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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.
Armed with a landslide majority in Maharashtra, the BJP, it is learnt, is now strongly pushing its coalition partners up against the wall. Not only has it launched a strong attack against Ajit Pawar’ party deputy leader Dhananjay Munde but it is keeping Eknath Shinde on the edge too. While the knives have been sharpened against controversial minister Dhananjay Munde demanding his resignation for the alleged involvement of his aide in the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. Munde and his party have been resisting and fighting it against all odds. While Ajit Pawar may have strongly backed Munde for now, he realises that the BJP may not stop at him and could launch fresh salvo against his other deputies. Hence, Pawar has directed his men to maintain a clean slate and even demanded that freshers be vetted before giving entry in his party. His contemporary, Eknath Shinde too is not having it easy with BJP ministers like Ganesh Naik eyeing his Thane stronghold and launching a worker engagement campaign clearly with an eye on the forthcoming local body polls. While Shinde chose to brush aside concerns, his workers have threatened to do a quid pro quo by launching similar exercises in BJP’s constituencies. Shinde did not attend the cabinet meeting last week, while Munde is believed to have left mid-way. The BJP strategy seems to be to keep the coalition partners constantly on the edge.
The year 1952 saw the release of a cult movie and a classic coming together of two names that shaped Dravidian cinema indelibly. A talented writer from Thirukkuvalai …the indomitable M Karunanidhi (DMK founder) and a firebrand actor who set the template for Tamil cinema…Sivaji Ganesan. These two cinema debutants made Parasakthi, an evergreen movie still remembered by connoisseurs of this powerful medium. Suddenly, Parasakthi is in the news. Two Kollywood producers are claiming the title Parasakthi. Vijay Antony (actor-producer-director-music director) claims that his 25th movie under production, Sakti Thirumagan has been already registered as Parasakthi for its Telugu version in July 2024. His posters were splashed on X. Imagine the shock that Town Pictures and avant garde director Sudha Kongara got on hearing that their Sivakarthikeyan’s 25th film Parasakthi has an ostensible me too. This was no filmi coincidence. A high decibel legal battle is being averted by Akash Bhaskaran, emissary of Kongara who met Antony to resolve the issue. AVM Pictures also endorsed that the title was given to Kongara’s team and all concerned were just heaving a sigh of relief. Then for Kongara trouble came from an entirely unexpected quarter. The legal heirs of Perumal Mudaliar, National Pictures, original Parasakthi producers decided to digitalise the 1952 hit and re-release it. This claims that the Krishnan Panju directed original has allotted only distribution rights to AVN for a few areas, that no other house could use the title. Avowedly, the Sivaji craze and the Kalaignar charisma guarantee big crowds.
Ever since Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has been recuperating from a cervical surgery he underwent on November 12, intense speculation has abounded regarding his health status. Reason: he has avoided public appearances and preferred to operate from his official residence Varsha. He did privately visit the Vidhan Bhawan, participated in a cabinet meeting and tea party for legislators on the eve of the winter session via video conference. BJP, which was trying to topple the two-year old Maha Vikas Aghadi government went into overdrive saying, if the CM’s health condition is not good he must distribute his official work among cabinet colleagues. Setting speculation to rest, a senior Shiv Sena minister’s aide told Short Post, “The CM is reluctant to assume full charge of office till he is a 100% fighting fit. No new cardiac challenges have come up now either (Thackeray had stents implanted a few years ago).” He dismissed the story doing the rounds of the CM’s son and minister Aadtiya Thackeray holding proxy charge as bumkum. He further said “If Uddhavji took a break, as per protocol in the Sena, senior most cabinet minister and industries minister Subhash Desai would take charge for the interim period.” It may be noted that right now Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar from NCP is holding the fort.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s casual approach to the Ludhiana blast as not a “big gal” or deal in a state that has seen major terrorist acts has not gone down well within his own party. Matters turned worse when PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu added that a series of events were planned by vested interests to create a law and order situation to polarize communities, promote vote bank politics. From acts of sacrilege to terror, everything is being viewed as an attempt to intimidate minority Hindus that would benefit the Akalis and, may be to some extent Capt Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress. Party sources point out that Channi’s statement was outright irresponsible; he has been encouraging Dalit identity politics much to the Congress’s worry as Jats already feel excluded. As for Sidhu he seems more anxious to give his friends from across the border a clean chit than winning support within the state. Which is why former PCC chief Sunil Jakhar felt the Government needs to assure people of Punjab about its commitment and ability to maintain peace and harmony. “The CM can’t afford to be seen floundering on this account”. It is in times such as these when one misses a sturdy, wise man like Capt Amarinder Singh, say Congress leaders.
With an eviscerated Congress, those opposed to the BJP in Goa feel it is better to back AAP than go with the TMC. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s party is emerging a favourite among Catholics in South Goa because they would rather go with AAP than a rank outsider like TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee, who has ventured into the state for the first time. According to political analysts, what has put off Goans about TMC is Mamata’s aggressive campaign style during her frequent trips to Panaji. It has completely unnerved locals. Used to interacting with Bengal’s working class, who land up in the state for casual work, Goans find it hard to believe that the TMC supremo has anything more to offer. TMC has been bringing in trainloads of Bengali volunteers into the state and many fear that these volunteers could double up as voters and capture booths as they do back home. On the other hand, Kejriwal they feel is disarming and approachable and could be the better alternative to fight the BJP; he has after all made forays in the state in past elections. Many feel a vote for the TMC would be a waste as Mamata may not get any support from the Centre unlike Kejriwal, who has learnt his political lessons well and mended his relations with the Centre.
Former Uttrakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat has been sulking and showing it too. First, he felt the Congress had not been caring for his efforts. However, now summoned to Delhi by the AICC brass to meet with Rahul Gandhi, he says he is surprised that rivals were reading too much into his tweets about “non-cooperation” from his organisation. So what actually was bothering the Congress campaign chief in poll-bound Uttrakhand? Well, party sources point out that it is the manner in which everyone from Delhi who made a trip to Dehradun gave a pep talk about “collective” leadership in the state. Rawat could not understand why the Congress was not projecting a single leader (read him) to take on BJP CM face Pushkar Singh Dhami? Far from picking him as the CM candidate, he found too much importance being given to former PCC chief and Congress Legislature Party leader Pritam Singh. Worse, Rawat found he was put almost on par with Pritam Singh. This hugely upset him. While Rawat is the only mass leader within the Congress and hails from Kumaon region, Pritam Singh and PCC chief Ganesh Godiyal both belong to Garhwal region. AICC sources, however, are confident that 73-year-old Rawat would mellow down after a pep talk with Rahul Gandhi.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin who waited 10 years to come back to power is leaving nothing to chance this time on the governance front. He recently unveiled the ‘CM Dashboard’ for real time tracking of progress of welfare schemes and effective governance. PWC Davidar, a retired IAS officer, recently appointed as Adviser to TN E-Governance Agency designed the dashboard for real time information on every aspect of the state, from vegetable prices to inflation. By putting in place this kind of system, Stalin wants to ensure his party never loses again. TN’s electorate is probably one of the country’s most savvy, articulate and quick to reward or punish a party that rides on catchy slogans, and fizzles out on results. Tamil Nadu, when compared to other states like Uttar Pradesh or Bihar, has risen steadily on the development index, even though it’s polarised Dravidian parties have often failed to meet Tamilian aspirations. The late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had to mend her authoritarian ways. And Stalin too, learnt to rewrite responsibility, the hard way. A clutch of pro people measures announced in quick succession has made him the people’s CM of choice, a hard act to follow.
Forty-seven year old Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is having sleepless nights as the state tethers on the brink of financial bankruptcy. With no special status being conferred on AP, and no industries being set up the state is getting deeper and deeper into the debt trap, primarily caused by unviable freebies promised by Jagan to win the elections. As a result, it is surviving a hand-to-mouth existence through borrowings from public sector banks. Even public sector banking finance is drying out with the Union Finance Ministry questioning the banks over such lending to AP. Every year AP has to pay over Rs 43,000 crore as interest alone, says a government source. As per CAG report the fiscal deficit for Andhra was Rs 68,538 crore in FY 2020-2021. Jagan’s anxiety to provide 3 million homes to the poor as part of his election promise is also adding to the financial burden. Responding to a recent Gazette notification by AP Government, realtors are up in arms as builders are expected to hand over 5% land voluntarily for public housing or give matching cost compensation to accommodate free housing accommodation for the poor. For now, welfare measures are negatively impacting the state’s finances with no real investment going in for revenue generation.
Fearing Backlash Political Parties In Maharashtra Likely To Field OBC Candidates In General Category
Does political will in India care about OBCs enough to update the last census, conducted in 1931-32, by the British government on their perception of Indian caste parameters? The fate of the 27% OBC reserved constituencies in Maharashtra will go to polls in January as general category seats. The OBC community’s population based political reservation was set aside by the SC. Only Prime Minister Narendra Modi via Ordinance or, the SC may revert back to the 27% political representation for OBC people, around 54% of the population now in Maharashtra. The PM’s avowed emphasis on meritocracy apart, the OBC issue in MP and UP has now prompted the BJP to seek a stay on the apex court order till a fresh census is completed, says former Union planning Commission member Hari Narke. The only way to appease the OBCs and circumvent SC’s diktat is for political parties to field OBC candidates for the re-designated public representative posts in general category. Tall ask at short notice, for want of winnable candidates that political parties may face. But, the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s political constituents have officially decided to give individual percentage wise representation for OBC as the 450 Maha OBC communities enjoy in the education and social sector while, this is consolidated at 27% for political representation, which may find limited success?
Is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra playing the ‘ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon’ card to empower women across the country or, is it more about just herself? Is she pushing the ladki issue merely to enlarge her own canvas within the Congress party? Why else would Priyanka be travelling outside Uttar Pradesh (UP) in the midst of heated poll campaigning and conducting herself like a super Mahila Congress president to spread the message about her Pink manifesto? This is a question party leaders are asking. In early December, within days of launching her Pink Manifesto for women in UP, promising 40% reservation for women candidates alongside tax sops for organisations represented by women as 50% of their workforce, Priyanka suddenly headed off to another poll-bound state of Goa. She spent an entire day there pitching her women’s agenda extensively. While many in the party believe Priyanka Vadra is looking to expand beyond her limited charge of Uttar Pradesh as AICC General Secretary, some party sources say Priyanka may strongly be competing with brother Rahul Gandhi to provide a new leadership to the Congress. Significantly, at the Mehangai Hatao Rally in Jaipur she addressed the crowd jointly with Rahul. With the Congress likely to fare poorly in the upcoming polls, Priyanka is perhaps already recalibrating for the aftershocks.
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee has made acquiring Goa’s 40 assembly seats almost a prestige issue. She has apparently poured money to acquire political assets — namely three sitting MLAs, two belonging to the Congress — Luizinho Faliero and Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco, and one from the NCP, Churchil Alemao, ahead of the Goa assembly elections slated next year. With Alexio’s exit, only two of the 17 MLAs elected in 2017 are left with the party. Going against its grain of procrastination, the Congress for the first time decided to go ahead with finalizing candidates and released the first list of eight candidates last week, just to prevent TMC from poaching its leaders. It was apparently former Union Minister P Chidambaram’s idea to halt the erosion of rank and file. Sources say the TMC was so livid with the Congress’ first list that poll strategist Prashant Kishor even boasted to a Goa leader that he would poach a candidate even after the list was finalised by Rahul Gandhi. He did it with Alexio joining TMC. AICC in charge Dinesh Gundurao was aware of this development. Well, If you want to know why no effort was made to stop this MLA from Curtorim from leaving the party, it was because the AICC made no offer to finance the elections.
Two incidents of sacrilege, in a span of 24 hours, leading to two deaths, one at the Golden Temple in Amritsar and the other at a gurudwara in Kapurthala has shocked and raised hackles of everyone. The murderous assault on a man at Harmandir Sahib caught for the sacrilege by devotees seemed something akin to events in the run-up to Operation Blue Star in 1984 noted a Congress veteran. BJP leaders feel the sudden spike in religious violence could probably be an attempt to scuttle Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s move to get justice in an old sacrilege case — Bargari Case of 2015. After all, Channi had changed the state DGP and was trying to bring Akalis to book. Looks like whenever Akalis are in trouble, they foment sectarian trouble. There was a spike in sacrilege incidents in the run-up to 2017 assembly polls. As for Channi, he is not in a happy place either. He is sort of sandwiched between two kinds of CMs — AICC in-charge Harish Chaudhury who functions like a super CM in Punjab, attends Cabinet meetings and a wannabe CM and PCC chief Navjot Sidhu. While Chaudhury, a close Rahul aide, gives directions on running the government and enjoys facilities available to CM’s office, Sidhu simply avoids sharing any forum with Channi; he thinks he will be the CM post poll.
The firebrand Navjot Sidhu is on the warpath again. He has seized upon the two incidents of sacrilege and subsequent lynchings as his ticket to dominating the Punjab poll scene. Amid the silence of Punjab’s political faces over the two lynchings, Sidhu is demanding public execution for those accused of desecrating religious texts. Sidhu knows this is a topic on which opposing political parties can tread only softly as they can’t be seen justifying lynching in a civilized country. The space is thus open for the Congress chief Sidhu to exploit the emotions that are attached to anyone playing the fool with religion and attempting sacrilege by attacking the holy text. Sidhu is alleging a “conspiracy against one community” and that fundamentalist forces are trying to disturb peace in Punjab. He had made an issue of the inaction over past attempts at the desecration of the Granth Saheb against which the government had not acted in time with due prosecution. Sidhu made it his plank against the then Congress CM Captain Amarinder Singh and dethroned him and got Charanjit Singh Channi installed. The CM has slammed the alleged sacrilege attempts but, chosen to remain silent on the lynchings. Sidhu has no qualms about it. He is virtually giving a license to the public to go after sacrilege while giving lip service to making laws stringent with a death sentence for sacrilege.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a slew of welfare schemes in quick succession. Political watchers wonder if poll strategist Prashant Kishor still hand holds the DMK or, is it the Think Tank constituted by Stalin for reform that is behind these schemes? TN has been on top of its Corona vaccination priority alongside pandemic control. Health Minister M Subramaniam and his Health Secretary were fully primed to deal with every contingency. Consciously projecting an all-around presence in TN’s government landscape, Stalin announced the ‘Save A Precious Life’ scheme to render timely medical aid to accident victims. Accident victims are now entitled to free medical care for the first 48 hours, including the crucial golden hour, at government or notified private hospitals. As a further impetus, being a good samaritan no longer holds worries for citizens. Many victims remain unattended due to the fear of subsequent police inquisitions. Now, good samaritans would be rewarded Rs 5,000 each for taking accident victims to the hospital. The CM’s mass Health Insurance Scheme bagged the “e-India Jury Award” for best practices in the Health Insurance sector. People can discern between mere populist announcements and tangible results on the ground. Lofty slogans must translate into real benefits is Stalin’s doctrine.
Thiruvananthapuram’s Member of Parliament, Shashi Tharoor dons many hats. He’s famous as a wordsmith, ladies man, trend-setter on social media et al. Even as a politician, he takes on the high and mighty, even from his own party. On December 16, at the launch of the biggest Lulu Mall of India in Trivandrum he hobnobbed with CPM Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, even praised him for his development agenda. This, when the Congress led-UDF has launched a concerted campaign against Vijayan’s controversial Rs 55,000 crore Silverline Rail project connecting Trivandrum and Kasaragod, aimed at accomplishing train travel from one tip of the state to the other in four hours flat. While UDF MPs petitioned the Union Railway Minister against the project, Tharoor refused to fall in line to demand more time and discussion before inking of the deal. This is Tharoor’s way of getting back at fellow MPs and party colleagues who backed the Communist government’s blockade of the privatization of Thiruvananthapuram airport. The Congress was against the airport being handed over to Adani although it was the Congress-led UDF’s erstwhile government that handed over Thiruvananthapuram’s greenfield deep-sea port to Adani. For Tharoor, development sans negative politics is the new mantra. Political conversations abound on how he would make a better leader of Opposition in Parliament than Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
After raiding 69 premises linked to P Thangamani, a former AIADMK minister of Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption (DVAC) revealed that the minister, his son, and kin had made huge investments in cryptocurrency. This must be a first in India in the world of investments from ill gotten money. While it is common enough for I-T raids to unearth huge investments in gold and properties across the State, assets in newfangled cryptocurrency, Bitcoins, and the like which have been unearthed lends a new dimension to the sophistication of those who find themselves showered with new riches. Tamil Nadu has always been suspected to run openly corrupt governments in which ministers and their offspring have made huge money from deal-making and fixing contracts for government contractors and suppliers. It is no secret that TN regimes led to many Dravidian politicians making quick money, as is evidenced in huge properties and assets being taken over by ED or I-T after raids on politicians once they lose power. Protests hinting at revenge politics in DVAC raids by succeeding governments mean little because disproportionate assets are in black & white and show a trail of corruption. It is suspected to be even more so in electricity purchases to make up for the deficiency in production because the kickbacks every summer are said to be huge.
Is the Congress really becoming a closet admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi? Or else why should the main opposition party get into an ugly credit war on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh Liberation War just because the PM made no reference to Indira Gandhi by name in any official function? If Modi wasn’t important, why should the Congress make so much fuss about whether he mentioned Indira’s role in liberating East Pakistan. For a party that celebrated the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh Liberation War a day earlier than the official date — December 16 — it was quite odd for the Congress to complain about not being invited as part of the official celebrations. This after the manner in which the party has been boycotting every function hosted by the Modi Government beginning with the Republic Day parade this year. Rahul Gandhi made matters worse by choosing to be in Uttarakhand — which is the home turf of jawans. Instead of speaking about jawans who shed blood for the country he kept talking about sacrifices made by his family. In a shocking disservice to his memory, the Congress continued to drag late CDS Gen Bipin Rawat into a political slug-fest. They first used his cut-outs in a rally; later raised questions about his untimely death.
On December 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor at Varanasi and offered puja at the temple complex. The entire ceremony was telecast live on all the news channels, courtesy of the Doordarshan. Many had questioned the live telecast of a religious programme done by the Prime Minister, particularly by the national public broadcaster. Liberals were upset that the corridor itself was being made using ‘tax payers’ money’ by a government of a ‘secular nation’. Nonetheless, the live-streaming of the event had left many Indians across the country quite impressed. Notably, one such person is Durga Stalin, wife of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. She was so impressed with the idea of a re-developed Kashi temple that she is apparently planning to make a quick visit to Varanasi for darshan. Chennai police is expected to recce the holy city for the VIP visit. Though married into the DMK first family which is committed to the party’s ideology of atheism, Durga is a devout, practising Hindu, who patronises temples. She had visited Kashi to perform the last rites of her late father-in-law M Karunanidhi in 2018. Her urgency to visit Kashi and offer prayers is being linked to a renewed push to elevate their son Udayanidhi as deputy CM. As a mother, Durga must be wishing an auspicious start in office for her son.
If there is one political leader who is at ease sporting the Hindu card on his sleeve, outside of the BJP, then it is Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Ahead of municipal corporation elections in Delhi in April 2022, Kejriwal has gone all out to woo Delhiwallas with yet another freebie. All the three civic bodies in Delhi are with the BJP. So this time Kejriwal has come out with a free of cost yoga class called Dilli ka Yogashala. On the offer from January 2022, is what the AAP chief touts will be first of its kind Yogashala. Just like AAP’s mohalla clinics, power freebies and the happiness curriculum in government schools, yogashala too will be an innovative government programme. As for enrolling on the yoga programme, all one needs is a group of 25 people willing to learn yoga. Some 400 yoga instructors have been lined up for the programme. It is said that Kejriwal is not averse to playing the Hindu card whenever elections are around the corner. From conducting Diwali puja in public to sending people on pilgrimages to reciting Hanuman Chalisa, Kejriwal has been competing with the BJP to cater to popular sentiments. He reached a TV event recently announcing that he was coming from the railway station where he had gone to see off people boarding the train to Ayodhya.
Former Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, now a principal advisor to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has deftly lobbed the ball in the court of CBI chief Subodh Jaiswal in the curious case of IPS transfers unearthed by erstwhile state intelligence department head Rashmi Shukla. A senior secretariat official said Kunte, recorded his statement before the Enforcement Directorate and placed on record actions taken by him as then additional chief secretary (home) of Maharashtra. Then Director-General of police, Subhodh Jaiswal (now CBI chief) had written to Kunte following Shukla’s expose using eavesdropped conversations that indicated money exchanged hands for effecting IPS postings. Kunte clearly stated his position as home secretary and clarified, “The DG (Jaiswal) had raised two to three concerns regarding the IPS transfers (15 in all) and immediately the Chief Minister froze all the transfers. Once the cited concerns were addressed the transfers (remaining 12) were effected while three in respect of which Jaiswal expressed concerns were canceled,” the secretariat official told Short Post. Meanwhile, Shulka (on deputation in Hyderabad) is yet to appear before the Maharashtra cyber cell regarding the leakage of a pen drive containing conversations she is alleged to have eavesdropped upon following which the allegations of IPS transfers for cash were made.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who enjoys very good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is also known to speak his mind freely on issues of national importance even if it means opposing Modi’s government. Patnaik, who is on mission mode to transform Odisha has been nudging the Centre through NITI Aayog, for enhanced central grants for the development of the state’s aspirational districts and the real-time filling up of much-needed infrastructure gaps in the wake of incessant natural calamities. For its part, NITI Aayog vice chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, who visited the state, was quick to respond after being suitably impressed with Patnaik for the state’s incremental per capita income, major improvements in the agrarian situation and maintenance of the fiscal deficit below the 5% margin. On his part, Dr Kumar has also advised the government to double its mining production, find ways to attract investment and FDI to support the state’s mineral development boards. Besides these, he also proposed that the state government set up a Sustainable Development Goal monitoring unit and advocated the use of chemical free farming. He promised that NITI Aayog will help bring out a development blueprint for the state. Besides the government, Dr Kumar also interacted with industry associations to get their feedback for boosting industrialization.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government, apparently on the verge of a collapse ‘anytime’, completed two years in power on November 28, 2021. Yet, all is not well between its constituents – Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. Besides the enemy on the outside – BJP – the MVA is constantly battling the foe within – individual moorings of each political constituent. Mistrust, lack of transparency and double talk persists. For example: The Congress announced for a mega rally on the iconic Shivaji Park grounds on December 28. Then came news that CM Uddhav Thackeray would decide whether the Congress could mark its foundation day at the Sena’s traditional Dusshera rally venue. Then NCP sppokesperson Nawab Malik suggested that holding public rally would need prior court approval. Infuriated Congress’ (Ashok) Bhai Jagtap, Mumbai President, petitioned the HC only to withdraw subsequently. He insists that rising Omicron cases saw Rahul Gandhi deciding against the rally on pain of being termed as super spreader. He added that the venue would witness a Congress rally before the BMC elections in Mumbai. For now, the NCP, Congress and Sena don’t see eye-to-eye on a number of issues. NCP chief Sharad Pawar seems preoccupied in getting non BJP parties together to rally behind Mamata Banerjee (for the time being) to take on BJP for 2024 general elections.
Initial buzz said President Ramnath Kovind would be among dignitaries to lay a wreath on the mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and others killed in the Tamil Nadu helicopter crash, at the Palam air base. Apparently, however, as per protocol the President may not place a wreath on the bodies of any soldier. Being Supreme Commander of the armed forces he may not discriminate between a general or a soldier while paying tributes. The President, of course, had canceled all engagements after the helicopter crash and tweeted his condolences to the bereaved families. The PM and Defence Minister who laid wreaths had actually done so on behalf of the President. However, when it comes to commiserating civilian deaths, the President is not encumbered by any such protocols. Ramnath Kovind was first to write to Mallika Dua, daughter of late journalist and Padma Shri awardee Vinod Dua who passed away early this month. PM Modi also followed suit, condoling Dua’s demise. Modi’s gesture surprised some in the news media as the late journalist was among the PM’s staunchest critics. Was it a move intended to soften the liberal media that is vocally against the PM or, just a routine letter from the PMO? Only time will tell.
Feisty 47-year-old investment banker turned TMC MP, Mahua Moitra was taken by surprise when her party boss and, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, ticked her off for her brand of politics. Moitra nodded meekly as Didi dressed her down in public, apparently for writing to SEBI chairman alleging irregularities by brand Adani Power when it delisted. The letter, came just days after the Mamata-Gautam Adani meet in Kolkata, a prelude to the business summit planned in January 2022 so, Didi naturally blew her top. Moitra’s letter to SEBI was the proverbial last straw. Sources say Moitra’s solo style of politicking finds her out of team TMC’s favour. Her negative local politics over seat distributions and rumour mongering on TMC corruption in Nadia (where elections are scheduled) sparked off the party chief’s ire. And Mamta said “Mahua, let me give you a clear message here. I don’t see who is in whose favour or against. I don’t believe in the politics of putting on a show on YouTube, paper, digital etc. This kind of politics cannot sustain for long. And it is not right to expect that one person will stay at one post forever.” Question doing the rounds now is: Will Moitra quit after her public humiliation?
PM Narendra Modi’s complete endorsement of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whom he calls ‘Karmayogi’, was clear and evident over the last several weeks during his frequent trips to Uttar Pradesh, ahead of assembly elections slated next year. Modi has good reason to be happy with the manner Yogi has executed and delivered projects very close to his heart, in particular, the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor in Varanasi, well within the scheduled timelines. Returning the compliment Yogi compared the PM to Ahilyabhai Holkar and Raja Ranjit Singh who had contributed similarly and restored the temple. At the inauguration ceremony of the corridor, Yogi was at the PM’s side all the time at various stages of the ceremony. Several other BJP leaders, including chief ministers, attended the ceremony but no one accompanied the PM. Significantly, a month ago Yogi’s twitter handle shared a picture of PM Modi during a stroll with his hand on Yogi’s shoulder. The picture, snapped up at the UP Raj Bhawan captured Modi in deep conversation with Yogi. The PM was in Lucknow attending the DGPs conference when the CM called up on him. Buzz is, the idea to share the Modi-Yogi picture of camaraderie had emanated from the PMO.
Justice Krishnaswamy Chandru is in the limelight after the critically acclaimed movie Jai Bhim, based on the human rights abuse case that he handled to expose police brutality in Tamil Nadu, is not popular with the judges of the Andhra Pradesh high court at the moment. A division bench of the AP high court was up in arms about comments made by the outspoken retired judge who is championing public causes in his speeches these days. Speaking at an event in Andhra recently, Justice Chandru had said, “We need judges who will protect the rights of the people. Now, what do we see in AP? Today, an elected government is fighting for survival not from rivals, not from political rivals or mass movements, but from the judiciary itself!’’ He had gone on to say that the judiciary, whose duty is to defend the rights of the people, “is doing something different, which is not expected.” The AP HC chief justice blamed the celebrity without naming him, saying remarks made against the judiciary were just to be in the limelight. Why should a judge from another state come to Andhra and make comments on the functioning of the court, the CJ asked. He explained that contempt of court proceedings are not being contemplated now in consideration of the judge’s contribution to the judiciary in the past.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s decision to visit Coonoor after the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat is being much appreciated in Delhi by PM Narendra Modi and his ministers. He took a flight to Coimbatore from Chennai and drove to Coonoor. Besides paying homage to Rawat, Stalin also stayed back overseeing arrangements to transport bodies to Delhi. Stalin’s actions were prompted by a phone call from NSA Ajit Doval to Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu. The NSA had asked Babu to secure the area for investigations. Babu rushed to the site. Soon, Stalin wanted State Chief Secy V Irai Anbu to be at the site. By evening, Stalin was there at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, meeting with military officials and directing local officials. Stalin’s conduct is in sharp contrast to what his father M Karunanidhi did as CM in 1990 when he had refused to receive the IPKF in Chennai even as it was pulled out from Sri Lanka by then PM VP Singh exactly as he sought. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was also spotted in Wellington. As for bidding hero’s farewell to Gen Rawat and his men in Tamil Nadu, and mobilizing a rousing public line-up outside Sulur air base, credit must go to state BJP unit headed by a former IPS officer K Annamalai.
The question uppermost in everybody’s mind is: who will be the next Chief of Defence Staff following the untimely demise of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat. PM Narendra Modi had picked Gen Rawat for CDS post on January 1, 2020 — because he was blunt, outspoken and a man of integrity. Rawat was liked as he was not afraid of speaking his mind when it came to military reforms and the defence of the country. He was a fighter and a nationalist to the core. Modi noticed his qualities after he, as Dimapur Corps Commander, supervised a strike against NSCN (K) insurgents across the Indo-Myanmar border by Special Forces in June 2015. Prior to that he performed exceptionally as the 19 Division commander in the Uri sector against the Pakistanis. On December 17, 2016, Modi appointed Rawat as India’s 27th Chief of Army Staff after superseding the then Eastern and Southern Army Commanders on grounds of merit, track record and vision. Modi saw Rawat’s role as a military commander when he took on the Chinese PLA at Doklam Plateau on the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction in June 2017. He stopped the PLA from building a road to the Jhampheri Ridge, which would have made India vulnerable in the Siliguri corridor. So Modi wants the next CDS to be someone like Rawat! Who can it be?
In September there was a strong buzz that the 72-year old Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who had retired from Rajya Sabha (RS) as the Leader Of Opposition on February 15, 2021 might re-enter RS from Tamil Nadu. But, come the D Day and Azad’s name was missing. Now comes the real story from an insider. Apparently, Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief MK Stalin at the behest of Azad called up the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and said they are willing to support Azad to RS from TN. This telephone call from Stalin to Sonia seems to have irked her. Apparently, she did not like the way the suggestion to elect Azad came from Stalin. Generally, it is the other way round. Since then the chasm between Azad and Gandhis have widened. In between Azad, part of G 23, had thawed the ice. All that is history. He has been kept in the waiting mode. Now, the latest buzz is that Azad might do a Captain Amarinder Singh, form a party in Jammu & Kashmir and BJP may support him. It may be recalled that Azad enjoys a very good rapport with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the latter even broke down while talking at Azad’s farewell speech in the Rajya Sabha. If Azad sets up his own party it will be a win-win situation for both Azad and BJP.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is facing intense pressure from the opposition parties to sack the state’s home minister Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged involvement in sex scandal. The state Assembly continues to be paralysed over this demand. The opposition parties –BJP and Congress– are asking the Chief Minister to meet face-to-face on the floor of the house to discuss the Mishra issue. Patnaik so far is avoiding such a floor show. This hesitation convinces the opposition leaders that Patnaik is shielding the home minister for reasons best known to him. The sex scandal relates to the alleged murder of a school teacher Mamita Meher of Sunshine English Medium School on October 8. Reportedly, Mamita had threatened to expose the sex racket in the school implicating one accused. It is alleged home minister Mishra used to visit the school frequently. Patnaik, meanwhile, has requested the Odisha High Court to appoint a retired District Judge ABS Naidu to monitor the police investigations pertaining to Mamita murder case which will be subject to court scrutiny, investigating the role of Mishra. Opposition leaders are saying since the police force is accountable to the Home Ministry, how can one expect a fair report. Patnaik’s no action against Mishra has surprised the people at large as he is believed to be a no-nonsense CM having sacked ministers for slightest wrong doings in the past.
Fifty-eight-year-old Nana Patole, President, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, is a happy man. Not because his daughter found a suitable alliance and was married off with much fanfare and the ceremony being attended by the Governor Bhagatsingh Koshyari, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) colleagues Balasaheb Thorat (Congress) and Nawab Malik (NCP) among others but because he pulled off a coup of sorts recently. Sources say he got Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw their party candidate in the recently held state’s by-election to the Rajya Sabha necessitated by the demise of Congress MP Rajeev Satav. His earlier stint in BJP probably helped. He left BJP and joined Congress in 2017. Patole, who has earned brownie points with the Gandhis, now faces the real test on December 22, 2021, when BJP will expect a quid pro quo on the issue of 12 suspended BJP MLAs from the Maharashtra legislature. How Patole delivers remains to be seen. The issue of the 12 suspended BJP MLAs will figure majorly in the forthcoming state session and is likely to create fissures within the MVA constituents with Sharad Pawar’s NCP and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena likely to be on opposite sides of the Congress while deciding the fate of the suspended BJP MLAs.
It ain’t for nothing that PM Narenrdra Modi warned on Constitution Day (Nov 26) about family-run parties being the biggest threat to democracy. Mamata Banerjee is no Narendra Modi. The same day she used the forthcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections (set for Dec 19) to strengthen her family stranglehold on Kolkata by declaring her old network of supporters as candidates in the civic polls. She chose to give tickets to relatives and extended families rather than go looking for fresh faces. Ironically, she was doing all this on a suggestion from her strategist Prashant Kishor (PK) to change candidates. The TMC had dropped about 39 candidates in 144 wards. Mamata “misused” PK’s advice to field relatives– including her own sister-law Kajari Banerjee, dropping an influential incumbent Ratan Malakar. Kajari’s candidature so shocked Malakar that he filed papers as an independent. He and yet another councillor, both belonging to Mamata’s Bhowanipore assembly constituency, revolted. As of now PK is at odds with the TMC. Didi has told PK to leave out micro candidate issues to her. PK recently skipped a strategy-meeting on the polls. Meanwhile, the strategist is sending across train loads of young men — affiliated to his I-PAC — to Goa to work for the party. Left to herself, Mamata may be comfortable transferring Bengal voters to Goa. Just to prove a point!
Election dates for Punjab assembly elections will be announced a month away; polls are due in February 2022. Yet political jockeying for voter’s attention among key players has peaked. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, his Delhi counterpart and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu were spotted carrying their Punjab battle into streets and TV studios of Delhi, much to everyone’s amusement. Channi who performed bhangra on a live TV event, made it known that his potential challenger Kejriwal had no business to venture into Punjab. Simply because the Haryana-born Delhi CM may not know how to dance to a bhangra beat. And how can anyone do Punjab politics without doing bhangra he asked. If this was Channi’s talking point in a TV event, Sidhu cornered Kejriwal by leading a protest of Delhi temporary teachers outside his residence in Delhi. The dharna was to apparently puncture AAP chief’s campaign point in Punjab where he is offering a whole lot of freebies — from offering Rs 1,000 to every woman in a household to free power to ideal government schools. Did Channi and Sidhu coordinate their effort to corner Kejriwal? Of course not. There is still no theme that binds the Congress in Punjab. Channi is found playing his caste card; and it has begun to worry party men.
Five years have passed by since the iron lady, Queen of quirk and TN‘s high voltage icon, late J Jayalalithaa died under mysterious circumstances. With all the state machinery and sleuthing strength at its command, this state is still floundering to unravel how and why she died. Claimants to her throne and her party are numerous. Whatever her alleged dark side of corruption, megalomania and unbridled arrogance, Jayalalithaa could not name a successor. On December 5, there were three distinct gatherings wanting to pay homage at her memorial on the Marina Beach, needless to add, each group assuming that they were the true inheritors of her legacy. Knowing the potential for a tinder box confrontation, the DMK government allotted three distinct time slots for each group. The first batch of the conjoined twins EPS and OPS, in different mourning shades of attire paid homage, jostling and elbowing for vantage…optics , optics! Then came the AMMK and Sashikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran and his followers. And finally, Sashikala, shedding copious tears at the graveside of her beloved Akka. The undercurrents to keeping the party intact is well known, with powerful aspirants pressuring EPS and OPS to nurse the party out of the ICU. After “tearful tribute,” the ruling party floated an unofficial survey — Sasikala had the maximum followers! Talk of setting the cat among the pigeons.
DMK leader Kanimozhi has found her voice again. She upbraided the Centre for inequitable distribution of taxes from the central pool while pointing out that the system was blatantly unfair to southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu. Since share of taxes is linked to State population, the progressive southern States, which promoted family planning and controlled the population for five decades from the 1970s, is suffering, she said. This was an unusual outburst as the DMK has been taking the pragmatic line that it will not be openly antagonistic of the Centre. It has told leaders below the top deck to go easy on political criticism and stick to elaborating any charge with facts and figures. Even in Parliament, the DMK, while being very much part of the UPA alliance led by the Congress, has been playing it soft. During the ruckus that saw Congress take on the ruling party in Parliament in the winter session, the DMK was not unduly demonstrative but joined the walkout whenever the alliance required it. Unlike the TRS MPs who were prominent in the well of the House, DMK members were content to stay seated while scoring debating points. Kani’s criticism does of course follow the release of the findings of the national family survey which proves the point about fertility rate and fall in population in the South.
With the Government restoring Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) just ahead of the Winter Session there should not have been much trouble with MPs. Yet unbelievably, the imbroglio over suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs has spilled into the second week. Ideally, such an issue or any issue with the Chair gets sorted within a day or two. However, the Opposition now seems determined to prolong it as it is in no mood to tender an apology for its unruly behaviour on the floor of the House during monsoon session (August 11). “We are not Savarkars to apologise. It is not in our culture to write letters of apology,” says CPI leader Binoy Viswom, echoing an anti-BJP narrative that insults the memory of the freedom fighter revered by millions. His view is shared by a section in the Congress too, including Rahul Gandhi. Chairman M Venkiah Naidu who has held several rounds of meetings with leaders is ready to revoke his order but says MPs have to express regret. Suspended MPs are hoping Naidu will respond to Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement in the House and let them off. And that’s not possible. As for suspended MPs Priyanka Chaturvedi and Shashi Tharoor, in solidarity, quitting from Sansad TV shows, it doesn’t make business or political sense: Their TV shows were after all a professional commitment.
Cracks have surfaced in the Maharashtra BJP unit as the insiders claim that the Modi-Shah duo is displeased with the functioning of LoP Devendra Fadnavis and state unit chief Chandrakant Patil. Both were in Delhi last week and had separately met home minister Amit Shah. The senior leadership is not happy over state BJP’s failure to effectively project the Centre’s slew of programmes, including 100 crore vaccinations. They were also not happy over leaders issuing new deadlines for the collapse of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government without giving any concrete plans. The message was loud and clear focus on further strengthening the party while communicating about the Centre’s achievements and MVA’s failures to the voters. Mere talk of the fall of the MVA government will not be acceptable. The leadership is also displeased over the neglect of old-timers and party loyalists while giving importance to a select few, especially those who have migrated from Congress and NCP. The appointment of Vinod Tawde, who was denied a ticket in the 2019 assembly election as the General Secretary, and nomination of former minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule for state council election, are important decisions taken by Delhi to checkmate Fadnavis, in particular, with a signal that he will have to change his style of functioning by taking everybody together.
Two ministers stand out in tackling the Opposition on the floor of the House — Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotirditya Scindia. Shekhawat, who piloted the Dam Safety Bill, 2021 in the Rajya Sabha, faced grim reminders that the Bill could be a repeat of Farm Laws. Not only did he stand his ground but reminded the Opposition that as he spoke 42 dams had collapsed because of lack of action on part of lawmakers. The Bill has been hanging fire for a decade. On the National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), Shekhawat made it clear the idea of limiting the number of member states to 7 on the 21 panel was a proposal drawn from the Standing Committee headed by late Congress leader Tarun Gogoi. It was the Gogoi report that didn’t want more states on the panels. As for Scindia, he effectively tackled Congress and DMK leaders who teased him for speaking only in Hindi. DMK leader TR Baalu wondered why the Civil Aviation Minister who was fluent in English was not speaking the language. Baalu was joined by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary. To which Scindia replied: “I would be more than happy to reply in English. I am always available for you Baalu sahab in every language that I know; I am at your service.”
At 55, J Radhakrishnan looks boyish, sartorially subdued and elegant; easily the poster boy for an IAS officer, mission driven and motivated. As Tamil Nadu’s Principal Secretary of Health & Family Welfare since 2020 with the previous AIADMK regime, it is easy to see why the DMK dispensation kept him on. Though he seems a bit frosty, his role in coordinating and controlling Covid-19 pandemic has earned him the respect and admiration of both mantrijis and aam aadmi. With no flamboyance in his work, Mr Cool ticks boxes effectively when it comes to challenges Corona has thrown up. No wonder Chief Minister MK Stalin and Health Minister M Subramaniam take his ability for granted and expect him to deliver. The Vax drive in this state had the stamp of system driven efficiency. So, when the new Omicron scare struck it was decided to check all TN airports. It is learnt both mantriji and Babu set off to Madurai airport. As the convoy was pulling out, Radhakrishnan’s car rammed into the airport’s wall, damaging his car. Radhakrishnan just got out of the car, and told the cringing driver, “Anna, don’t worry, we will take care,” a response typical of a man who faces adversities with equanimity. He reported the accident at a local police station, and then drove on to Tiruchirappalli airport. Covid-19, Delta, Omicron…TN is in capable hands.
Goa Forward Party chief Vijay Sardesai was all gung ho about his one-on-one meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He had every reason to be. That is because his trip to Delhi not only established his equations with the Congress high command but also helped him take a swipe at the TMC which had poached his party functionary. In a slap to the TMC, Sardesai snitched an independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar from South Goa backing the TMC and brought him to Delhi. The TMC was naturally livid with Sardesai’s Delhi visit and his pact with the Congress. It took to social media to attack him. Of course, on his return to Panaji, Sardesai found his gains were short-lived. His third MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar had shifted to the BJP. It was felt Salgaonkar, who was a businessman and belonged to North Goa, may have been under pressure to switch to the BJP. At the national level, the BJP has been making new acquisitions. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a close associate of the Badals, joined the party. Belonging to Haryana, Sirsa is a prominent Delhi gurudwara leader.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is in a hurry to finalise the district expansion plans, from the present 13 to 26. He has asked his key Secretaries and MPs to lobby with the Home Ministry to seek approval to go ahead with District Bifurcation plans immediately since there was an earlier directive that bifurcation can be done only after completion of Census 2021. Fortunately for Jagan, because of Covid-19, the census process has not yet started. He is keen to complete the district’s reorganization process before the census begins. And of course, nobody will complain as he enjoys a good rapport with BJP. What is the real objective for pushing and implementing district expansion? Is it to bring administration closer to people? Or is it to empower Zilla Parishad, Panchayati Samiti? The real reason is the need to meet electioneering promises and the potential to get additional funds from the Centre and create employment opportunities. Jagan and his bureaucracy are eyeing the benefits from district specific central government funding, particularly the backward districts which will become growth centres and the opportunity of participation in district specific schemes, creating better service delivery and solving administrative and governance issues. Also, a boom in land prices and new job opportunities are attractive factors, as AP has the second-highest density per district population after West Bengal.
Even though Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided not to visit regularly or call up 10 Janpath, she is keen to only meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar and seek his advice for the formation of a possible non-BJP front. She will meet Pawar on Wednesday (Dec 1) at the latter’s Silver Oak residence in Mumbai. Insiders from both parties said Pawar and Banerjee – with friends in various parties – can build up a front to take on BJP in the 2024 elections. However, Pawar has always been insisting that such a front won’t work without Congress. Pawar has already sent feelers to a few Congress leaders who have sent a positive signal but everything depends on the trio in the party – Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka. Mamata is perturbed over Rahul not wishing her immediately after her record victory though Rahul later tweeted. They in turn are upset that TMC kept out of the opposition parties’ meet. It is learned that Pawar may organize a meeting between Mamata and Rahul at his 6 Janpath residence in New Delhi which is the new power centre for opposition unity. A senior Congress leader opines if Pawar is personally involved then Sonia may climb down. Interestingly, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray has declined to meet Didi. Now people are reading between the lines.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Opposition just does not know when it is going to lose the narrative. While the Opposition was planning to box in Modi, the PM caught the Opposition by surprise. First, he announced a roll-back of the three “contentious” farm laws on November 19. And 10 days later, on the first day of Winter Session of Parliament, 12 MPs in the Rajya Sabha from Opposition benches were suspended. Congress leaders privately admit that they were completely caught unaware that the Rajya Sabha Chair would penalise members for their unruly behaviour on the last day of Monsoon Session. “By reducing our bench strength, Modi has effectively shifted our goal post, Instead of discussing farmer issues, we are now discussing our issues,” rues Nasir Hussain, a suspended Congress MP from Karnataka. Rajya Sabha Chairman Naidu made it clear that there was no question of ignoring what happened on the last day of the Monsoon Session and the House was a continuous one. As for suspension of MPs, he said it could not be ignored that they were from the list of 33 people who had been named for their misconduct on August 11. Members were given an opportunity to explain their conduct and apologise. Instead of apology the Opposition has opted for confrontation with the Chair. No one wins here, only the Chair in Rajya Sabha does.
It is not exactly the House of Windsor with Prince Charles waiting in the wings for a long time to sit on that throne. Worldwide wagers don’t bet on his getting it soon. But hope floats. Compared to this, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son, heir imminent, Secretary of the DMK Youth Wing, cinema star, and MLA is on velvet… royal maroon, with gold trimmings. And why not? How many political dynastic heirs have the good fortune to inherit a whole ideological political party evolved over 70 years, a huge party apparatus, fan following, and be known as one of the wealthiest political scions? On November 27, he turned 44 and his party functionaries went overboard wishing him, sycophantic greetings dripping with Tamil eloquence. Amidst all this cacophony, silently, mother Durga Stalin has been relentlessly demanding Udhayanidhi’s elevation to the cabinet and an open claim to take over from Stalin, who has evaded a snap decision. There are a few other family claimants to TN leadership; Stalin’s elder brother MK Alagiri, whose talent for stirring up trouble is well known, his half-sister K Kanimozhi, an MP with acknowledged ambitions and acumen; late Karunanidhis, other not so well-known sons and their progeny. What if a palace coup were to upset the status quo, after DMK has managed to wrest TN after 10 long years?
For Andhra Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Telugu state is still at a crossroads. The three capital initiatives — Amaravati-Vishakhapatnam-Kurnool — which is the cornerstone of his political policy has hit roadblocks as hundreds of farmers in Amaravati moved the High Court contesting Jagan’s South African style initiative. He was forced to backtrack. This means Amaravati will be the working capital until the AP government postulates its new comprehensive Bill. For Jagan Mohan Reddy, his massive electoral victory in 2019 has not translated into improved governance, shoring up revenues, attracting big-ticket manufacturing investment, and creating more jobs in the state. Instead, his priority and focus have been to reverse the policies of the previous TDP government-led Chandra Babu Naidu. Reddy, says insiders, are spending more time crushing erstwhile political opponents, targeting non-complying bureaucrats and constitutional functionaries, and continuing populist dole out measures without sufficient financial backup. In the first half of 2021-22, Andhra Pradesh’s revenue deficit soared by 663% while the fiscal deficit was up by 108%. Half of the government earnings has been directed towards freebies schemes, subsidies, bills, salaries, pensions, etc. The writing is on the wall: Andhra Pradesh desperately needs to shore up revenue and attract big-ticket investments to put its economy back on track. Can it?
After Rae Bareli Congress MLA Aditi Singh defected and joined the BJP last week, many wonder if her husband Angad Singh, who is a Congress MLA in Punjab (NawanShahr Assembly Seat) would be spared by the party leadership. It is quite possible that Congress may not renominate Angad as a party candidate. But then, Aditi and Angad may not be the only couple who would be at the receiving end of the party high command’s ire. Last week the Gandhis went all out to embarrass Perneet Kaur, Patiala Lok Sabha MP, and the wife of Capt Amarinder Singh. A show-cause notice was issued to her for publicly stating that she stands with her husband. The notice was issued by Punjab in-charge Harish Choudhary. Normally, notices to MPs are sent out by the AICC. Punjab Congress leaders are amused that the Gandhis should be more worried about Capt Amarinder Singh forming a party than take action against former minister and Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari who went all out to damage the UPA government with his book or Salman Khurshid who posed a lot of problems for the party with his book. In his book, Tewari laid bare how the UPA government had not acted strongly enough post 26/11.
When the late J Jayalalithaa and her mother, actor Sandhya bought this 24,000 sq ft sprawling property in tony Poes Garden in 1967 for Rs 1.32 lakh to build their luxurious home 81, Veda Nilayam, little did they imagine what controversies and intrigues it would churn up. This CM’s residence quickly became the epicentre of TN‘s destiny and the course of its history after her election as the leader of AIADMK and the CM. Her blood relatives, niece Deepa and nephew Deepak, children of JJ’s brother late Jayakumar were overwhelmed by the cunning attempts to usurp all that JJ owned, including her power and mass popularity by imposter claimants who had wormed their way into her bungalow and hijacked her life. Why didn’t Amma leave a will? Edappadi Palanisamy, successor to Jayalalithaa stunned everybody by issuing a government gazette order proclaiming the bungalow as a museum memorial that the public could visit and view. But her niece and nephews had immense faith in the law of the land. In a dramatic move, the Madras High Court has struck down the validity of the government acquisition turning it into a memorial. Jaya’s house would go to her bloodline heirs. Just goes to show many a shady plan of mice and men being torpedoed by law.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has completed two years in office, yet the three alliance partners Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress have to keep reiterating that their government is strong and stable, and BJP won’t be able to carry out Operation Lotus to come back to power. It may be recalled that BJP made several attempts to dethrone the current MVA government but failed miserably. The latest update on this one is Union Minister Narayan Rane’s statement that the MVA government “will fall” by March 2022. Meanwhile, sources say that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, currently recovering from spine operations, has not been able to yoke his MVA cabinet colleagues and leaders who are busy talking to the media to push their agenda. Some bureaucrats and leaders are complaining that Thackeray’s style of functioning is leading to delay in decision making. What is missing is a direct connection that is allowing BJP to attack the government for lack of coordination and delays in the implementation of decisions that have already been cleared by the cabinet. They are also complaining about his overreliance on a few bureaucrats. But, when it comes to his own party Shiv Sena, Thackeray has a firm grip and those talking in the media or leaking stories have been sidelined. But, in the end, everybody is asking how will Sena fare under Thackeray at the BMC polls and state elections? Only time will tell.
The NCP Chief Spokesman and Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik continues his tirade against Narcotics Control Bureau vis a vis Sameer Wankhede, widely hailed as an upright officer. Interestingly, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, who has been an architect of the MVA government, has openly hailed Malik for his revelations and announced that NCP and MVA government, in general, are prepared to take on BJP and the central probe agencies despite their attempts to corner the MVA leaders. But the real problem facing the MVA government is on the economic front. The coronavirus pandemic has severely impacted the government’s functioning and finances. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will have to swing into action by taking his ministers on board for the revival of the economy and placing a slew of development and welfare projects on a fast track. Ahead of elections to civic and local bodies especially BMC, Thackeray will have to sort out the politically crucial issue of alliance or go solo to take on BJP. The victory in BMC will consolidate Thackeray’s position in MVA and also send a signal to BJP that he is a fighter and there are no chances of a reunion with them.
The recent communal flare up witnessed in Amravati, Malegaon and Aurangabad in Maharashtra over data cooked up online of desecration of a religious place of prayer, should not have occurred, says Maharashtra’s former additional Chief Secretary (Home) Chitkala Zutshi. A senior retired bureaucrat says when actionable intelligence was available it was fairly simple to pre-empt the violence witnessed on November 12-13 this year. Ideally, the State’s cyber intelligence hi-tech department should have sounded the red alert after virulent posts were shared just days before the violence occurred. So, was this a deliberate instance of sitting pretty on hard intelligence? “Nothing new,” says a home department official. Way back in 2004 the Maharashtra’s CM received an intelligence report on the proposed agitation against the Nanar power project in Navi Mumbai. He was advised to speak to the opposition leader so as to tame it down. Did he speak? Nobody knows. But poor Navi Mumbaikars suffered collateral losses after rioters indulged in arson gutting several cars. Ditto the Bhima Koregaon violence erupted on the 200th anniversary year during Devendra Fadnavis’ tenure. Currently under the watch of Maha Vikas Aghadi government it has happened once again. Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, has demanded “imposition of a ban on Raza Academy” for its role in recent violence; the institute was earlier accused of leading Mumbai’s Azad Maidan riots on August 11, 2012.
In Maharashtra’s political arena it is raining Rs 100-crore defamation suits. State Transport Minister Anil Parab sought Rs 100-crore damages from BJP leader Kirit Somaiya over allegedly defamatory tweets. This was followed by former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ wife Amruta seeking damages from Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Nawab Malik for tweeting pictures of her with an alleged drug peddler. More followed. Controversial Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede’s father filed a Rs 1.25-crore defamation suit against Malik to stop daily tweets and disclosures against his son and family. Even former Chief Minister and current Revenue Minister Ashok Chavan against whom Somaiya went gun blazing told shortpost.in, “Wild allegations were levelled without consideration for facts. I will consider all legal options at an appropriate time.” This brings to fore why people file defamation suits? Is it to put pressure on the rival camps or the media? Do they yield results? Senior counsel Prakash Devdas says, “Most high profile defamation suits see no logical outcome.” Advocate Apoorv Srivastava says, “Defamation is a retrograde law. Journalists, academics, legislators, and bloggers realize lawsuits are used by corporations, businesses, and public officials to silence, intimidate and control the truth.” Truth is, while criminal defamation suits are fast-tracked, civil cases drag on for nearly 25 years. In most suits, both parties lose interest after the controversy dissipates and amicably settle out of court.
Ever since his appointment as general secretary in June this year, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has been wielding enormous clout in the party. No, it has nothing to do with him enabling his aunt Mamata Banerjee to return to power for the third time in West Bengal. Of course he is credited with hiring election strategist Prashant Kishor who enabled the TMC to overcome jinx of incumbency. But at the heart of hero-worshipping the 34-year-old Diamond Harbour MP is a deeper tale of heart-burn. Abhishek has become so powerful in the TMC, that now no one feels the need to queue up before the aunt. They feel now it is better that issues of organisation and state issues are left with bhaipo (nephew in Bengali). And the bua or pishi (aunt in Bengali) is left to handle higher, national-level goals. Yet what has upset the TMC rank and file is the manner in which Abhishek has given away Rajya Sabha seats from Bengal to outsiders — like Sushmita Dev and former Goa CM Luizhno Faleiro. While many don’t grudge Sushmita who hails from Assam as she speaks Bengali, Faliero being rewarded with RS berth, has not gone down too well. Faleiro was entrusted with responsibility of spreading the TMC in Goa and doesn’t seem to have delivered much on ground.
Latest news wafting from east India is that the Chief Ministers of Odisha Naveen Patnaik and Andhra Pradesh (AP) YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met to settle the inter-state boundary dispute that has been simmering for over six decades now. The bone of contention seems to be the Kotia Panchayat. AP is already in physical possession of Odisha territory in Kotia Panchayat by holding rural elections. In the case of Odisha, it is trying to find solutions by acceding 106 acres of its land to make AP Srikakulam District Dam projects viable. It is learnt that the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is mediating between the two Chief Ministers to work out an amicable settlement. In a way, Patnaik eyeing the next election, has perhaps understood that time has come not only to redress his own failure in not being able to resolve the border dispute related to Kotia tribal pockets in Koraput district but also follow Supreme Court’s directive that the border dispute should be solved through mutual discussions between two states. For Jagan Reddy the initiative to meet Patnaik in Bhubaneswar was only to ensure completion of Neradi barrage project. However, the Odisha’s opposition leaders feel it is a lost case as far as Kotia is concerned as AP after conducting elections has renamed three villages, elevated them to panchayat level and merged it with Salur block in Vizianagaram.
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Editor’s Note: Short Post Noticed By People Who Matter
Four years have zipped by and we are crossing another milestone on 31st January 2025 – it’s our 4th Anniversary. It feels good.
Looking back at the 1460 days, I must say Short Post has made its mark with people who matter via 4000 stories published in the areas of politics, business, entertainment and sports. All made possible by the unflinching commitment and dedication of our senior editors, most of whom have been part of this journey from Day One.
Small pack, big impact is in essence the story of Short Post which was launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. It shows our conviction. In all humility, I can say, we have created a new niche in the news segment space like Hindustan Unilever which created a new segment, when it launched CloseUp Gel.
Yes, we have created a brand (in a limited sense), created demand (readers) and created supply (senior journalists). But we are facing teething problems like all start-ups. What makes us happy and confident is the recognition of our efforts. For instance, we have an arrangement with the OPEN Magazine, part of the $4.5 billion Kolkata-based Sanjiv Goenka-RPG Group. This arrangement sees around 10 Short Post stories posted on OPEN Magazine website every week. This arrangement is testimony that our content has been well received! Also, I may add that the Maharashtra government has recognised Short Post and has allowed our senior editor to cover the Assembly sessions. Ditto: Odisha.
Our goal is to ensure that Short Post becomes a habit. I would like people to keep checking their smartphones to know the latest Authentic Gossip. As regards AI and the fear of it disrupting all businesses including media. On that, personally, I have no such fear as I am confident AI cannot smell news particularly Authentic Gossip. That’s the place we are well entrenched.