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Mohammed Siraj is an aggressive fast medium bowler and an ambitious cricketer. He thrives on needle contests, and on occasions gives an impression that he doesn’t want to play second fiddle to anyone. In recent times, India’s new ball operators have been the compelling Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, but many a time, Siraj has got the opportunity to share the SG Test, Kookaburra or the Dukes ball with Bumrah. In the ongoing second Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham though, and in the absence of Bumrah, he was the spearhead. He gave a rip-roaring performance taking 6 for 70 in 19.3 overs. It was the 43rd instance of an Indian seamer taking 6 wickets and more, and 27th overseas. On the third day morning he had dispatched Joe Root who nicked an on-side deflection to the keeper and then surprised Ben Stokes with a lifter. And taking the second new ball after 80 overs and after a leather-hunt by Jamie Smith (184 not out) and Harry Brooks (158), Siraj mopped up the tail to hasten England’s first innings to an end. Siraj’s best effort though is a 6 for 15 in the first innings of the second Test against South Africa at Cape Town in the first week of January 2024 and won the Test for India. With 102 wickets before the start of the series in Old Blighty, Siraj who has missed 10 Tests after his debut — he knew that he will have to bear the burden with Bumrah to miss two Tests — rose to the occasion to give his team a sizable first innings lead. Whatever may be the outcome of the Edgbaston, Siraj showed the inclination to bend his back!
The BJP has appointed Kolkata-centric and RSS-backed Samik Bhattacharya as the president of its West Bengal unit, marking a strategic departure from its previous leadership patterns. Bhattacharya, known for his clean image and strong ties with party stalwarts including outgoing state president and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar, LoP Suvendu Adhikari, and even sidelined party veteran Dilip Ghosh, is seen as the party’s attempt to build cohesion ahead of the crucial 2026 assembly polls. Political observers suggest this move is also a subtle endorsement of Adhikari as BJP’s projected face against chief minister Mamata Banerjee. With smooth coordination between Bhattacharya and Adhikari—both sharing a cordial rapport—the party aims to enter the electoral battlefield with a unified front. Sources indicate Bhattacharya’s urban, middle-class image could help the BJP strengthen its hold in key regions like Greater Kolkata and Durgapur. His long standing role as BJP spokesperson, with consistent media engagement, has lent him the acceptability required for a high-visibility opposition leader—a trait Suvendu is often criticised for lacking. His rise, however, comes after years of inner-party marginalization, reportedly due to both electoral surprises and internal resistance. Despite winning the 2014 bypoll in Basirhat South and staying loyal through political highs and lows, Bhattacharya was never fully empowered—possibly due to his independent success unsettling the power structure. His elevation comes amidst the BJP’s acknowledgment of the “Kolkata factor.” After successive non-Kolkata-based leaders like Dilip Ghosh and Sukanta Majumdar, the party now bets on the historical trend where successful state leaders like Jyoti Basu, Didi and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee all had strong urban roots. Now a Rajya Sabha MP, Bhattacharya has sounded the election bugle stating that this election is Bengal’s final chance to stop brain drain and save the identity of Hindu...
From facing throwdowns from farmhands as a kid to making two centuries in two Tests as Team India captain in England is a great journey already for someone who is just 25 years old. His dad Lakhwinder Singh who used to reward the farm boys if they got his son out says now that he saw Gill bat at Edgbaston like in his Under-16 and Under-19 days. Gill himself explained all the facets of his thinking in preparation for England by getting red ball practice during the IPL and getting his mind ready to last hours at the crease in Test cricket. A Test double hundred in England has come only once in 23 years since Gavaskar’s 221 at The Oval in 1979, Rahul Dravid’s 217 at the same ground in 2002 and now Shubman Gill 269 in Birmingham. But the most remarkable thing apart from statistical achievements like the highest ever score by an Indian captain, Shubman Gill’s knock has been rated one of the most flawless innings since CricViz began recording stats on false shot percentages in 2006. In 19 years, not too many innings may have attained the perfection rating above the 95.3% that Gill recorded in his 269 that ended with a pull straight to short square leg. Not even England run-getting legends like Alastair Cook and Joe Root ever attained perfection like this in their gigantic run making in England. “In this series, I tried to go back to my basics. I tried to bat like I used to in my childhood…” He also went on to say that he stopped enjoying his batting because he became so focussed on making runs and lasting long enough to stave off any late order collapse. With this innings, Gill has not just made history but also showed modern batsmen the way to bat in Test cricket.
Despite much excitement and buoyancy among the cadres and the average Marathi manoos about the reunion of the Thackeray brothers — Raj and Uddhav — after two decades, the road ahead seems far from smooth. Though the Thackeray brothers are yet to announce anything concrete, talking more in cryptic clues and hints, how they manage their seats adjustments will determine the future of the political breakthrough. Even if a political reunion does get announced, as is expected at their joint victory rally on July 5, ironing out the creases may not be a smooth affair. For starters, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) could be uncomfortable with the entry of Raj Thackeray. While the Congress may have warmed up and collaborated with the sober Uddhav Thackeray wing of the Shiv Sena, joining hands with the strident Raj Thackeray of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena could prove a difficult pill to swallow for them. Particularly with Bihar elections on the anvil, enlisting Raj in the opposition coalition MVA could prove difficult. Prithviraj Chavan, the party’s senior leader has already stated that they would deal only with Uddhav vis-a-vis their alliance. Be it about his anti-migrants stance or about loudspeakers in mosques, Raj Thackeray has refused to break bread or make conciliatory notes towards North Indians or the Muslim community. Uddhav’s Sena, on the other hand, has successfully earned sizable political dividends in the last 2024 assembly elections thanks to his outreach towards the Muslim community. Of the 20 seats won by Uddhav, 10 of them were from Mumbai, particularly its Muslim dominated constituencies like Jogeshwari (E), Bandra (E), Versova and Mahim. While visuals of their cadres from Sena and MNS dining together may make for great photo op, the actual give and take of seats particularly in the Marathi-dominated belt, will determine how this plays out on the ground.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has proved his worth and weight on numerous fronts in these past four years. Even though it is easy to pass it off as osmosis by being trained by the political Machiavelli, dad Karunanidhi, he has honed his skills and political instincts by using every trick in the trade. Most significantly, he has been able to stand up to a powerful central government and find his own resolutions to problems. Not that charges of corruption, dynastic polity and Tamil isolationist fervour have not been thrown at him. But he has developed into a powerful leader who projects his state at every chance …and of course showcases himself. So when he showed up in the higher middle class neighbourhood of Chennai’s Alwarpet on July 3 with a clarion call “Oranyil Tamil Nadu” (TN in one formation), people were impressed. All the more when he asked leading questions …do you think the doles of my government should be continued? How is our government, what did you gain? Should we protect our “Mann, Mozhi, Manam” (our land, language, identity) at any cost? The speed brakes on our educational system, unjustified delimitation, our share of the country’s finances …should we protect our rights or blindly accept? His ministerial colleagues and all regional functionaries have been instructed to do this door-to-door feedback/survey for 45 days. Meanwhile, the Opposition parties are still getting their alliance act together. Will it be the hare and tortoise race or the early bird gets the worm case?
After 65 years, this tractor company will be a fully Indian organization. Chennai-based Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd. (TAFE) will buy out its partner AGCO Corporation of the U.S. in the company. The American firm has 20.7% in TAFE. This will be bought for a consideration of $260 million. The two were engaged in a legal fight over Massey Ferguson brand. The two have now hammered out a comprehensive out-of-court settlement that is sure to bring the curtain down on the spat between the two. Though TAFE holds 16.3% in AGCO, it has decided to stay out of the board and remain a long-term investor. Significantly enough, this comprehensive agreement confirms TAFE as the sole owner of the iconic Massey Ferguson brand in India and two other countries. Two things emerge out of this agreement. For one, it makes TAFE a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Amalgamation group, a 100% Indian firm at that. For another, the decision to stay out of AGCO board gives TAFE the leeway to chart its own business strategy in the international marketplace. Well, the agreement should do a world of good to both TAFE and AGCO.
After the first Test reverse in Headingley, Leeds, the Indian think tank would have mulled over a lot about the ways to take 20 wickets in order to level the series quickly in the second Test in Edgbaston, Birmingham. It’s not going to be easy at all with Jasprit Bumrah not having taken the call to take the field or not. India’s seasoned campaigner Mohammed Siraj is likely to lead the attack and the support staff led by Head Coach Gautam Gambhir would like the sprightly Hyderabadi to up his display with the ball by a few notches and take wickets. Prasidh Krishna conceded over 200 runs at Leeds and that’s hell of a lot. Allrounder Shardul Thakur was of no use and his place is likely to be taken by the left arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. It’s not known if the team management will gamble picking left arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, who has the ability to swing the ball, but he doesn’t have to speed to unnerve the batters. It’s a five Test series, and India has to bounce back before the third Test at Lord’s which inspires cricketers the world over. A bowling combination in Bumrah (5 scalps in the first innings of the first Test), Siraj, Krishna, Thakur and left hand spinner Ravindra Jadeja did not click and took only 15 English wickets and lost the Test in the land of Freddie Trueman and Geoffrey Boycott, but a slight tweak in the bowling set and with a bit of luck, Gill’s team would be hoping to turn the tide.
It’s now an embarrassing moment for the Odisha government’s Principal Finance Secretary, Saswat Mishra IAS who took a hasty decision of dropping three major private sector banks — HDFC, ICICI, Axis — from its panel of banks authorised to handle the state government’s business. And surprisingly, he chose to reverse his decision on June 21 with a clarification that no new account shall be opened henceforth by the respective banks till the banks improve their performance parameters. Many questions have been raised over Mishra’s action. Was it the pressure from Delhi that saw Mishra reversing his decision? What went wrong in the first place for Mishra to de-empanel them? The real story, sources say, is that all these three banks, listed on the stock exchanges, fearing NPAs refused to lend small ticket loans to the weaker section of the society without collaterals, citing the danger of black money routing scam and the inability of the recipients to pay back, particularly PMEGP scheme. This seems to have upset Mishra. Though his official stance is “the action on three banks were taken because of their consistently poor performance in the banks flagship schemes spread over two years”. Clued-in observers say Mishra has opted for carrot and stick policy in dealing with the banks. At the moment the three private sector banks are in a quandary as to how to protect themselves from potential NPAs without collaterals and meeting fiduciary responsibilities amidst RBI’s continued apprehension regarding the danger of unsecured lending.
Is censorship back in India, 50 years after it was first introduced during the Emergency. Modi 3.0, which boasts of strengthening constitutional principles and opposing attempts to subvert it, is arming the Indian censor board with license to change names of central characters in a feature film. The Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Tourism, Suresh Gopi’s first film, after becoming a minister, has run into rough weather following its title. The Malayalam movie, Janaki Vs State of Kerala (JSK), which was cleared by the local censor’s in Thiruvananthapuram a month back, has hit a roadblock at the hands of the revision committee. The committee, which previewed the movie in Mumbai, has suggested that the name of the titular character, Janaki be changed to get a certification. The CBFC revising committee has verbally informed the makers of the film to change the name of the titular character, as Janaki is another name of Goddess Sita. The producer of the film moved the Kerala High Court as they are unable to comply with the orders of the CBFC. The court has questioned the basis for CBFC order when movies like Seeta Aur Geeta, Ram Lakhan had no problems. The name Janaki is mentioned over 90 times throughout the film thereby making it impractical to change things. In fact, the trailers of the movie, cleared by the Thiruvananthapuram-based board, have been running at the theatres, TV screens etc for close to a month. Meanwhile, the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) has announced a protest march to the local Censor board office in Thiruvananthapuram. Interestingly, the name change is not a new issue in the Kerala film industry. Earlier, the film, Token Number, was cleared for release only after the female character’s name was changed from Janaki to Jayanthi.
Researchers TS Karthy and GV Gopi at the WildLife Institute of India (WLII) have slammed the Odisha government for its greed to turn chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s home district Anugul into a coal mining hub. They have urged the state government to reconsider their business decision as it will squeeze elephants out of its habitat. They say, ensuring Odisha elephants survival is important to WLII because Odisha holds the highest number of Asian elephants in the east central region of India numbering about 1,976. Anugul, CM’s home district accounts for 20% of India’s coal reserve and Majhi’s interest is to revive the closed coal mines to bring in employment and revenue to his government. This possibility has now set the alarm bells ringing at WLII asking how coal mines and elephants will cohabit together? WLII’s two researchers say “if the Majhi government green lights all the inactive coal mines into operation at Anugul, it would mean destruction of 390 sq km of forest in the protected area which is already hindering the movements of the elephants.
The new dispensation at Tamil Nadu headed by MK Stalin has unveiled first of its kind, exclusive budget for agriculture to transform the state’s farmers. A resounding electoral win, wresting power after 10 long years, a think tank cabinet of intellectuals, a White Paper on the abysmal state of the TN coffers (a timely disclaimer in case promises can’t be met), a budget that tries to put both revenue and deficit in perspective…. no wonder Stalin has raised expectations. This exclusive agricultural budget has a slew of schemes that could transform TN’s agriculture sector over next 10 years. If implemented, it could give the state a distinct identity. It envisages value addition for farm products, millets to be procured at better prices, incentives to sugarcane farming. The most striking aspect is the importance given to organic farming by creating a separate department for integrated push to take up organic farming. Another ambitious plan is to convert 11.75 hectares of fallow land to cultivable land, an increase from 60% to 75%. The scheme to give a solar powered pump set has been lauded. Above all, the scheme is focusing on training farmers to meet value added market demand as Agri Entrepreneurs. Clearly, Stalin’s agrarian focused approach could be the answer to what successive Tamil Nadu’s government was looking for a long time now.
The Income Tax Department lost the Vodafone case because it didn’t contest well in the Supreme Court, held the lawmakers. And to address this, the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee introduced the retrospective tax in the Income-tax Act in 2012, though he was not happy with the decision when he understood the implications. (Vodafone was asked to pay $3.79 billion, including $2 billion in tax, interest and penalties – a claim called incorrect by an international arbitration tribunal). The retrospective tax is gone, but its ghost may remain. Seasoned observers say the decision to do away with the controversial tax provision is purely a political one. The Central Board of Direct Taxes officials maintain that income arising out of the sale of assets on Indian soil must be taxed in India, and they will keep doing so. Now that the I-T provision is gone, it would be interesting to see how the existing cases are handled by the taxmen. The Income-tax Act is a powerful piece of legislation that gives the tax department immense powers to deal with any case in the way it wants, if it is decided at the top level of the Board. The companies involved in the retrospective tax cases may feel happy that the provision has been quashed, but they should wait for some more time before it turns out to be a final respite.
You may love him or hate him but you can hardly ignore him. That is the message Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh may have learnt from his long running feud with the cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu. The maverick opener’s innings as politician has transformed into a formidable presence from a quiet beginning much like his cricket career in which he was dubbed the “Strokeless Wonder” before he trained himself to become “Sixer Sidhu.” Debuting in the World Cup 1987 in Chennai, he thrashed the defending Aussies for an explosive 73, studded with five sixes. This was followed by three consecutive half centuries, all marked by the big hits that have become the staple of white ball cricket today. Having called truce in the war for Punjab Congress turf, the Gandhis are still seen encouraging younger Sidhu, 57, against Captain, 79, though the latter was the powerful regional chieftain who brought them to power in a big state. Sidhu’s threat of leaving for the AAP seems to have rattled the younger Gandhis who backed him to the hilt against the stalwart CM. Now Captain is scurrying to New Delhi to complain once again that Sidhu is still baiting him in public even after he had conceded ground to allow Sidhu to become the Congress Committee chief in Punjab. Truth is Sidhu will never tire of speaking.
The story of the rise and fall of one of the most powerful Democrats of the USA might culminate in his impeachment as Governor of New York: Andrew Cuomo is also facing possible criminal charges that he sexually harassed 11 women. Once married to Robert Kennedy’s daughter Kerry, with whom he had three daughters, Andrew, son of Mario, a three-time New York Governor, was once seen as a possible replacement for Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for President. At the height of the pandemic last year, a staggering 60 million used to tune into his daily briefings on the Covid outbreak as he promised leadership in the crisis. He won an Emmy and a book deal and had the admiration of half the nation until the women emerged with horror stories of work inside a toxic Governor’s office environment. Cuomo is now under threat of becoming a poster boy for reviving #MeToo movement. Cuomo says his actions had been misconstrued, his words misunderstood. He said it was cultural: He hugs, he kisses, he says, “Ciao, bella.” He said it was generational: Sometimes he lapses into “honey” or “sweetheart” or tells bad jokes. Now even President Joe Biden is calling for his head as the 63-year-old went from hero to zero with a speed only ultra-ambitious politicians suffer.
The growing proximity between Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has surprised not only the traditional Congress leaders but also Shiv Sena’s erstwhile ally BJP. Both Sena and Congress are keen to further consolidate their ties not just for the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections but also for the forthcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Despite BJP’s Mission 2022 and resentment from Mumbaikars on a couple of issues, Shiv Sena is hopeful of retaining power in BMC and for that it needs Congress and NCP by its sides to lure non-Marathi speaking voters. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi have been regularly interacting over phone but Raut has directly opened channels with Rahul and thereby has sent signal to the Maharashtra Congress leaders to fall in line and stop ”going solo” talk. Raut who was part of the core team that saw the formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi gave Rahul a complete run down as to how Sena functions. An impressed Rahul is likely to visit Maharashtra soon and meet up with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Essentially, Sena is sending a message to BJP that even as it hobnobs with Congress it is not moving away from its Hindutva and Marathi Manoos agenda. Political analysts see this high profile meeting as optics and say nothing concrete will emerge until NCP supremo Sharad Pawar takes a lead.
Two years ago, on August 5, 2019, the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a bold decision to revoke Article 370 that granted special status to J&K. As expected, two well-entrenched political parties/ families of J&K – National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party raised hue and cry and not surprisingly Pakistan also joined the chorus. But Modi soldiered on. Now, the government is talking about holding elections and restoring statehood status for J&K, among other things. But the moot point is: When will you allow the five lakh Kashmiris driven out by ethnic cleansing to return? That’s the question BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy asked Hasnain Masoodi of National Conference at NewsX Roundtable Debate. Dr Swamy said that post 370 the situation at the ground level has improved but the local leaders (read pro Islamists) have not expressed any apology nor regret over the biggest genocide. “Five lakh Hindus were driven out and nobody from the valley has shown any sympathy.” He called for a new strategy: Modi government should seek the withdrawal of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s petition that sought UN intervention in Kashmir. He added: the petition is illegal as it has been filed by Nehru without cabinet approval. And his parting shot was that the all-party meeting on J&K chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi could have been avoided.
Voices of disapproval and social media whining were heard after the grand Centenary celebration of the TN Legislature on August 2. There were murmurs of protest as political leaders felt that the Chief Minister MK Stalin had turned the event into DMK, and first family affair. Five time chief minister M Karunanidhi’s portrait was unveiled by President Ram Nath Kovind. But was this august assembly which had enacted many far-reaching laws and transformed Tamil Nadu was presided over only by Karunanidhi? What about the great Savant C Rajagopalachari or Karmaveer K Kamaraj who brought the highest principles of ethical governance to this assembly? CN Annadurai who inspired Karunanidhi and M Bhaktavatsalam, an erudite politician who was CM? What about MGR, the darling of millions who popularised the concept of mid-day meal schemes in schools? The precursor to this Assembly was the Justice Party, which at least got its due as the new Finance Minister P Thiaga Rajan could bask in the glory of his grandfather PT Rajan, one of the founders of the Justice Party. The least Stalin could have done is to have portraits of these earlier stalwarts also unveiled by the President. When public money is spent on a big event no ruling party should appropriate it. They must cut across party lines and give dues to all leaders who have built Tamil Nadu.
NCP MP Supriya Sule once said: ”My father is unpredictable.” That was experienced this week not just by his partymen but even opponents. Sule’s father and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, on the one hand, has taken up the role of bringing Opposition parties together to put up a joint front against BJP while on the other hand he met PM Narendra Modi a fortnight ago on the issue of amendments to the Banking Regulation Act. Two days ago he led a delegation to meet the newly appointed Cooperation Minister Amit Shah to draw his attention to problems plaguing the cooperative sugar industry in Maharashtra. To avoid speculation Pawar released a letter in which he had sought Shah’s appointment. Further, he has offered to help West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Khela Hobe’ call in all the states. Parallelly, he met RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. All these actions seem to have puzzled his close confidant, BJP leaders and other political leaders. Everyone is trying to decode Pawar’s actions. Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania, senior bureaucrats believe that Pawar will join hands with BJP soon and ditch Shiv Sena and Congress. Pawar’s purported meeting with Shah a couple of months ago at the residence of a leading industrialist at Ahmedabad had triggered the talk of two parties coming together. Like cricket, nobody can say until the last ball is bowled.
Seems like this Delhi-based advocate Manohar Lal Sharma loves to court controversy. He picks up controversial cases and files Public Interest Litigations (PIL) in the Supreme Court. He hit the national headlines when he appeared as a defence lawyer for one of the accused in 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. According to livelaw.in, a leading legal news portal, the Supreme Court on Thursday (August 5) pulled up serial litigant Advocate ML Sharma over the PIL filed by him seeking probe into the Pegasus snooping controversy. “Mr Sharma, except newspaper cuttings, what is there in your petition? What purpose you have filed the petition for? You want us to collect the material and argue your case? This is not the way of filing a PIL. We also read newspapers,” CJI expressed displeasure at his PIL. This is not the first time Sharma is being hauled up by the Apex Court. In August 2019, he got slap on his wrist for filing a shoddy petition challenging the August 5 Presidential Order on Article 370 on the very next day of its issuance. Likewise in May 2015, SC asked why he should not be debarred from filing and/or canvassing any Public Interest Litigation on account of the “irresponsible and scandalous allegations levelled by him” against the members of Parliament. He later apologised and was allowed to file PILs with certain checks.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s breakfast meeting with the Opposition parties barring Akali Dal, MIM, AAP and BSP to decide strategy to take on BJP-led government on Pegasus spyware snooping, farmers’ agitation and rising auto fuel prices is being looked by the participants with a lot of reservations. Some of the participants recall that similar efforts were made ahead of 2019 elections, but Opposition unity remained merely a slogan largely due to ego and prestige issues of regional parties and Congress party’s rigid stand that they are first among equals. Some of the participants argued that the Opposition unity in a bid to put up a solid front against mighty BJP and especially against Modi-Shah duo will not happen as some parties fear retributive action by central investigating agencies. However, participants were unanimous to accept one thing that Rahul is now approachable and ready to listen to them. But for how many days, how many months, is still a million dollar question. Some of the leaders who attended the meeting hoped that such meetings do not become a non-starter like in the past. They feel there should be a concrete action plan instead of breakfast meetings which are mere photo ops. Clearly, my enemy’s enemy is my friend does not fly today. You need unity and strategy.
Kamala Harris has become the most unpopular U.S vice president six months into an administration since at least the 1970s, according to polls. The disappointing numbers are worrying Democratic strategists who were hoping she would run for President in 2024. Recent polls showed only 46% of Americans approved of Kamala with 47% and 48% disapproving of her. In contrast, Joe Biden’s approval rating in a polls average is 51.3%, and disapproval 44.9%. The only recent vice president to have such poor ratings after six months was Mike Pence, but he did not have more people disapproving than approving him. Kamala’s unpopularity among young people is a source of concern to the White House. As many as 41% of young voters (18 to 29) held an unfavourable view and she is seen particularly struggling with the Hispanic voters because of her role in the U.S. border policy and her reluctance to go to the border where migrants are eternally trying to enter the USA. Ahead of midterm elections in 2023, the White House might send her on foreign visits to boost her image. Indian Americans who played a major role in getting her on to the Biden ticket and helped enable the victory of the Democrats are a worried lot now.
August 16, 1946 is mourned by millions as a day of catastrophe: Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s call for Direct Action Day in Kolkata – with the threat of ‘We shall have India divided or India destroyed’ – led to mind-numbing slaughters as bazars and homes were torched, thousands massacred. The carnage also broke the resolve of the secular leaders, who decided to buy peace by conceding to Jinnah’s demand. According to Freedom at Midnight by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins: “Mountbatten was haunted by the spectre of Direct Action Day staged in Calcutta in 1946 by the Moslem League in which 26,000 Hindus were killed in 72 hours.” The consequence of the Great Calcutta Killings should have been the arrest and trial of the perpetrators, but it ended up rewarding them: talks accelerated for the creation of West and East Pakistan, which became a nightmarish reality a year later August 14, 1947. Against this traumatic background, West Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool Congress’ idea to celebrate Khela Hobe Divas on Aug 16 is being decried as not only insensitive but also an insult to the memory of those butchered in the savage killings. For BJP Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, “Khela Hobe’ was never a poll bugle: it was always a veiled call to the cadres for unleashing stone age barbarism.” TMC has dismissed the public opprobrium as an attempt to spread hatred.
The tractor rally to Parliament House on July 26 by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi caught everyone by surprise. It left the Union Home Ministry, Arvind Kejriwal’s government and the Delhi police red faced. It was an intelligence failure. According to OpIndia.com: “The tractor was sneaked into the area in a container, secretly offloaded at the office of Congress Rajya Sabha MP KTS Tulsi at Moti Lal Nehru Marg, about one and a half kilometres away from the Parliament.” The damage was done. Senior IPS officer Balaji Srivastava who took over as the 23rd Commissioner of Delhi on June 30, 2021 was immediately replaced by Director General of Border Security Force Rakesh Asthana. Some feel it was a good excuse to remove Srivastava and replace with a loyal Asthana. A 1984-batch IPS officer from Gujarat cadre, Asthana was appointed as Delhi police chief, three days before he was to superannuate. Now, in addition to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the Kejriwal government will also have to deal with Asthana. The AAP government passed a resolution in the Assembly: “It is beyond any reasonable understanding as to why a controversial officer who was removed by this Central Government from the post of Special Director CBI in October 2018 and was not considered fit for the post of CBI director only very recently, is being imposed on Delhi Police.”
I rise in sad remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the Bengali Hindu Genocide,” Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Democratic Congresswoman, offered her prayers in the House of Representatives, putting spotlight on Pakistani Army’s 10-month reign of terror known as Operation Searchlight (started on March 25, 1971) when “2 to 3 million people were killed, over 200,000 women raped in organized rape camps, and over 10 million people displaced, most finding refuge in India.” In remembrance of the Bengali Hindu Genocide victims, Tulsi Gabbard, former U.S Congresswoman and 2020 Presidential candidate, quoted U.S Senator Ted Kennedy: “Hardest hit have been members of the Hindu community who have been robbed of their lands and shops. Systematically slaughtered.” She added: “The Islamist persecution of Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh didn’t end with Bangladesh’s Independence. That campaign continues to this day with horrific targeted attacks, murders, homes being burned down and families who continue to be forced to flee.” For many, this campaign has now reached West Bengal. The extent of the bloodlust unleashed after TMC’s spectacular poll victory over BJP has left pro-Hindu voices seething in despair. The NHRC is appalled to discover “a pernicious politico-bureaucratic-criminal nexus” behind 29 murder, 12 rape, and 940 cases of loot and arson during May 2 to June 20. The Calcutta High Court will hear the matter on August 2.
With his father BS Yediyurappa’s (BSY) aide and minister Basavaraj Bommai in the saddle, BY Vijayendra is still a force to be reckoned with as Karnataka comes under a new regime. The central BJP leadership tried its best to bring a more amenable CM in Bengaluru who would listen to New Delhi. But with elections not far away and the Lingayat factor too strong to ignore, BJP’s top brass had to compromise. Under the new dispensation too, Vijayendra will still be a powerful factor, operating from behind the scenes. BSY, the principal architect who created a foothold in the South for the BJP, had to be kept on the right side of equations despite BJP’s compulsion in not sending the party into the polls under an 80-year-old two years hence. With his non-communal approach and his inclusive vision, BSY was a tall regional chieftain who took an independent stand. Faced with rising cases after the lifting of most lockdown restrictions, Bommai has his task cut out in his State to control Covid first and then raise his sights on the elections. This is where he will be leaning on Vijayendra the most as he was the architect who brought Congress and JD(S) MLAs on board for his father to win back the State.
Time was when party and kitty group talk would debate how early a pregnant woman registered her kid for the top, uber sought after private school. Tamil Nadu has one of the best school systems in the country and only financial status decreed which school your ward would join. Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) alone runs 281 schools, with 300 private schools, some most sought after. There is this convent school in Nungambakkam where aspiring parents or proxies queue up at 4 am to get the admission forms. Such proven citadels of education enhance a CV when applying for a job. The pandemic has hit middle class families hard, what with job losses and back breaking medical bills. This year there is a 33% rise in GCC schools. Of 27,843 enrolments, 15,000 are from Private and Government-aided schools. These GCC schools are no pushover. They are SMART schools, with good infrastructure, toilets, clean water and fairly good English medium teaching. Recently a Rs 280-crore makeover plan has added more sheen. TN has always been in the forefront of education. It was first to introduce mid-day meal schemes to attract underprivileged kids and cut dropout rates. Now the GCC has just announced an innovative and inclusive strategy. Crowdfunding for further improving infrastructure and educational aids. The South leads in the most significant development index — Education.
It was BJP’s calculated decision to ask party’s poster boy and Lingayat face BS Yediyuruppa to resign as Chief Minister of Karnataka. His continuation may have led to factionalism with the opposition hurling allegations of corruption. The decision was taken after a series of meetings between the RSS and the BJP leaders, especially Home Minister Amit Shah and JP Nadda while keeping PM Narendra Modi in the loop. Even though Yediyuruppa is credited with BJP’s growth in Karnataka and its opening in south India, RSS and a section of BJP realized that this asset may become a liability ahead of the next assembly elections. Party insiders have not forgotten how the mining barons, Reddy Brothers, called the shots a few years ago and caused a major harm to the party’s image. The Parivar is clear that contractors and fixers should not be allowed to create their clout and tarnish the party’s image. Had Yediyuruppa continued, RSS feared that the party’s image may have taken a beating due to alleged links between CM’s relatives, close aides and middlemen. Ultimately the party took a call to send off Yediyuruppa honourably instead of sacking him publicly! RSS activists BL Santosh, Krishna Gopal played a major role in making a strong argument for a change. On February 1, 2021 shortpost.in published a story that hunt was on to replace BSY.
The Lingayat supremo and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyuruppa (BSY) who built up the BJP from scratch in Karnataka was ousted for the fourth time when well short of anything close to a full term, but on this occasion by his own party BJP. With his son BY Vijayendra operating as an extra constitutional authority, Yediyurappa was under pressure from critics within his party even more than the central leadership in New Delhi. Too many ministers took offence at the ‘virtual CM’ role played by his son and were bent upon using the age of 75-year rule of BJP to target BSY saying he was too old to be able to stop his son. However, BSY’s mission since making an offer to PM Modi to resign on health grounds on July 10 was to get his son into any post, at the Centre or as Deputy CM in succession plans, including those which envisage bringing a non-Lingayat as CM. The observers feel that the BJP is being held to ransom by the numerically strong (upto 17%) and influential Lingayats and their seers. With BSY being asked to associate with finding a successor, it would be interesting to see who will be the CM. It is a remarkable story for a 78-year-old who had spells of seven days, three years, three days and two years in four terms as CM.
The animosity between former Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palanisami, EPS and his deputy O Panneerselvan (OPS) seems to have intensified ever since DMK came to power. Compounding it further is the re-entry of VK Sasikala on the scene. This is why speculation is rife why both EPS and OPS headed separately to the Capital to meet the PM. There are different versions. Were they beckoned or summoned? Or did they go to complain about the vendetta raj unleashed by Chief Minister MK Stalin? The ED has raided former minister RS Vijaya Bhaskar. Another viewpoint, the duo had gone to personally handover their version of the wealth trail of DMK supremos. Finally, a vanilla version: the pair were to appraise the PM about vaccine shortage, the NEET issue, Mekedatu dam problem and other issues. This unscheduled trip seems straight out of the Panchatantra Tales…rewind to JJ’s body lying in state before her internment. A sobbing Sasikala, and a reassuring Modi who consoled her. Fast forward to Sasi’s homecoming from jail, and her sky-high expectations that she could just walk into the AIADMK and reclaim her rightful place. Ground reality proved otherwise. Is this an attempt to bring the duo to heel, and make them accept Sasikala as the General Secretary of the party? More importantly, an ambitious plan to bring it under the BJP Chhatra Chaya?
It is not just BJP leadership which is united to counter Opposition parties on the controversy over the alleged snooping by Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group by using Pegasus spyware but also the RSS functionaries and the members of Parivar who are solidly behind Prime Minister PM Narendra Modi and the government at the Centre. Pegasus is a spyware that can be covertly installed on mobile phones. The common thread: It is a conspiracy by the Opposition parties to defame and discredit not just the BJP-led government but also India at a time when the country is weathering the coronavirus pandemic. Days after the expose by news agency and the Opposition’s attempt to disrupt parliament, RSS leaders including BL Santosh, Krishna Gopal and Suresh Soni internally met and later communicated with Home Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi extending their support to the government. They assured to talk to Modi for a possible tie-up in a serious bid to argue government’s case among the people. After the scrapping of Article 370 and the NRC and CAA, it is RSS’ turn to be with the government to foil the Opposition and Left wing organisation’s attempt to target BJP, especially Modi.
With the DMK returning to Fort St George after a considerable hiatus, expectations are running high among people. After all, it is a dream come true for MK Stalin, the son of former chief minister late M Karunanidhi. Having become the chief minister, Stalin is in an ideal position. In his ascension to the chief minister gaddi, DMK has an opportunity to refurbish itself to play a decisive role in the national politics. If politics is an art, late Karunanidhi proved himself to be a fine artist. When Karunanidhi was around, he had in him an astute Murasoli Maran, his nephew and Member of Parliament for 36 years. The senior Maran was Man Friday for the former chief minister. And he played the perfect communication bridge between the then DMK government and the ruling class in New Delhi. The erstwhile combination in the DMK kept political channels open all the time. This worked well for the welfare of the state of Tamil Nadu time and again. The connecting line appears to be conspicuous by its absence now. That seems to have put the DMK government under Stalin at a disadvantage. And, that is not doing any good for the Stalin regime. You stay connected in politics. That can be done by a mature mind. Well, Stalin has a quick job on hand.
Chennai’s Greames Road Apollo Hospital is often a stage for intense political drama as VVIPs get admitted there, and warring VIPs come calling. AIADMK presidium chairman Madhusudanan was rushed to Apollo on July 20. Former Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palanisami and his entourage came calling to see the ailing presidium chief. Imagine his predicament when he heard that Madam Sasikala, his arch enemy and political nemesis was on the way for the same purpose. Ousted AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala was not just on the way but was travelling in a car similar to J Jayalalithaa’s with the AIADMK flag fluttering proudly on its mast. Edappadi could only squirm and sputter. Many a mighty political warrior had been quelled by the lady in question. He quickly gathered his herd, and exited from Apollo, even as madam’s car stopped in the portico. Now the memes and sarcasm are flooded with the question, will the Presidium Chief be ousted from the party for being in her company? Remember, her recent bizarre strategy of calling up party malcontents in the dead of night, shoot the breeze, record the conversation and go public with such chats has chucked out quite a few from the AIADMK for anti-party activities! Some people have a talent for whipping up trouble. Sasikala is intent on a hostile takeover.
There is this oft repeated story of a child asked to describe a cow. “A cow is a four legged animal, two legs forward, and two afterwards.” Whatever the perception of this child, the cow has to be taken seriously in our communication, perception and opinion. Manipur-based Harvard Kennedy School educated activist Erendo Leichombam, and his journalist buddy Kishorechandra Wangkhan learnt a lesson the hard way. On the death of Manipur state BJP president S Tikendra Singh, they posted on FB that science and sense would be a better bet to deal with Covid-19 than ‘cowdung’ and ‘cow urine’. (On social media, Gaumutra has emerged as a slur of choice to attack BJP followers while Islamists routinely use the jibe against Hindus). Promptly they were put in jail on May 13, under the National Security Act (NSA) for causing unrest by such claims! Imagine the consternation of the Lordships, Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah when this matter was escalated to the Supreme Court level by Erendo’s father. The Solicitor General did not contest the plea. Justice Chandrachud ruled, “He cannot be kept in jail even for a day. We order his release today (on bail),” averring that this arrest was a violation of Article 21! The Right to Life and Liberty. Invoking the NSA for such matters must be a matter of concern for our democracy.
The five-year term of the 14th President of India Ram Nath Kovind ends on July 24, 2022. So, who will be the next President? Intense speculation was around Maratha strongman and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar considering his several rounds of meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. But, Pawar stumped everybody by formally announcing that he will neither contest 2022 Presidential elections nor be the PM face in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Now, the other name that is doing the rounds is that of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It is seen as a quid pro quo arrangement. Once Nitish Kumar moves to Delhi, then the next Chief Minister will be from the BJP, some suggest. In Maharashtra, BJP is running with the hare and hunting with the hounds to regain control. It is reliably learnt that BJP has been talking to both Shiv Sena and NCP. Apparently, Sena is asking for the moon – three Cabinet ministers and Deputy CM’s post. As of now the BJP top leadership is not willing to relent to Sena’s demand. But, the party’s big objective is to regain control of States where they have lost out before the next General Election in 2024.
Nothing excites the Opposition parties and their rank and file so much as the sight of Prashant Kishor holding strategic sessions with friendly political honchos. His meeting with the Gandhis – Rahul, Priyanka and Sonia – in the Capital, following multiple parleys with Sharad Pawar, the NCP supremo and the driving force behind the ruling MVA alliance in Maharashtra, has once again sparked an animated speculation about his larger-than-politics future. Speculation has been rife ever since he announced quitting polls ‘space’ after inflicting a spectacular defeat on the legions of mighty Amit Shah (whom he dismissed as an over-rated poll manager) and helping his client Mamata Banerjee’s AITC retain West Bengal; and guiding MK Stalin’s DMK win Tamil Nadu. Archana Dalmia, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi and Chairperson, Grievances Cell @INCIndia, raised hopes. “A warm welcome into the Congress family,” she said, only to delete the tweet. A deleted tweet is more newsworthy, you know. Arguably more newsy than Congress’ frontal attack: “The Home Minister, who has likely played a key role in the #CabinetReshuffle should first take a look at his own track record … overall breakdown of law & order across the nation – this is his legacy.” With Kishor joining the action – and Modi 2.0 taking a fresh guard with a radical ministerial reshuffle, the road to 2024 promises Mother of All Slugfests.
That Sharad Pawar nursed the ambition of becoming prime minister is public knowledge. Perhaps, that may be one of the reasons, he quit Congress, and set up the Nationalist Congress Party in 1999 along with PA Sangma. Analysts feel he could have well become one had Dr Manmohan Singh not backed out from joining the NCP. The 80-year-old Maratha strongman, revered and feared, loves to keep everyone guessing about his next move. He foxed everybody when he met poll strategist Prashant Kishor three times within a fortnight. And quickly denied he was forming a Third Front. It may be recalled that the run-up to meeting Kishor was preceded by Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut mooting the idea that Pawar should be the next UPA leader. In his 60 years of political career, Pawar is not known to give formal interviews or quotes to the Press. But, ever since the formation of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, he has been talking to media frequently. He went into a silence zone for a long period, post his reported meeting with Amit Shah in Ahmedabad in March 2021 even though MVA infighting was out in the open. Now, he has formally told the media that he will not contest 2022 Presidential elections or become PM face in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Now, everybody is stumped!
Congress in Maharashtra is a divided house. The state unit chief Nana Patole seems to be a man in hurry – with his going solo mission for future elections. His frequent outbursts against CM Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar (alleged to be tracking his moves) and describing Sharad Pawar as “MVA’s remote control” has shocked many. Veterans like Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan, and young Turks like Sunil Kedar and Satej Patil want party to expand but insist that it should not be at the cost of allies Shiv Sena and NCP. They suspect that Pataole’s stratagems may work to the advantage of Sena and NCP, who have consolidated their position in the state. Both, Sena and NCP have made it amply clear that if the Congress ditches the alliance, then the two parties will contest elections together. Congress insiders point out that both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are keen for the continuation of the party’s alliance with Sena and NCP, both at the state and the national level. Meanwhile it is learnt that a section of Congress has quietly launched movement to oust Patole and bring in a new chief who will be a bridge maker. But, the question remains: is Patole acting on his own volition or at the behest of the High Command?
The local BJP chief K Annamalai seems to have got off on the wrong foot when he took on the media soon after succeeding L Murugan, who got promoted to the Union Cabinet in a junior minister’s role. In an official warning, the BJP threw cold water on talk of dividing Tamil Nadu into two parts to create a Kongu Nadu. But that seems to have had little effect on the former cop who lambasted the media for false news saying that his former boss would soon control all media from Delhi while in the I&B ministry. The talk of a Kongu Nadu in western Tamil Nadu, which showed some interest in electing a couple of BJP MLAs while being a long time bastion of AIADMK, was built up by the media but shot down by New Delhi where leaders sent word down to the rank and file that they would not countenance the idea of carving a region out of the old State. “Kongu Nadu is not BJP’s idea. A prosperous Tamil Nadu and a strong India is the BJP’s goal,” the party’s State media unit president, ANS Prasad said in a statement, urging party members not to express their personal views at party meetings, media interviews and social networking platforms.
Rumours about who will take over as Governor in Chennai’s Raj Bhavan are swirling. The incumbent Banwarilal Purohit, from a newspaper-owning family in Nagpur, is nearing the end of his term. An interesting name doing the rounds for Governorship in DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu is that of the former Communications & Information Technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who was dropped from the Union cabinet. Any number of names kept coming up when the rulers decided to move on after a temporary Governor from Maharashtra C Vidyasagar Rao was given additional charge of Tamil Nadu for long. That Governor proved his mettle when he sat on J Jayalalithaa’s confidante V Sasikala’s application to become Chief Minister until the top court order came out but when Purohit came to Chennai it was a bit of a surprise. Enjoying the perks of a massive Raj Bhavan in the midst of the Guindy national park while AIADMK, friendly alliance partner of BJP ruled was easy enough but, with a change in regime, New Delhi might be looking at a tougher Governor, which is why Ravi Shankar Prasad’s name is bobbing up. The only inhibiting factor could be that Prasad will have to resign as Lok Sabha MP and BJP may not want to conduct by polls in Patna in the current situation.
Barely three days after returning from the U.S. post his medical check-up, superstar Rajinikanth hinted at some significant announcement and the media swarmed the cul de sac in front of his Poes Garden home as early as 8 am. As usual, a makeshift podium outside his Brindavan gates. Thalaivar came out in a grey linen T shirt, looking healthy, trim but grim. He made a brief statement … Annathe shooting delayed, then election, the U.S. trip. So now I need to consult with my Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) about whether I should come to politics? Press meet over! Some guffawed, of course, Annathe is yet to release…he needs all the fan support to conjure up a super hit! Yet others, some powerful super force is manipulating him to gain mileage for LS election. Still others, superstars can never be weaned off fan frenzy. Money, money…how much more do these aged heroes want to earn? Yet others, it must be the home front egging him on to enter and stay relevant. Finally, the statement from Rajini, I am not entering politics, as such the RMM stands dissolved! Whew, as if people were not aware that this journey never started. Taking on the sharks and barracudas is not for a stylish star who perfected throwing up a ciggy to land between his lips.
The surprising exit of two known BJP faces Prakash Javadekar and Ravi Shankar Prasad from the Union Cabinet was not just based on performance criteria but other factors like their caste, mass base and utility within the party. “What is the political capital they bring to the table,” asks a political analyst. As I&B Minister Javadekar was pursuing RSS agenda and Modi government’s slew of initiatives. But his handling of various issues seems to have made him the object of ridicule, especially among the Delhi media. Besides, it was felt that the move will not evoke any backlash from Maharashtrian Brahmin community — to which Javadekar belongs. Whereas in Narayan Rane, the party saw a Maratha who could counter Shiv Sena and consolidate the party’s base in Konkan region ahead of the forthcoming Assembly polls. As for Ravi Shankar Prasad, whose electability transcends his being a kayastha from Patna, and who strongly put the government’s case against the dominant global Big Media, especially Twitter, the speculation continues. A large section of media and also some insiders say his arrogance, and style of working created a lot of anti-sentiments against India. In a few weeks, there is a meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden, who is a tough negotiator and the Indian government does not want to lose its bargaining position, holds a corporate lobbyist. Besides, as a law minister Prasad failed to take initiative in filling a large number of posts of judges. According to some observers, he created a rift with the judiciary that was a negative factor against him. Insiders say both Javadekar and Prasad are expected to be rehabilitated by giving them organisational responsibilities in the run up to the assembly elections to the five assemblies.
At the boardroom or playground, the captain’s writ runs large. So, it is no different in the political arena. Nobody respects or admires an indecisive leader. A case in point is the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is different. He seems to have taken a leaf out of the U.S. President Harry S Truman’s frequently used phrase “the buck stops here.” To ensure that he is always on the top of the situation, everything is routed through the Prime Minister’s Office. So what’s wrong? But, this prime ministerial centric government seems to be getting everybody’s goat. Why? During UPA I and II everything was routed via Sonia Gandhi’s office. Then everything was centralised with one family; the so called ‘concerned citizens’ did not have any objections. In the corporate world, the shareholders hold Mark Zuckerberg, Mukesh Ambani or Warren Buffett accountable. The buck stops with the CEO. Accountability and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. Are opposition or some of the BJP leaders unhappy with the centralisation of power because they are not able to game the system? Modi seems unperturbed with this surround sound and his latest cabinet reshuffle clearly points out that he means business. For now, this powerful well-oiled coterie, basically Modi haters, have to twiddle their thumbs because their social media efforts to denigrate him has come to nought.
L Murugan, 44-year old BJP’s points man in Tamil Nadu was the butt of many a joke when he took over as state BJP president. YouTube shows nicknamed him “L Board” Murugan. When he scripted the Vetri Vel Yathra and took off with an ersatz Vel like Lord Murugan, the chortling was loud enough to make waves of mirth. Such teasing and tongue-in-cheek reactions would have shaken a lesser man. Not L Murugan. Before coming to TN, he was Vice Chairman of the Minority Commission for Scheduled Castes, with a 15 year lawyers’ stint in the High Court. Sent to TN to add sinew to a weak BJP presence, the Dravidian parties could not have anticipated that he could come up with his own formula for “boost as the secret of my energy.” Murugan succeeded in inducting a few high profile wannabes, including Khushboo to BJP. He himself did not win the Assembly seat. But Destiny cannot be denied…. if not a quick gun, Murugan is a pole vaulter. He has bagged a coveted ministry, I&B, with Fisheries & Animal Husbandry, Dairy. Soon, Murugan will have to take on the latest controversy about the changes to the Cinematrography Act, a fiery issue bound to test this legal eagle and his canny brand building. Never judge a book by its cover.
For reasons known to a few, the Grand Old Party has not been able to declare date for the election of the new president. This dithering poses twin challenges: keeping its flock together in various states and avoiding internal bickering among senior leaders. This indifference has already led to diehard Congressmen quitting: Jitendra Prasad, followed by Pranab Mukerjee’s son Abhijit Mukherjee. But so far nobody has been able to persuade Rahul Gandhi to reverse his stand and once again assume the post and responsibility of Congress party president. The insiders rue his approach, saying instead of putting his house in order Rahul is taking potshots at the BJP government from time to time, on wrong advice given by people close to him. “They have lost all elections in recent times, yet there is no introspection or post mortem. In the corporate world the CEO would have been sacked,” says a political analyst. Lack of decisions at the high command level has made the leaders, and rank and file restless. Witness this: In all Congress ruled states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Punjab, the rift among senior leaders is out in the open; and so too in Karnataka where the party is in the opposition. For BJP and other regional parties, a rudderless Congress is good news.
The late J Jayalalithaa was a firm believer in vaastu all her life. While she was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, even the choice of sari to wear for the day was determined by the stars. As an intense believer, she encouraged many a soothsayer to study her Kundali (horoscope) and give her advice. And, ironically, after her death too the question of vaastu is hanging around the political party AIADMK which she headed after her mentor MGR’s death. The election defeat and the prevailing confusion and infighting in her party ranks is now being ascribed to bad vaastu. Voices are now being raised about bad vaastu creating all the problems, chaos and infighting in AIADMK. If you believe the pundits, the theory is that Amma’s memorial on the Marina Beach is totally against vaastu. At least one vaastu believer avers that Jaya was no Phoenix rising from the ashes and such a depiction in her memorial by the architect is all wrong. There were other designs submitted that would have served Jaya’s memory best, like a blooming flower that would last forever. The erroneous curvilinear design is to blame for all the woes, says the ardent Jaya admirer but it is unlikely that the party will tinker with the memorial now.
Manoj Sinha, in his role as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), is a man on a mission, reaching out to the region’s key stakeholders, including the Abdullahs and Mufti, and ensuring peace and security needed to hold assembly elections, just like the District Development Council (DDC) elections that won him laurels from all quarters. He is arguably Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government’s most agreeable messenger who is doing everything to help remove Dilli Ki Doori (the distance from Delhi) as well as Dil Ki Doori (distance from the heart) through a raft of development work and thoughtful conversations. His confidence building exercise has indeed yielded positive results. Opposition leaders under the aegis of Gupkar alliance participated at the meeting chaired by PM Modi – the first meet after the scrapping of Article 370. Sinha’s presiding over the meeting moved many when they learnt that his son was getting married during the same time. As a people friendly gesture, Sinha discontinued the darbar tradition, letting Jammu and Srinagar secretariats operate from either Jammu or Kashmir throughout the year. This move has also given savings of Rs 200 crore. His focus on reviving the J&K economy, helping the administration embrace critical Digital expertise, and empowering local bodies, will ensure that the newly elected government will have everything on a platter.
The New York Times’ call for an enterprising journalist would have been a non-event, a non-issue but for the backlash its grand 627-words job description evoked. “India’s future now stands at a crossroads. Mr Modi is advocating a self-sufficient, muscular nationalism centered on the country’s Hindu majority. That vision puts him at odds with the interfaith, multicultural goals of modern India’s founders.” The message was soon picked up. Tweeted one @SamairaRehan: “These two factually incorrect sentences are part of the job description for the position of @nytimes ‘South Asia Business Correspondent’ based in New Delhi. Journalism is in danger, indeed. But from within.” Apparently, anybody arguing against these twisted premises knows they haven’t got a hope in hell of getting an NYT offer. Senior I&B Ministry adviser Kanchan Gupta fumed: “@nytimes has dropped all pretences of impartiality with this job ad. They are clearly looking to hire an anti-Modi activist who can also stoke anti-India sentiments in our neighbourhood. With this, the paper qualifies as a foreign-funded NGO.” Such hiring practices by dominant Big Media – with naked political and ideological tilt – point to a scary future of journalism. And this practice is unlikely to stop anytime now – given American billionaire George Soros’ $1-billion fund to fight nationalists; China’s ads in Big Media; and Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia floating a media joint venture.
It is the same story, pan India. Aspiring Godmen turn rogue conmen when their followers blindly endorse their divinity. Tamil Nadu has its share of notorious babas — Daadi babas, Beedi babas, Naaadi babas and assorted con Babas who preyed on gullible followers in ingenious ways and amassed wealth. As a first, the current news sensation, Siva Shankar Baba, revelled in dance and nicknamed himself the Dancing Baba. His full moon day Rasa Leela’s with nubile girl students of his Sushil Hari International Residential School in Kelambakkam, a salubrious suburb of Chennai turned into giddy events. Also, Baba’s Waterloo. A devotee of Baba had donated 60 acres of land for the ashram cum school. 72-year old Siva Shankar Baba has travelled a hoary road as a graduate, logistics professional, soothsayer, desi dava vendor…the list goes on, till Baba’s potent talent for hugging and kissing his girl students hit public attention. Soon, stories of rape set Baba on the run, now in the CBI-CID net, charged under POCSO. So called true followers of Baba are busy fighting over the wealth. Siva Shankar is not the first nor will he be the last.
Undeterred by a big setback in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started preparations for assembly elections slated next year in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa. After the recent marathon meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda and senior office-bearers, the party has set sights on increasing the assembly segment-wise presence of the senior leaders. The saffron party has decided to strengthen the booth level management in all five states — notwithstanding criticism over the handling of the pandemic and the covid-hit economy. BJP will set up a five-member committee for each page of the electoral roll with the objective of providing the much-needed support to the party, and reaching out to every voter in the individual constituency. UP is critical for the party’s quest to retain power and the party is leaving nothing to chance: it’s bringing together CM Yogi Adityanath, Dy CM KP Maurya and other factions. Modi’s blue-eyed boy AK Sharma, who has been appointed as the state unit vice president, is also likely to play a key role in the makeover after the Yogi government came under attack on numerous fronts. BJP insiders say that Modi has yet again taken the control of poll management in a serious bid to avoid a West Bengal-like setback.
The legislature is the place where politics rules in word and deed. But have you heard of politics about the very building in which the legislature is situated? This politics over the legislature building has been going on for years in Tamil Nadu where leaders have had various reasons for shifting the TN Assembly out of Fort St George, with its historic colonial links. Karunanidhi wanted to leave the old Assembly because it was too cramped, and he made a master plan of an alternative building. Jaya was told not to travel to Fort St George because a statue of Kannagi, of Tamil epic Silapathigaram fame, was on the way. She wanted to shift the legislature south, but the High Court busted her plan to take over Queen Mary’s College. The DMK is back in power, and Stalin has not dropped plans to restore his father’s pet project, which Jaya had converted into a multi-specialty hospital. The government is spending Rs 500 crore to upgrade the King Institute in Guindy so that the current Omandurar hospital can be converted back into the legislature. About Rs 1,000 crore has been spent so far in making the changes. But this is India of Tughlaq rule where shifting of the capital itself was not thought to be too extravagant or fanciful.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, who hogged the headlines ahead of the party’s official break up with alliance partner BJP and later during the formation of three party-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, is again on a major mission to save the government. Raut has been insisting that the alliance would stay in power and complete its five-year term. He met both the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar twice in a bid to strengthen the coordination and thereby address the disagreements among the ruling partners. Raut has admitted that there are differences, but they can be resolved. However, his fresh initiatives come at a time the BJP is said to have renewed efforts to form the government and if rumour mills are to be believed that too with Sena. Another set of rumours doing rounds is that the Urban Development & Public Works minister Eknath Shinde may walk away with one third of the 56 MLAs to join hands with the BJP. Four times elected MLA, Shinde enjoys good rapport with his party colleagues. But diehard Sainiks dismiss all these rumours and say nobody will ditch Uddhav Thackeray. But, with so much push and pull combined with Raut’s meeting diplomacy clearly indicates that all is not well within MVA and it is a matter of time.
Looks like the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has decided to bring out a White Paper on the state of the economy. It is easy to blame a previous regime for populist doles and non-essential schemes that have emptied the coffers. Media watchers are nonplussed by a new energised Stalin, who is vocal, vociferous, and vituperative about the huge debt burden of TN, the inequitable share of the tax, Vat and GST allocated, the staggering cost of the corona pandemic and huge losses in livelihood. People openly talk about how Stalin was ridiculed at election rallies for his hesitant and almost rambling campaign mode. What a transformation after winning! What then happens to the election promises like the monthly stipends to women, cut in fuel VAT and other propositions? His advisors suggest that a plea of empty coffers left by AIADMK could prove useful to get through for now. But apparently Stalin stuck to his resolve… “A promise is a promise.” A staggering debt burden of Rs 5 lakh crore (for 20-21) is his inheritance. Meanwhile, it is rumoured that Stalin along with his wife Durga and son-in-law Sabareesan and key bureaucrats are likely to travel to London in July. Insiders say it could be for his routine health check-up plus woo investments in Tamil Nadu.
Is it a truce between the two estranged partners BJP and Shiv Sena? According to reliable sources, BJP has renewed its efforts to form the government with estranged ally Shiv Sena in Maharashtra – a move that gathered momentum after CM Uddhav Thackeray’s exclusive meeting with PM Narendra Modi. It is learnt that the Union Cabinet expansion has been deliberately delayed in view of the new development in Maharashtra. Sena will be accommodated in terms of cabinet berth. Devendra Fadnavis is likely to become CM for the third time while the name of Aaditya Thackeray for deputy CM is doing the rounds. Party insiders indicate that the “Maha Vikas Aghadi government may fall in the next 72 hours or in two weeks”. The deal is that the BJP-led government will not pursue various legal cases against Sena leaders. It may be recalled that Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, in a letter to Thackeray, had urged him to patch up with BJP to avoid harassment from Central agencies. Coming together will also help in the coming civic elections. Now the ball is in Thackeray’s court, and he has to decide whether to once again play a second fiddle in the interest of the party’s future or remain in the driver’s seat with the NCP and Congress.
Congress party’s ‘going solo’ call by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole has not gone down well with the alliance partners Shiv Sena and NCP. But, he has received strong support from two former CMs Sushil Kumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan. Both have hailed Patole’s efforts in a short span to rejuvenate the party and recharge the cadre. Both said there is nothing wrong to declare party’s resolve to regain its past glory and become No. 1 again and assume power single-handedly. In fact, Chavan went a step ahead saying that the MVA was formed with the single point objective of keeping BJP out of power and that has nothing to do with the Congress party pursuing its expansion plan. Chavan said Congress can tolerate Shiv Sena’s ideology but not that of BJP. With dissensions within the party, and the Congress leaders speaking out of turn, can this number four party in Maharashtra regain its pristine glory? That’s a wager nobody is willing to take.
Dravidian politics is hard to comprehend. Often, it is riddled with inconsistencies. How else could one interpret the composition of the just-announced economic advisory council (EAC) for Tamil Nadu? The MK Stalin-led government of the DMK has set up a high-profile EAC comprising Nobel laureate Esther Duflo (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Raghuram Rajan (former Governor of Reserve Bank), Aravind Subramanian (former Chief Economic Advisor to the Centre), Jean Dreze (Development Economist) and S Narayan (former Union Finance Secretary). Who said DMK is anti-Brahmins? Well, the just- formed EAC has three Brahmins – two high-profile ones at that! Rajan and Subramanian, in particular, turned much bigger than the institutions they headed. Narayan is all too well known in the political and bureaucratic circles in Tamil Nadu. If these three have roots in Tamil Nadu, the other two are rank outsiders. Not surprisingly, tongues have started wagging. DMK is a party which has vociferously articulated the cause of reservation in higher educational institutions and government jobs. In the formation of the state’s highest policy-advisory body, the DMK regime of Stalin appears to have quietly overlooked its own relentless demand for reservation for dalits, backward classes and the like. Is there a paucity of talent within Tamil Nadu? Inconsistency is the sign of development, it said. DMK has embarked on a growth path, it appears.
Arya Rajendran, all of 22, adorns the mayor seat of Kerala’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram with the distinction of being the youngest elected mayor in the country. This BSc maths second year student, stood and won from the Mudavanmugal ward under the CPI-M banner. Arya is no greenhorn test case politician, fielded by her party. Daughter of an electrician father, a CPI-M activist and working mother (LIC agent), privilege and power did not boost her rise, having been inducted into the Balasangam (the children’s wing of CPI-M) when she was in Class 5. Politics being what it is, the accolades she got from all over the country when elected mayor, must have rankled the major opposition incumbents, the BJP and the Congress among others. Recently, BJP Councillor Karamana Ajith took her on for lack of supervision and accountability in her duties. The ward’s garbage disposal and inventory and high-cost equipment obviously got flak. “The AKG Centre’s LKG student probably thinks of this as a play school. Taking on a Mayor’s duties is not child’s play.” Ouch, that must have hurt. But Arya is no wilting wallflower. Her repartee, “No one needs to judge my capability and efficiency by my age. I am confident of holding my own.” Don’t mess with this Miss.
How many obits are to be written for the Grand Old Party? It is a sad and heart-rending feeling when one thinks of the role of this august group that fought so fearlessly for our independence, downed in disarray, retreating disheartened. Today, all tail waggers and party swaggers, the neo Tarzans of politics, covered in their capitalist chain armour are thriving only on this stage laid by the Congress. But what an ending, friends and countrymen! What is left of this great movement for which Gandhiji, Sardar Patel, Rajaji, Pandit Nehru, Lal Bahadur and other stalwarts gave their blood, sweat, toil and tears? Saying that this sorry state is because one Family is hell-bent on tightening its vice like grip on the party, knowing fully well that it is riding a snarling tiger. So, what if the Congress collapses? The Gandhis won’t let go of their own. The Congress won’t collapse totally: it may disintegrate, pulverised beyond salvage as a macro entity. But its atoms still have the power to radiate heat and light. This is the metamorphosis many are eagerly waiting for: another multihued butterfly emerging, yet another Phoenix rising from the funeral pyre of the erstwhile organisation. This will require the Kapil Sibals, Chidambarams, Manu Singhvis to allow the Gen Next to take centre stage. The Shashi Tharoors, Pilots, Milind Deora…..If ever a millennial Sun Tzu is wanted/needed…it is now. Sun Tzu who compiled The Art of War.
Cracks in the Shiv Sena led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) became clear with the latest, unilateral announcement by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Nana Patole that the party will go solo in the next assembly elections. (Congress has one MP, 44 legislators and insignificant presence in local and civic bodies). He also added that if approved by the High Command he would like to be the party’s face for the post of Chief Minister. Clearly, Patole is posing challenge to his colleagues like Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan, Nitin Raut and Vijay Wadettiwar. Meanwhile, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar snubbed Patole for his ‘CM statement’. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seem to be playing his card well too. His closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created heebie-jeebies among his rivals. Informed sources say that Thackeray has killed two birds with one arrow. He has snubbed BJP by showing that he has kept his communication channel open with Modi. Brave Sanjay Raut said, “It’s a rumour that Shiv Sena CM will be replaced after 2.5 years … CM will be Uddhav Thackeray for 5 years.” For the NCP and Congress, the message is not to take Thackeray for a ride despite lacking administrative experience. Meanwhile, within the BJP too the rift is widening between former CM Devendra Fadnavis and the state BJP unit chief Chandrakant Patil.
It is almost akin to running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. Shiv Sena, which heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi government with NCP and Congress, is not only striving to maintain its Hindutva identity but also projecting its secular credentials. Recently, party MP Rahul Shewale stoked a controversy after he proposed to rename flyover on Ghatkopar-Mankhurd link road after Ajmer’s Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz Moinuddin Chishti. The BJP and VHP slammed Shewale for his demand. Shewale reacted saying that he was unaware of BJP MP Manoj Kotak’s proposal to name the flyover after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja or demand by locals for Krantikarak Vastad Lahuji Salve and Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe. Earlier, Sena leader Pandurang Sakpal, Vibhag Pramukh of south Mumbai likened ‘Azaan’ (a call for Muslim prayer) with Hindu ritual of ‘aarti.’ And mooted the idea of holding an ‘Azaan’ recital competition for Muslim children. The BJP accused Sena changing its stand to remain in power. Interestingly, CM Uddhav Thackeray has told BJP not to teach him Hindutva reiterating that the party has not left it despite joining hands with the NCP and Congress with an agreement to follow secular principles.
Yes, ever since the DMK win, it has been a Stalin overkill about how he is everywhere, doing everything, covering everything. Just the other day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin visited Mettur Dam, to inspect desilting preparations to receive the annual inflow of Cauvery waters from neighbouring Karnataka. This is very crucial to irrigate the TN kuruvai (short term) crop that has seen many a parched and lost year in the past, with both states fighting over river water sharing. With his new found confidence, Stalin announced that Mettur dam would be opened and that he expects Karnataka to open the hatch, a fait accompli decision, no longer up for negotiation. Is this a positive shift in the power equations of these two warring states? The same strong narrative in demanding vaccine stock for TN, reaching out to non BJP CMs for possible Third Front to leverage more federalism….the canvas is big. But some chinks in the armour are evident too: the opening up of liquor outlets (opposed earlier) as the state needs revenue (TASMAC revenue is Rs 30,000 crore plus) to back emergency healthcare. There are also serious concerns and talk about the Omandurar Hospital changing yet again to become the TN Assembly building, the original dream project of Kalaignar. The historic King Institute may take the place of this hospital. Taxpayers are the obvious beasts of burden.
At 69, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin knows that he has to hurry up and deal an impressive hand to the people who voted him in. May be even take on the issue of enhanced federalism. In his earlier avatar as lieutenant to Karunanidhi, and his mayoral stint, Stalin earned the sobriquet of Flyover Man with a visible preference for flyovers. Singara Chennai (Beautiful Chennai) was his other pet project to leave a lasting impact on the Chennai landscape. The Greater Chennai Corporation, under Gagandeep Singh Bedi, has launched Singara Chennai 2.0 with a slew of plans for beautifying its beaches (even far flung beaches of Thiruvottiyur and Uthandi with 21 km of coastline are to be developed as coral reefs). An integrated scheme for making a dramatic aesthetic impact on urban spaces, including water bodies, roundabout gardens, an underwater aquarium and numerous other breath-taking schemes! Ambitious? The cynical say, “Ah, new brooms sweep clean. Let’s see when all these sprout.” The practical punters are happy….so much to gain, invest and of course, earn. Who is the Catalyst powering this State Vista? Could it be that Chanakya who orchestrated the party’s telling win? Or did a certain Wall Street wizard motivate Stalin? Whatever the genesis of Stalin’ takeover makeover, Gagan Deep Singh Bedi will lead the charge of the light brigade to make Stalin’s plans take shape.
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