Minister Amit Shah whose intervention in discussions on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution sparked off a row and seemed to have majorly united the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge charged him of insulting Dr BR Ambedkar.. He accused his rivals of being “anti-Ambedkar” and “anti-Constitution”, and “spreading lies”. In his concluding remarks in the Rajya Sabha, Shah sarcastically said, “It has become the fashion to say ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar…’ If they (the opposition) took God’s name so many times, they will get a place in heaven.” At a Press Conference, he charged the Congress of distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha saying the Congress had put out an edited version of his speech. “I come from a party which follows the ideals of Ambedkar,” asserted Shah.” Rebuffing calls for his resignation by Kharge, Shah made it clear that he had no intention of stepping down. “Kharge is asking for my resignation. If that will make him feel happy, then I’ll give it. But the Congress has to sit in the opposition for at least 15 more years. “In an unusual move — perhaps underlining the impact of the Opposition’s attack on this issue — PM Modi and senior ministers rallied behind Shah. “If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken!” said PM Modi. Amidst this, PM Modi and Shah met Rahul Gandhi and Kharge to appoint the next NHRC chief. TMC leader Derek O’Brien has moved a privilege notice against Shah in the Rajya Sabha for his remarks on Dr Ambedkar.
Ravichandran Ashwin was adroit in bowling the carom or knuckle ball or the doosra, but on Wednesday afternoon, Brisbane time, the nonconformist off-spinner of 13 years in the big league of the game deployed the “bombshell” to bring an end to his illustrious career. At the conclusion of the rain-marred third Test at the Gabba, the finger spinner with a few sobriquets, “scientist” being the most used among the media, Ashwin sitting beside his beleaguered captain, Rohit Sharma, matter of fact said: Today (Wednesday, December 18) was his last day as an international cricketer across formats and that he will be seen in action in club cricket, meaning IPL etc. The seasoned campaigner, starting his Test career in November 2011, was capped 106 times, and he missed 25 Tests after his debut; he featured in 61 wins, 47@home and 14 overseas. He read the writing on the wall about him losing the primacy as the No 1 spinner of the team in flannels after Washington Sundar was chosen for the first Test in Perth. Then being dropped to bring in Ravindra Jadeja for the third Test in Brisbane convinced him that his time was up…to hang up his boots. The home series against New Zealand that India lost 3-0 was a bitter pill to swallow for him. His numbers — 765 wickets in the three formats, including 537 wickets in Tests alone speaks of his right to be called a legend. It was a bold, practical call to take a bow while not in the field and that was an unhappy part that Indian cricket could not give one of its icons a fitting farewell. Ashwin has perhaps shown the way for a few more to bid adieu, sooner than later! They are over the hill, indeed.
Secure in the belief that he is the only one who can deliver upwards of a guaranteed 35 seats to the I.N.D.I.A front, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin is looking for a place at the high table when and if the coalition were to gain power at the Centre. While nursing no personal ambition to be in New Delhi even as Deputy Prime Minister as he would be totally out of his Tamil environment, Stalin may demand several high-power ministries if the bloc is able to snatch power at the expense of the BJP-led NDA. While a central ministry would be a way to reward the likes of his cousin Dayanidhi Maran who surrendered his personal ambitions to be part of the Stalin-Udhayanidhi party setup, Stalin may also like to promote his favourite minister Thangam Thennarasu who has been a loyal lieutenant while proving capable of managing the industry ministry in a manufacturing heavy state. Stalin’s aim has been to promote his son Udhaya with an eye on the 2026 Assembly polls rather than at any earlier time as, say, in a promotion to Deputy CM. Stalin knows that the DMK is the party that can furnish the biggest block of MPs as their alliance is capable of landing close to maximum in the 39 TN seats, of which they won 38 in 2019. Stalin feels the least threatened of any in the I.N.D.I.A bloc.
AAP leader Raghav Chadha and actor Parineeti Chopra may have caught much attention for their destination wedding in Udaipur and enjoyed it too but upon his return home, Chadha finds he is making news for all the wrong reasons. First, a Delhi Court allowed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to remove him from his coveted Type VII bungalow on Pandara Road. The court made it clear Chadha can’t claim any vested right to the government accommodation as he was not entitled to it being a first time MP. In an earlier interim order passed on April 18, the court had restrained the Rajya Sabha Secretariat from dispossessing Chadha from his residence. Now it said Chadha cannot assert that he possesses an absolute entitlement to occupy the accommodation .The Rajya Sabha Secretariat argued that Chadha, being a first time MP, is entitled to a Type VI bungalow — the type he was initially allotted on Pandara Park. On August 29, 2022, he made a representation to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha requesting for the allotment of Type-VII accommodation. Chadha’s representation was considered and on September 8, he was allotted Type VII bungalow. The allotment of the bungalow was cancelled on March 3, 2023. Chadha sought damages to the tune of Rs 5.5 lakh from the Rajya Sabha for “causing mental agony and harassment”. Meanwhile, he has approached the Supreme Court challenging his suspension from the Rajya Sabha for “breach of privilege” after four MPs alleged that he had violated rules by naming them in a House panel without their consent.
Kerala Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala seemed quite happy that he had managed to get the Congress Working Committee to reaffirm its commitment to the Palestine cause and people, in the midst of a terror attack on Israel by militant outfit Hamas. As a result, the CWC steered clear of mentioning the Hamas terror attack as it was felt Jairam Ramesh in a tweet had already condemned it. Chennithala made an equivalence between PLO and Hamas — an equivalence that many Palestinians would abhor — by reminding Congress leaders how Yasser Arafat enjoyed close ties with Indira Gandhi. This was enough to get the Gandhis on board. He admitted that the CWC “emphasis” on Palestine cause was because Muslims in Kerala were disturbed by the Hamas attack. But weren’t more people from Kerala stuck in Israel — many of them with one-way tickets — in the services sector? But it seems Chennithala’s big point about Palestine cause had more to do with scoring points with Shashi Tharoor, who had acquired heft as a regular CWC member. In August, Chennithala was upset when he was named only as a permanent invitee to the CWC, a post he had held 19 years ago. To his shock he found Tharoor, who joined the Congress only over a decade ago, had been made a regular CWC member. It was a royal snub to him considering he had been Kerala State president and also Leader of the Opposition.
The Enforcement Directorate sleuths have been confounded by the wealth amassed by a former MLA of a non-descript political party from a backward district of Maharashtra in an ongoing investigation. In the past, ED had confiscated property and assets worth Rs 234 crore from Vivekanand Shankar Patil, an MLA belonging to the fringe Peasants and Workers Party (PWP). Another seizure of property and assets worth Rs 152 crore has taken the total of the haul to Rs 386 crore, so far. Patil has been under the scanner in connection with a massive fraud in the Karnala Urban Cooperative Bank based at Pen in Raigad district. An MLA for a number of years, Patil was chairman of the bank whose depositors have been knocking on various official doors for a refund of their deposits. The alleged fraud involves around Rs 550 crore, mostly deposited by small account holders, many of whom had kept their life savings in the bank. Mumbai police had initiated the action against Patil and others in 2019 and the matter was taken by ED. It has been suspected that the fraud amount has been routed and rerouted through 67 bogus bank accounts. ED’s investigations have reported established a link between the Karnala Charitable Trust and the Karnala Sports Academy. Both bodies have been under Patil’s control. The money has been deposited in their loan accounts, it is learnt. Patil was arrested by ED on 15 June 2021. At present, he is cooling heels in judicial custody. The bank has had over 50,000 depositors.
There was a plan to eliminate the present Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, who could survive only because he decided to walk out of the united Shiv Sena, one of his confidants has alleged. The charge has been refuted by the supporters of then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Buldhana MLA Sanjay Gaikwad, who followed Shinde out of the Sena last year, said he was making this statement with utmost responsibility. An indirect endorsement of the serious charge has been made by cabinet minister Shambhuraje Desai, who also left the Sena along with Shinde. According to Gaikwad, the threat to Shinde’s life emanated from the Naxalites when he was guardian minister of the tribal Gadchiroli district. It was recommended in view of the perception that Shinde should be provided with Z-Plus security. A file was prepared following this and sent to Uddhav for his signature as it was the CM’s prerogative to sanction the cover. Desai, who was a minister of state for home under Uddhav, said he repeatedly tried to follow up the matter but never heard from the CM office. Gaikwad did not name Uddhav or any individual but said a telephone call had been received from Matoshri for holding up the file when a meeting was underway at Desai’s residence to discuss the matter. Gaikwad said the plan was to engineer Shinde’s murder by making him vulnerable to the Naxals.
Amid I.N.D.I.A Bloc meetings that resulted in disgruntlement among the lower ranks of CPM, party’s general secretary Sitaram Yechury will be skipping the Foundation Day programme of the party in Bengal. The party’s politburo member and former general secretary Prakash Karat will be the main speaker at the event to be held on October 17 at party’s district office Pramod Dasgupta Bhavan in Kolkata. The development comes after the anti-BJP alliance at the all-India level began to unravel in June last year. Yechury’s photo with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in all the I.N.D.I.A meetings sparked outrage among the Bengal CPM grassroot cadres. Incidentally, the state CPM also had to take special programmes to mitigate that anger. Coincidentally, Yechury has not come to the state for any program since the controversy erupted. However, he is in charge of the party in Bengal on behalf of the Politburo. He also skipped two state committee meetings that were held between June and October this year, a central rally by farmers’ and farm workers’ organizations held in Kolkata on 31 August. Now the question is, is Bengal CPM not ‘consciously’ bringing Yechury to the state? Or is Yechury waiting for the situation to calm down? It is learnt that he is likely to attend the state CPM’s extended committee programme in Howrah between November 3-5.
The CBI raid at the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Firhad Hakim’s house over his alleged involvement in the municipal recruitment scam, has once again raised questions about the overdrive of the Central agencies against the non-BJP ruled states’ politicians. Hakim, a cabinet minister of the state urban and municipal affairs department, is the first Muslim to become Kolkata mayor since Independence. Popularly known as Bobby da, he is one of the closest associates of the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Hakim has been under scanner of the CBI-ED for his alleged involvement in 2016 Narada sting operation case and municipal recruitment scam. Surprisingly, there has been no statement issued by TMC condemning the raid. And this is attributed to Hakim’s differences with Didi’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee on several issues such as opposing Abhishek’s proposal of not giving tickets to old guards during the municipal polls in 2022. Even Hakim’s removal as the chairman of the Furfura Sharif Development Board post-Sagardighi bypoll defeat was done at the behest of Abhishek. Also, a recent rollback of a civic decision by Didi at the behest of her nephew indicates Hakim’s wings are being clipped. The question everybody within the party is asking, whether Didi will continue to handhold Hakim like she still does for jailed associate Anubrata Mondal or let her nephew have the way.
Finally after months of dilly dallying BJP’s Odisha poster boy Dharmendra Pradhan has put to rest speculations about his political future. Now, it is loud and clear that he is not in the race for Odisha Chief Minister’s post if by chance BJP wins the assembly election. Reportedly, Pradhan has managed to convince the party high command to allow him to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha poll from Dhenkanal his native place or Sambalpur, a BJP’s stronghold. But for Pradhan contesting from Dhenkanal, his home turf is not going to be a cake walk since both the Lok Sabha seat and its seven Assembly seats have been won by BJD. In fact, Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat has been with BJD from 2004 onward and in 2019 general election BJP found itself no match to BJD’s major swing in assembly election. And in Dhenkanal Lok Sabha election BJD candidate Mahesh Sahoo defeated BJP’s Rudra Narayan Pany by a margin of over 35,000 votes. If BJP decides to allocate Sambalpur seat to Pradhan then it would mean end of the road for the controversial sitting MP Nitish Gangadeb. On the other hand, Sambalpur Lok Sabha and its Assembly constituency seems to be a safer bet since BJP won Lok Sabha and three Assembly seats in 2019. However, what seems to be going against Pradhan is his track record of not having fought a direct election since 2009.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray’s challenge to Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the latter’s statement regarding the road toll tax in the state has culminated into many MNS workers storming toll plazas in several areas, damaging some. Thackeray said that Fadnavis had declared that there was no toll tax in the state for small cars. “Despite this, the toll levy is recovered everywhere. What is the truth,” he asked the government to explain. Following this, irate MNS activists reached different toll nakas and started allowing the passing of cars without paying the levy. The police soon intervened to restore normalcy. Later, the office of Fadnavis explained in a statement that a dozen toll nakas had been discontinued with effect from 31 May 2015. Similarly, toll for certain categories of vehicles had been abolished from 53 toll nakas from the same date. The issue of toll tax for using certain roads, highways and expressways has been hanging fire for a long time. Successive regimes have announced their intention to do away with the toll but legal bindings prevent them from actually implementing the assurance. As the ruling coalition and various Opposition parties are presently engaged in political activities, the MNS agitation has received sudden mileage. Raj has declared that the next step would be to burn down the toll plazas unless corrective action is taken.
Arrested DMK minister V Senthil Balaji is in the news again. Balaji who was in Puzhal prison since June 13 has once again been admitted to the government-run Stanley Hospital for heart related problems. After his bail plea was rejected… he went into a shell. But, a few days back he seems to have received some signal that he would be out soon and would get his Electricity portfolio back. Even speculations about why his TASMAC portfolio was kept back were rife ….was it a smokescreen? Political perfidy and daring to use power as front for illegal activity come easily when stakes are high. Is it too much of a coincidence that he suffers another heart event? His long sojourn at Kauvery Hospital after his arrest, an extended medical stay and omertà like gag on him are recalled. His brother Ashok is still “missing and wanted “. But in all this, it is only human to sympathise with Balaji…may be he is paying the price for being a puppet. Maybe he is paying the price for acts of omission. Whatever the case it may be but for now Senthil Balaji is a serial party hopper whose talent as a mover shaker is much sought after. He is willing to take risks but it’s his health which is letting him down.
Battling fatigue in Madhya Pradesh where it has been in power for two decades, the BJP moved to a headstart as it released a fourth list containing a list of 57 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls. It did not wait for the auspicious start of the Navaratris or the end of pitru paksh to release the candidates list for MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. It released the lists as soon as the EC announced a month-long poll schedule for five state assemblies. Beginning with voting in Mizoram and Chhattisgarh on November 7, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (2nd phase) on November 17, Rajasthan on November 23, and Telangana on December 30, votes are to be counted on December 3. Ending speculations, MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is contesting from Budhni. Like the MP list which featured Union ministers like Narendra Tomar and Prahlad Patel, the Rajasthan list has as many as seven Lok Sabha MPs. As for the Congress Working Committee which met to decide on assembly polls, sought to make “caste census” a poll strategy. The party pushed for a ‘Caste Census’ in the country. Only last week, the outgoing Ashok Gehlot government issued orders for caste census in Rajasthan. Rahul Gandhi said “I think it is a very progressive step, a very powerful step for the emancipation of the poor people in our country. We will force the BJP to carry out the caste census or make them get out of the way.”
It all began as an innocuous battle of ideas between the Congress and BJP on the X. First, it veered around talking points from PM Modi’s speech that the BJP collated to warn of the perils of ideas of majoritarian politics that is being pushed via caste census. The fight intensified as a poster war with the Congress first sharing in its official X handle a picture of PM Modi and Amit Shah — that looked like a movie poster — with the text “PM Narendra Modi as Jumla Boy” written on it. The party captioned the poster with: “Going to hit the election rally soon.” It followed posters calling Modi the “biggest liar”. Looks like the Congress did not expect a strong counter from the BJP. With festivals of Navaratri and Dussehra round the corner, the BJP came up with a poster that was in line with its battle for Sanatan Dharam; it thought it fit to dub Rahul Gandhi as “new age Ravan”. “He is Evil. Anti-Dharma. Anti-Ram. His aim is to destroy Bharat. Rahul was also dubbed as a George Soros puppet. Realising the potential damage that likeness to Ravan could unleash in heartland states like MP and Rajasthan, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh felt portraying Rahul as Ravan could provoke “violence”. “It is clearly intended to incite and provoke violence against a Congress MP and a former President of the party, whose father and grandmother were assassinated by forces that want to divide India”, he said.
PM Narendra Modi created quite a flutter when he recently claimed how Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) had wanted to join the NDA soon after the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections that were held in December 2020. Modi said he had rejected Rao’s overtures due to his “deeds”. He also said KCR had stopped receiving him at the airport as per protocol. While it may seem natural for the BJP and BRS to target each other in the time of elections, Modi mentioning KCR’s efforts to snuggle up to the BJP after its brilliant showing in Hyderabad naturally set off political fireworks. Telangana Congress leaders however described Modi’s words as an effort to prop up a rapidly declining BRS against the Congress and make the Telangana assembly polls a triangular contest. “The BJP had performed phenomenally well in the civic elections — rising from 3 to 48 councillors; it is this growth that perhaps made KCR take note of the BJP. But thereafter the BJP has only been making mistakes,” pointed out a Congress leader. First, the BJP made the mistake of removing OBC leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar as its Telangana chief and then like the Congress went for a Reddy leader to head it. Now both the leaders are simply unable to reconcile to their new status concedes a BJP manager. The moot point is in these circumstances will Modi’s efforts to boost the BRS’s prospects pay any dividend?
Hingoli’s Member of Parliament Hemant Patil has been condemned by the medical fraternity after his compulsion to the Nanded hospital dean to clean toilets in the premises. Belonging to the Shiv Sena faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde, the MP had rushed to Nanded two days ago where 24 deaths were reported in 24 hours. While the toll went on mounting, including some infant lives, Patil stormed the government hospital along with his supporters and demanded explanation from the dean Dr Shyamrao Wakode for the tragedy. Not satisfied by the response, Patil forced the dean to accompany him to visit various sections of the hospital. When he saw a filthy toilet, Patil made Wakode to clean it. Even while there is a wave of anger against the MP, the state government has filed a case against the dean and another doctor of the hospital for culpable homicide under IPC Section 304. Meanwhile, a FIR has been lodged against Patil under the SC & ST Atrocity Prevention Act. Doctors and medical staff in several government hospitals have condemned Patil for his behaviour and demanded stringent action against him. Shaken by the tragedy, the government has set up a six-member inquiry committee to investigate various charges, including the allegation that there was a shortage of essential medicines in the hospital. Maharashtra CM has declared that none will be spared if found guilty.
A low turnout at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad for the World Cup opener between the 2019 edition winner England, and the runner-up New Zealand raised questions about the Indian cricket fan’s inclination to shell out money for the matches in which India is not a participant. The global competition got a great start with England making 286 runs and New Zealand, through Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra’s remarkable unbeaten centuries, making a hot chase and winning the match by nine wickets and plenty of overs to spare. The biggest cricket ground in the world with a capacity of 132000 can rarely get filled up; even if the home team is featured in it. But one and all is hopeful of all seats being occupied for the India-Pakistan skirmish on October 14. One may see the good old Chepauk — MA Chidambaram stadium — putting up the full house board before the first ball is sent in the home team’s first World Cup 2023 match against Australia on Sunday. When compared with the Motera venue in Ahmedabad, the other venues can hold only smaller numbers. India’s victory will trigger a massive interest for its subsequent matches in New Delhi followed by the ones in Ahmedabad and Pune. But the response from the locals for the World Cup opener was to say the least, very disappointing.
BJP leader Pankaja Munde’s supporters have collected over Rs 11 crore through crowd funding in response to a GST notice for Rs 19 crore arrears against Vaidyanath Cooperative Sugar Mill controlled by her. They have declared that the entire amount would be raised within a few days so that she will be presented with the purse of the fund on the occasion of Dussehra in a public function. Daughter of BJP giant Gopinath Munde, she was a cabinet minister in the last BJP government headed by Devendra Fadnavis. Always eager to indicate her willingness to be the chief minister someday, Pankaja was sidelined in the state after she lost the 2019 assembly election to her cousin Dhananjay Munde, from the family stronghold Parali in Beed district in Marathwada region. Time and again indirectly suggesting that her defeat was engineered from within the BJP, she has been touring Marathwada in a bid to mobilise support for her. The GST notice has provided her with a tool to hit out at her unnamed foes, in the party and outside. Her future had become precarious since Dhananjay is now in the Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet, following his leader Ajit Pawar. In the midst of these developments, Pankaja has received the GST notice which seems godsend as it has enabled her to rouse her supporters from various parts of Maharashtra.
The sacking of party MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik by BJD President Naveen Patnaik followed by EOW raid on his publication Sambad for alleged fraud and forgery on salary slips of 350 employees is Patnaik’s signal to all his partymen — do not criticize party’s decisions publicly. Ranjan says he is being victimised for speaking his mind. Political sources say, Soumya had indeed crossed the partyline when he openly endorsed BJP MP’s Aparijita Sarangi’s point of view criticizing district tours of Patnaik’s Secretary VK Pandian using helicopters which were expensive. The Odisha CM had defended and justified Pandian’s expenses in the State assembly. Soumya is no green horn in politics; he has completed the political circuit beginning with Congress, then joined BJP, flirted with NCP, then returned to Congress only to be expelled in 2012. Post that he set up his own political party ‘Ama Odisha’ and then joined BJD in 2018 and was nominated as Rajya Sabha MP. In the 2019 assembly election he was elected MLA from Khandapada constituency. Here too, his honeymoon was short lived, he was expelled in 2023 for anti-party activities. Now it is learnt that Soumya has met the home minister Amit Shah in Delhi. But, the moot point is will BJP entertain him this time?
Frankly, everyone in the BJP was surprised over Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s decision to release the caste census report as he was seen as someone still trying to retrace his steps back into the NDA fold. Yes, he was spotted attending Pt Deendayal Upadhyay’s birth anniversary organised by the BJP in Patna on September 25. However, the Opposition bluff about the growing demand for caste census was called by PM Narendra Modi. In a perfect counter, Modi cornered the Congress for its new slogan “jitni aabadi utna haq“. Underlining how the latest Bihar census had pointed out that 81% were Hindus and 17 % Muslims, Modi loudly “wondered what Dr Manmohan Singh would be thinking now. He used to say that the minorities have the first right to the country’s resources. So now does the Congress want to decrease the rights of the minorities? So, should the Hindus, who have the largest population, come forward and take all their rights? The Congress is no longer being run by Congress people. Now the Congress has been outsourced.” Interestingly, eminent jurist Abhishek Singhvi tweeted against the perils of majoritarianism and underscored that “equality of opportunity is never the same as equality of outcomes”. Hours later after uproar in Congress he deleted the tweet. Bihar Congress leader Kishore Jha pointed out that the caste census was a flawed one as it had not counted absentee Biharis living far away. “Lalu Prasad has been trying to undermine the strength of Brahmins since 1990 and he has now succeeded.”
The youngest chief minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami with his army of key bureaucrats visited the United Kingdom to woo investors for the state’s Global Investors Summit scheduled in December 2023 in partnership with CII. Dhami met captains of industry at two major roadshows in London and Birmingham. Dhami during his three-day visit chose to address himself as Pratham Sewak of the state a la PM Modi who calls himself Pradhan Sewak. This resonated well with the UK audience. Dhami supplemented his state’s Director General of Industries, Rohit Meena’s detailed presentation with his views and became emotional sometimes. Uttarakhand’s state secretary Dr Meenakshi Sundaram, secretary of industries Vinay Pandey, and Meena gave an elaborate presentation that highlighted how the state which attracts over 65 million tourists annually has achieved double-digit growth, and how under Dhami the state had revised 27 policies in three months to ensure ease of doing business. Surely, investors were impressed as Dhami signed a Letter of Intent worth Rs 3,000 crore with Usha Breco and Proma. Dhami’s has set up an ambitious target of Rs 2.5 lakh crore as MoU’s target. The feedback from Dhami’s team indicates that the education and services sectors from the UK are keen to invest. Besides, there are plans of building skiing resorts in the state, and with the existing airport at Pantnagar being improvised and new international airports planned there and at Dehradun, things can only look up.
The ruling BJP’s worst nightmare might be round the corner. Rahul Gandhi was not far off the mark in releasing the results of early internal surveys of the mood in the five states going to the polls soon. He said Congress could certainly win three of them –Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana – while Rajasthan could be a tossup, with Mizoram in the northeast likely to also be affected by what is going on in Manipur and hence could turn against the national ruling party. While Chhattisgarh is a given considering it has been a Congress stronghold for a while now, Telangana is where the Congress might put up its most impressive show. The BJP, acutely aware that the party stands little chance in the State given its indistinct local leadership, is banking on KCR to withstand the anti-incumbency wave and keep the State away from the Congress. There is talk in Hyderabad of a deal already struck between BJP and BRS regarding the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. The Congress is hoping to create a national mood swing with a good showing in four states, including Rajasthan which may see a close-run race. Telangana is the big swing State that might impel the Congress campaign for the big polls in 2024.
A series of deaths one after another at a government hospital in Nanded has jolted the Maharashtra government as it has happened in a span of just two months. The authorities have reported 24 deaths within 24 hours at the Shankarrao Chavan Hospital and Medical College in Nanded. Shockingly, half of them were newly-born infants. Chief minister Eknath Shinde has announced a thorough investigation of the tragedy and strict action against those responsible. The incidents underscore apathy of the hospital machinery and the government’s failure to supply essential medicines on time to its establishments. Only a few weeks ago, a woman delivered at the gates of a government hospital at Kalyan since she was not admitted in the hospital. Prior to that, 17 patients breathed their last the same night at Thane’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital. An enquiry committee’s report has found none guilty for the mishap, according to Mantralaya officials. A couple of years ago, 10 infants were charred to death at Bhandara’s district government hospital when the equipment caught fire. A serious lapse in essential medical supplies by the Haffkine Institute of the state government to its various hospitals owing to budgetary and administrative complications has resulted in such unfortunate situations, it is reported. Expectedly, political allegations have started hurling thick and fast with demands for the resignation of the health minister Tanaji Sawant.
The next bout of clash between the two Shiv Sena factions is expected to intensify next week over each side’s claim for the Shivaji Park ground reservation for the traditional Dussehra rally, to be held on October 24. The sprawling ground in the heart of Mumbai has had a symbiotic association with the Sena since Balasaheb Thackeray had announced the formation of the militant organisation from this venue in 1966. The Sena headquarters, Shiv Sena Bhavan, is just outside the ground. Last year, too, there was a tussle between the factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and chief minister Eknath Shinde for the ground reservation and the matter had reached the high court. The verdict came in favour of Thackeray and the Shinde faction held its Dussehra rally at BKC grounds in Bandra (East). As a precaution this time, both factions have submitted their applications for the ground reservation at the civic G-North municipal ward. As the application received first is accorded priority and the ground is reserved in its name, suspense has been created about the timeline of the submission of the two applications. Thackeray’s activist Mahesh Sawant and Shinde’s supporter MLA, Sada Sarwankar, are the two applicants. However, civic officials have declared that the matter will be examined on Tuesday since Mumbai is under a 5-day holiday till Monday owing to Ganesh Immersion, Eid and Gandhi Jayanti.
After being hounded by politicians and trolled on social media about his recent visit to Spain along with the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly said that his identity as an individual gets him invited by everybody. Speaking during the promotional event of former Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s soon-to-be-released biopic in Kolkata, Sourav made it clear about his political neutrality. He stated that since he was neither an MP nor a MLA or a Corporator he was at liberty to attend any political parties function; hence was not answerable to anyone. But, what gave grist to the rumour mills is his official trip to Spain with Didi and her team to attract investments in business and sports sectors. Dada announced that a steel plant would be set up in Salboni, West Midnapore, which would be an extension of an existing sponge iron factory manufacturing TMT bars in which he holds a stake. Dada who has been endorsing numerous brands has been recently roped in as the brand ambassador of BJP-led Tripura Government’s Tourism Department. It may be recalled that just before the assembly elections in West Bengal in 2021, Union home minister Amit Shah had visited Dada’s residence. As of now Dada is very clear that he does not want to align with any political party, at least openly. But, everybody knows of his proximity to the former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and CPI (M).
There is a sense of apprehension within top leadership of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) about the number of seats they may win in the 2024 general elections. This fear follows a setback for TMC in 2019 general elections even after winning the 2018 Panchayat elections hands down. TMC lost several seats in North Bengal; it won 22 Lok Sabha which was a decline from its 2014 record of 34 seats. Incidentally, in the 2023 Panchayat elections too, TMC recorded a landslide victory. The bone of contention it seems is that most of its candidates won unopposed in 2023 — a similar thing happened in 2018. But the public did not take it lightly, it was angry that TMC did not allow opposition candidates to file their nominations vis a vis contest the elections. Result, their anger manifested in terms of BJP winning a record number of 18 LS seats in 2019 from its previous record of two seats. In the words of a state leader of the ruling party, “No level of public representation should be opposed, as it indicates lack of transparency and this gives an extra edge to the Opposition, especially the BJP.” However, a section of TMC leaders like Alipurduar District Trinamool President Prakash Chik Baraik and Purulia District Trinamool President Soumen Belthoria feel that it’s Didi’s pro-people policy in North Bengal that the party gained grounds in Panchayat elections.
Politics makes strange bedfellows. The strangest of them may even come together after the big break up that occurred in Tamil Nadu where Dravidian major AIADMK severed its links with the BJP and NDA. It is learnt that long before the alliance was off, Edapaddi Palaniswami (EPS) was in touch with Mallikarjun Kharge about AIADMK seeking admission into the I.N.D.I.A bloc. Apparently, Sonia Gandhi was not for confusing the picture for their supporters and voters by allowing such an alliance. Yet EPS was told to first break free from the BJP and that any offer to join the alliance might be considered in a post-poll scenario. Keeping all his options, EPS is looking to first win a few seats that may be useful post the verdict and then play his cards accordingly. The break from the NDA is final, so far as EPS is concerned. The undisputed leader of AIADMK might even see his hold on the party challenged in the top court by O Panneerselvem who is now looking to confirm his entry into the NDA once he forms his own party that could be named Puratchi Thalaivi Amma DMK. Annoyed by the Big Brother attitude and BJP’s propensity to dictate who all from the former undivided AIADMK may be in the NDA, EPS walked out and created a stir in national politics.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar is still not acceptable to some BJP workers and leaders, who take potshots at him and his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The latest salvo has been fired by Mumbai-based BJP activist Mohit Kamboj against the deputy CM after one of Ajit’s followers urged Lord Ganesh to make his leader the state chief minister. This clip at the feet of Lalbaugcha Raja became viral and reactions began pouring in. One of them became a sensation as it was posted by Kamboj, who tweeted, “To become the CM, 145 MLAs are needed, not 45.” The reference was to Ajit Pawar’s presumed strength in the state assembly. While the matter of the Ajit faction recognition is still before the Election Commission, its leader Praful Patel has repeatedly claimed that the majority of the MLAs who were elected in 2019 are behind Ajit and not with his uncle Sharad Pawar, the NCP founder. Time and again, gossip surfaces that the BJP is bent upon clipping Ajit’s wings and will not permit him to aim for the top post in the state. On the other hand, Ajit has started holding meetings and touring the state extensively. His detractors claim that he is outshining chief minister Eknath Shinde, whose regime is dependent upon the BJP’s backing. Kamboj has not reacted after the sensation he has created.
After listening to various charges levelled against his private secretary for months, the Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik finally decided to give it back to the state BJP and Congress leaders during the monsoon session. The Opposition leaders have constantly been raising the issue of how come an IAS officer VK Pandian is using the state machinery – helicopter — to travel across the state to meet the general public and understand their grievances. This should be done by BJD’s elected leaders, they said. Patnaik, who generally maintains a low profile, finally spoke his mind in the House stating that Pandian was going across the state meeting people door-to-door as he headed the CM’s Grievance Cell. He said as per his direction, during the last six months officers from the CMO visited all the districts covering over 190 locations and in the process collected 57,442 petitions. Of this, 43,536 petitions have been resolved or disposed of. Naveen clarified “this is one of the biggest and most effective peoples’ grievances redressal exercise undertaken by any government in the country thereby justifying extensive use of helicopter service by Pandian and his men. It would have taken one and half years to do the same exercise by road. The Odisha chief minister further clarified that his government was paying the usual market rate Rs 1-1.5 crore a month for hiring helicopters.
Odisha’s Leader of Opposition Jayanarayan Mishra says if his party (BJP) is voted to power in the state then there is a chance that Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his secretary VK Pandian will face jail term. It is indeed a sweeping statement and a reckless one feel seasoned political observers. Patnaik’s track record has been impeccable and he has indeed transformed the state. But what is getting Opposition leaders’ goat is the unbridled power enjoyed by Patnaik’s private secretary Pandian, who many say rides roughshod. Mishra says, IAS Secretary Pandian who hails from a poor family from Tamil Nadu has amassed huge wealth in Odisha. He also charged him favouring Tamil Nadu contractors over the state’s local contractors. Mishra dropped a bombshell saying the killing of BJD’s minister Naba Das was a state sponsored murder. Going further, he even made a more provocative statement stating that “If BJP is voted to power in 2024 both chief minister Patnaik and his private secretary Pandian may face jail term.” Political watchers say given Naveen babu’s bonhomie with Modi these kinds of threats are kite flying, merely to boost the morale of local BJP cadres. Meanwhile, Patnaik is unfazed saying “double engine doesn’t matter, good governance wins” thereby justifying why Odias vote for his party BJD again and again.
The film gossip conveyor belt is on turbo mode getting more ingenious in plating up fake news in authentic garb. This apparent “wedding” photo of popular actor Sai Pallavi is on frantic viewership. Sai Pallavi, the girl who shot to fame in her very first Malayalam movie Premam as Malar teacher is a busy actor in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam movies. But she was in for a shock after the muhurat of her new film, SK 21 featuring Sivakarthiketan as hero and directed by Rajkumar Periyasamy (produced by Kamalhaasan). The group muhurat picture was creatively cropped and spread as “Sai Pallavi and Periasamy get married? A furious Sai is now hitting out at such cheap tricks by “publicity hounds”…a possible many who stand to gain. Marriages may be made in Heaven…but in filmdom, marrying off two people with no fear of a backlash is common. Recently, Anirudh , newsmaker musician and Keerthi Suresh were shown to be serious about hitching their stars. Keerthi’s father is busy denying. Trisha Krishnan at 40, single and blazing was also “married” to a Malayalam director. In the bigger scheme of films such publicity is secretly coveted.
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule has once again put his foot in his mouth by exhorting party functionaries to ‘look after’ local media so that nothing adverse for the party is highlighted. After an expected furore, the former energy minister has tried to cover up by claiming that all he meant was to tell the party workers to understand the media, behave with it respectfully. However, nobody is buying his argument. Bawankule had told a party meeting in Ahmednagar on Sunday, “Take the local press people to the nearby dhaba. Serve tea to them. You must have realized what I mean by tea. In case some assistance is required, the local MP will be available to help.” The print and electronic media are infuriated with him. The BJP has launched the ‘Maha Vijay 2024’ campaign for the coming Lok Sabha election. Under the plan, one Super Warrior has been appointed to take care of four election booths. The campaign in Maharashtra has started from Ahmednagar South LS constituency. It is presently represented by Dr Sujay Vikhe, a scion of the powerful sugar baron family. The meeting was not open for the media but Bawankule’s priceless advice somehow found its way to the social media and provided ammunition to the opposition. The BJP leaders in the state were so embarrassed that it asked Bawankule to use the standard political excuse by saying that his statement has been misinterpreted.
The special court trying the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case (323 witnesses deposed, 34 turned hostile) recently asked accused Lt Colonel Prasad Purohit to pay Rs 10,000 to Maharashtra’s former Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Chitkala Zutshi. The directive came after Purohit’s (known for connections with pre-independence Chaphekar Brothers gang in Pune) counsel sought to re-examine Zutshi. The good judge cited her concluded cross examination and said, “Why call a senior citizen repeatedly? She has been here, given evidence. If you want to recall her then pay her Rs 10,000.” Zutshi was cross examined over two-and-a-half days over granting sanction to prosecute the accused in September and queried whether she blindly signed the sanction to prosecute? Fully read the case file? Zutshi also cancelled her return flight ticket on occasion when her cross examination lasted one-and-a-half days. When shortpost.in inquired Zutshi, who was literally hostage during the Pakistani terror attack at The Taj hotel in 2008, confirmed that she was yet to receive the Rs 10,000. Back on the night of November 26/27, 2008, Pakistani handlers got wind of her presence and directed the Fidayeen at the Taj terror site to “Take the home secretary hostage. We will be able to free (arrested terrorist) Ajmal Kasab”.Multi-tasker Zutshi informed Mumbai Police Commissioner Hassan Gafoor of need for specialized forces, shared contact of erstwhile western command army head Arjun Menon and shepherded 46 international/Indian guests stuck in Sea Lounge restaurant with her, till evacuation early next morning.
The now on, now off relationship between BJP and AIADMK see-sawed for over 10 days when criticism and condemnation of the BJP by EPS and cohorts flew thick and fast. The main target is K Annamalai. How can our revered Annadurai whose name is the anchor for our party’s very existence be sullied like this or our beloved Amma insulted? The people of Tamil Nadu will never forgive us if we turn into ingrates thundered party chief EPS; all this after senior party leaders had camped in the capital to meet home minister Amit Shah but, they could not meet even BJP president JP Nadda. One of the reasons for AIADMK walking out of NDA is they asked Annamalai to be replaced. And BJP, impressed by his padayatra, is not ready to oblige. The other reason for breakup, according to a Vikatan source, TN for over 60 years acknowledges only two parties…the AIADMK and the DMK, an almost Pavlovian response to set cues of Dravidian ideology….promises, schisms and caste divides , blame all ills on the prosperous Brahmins. A third dimension, making an impact here has to neutralise this Dravidian rhetoric. But for Tamils, a north Indian power is poison ivy, Hindi allergy and Delhi Sultanate baggage. And most crucial, TN is dreading the post census delimitation which would definitely cut its Parliament numbers. Also, EPS is rabidly opposing any back room bid by BJP to bring in OPS and Sasikala along with TTV Dinakaran. There lies the rub.
Congress leaders from Kerala are quite amused by the publicity and attention that the decision of Kerala unit of the CPI asking Rahul Gandhi not to contest from Wayanad Lok Sabha in 2024. It has triggered speculation whether Rahul would move out of Wayanad and pick a seat in Congress-ruled Karnataka or opt for a safe haven in DMK ruled Tamil Nadu. The CPI’s suggestion has amused the Congress leaders in Kerala who assert that Wayanad has traditionally voted for Congress-led UDF. “What is this peculiar case that the CPI is making? The CPI had contested in Wayanad in 2019 also when Rahul Gandhi had contested and won by a staggering margin of over 4.3 lakh votes. The CPI is free to contest in 2024 also. We want Rahulji to contest again from Wayanad, “said Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala. Party sources said it is important that Rahul contest from here again as he was unseated and it had been restored by the Supreme Court. In all the three previous elections, the Congress candidate has won from the constituency. In 2019, Rahul’s entry into the Lok Sabha from Wayanad had helped the Congress sweep the polls in the state picking 19 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats from the state as it was widely believed that Rahul Gandhi would become the PM. This time round Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan wants to improve the tally of the Left Front in 2024. There is pressure on it to win 4 seats allotted to it. Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to exit Wayanad.
The BJP is preparing to give a surprise gift in some Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Thespian Madhuri Dixit, ace prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, former police boss Pratap Dighavkar and RSS strategist Sunil Deodhar are among the names reportedly discussed between Union home minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as likely BJP candidates for the coming Lok Sabha election. During their 30-minute tete a tete in Mumbai, the two leaders have discussed some urgent political matters, including the fate of the present Shinde-Fadnavis government in the state. Madhuri and BJP leaders enjoy a close association. Several top saffron functionaries have been meeting Madhuri over the years. Her name was considered for a Mumbai LS seat while Nikam, who successfully appeared for the government in the Mumbai attacks cases, was assessed for Jalgaon in north Maharashtra. A retired top cop, Dighavkar had consented to join the BJP on the condition that he would be fielded by the party from Dhule, adjacent to Jalgaon. Deodhar had structured a winning formula for the Tripura assembly election. In all probability, he will be tested for Pune. Shah was busy performing pooja at various famous Ganesh mandals during his Mumbai visit. After spending time with governor Ramesh Bais at Raj Bhavan and with chief minister Eknath Shinde at his official residence Varsha, he made it a point to bow before Lalbaugcha Raja.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel has been reportedly reprimanded by his former mentor Sharad Pawar for uploading their picture together in Parliament two days ago. Patel had put the picture on his official X(Twitter earlier) account. The X post became viral as the two NCP factions are battling for recognition before the Election Commission (EC). Now that the EC has scheduled a hearing in the matter on October 6, speculations have intensified. Moreover, as both factions have denied that there is a rift in the party, guess work is in full swing. During the Rajya Sabha special session between 18 and 21 September, Pawar and Patel met in the precinct. The moment was captured on camera and has been used by Patel. It is not clear what response came from Patel when he was asked about the uploading by his former boss. Patel has maintained silence after the political sensation fuelled by him amidst reports that the NCP’s breakaway group’s leader Ajit Pawar has hardened his stand against his uncle, who introduced the nephew in politics way back in 1991. Also, the fact that Patel had been Pawar’s emissary for the past two decades has deepened the suspense about the NCP founder’s future moves. Although Pawar has been active in the I.N.D.I.A front deliberations, his followers are waiting with baited breath for the fallout of the EC’s verdict.
Till Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, Stalin’s points man, and serial party hopper hit the national headlines for his arrest on June 13 by the ED, he was only a regional mover and shaker. This talent gave him the heft to party hop. DMK was his fifth hop. TN chief minister MK Stalin honoured him with two critical portfolios — Electricity and cash cow TASMAC. But the laws of nature and physics inevitably bring such a luminary down. The ED’s arrest on charges of money laundering started a newsworthy saga of imprisonment. He had a heart attack, was taken from the Omandurar government hospital (where Stalin visited him) to a private Hospital, rumoured to have had a heart surgery, long and mysterious recovery there and later remanded to custody in Puzhal prison. Jail sources say he is withdrawn and morose. His brother Ashok Balaji still on the run despite ED’s relentless chase; was he a proxy to get his brother? On September 20, the court denied him the bail and Balaji was remanded to further custody. TN has a tradition of celebrating 100 days run of a film… Balaji has also seen 100 days. Legal opinions aver that if a judge is fully convinced about not finding evidence of guilt in the sections that he is charged, bail is a natural step. Till then he will have to cool his heels.
While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may have extolled the virtues of the new Parliament building in the course of his speech on the Women’s Reservation Bill about how “it is quite a nice building, nice peacocks, nice peacock feathers on the ground, nice peacock feathers in the chair… it’s a nice tasteful building” and NCP MP Praful Patel tweeting a picture of himself with Sharad Pawar hailed it as a “marvel”, not many MPs are happy about the new Parliament complex. “It is more like a convention centre than a Parliament and the corridors are too narrow. Even those leading up to the ministers’ chambers are narrow. There is just one entry/ exit point to this building and it gets pretty crowded,” cribbed a healthy MP from Punjab. With long winding corridors leading to the chambers, it is proving to be a long trek for members. MPs are having a problem finding a way out to reach for their transport. Some male MPs found even the swank toilets too small for use. As for the swish cafeteria that has been built to hold 80/ 90 people, it simply failed to supply even tea when the discussion on Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha was going on up to 11 pm. “The cafeteria is not like the Central Hall canteen that could cater to all 543 Lok Sabha MPs…This can at best be called Modi ka maqbara,” says a Congress leader. This means PM Modi’s favourite architect Bimal Patel could be receiving some flak.
It appears BJP is ready to patch up with AIADMK if there are any problems regarding their alliance, which was said to have been broken by AIADMK unilaterally announcing that the BJP was no more in its alliance. But it appears there was more to it than meets the eye. It was Edapaddi Palaniswami (EPS) who was peeved not so much at the demand for 15 Lok Sabha seats out of 39 in Tamil Nadu (Pondicherry to remain with BJP as it is in power there in alliance with Rangasamy) as the insistence on the alliance expanding to bring in Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran into the poll mix. AIADMK is adamant that whoever BJP wants to accommodate can be within their quota of seats. Even there, EPS would like to draw the line on any sneaky comeback bid by Sasikala through her ardent supporter O Panneerselvam. The AIADMK supremo, who is in firm control of the Dravidian major now, will not compromise on the issue of a re-entry for OPS. The former CM would, however, not be averse to a reconciliation bid as he is aware that without the Centre’s support he and his party leaders would be under pressure from the TN government, which is ready to set the DVAC and other state agencies after them in corruption cases. There is no easy way out of the impasse, but the allies are playing a game of oneupmanship now.
Firebrand independent MLA Bachchu Kadu from Maharashtra has organized a novel agitation against cricket icon and Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar for propagating an online gaming company through a TV advertisement. The politician’s organization, Prahar Sanghatana, has kept a collection box called “Bheek Peti” (begging bowl) outside its Ganesh Mandal and declared that the collection will be sent to Sachin in Mumbai. Kadu has repeatedly condemned Sachin’s appearance in a commercial that advertises the online gaming application. He had staged an agitation outside Sachin’s Bandra residence, too. According to Kadu, online gaming is a dangerous addiction, which has resulted in many suicides. It is not proper for Sachin, being a Bharat Ratna, to do such advertisements, the Amaravati MLA said. “We are proud of Sachin as a great cricketer but can’t accept such crass commercialization,” Kadu has emphasized. He declared that he would demand a ban on such commercials and meet the Maharashtra chief minister in this regard soon. Kadu’s agitation has received some support across the state. In Solapur district, he was invited to perform the Ganesh pooja at Akolekati village. After the ceremony, Kadu dropped a hundred rupee note in the bowl and asked his followers to install such bowls at their pandals, too. Kadu said the trend to play online games was increasing with alarming speed and the main victims were the young boys and girls from predominantly poor and lower middle class families.
The 128th Constitution Amendment Bill providing for women’s reservations was passed by the Lok Sabha with bipartisan support of 454 MPs. Yet oddly the Gandhis – both Sonia and Rahul — were missing from the House when the historic bill was passed with a thumping majority. Rahul in his speech made one of the weirdest points about OBC reservation and was duly fact checked by the law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. He raked up the issue of near non-existence of OBCs among secretaries to the Government of India; he said there were only 3 OBCs among the 90 secretaries to GOI today. Rahul charged that “The moment the Opposition raises the issue of caste census, the BJP tries to create a new distraction, a new sudden event so that the OBC community and the people of India look the other way.” Law Minister, a former Dalit IAS Officer, replied that OBC quota came in UPSC only post Mandal in 1992. Congress sources admitted that Rahul was clearly misguided by his advisors as it takes an officer nearly three decades to make the grade of GOI Secretary. As for the Bill, Meghwal made it clear that the bill had factored in implementation only post-delimitation in 2026 as the Government did not want the law to be “challenged” in courts. Sonia Gandhi in her speech said there should be OBC quota in the bill. Countering her, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey asked why the 1993 law providing for women quota in local bodies had not provided for OBC quota.
PM Narendra Modi chose auspicious Ganesh Chaturthi to usher in the Women’s Reservation Bill providing for 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The bill, called the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ was introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Special Session of Parliament that was held in the newly built Parliament complex. The law, when passed, will come into effect only after the next delimitation exercise, which will be conducted after the first census to be taken after 2026. This means that women’s quota will not come into effect by 2024 Lok Sabha elections or even by Delhi assembly polls which is due in Feb 2025. The bill will be effective only by 2029. Yet the bill is being viewed as a perfect counter to caste-based parties in the I.N.D.I.A front that have been pushing for caste census. It is also a perfect antidote to politics of wooing women voters with freebies. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh felt Modi’s move was yet another election jumla.”We have not yet conducted the 2021 decadal census…Will the Census and delimitation be done before the 2024 elections? This is nothing but EVM — Event Management.” He pointed how the Rao Government in 1993 had brought in one-third reservation for women in panchayats and nagarpalikas in April 1993 and because of that there are already 15 lakh elected women representatives in panchayats and nagarpalikas.
The Press asked for a few minutes when the finance minister was in Chennai. What they got was over 15 minutes of a Nirmala Sitharaman nobody had heard so far in sucker punch sound bites in chaste Tamil. She was taking on Stalin Jr over his comments on Sanatana Dharma. She expressed her angst and anger at this provocative violence in speech, intemperate and insensitive. Almost at the same time DMK MP, TR Baalu had openly chastised Udhayanidhi, even as his father chief minister MK Stalin was present at a DMK meet. Baalu made it clear that indiscretion and verbal bravado would soon bring about retaliation by party seniors. Discretion is the best part of valour, said Baalu. Sitharaman uber cool and calm even as she took on this brash talk by Udhayanidhi said, “Once you have taken an oath as a Minister, you must be extra cautious about verbal violence or instigation to violence. The ultimate punch…they will say let this Pappathi talk (pejorative term used for Brahmin women, contemptuously by the Dravidian parties). The media had a collective moment of total shock when Sitharaman admonished, “The media is quick to pounce on the dare of a UP Baba when he said that he would reward anyone who brought this agnostic’s head. Media, be just…take note of those who threaten others, likewise.” In just about nine years the FM has learnt the art of neutralising Opposition bullies …using their own rhetoric.
Following the Mumbai meeting of the I.N.D.I.A., Trinamool Congress has unofficially informed Congress High Command that it will have to decide its ‘friends’ in West Bengal. TMC sources said that the message to the Congress is quite clear that it must choose between the party with a possible 30 LS seats, and the Left with no seats. TMC sources added that it has been conveyed to Congress that if it decides to join hands with the Trinamool, two seats — Baharampur and Maldaha Dakshin would be left to them. At present these two seats are held by Congress with Bengal Congress Chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury winning from Baharampur and veteran leader Abhu Hasem Khan Chowdhury from Maldaha Dakshin. Moreover, TMC will not object if Congress wants to give one to the CPI(M). However, Pradesh Congress sources termed this as the arrogance of party supremo Mamata Banerjee. Incidentally, a senior leader of TMC stated that during the alliance meeting, Didi has made it categorical that specific terms should be followed in the states which do not have alliance. The seat sharing must be decided on the basis of last Lok Sabha seats won, the results of the last Vidhan Sabha polls, three, the results of the last Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls combined. Incidentally, there will be no hassle for 250 seats across the country, remaining seats will have to be decided among various I.N.D.I.A partners.
Controversial BJP legislator Gopichand Padalkar’s disparaging statement against the Pawar family has suddenly created another potential explosive situation in Maharashtra, within days of the conclusion of the Maratha caste’s demand for reservations and the resultant agitation. The current fuse for the political outburst is Padalkar’s unsavoury language against Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule and nephew Ajit over the Dhangar (cattle shepherds) caste’s demand for reservations and Ajit’s assurance that he would try his best to secure it. Ridiculing this promise, Padalkar described the Pawar clan as wily wolves in an interview that went viral within minutes. Padalkar was once very close to Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar. He then changed his stance and joined the BJP, which has made him a member of the legislative council. An arch opponent of the Pawar family, he had contested one election unsuccessfully from Baramati, the fiefdom of Pawars for decades. Padalkar had also said that his caste did not have faith in Ajit nor did it respect him. Taking strong exception to Padalkar’s hurtful words, Ajit’s opponents have warned the present ruling alliance that they will not care about their presence in the government if Padalkar was not reined in immediately by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. “We will assault Padalkar in public, even if he apologizes. That day will come soon,” some of them have threatened.
AIADMK spokesperson Jayakumar dropped a bombshell on Vinayaka Chathurthi day in Tamil Nadu saying that the BJP Is currently not in the AIADMK alliance. He will obviously not be speaking without authorisation from his party boss Edapaddi Palaniswami (EPS). The war over local BJP chief K Annamalai and his outspoken ways in which he has been criticising revered AIADMK figures like Jayalalithaa and Annadurai and threatening to lay bare the corruption in previous AIADMK regimes is now out in the open. Jayakumar, however, kept the alliance lines open saying that any understanding with the BJP would be forged only before the polls. In a cheeky comment, Jayakumar said that, on its own, the BJP would fare poorly in the polls in the state and that Annamalai would struggle to beat NOTA. Former ministers have of late been lashing out at Annamalai for dragging the names of departed party leaders when speaking about his war on corruption and his exposes. The local chieftain may not be speaking without authorisation from BJP’s top brass either. But EPS’ equation with BJP’s top duo plus party chief JP Nadda is on a different plane and chances of a patch up cannot be discounted. Right now, AIADMK has dared to declare war and the ball is in the BJP court.
The recent sacking of Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, editor of Odisha’s largest daily Sambad from Biju Janata Dal’s vice president position by supremo Naveen Patnaik has sent a clear signal to party leaders — behave appropriately or face consequences. What does this mean in clear terms? Do not challenge BJD supremo’s decision with regard to governance mechanism or question his decision to bestow powers to his trusted bureaucrat VK Pandian with regards to holding state wide meetings. IAS officer Pandian’s rise has been severely questioned not only from his party members but also BJP’s MP Aparajita Sarangi. Reportedly, BJD MLA and media baron Soumya Ranjan Patnaik was extremely critical of the money spent by Pandian on his state wide tour; he equated the spent with that Chandrayaan-3’s budget. Calling spade a spade in journalistic parlance makes sense but not so in the political world. Media baron Patnaik’s future seems uncertain. He however seems well prepared since he has made the complete circuit Congress to BJP and now BJD. Will BJP welcome him back is the billion rupee question everybody is asking.
Although NCP founder Sharad Pawar has once again adopted a dual stand over the ‘split’ in his party, his nephew Ajit has reiterated that the majority of the party workers and MLAs are with his faction, which is the ‘real’ NCP. Pawar has maintained before the Election Commission (EC) that there is no split in his party and that some of his party colleagues have adopted ‘a different stand.’ Disregarding this argument, EC has decided to begin a hearing over the rival claims from 6 October. Ajit, now Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister, has claimed that 41 of the 52 NCP MLAs are behind him. On the other hand, Pawar told his supporters that henceforth, his faction will operate as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi for future elections. His submission before the EC and his assurance to his followers have regenerated confusion about his exact posture. The EC, meanwhile, has informed both that it had concluded that there were two rival groups after considering the matter. The split came to the fore on 30 June when Ajit sought the EC’s recognition of his faction as the real NCP on 3 July, he was sworn in as DCM in the Shinde-Fadnavis government. Since the matter requires a ‘substantive determination’ under the rules, the EC has directed both sides to be present for a personal hearing on October 6.
A tough road lies ahead of CPI(M) Politburo at its two-day meeting between September 16 and 17, where it will decide upon its representation at the I.N.D.I.A Coordination Committee. Out of a 14-member committee as decided by the Bloc, the 14th one remained vacant when the first meeting of the committee was held at NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar’s house in New Delhi on September 13 since CPI(M) is yet to give its representation. However, it is known that party’s general secretary Sitaram Yechury met Pawar the day after the meeting and discussed the alliance. According to party insiders, the central committee of the CPI(M) held a meeting after the I.N.D.I.A Bloc’s Benguluru meeting, but no name was proposed for the coordination committee representation. Instead, there’s a divide of views where a section of senior leaders feel that the party should refrain from being a part of the committee, another section feels that it should take time to decide upon a name. However, central committee member Shamik Lahiri informed that the name will be finalised in the Politburo meeting itself. Interestingly, some of the leaders from the Bengal unit said that it is difficult for the Politburo to finalize the name by bypassing the Central Committee. In that case, a new debate may be created within the party, at a time when cadres are questioning the party’s decision to be a part of Trinamool Congress ally.
Former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) is in a bit of a bother with the Kodanad Estate robbery and murder case coming too close to him for comfort. Taking a leaf out of the operations of the Union government through central investigating agencies to pile the pressure on political opponents, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, is also cranking up the machinery for replicating such tactics. The DVAC has moved against a couple of former AIADMK ministers even as the long delayed Kodanad case is picking up momentum amid myriad conspiracy theories and angles to move the lens towards former CM Palaniswami. Afraid of being framed in a case in which he had to take an interest as it involved the former CM J Jayalalithaa and her confidante Sasikala’s possessions and secrets, EPS went to New Delhi to convince Home Minister Amit Shah to get the CBI to take up the investigation so that he may not be called in for questioning by the State police who can be hostile to him. While a smokescreen was drawn to make it appear as if EPS had travelled to the capital to seal the alliance with BJP, the main purpose of the trip was to seek BJP top brass support in taking the heat off him from the Kodanad Estate case.
The talk among intelligentsia in Kerala is that BJP can come to power only if the party tweaks its leadership strategy. This new thinking comes close on the heels of Anil Anthony’s — son of veteran Congress leader AK Anthony — elevation as the national secretary and spokesperson of the BJP. An analyst says Anthony should be assigned the role of introducing Artificial Intelligence (which he has studied and specialised from a US university) in public services like weather departments, airlines’ air traffic control etc. Additionally, Anthony along with Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and metro man E Sreedharan should be the core team to make this happen. This formidable troika, a strong brand by themselves, can give a real run for CPM and Congress considering that Hindus roughly constitute 55%, Muslims 27% and Christians 18% of the total population. But, there is a catch; despite Hindus being a majority the eligible voters’ percentage are not sufficient to form a majority government. Hence BJP will need the support of Christian voters. So the induction of Anil Anthony is timely. He is the son of an honest and straightforward politician. His entry will surely swing significant vote share of Kerala Christians to BJP. The trinity Anthony, Rajeev and Sreedharan can create a significant impact for BJP in the next Assembly election.
Even as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the conclusion of the G-20 Summit, alarm bells have started ringing in Maharashtra’s Konkan region. The reason was the concern over the logical outcome, which signalled the resumption of the plan to set up a mega oil refinery project on the ‘west coast of India’ which in other words could mean the verdant Konkan region. Though the first steps for developing the $ 50 bn refinery project there were taken in 2015, it has been stalled for mainly political considerations. The obstacle was the then Shiv Sena’s changing stance despite its presence in the government. Now that the major fraction of the Sena is sharing power with the BJP in the state, the double-engine push is expected to accelerate the project once more. Wise after the previous experience, the Centre has agreed to set up a joint task force to help in identifying and channelisng the $ 100 bn investments. Both countries have also decided to establish a monitoring committee for tracking the progress of the project. Due to this development, villagers at the Barsu sight in Ratnagiri district have started voicing their opposition to the project. However, no major political party has as yet come forward to support them.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
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If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.