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In the wake of escalating face-off between the Chennai-based Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) and its American partner AGCO over the ownership rights of Massey Ferguson in India, a two-member bench of the Madras High Court has stepped in to direct the warring parties to “maintain status quo until the original applications are heard and disposed of by the learned single judge. “For avoidance of doubt, we hasten to add that the observations made herein are tentative and solely intended for the purpose of disposing of these appeals. We have not delved much into the various rival submissions. All rights and contentions are kept open,” the two-member bench said in its order on Monday. The relationship between TAFE, an Amalgamation group company, and AGCO Corporation of the U.S. hit a nasty bump in April last when the AGCO management terminated commercial agreements -– including the one on licensing the Massey Ferguson brand — with TAFE. The Chennai firm quickly got a stay on this from a commercial court. When AGCO subsequently confirmed the termination, TAFE filed a contempt petition in the Chennai commercial court. Separately, TAFE also moved the Madras High Court, asserting its ownership right to Massey Ferguson brand. TAFE had got a favourable interim order from the Madras High Court. TAFE had filed a civil suit before the Madras High Court against Massey Ferguson Corporation, a subsidiary of AGCO, claiming that the said trademarks are distinctive of TAFE in India and exclusively owned by it. It had sought the Madras High Court to declare that TAFE owns the Massey Ferguson brand/trademarks in India. With the HC bench asking both parties to maintain status quo, all eyes are on the upcoming proceeding before the single judge. It is “advantage TAFE” at the moment, however.
With only 12 days remaining for the BCCI Secretary Jay Shah to take charge as independent chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), clarity has not emerged as to who would perform the duties of the Secretary from December 1, 2024. First and foremost, election has not been called for the post, and this could be because the BCCI Constitution has adequate provisions for its Joint Secretary to perform the Secretary’s duties. The BCCI Constitution says: “The President shall, in the event of a vacancy or indisposition of an office bearer, delegate the functions to another office-bearer until the vacancy is duly filled up, or the indisposition ceases.” In this case the BCCI President Roger Binny has the right to assign duties to any other office-bearer. Shah who has been the Secretary from 2019 may be allowed a grace period to hand over the work to someone else. Next week is going to be hectic for the ICC to take a call on the format and venues of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (Feb-Mar) because the BCCI has conveyed to the ICC that India will not travel to Pakistan. The BCCI, nay Jay Shah, would like to see a finality to the Champions Trophy issue, in particular where India will play before he takes charge of the ICC. If the Champions Trophy has to take place, the Pakistan Cricket Board has to accept a hybrid model with one group (with India in it) playing league matches, most likely in Dubai and keeping the venue of the semi-finals and final, open. The PCB may not be in a position to lose the hosting rights and thereby with it a fee of around $ 70 million!
The ‘Satta Bazaar’ is betting down (dampened market sentiments) over Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) forming Maharashtra’s next government. A market player says, “Punters have never been wrong before. Dampened stock market spirits indicate the Mahayuti Alliance is unlikely to win notwithstanding sops galore unleashed by CM Eknath Shinde.” Differing with market pundits, BJP says, “Markets crashed after Foreign Portfolio Investors withdrew Rs 1.25 lakh crore in October (out of total Rs 71 lakh crore total stock investments in India) seeking better pastures after China announced stimulus. FPIs sold Rs 8700 crore stocks in April, Rs 25,600 crore in May then bought Rs 26,600 crore worth in June, Rs 32, 400 crore in July, Rs 7300 crore in August and Rs 57,700 crore in September before the big sell off in October. Already overleveraged NSE slumped, the subdued corporate sector quarterly results after much hype triggered a profit-booking mindset among investors.” Donald Trump’s ascendancy as the next U.S. president (previous tenure witnessed negative bias towards precious metals) bodes badly setting price corrections of gold and silver even as the U.S. dollar firms up, adding to Indian stock market woes. The BJP leader adds, “Maharashtra contributes around 14% to India’s GDP but even when MVA ruled for 2.5 years Modi-nomics ensured high buoyancy on Indian bourses despite stalling of bullet train project, Rs 14,000 crore cost escalation of Metro project.” The market punter, however, cites India’s financial capital Mumbai in Maharashtra that ensures most Indian business gravitates around the state while explaining the gloomy market mood over MVA’s likely win. November 23 will reveal the truth when the political bets are finally called out.
In a massive setback to AAP, Delhi’s transport minister and Jat leader Kailash Gahlot resigned from the party, citing “grave challenges” and “awkward” controversies in a letter to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal months ahead of Delhi Assembly polls. He has joined the BJP. Gahlot’s exit is well timed in the sense that it comes days before Maharashtra goes to polls. AAP, an INDIA Bloc partner that has no stake in the state polls. But it must be said Gahlot’s exit was something that was in the works for some time now. It is believed that the seeds of discord between Gahlot and the AAP leadership were sown on August 15 over unfurling the national flag during the Delhi Govt’s I-Day celebrations. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who was in jail on charges linked to the alleged liquor policy scam, had wanted Education Minister Atishi to unfurl the flag. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena however felt Gahlot was more suitable for the job as he held the Home Department. Meanwhile, Kejriwal indicated that Gahlot had quit as he was under pressure from the ED and IT. In his resignation letter, Gahlot pointed to how “Political ambitions have overtaken our commitment towards people, leaving many promises unfulfilled”. In an apparent swipe at Kejriwal, he referred to “many embarrassing and awkward controversies like the “Sheeshmahal” — a term used by the BJP to refer to the CM’s residence renovated during Kejriwal’s term costing the exchequer Rs 45 crore.
A major controversy has erupted in Tollywood as over 233 directors from films, TV and independent media have filed a defamation suit against Swarup Biswas, president of the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India. The Rs 23-crore lawsuit follows Biswas’s contentious remarks alleging rampant sexual harassment in the film industry, with 60% of complaints purportedly against directors and producer-directors. The hearing will take place on January 10. Swarup, the younger brother of Aroop Biswas, Bengal’s Power and Housing Minister and a close aide of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, finds himself at the centre of an unprecedented protest by Tollywood’s creative community. This is, perhaps, the first time that Tollywood has publicly challenged the Federation. Directors and producers have also criticized what they call “red-tapism” and “arbitrary demands” imposed by the Federation, including its control over unit sizes, pay scales, working hours, and technician selection. At the Eastern India Motion Picture Association’s (EIMPA) recent AGM, Swarup Biswas proposed that producers deposit Rs 5 lakh each as security to ensure timely technician payments, citing Rs 50 lakh in pending dues. Producers have outright rejected the demand, questioning the Federation’s accountability and EIMPA’s silence on the matter. Veteran actor-director Aparna Sen has publicly questioned Swarup Biswas’s credentials, asking for proof of his contributions to the industry. Biswas holds an assistant director’s card, which is reportedly issued only to those involved in at least two films. Actor-politician Roopa Ganguly also criticized the Federation, accusing it of politicizing the industry and questioning why filmmakers often seek the CM’s intervention during crises.
If rising onion prices decided the election outcome in many states some decades ago, falling soybean prices could impact the outcome in around 70 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra. Hence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, representing two ends of the political spectrum, are found promising farmers of much higher rates, but only after they are elected on 20 November. The sensitive constituencies are spread in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions, where cotton and soybean are the main cash crops. The current market rate of Rs 4000 per quintal is unacceptable to the growers though they have no choice but to sell the produce as it can’t be stored for long. The MSP is Rs 4800 but not enough stocks are lifted by the machinery. The ruling saffron alliance has been promising better tariffs. The government hiked the soybean import duty in a bid to jack up the prices but the hike was of only around Rs 400, still leaving a gap of the same amount. Sensing the distress and the government’s inability to make any major announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has promised Rs 6000 per quintal of the legume. To go a step further, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has pledged to pay Rs 7000. Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has also joined the chorus. The two regions had by and large supported the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi during the Lok Sabha election. Hence, Mahayuti leaders are wary of saying anything that can dampen their prospects.
Are the re-runs slowly becoming a revenue model both for producers and exhibitors who have been grappling to bring back the audiences to cinema halls? Diwali turned out to be decent but then again we are gone back to re-release of films. Shah Rukh Khan’s Veer Zara re-release has been appreciated. Rakesh Roshan plans a re-release of Karan Arjun with a huge number of screens after 30 years of its release. This again has Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan coming together for the first time on screen. SRK’s Kal Ho Naa Ho and Pardes too are re-releasing in cinemas. Those in the trade feel that re-release of Tumbbad, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein and Laila Majnu have given courage to producers to cash on re-runs. The re-runs have stirred both excitement and curiosity. Traditionally, re-releases were reserved for timeless classics, but now more recent films are being revived, prompting questions: Is this trend purely nostalgic, or is there a deeper strategy at play? According to Trade Analyst Saurabh Varma, the re-release phenomenon is benefiting the cinema industry in multiple ways. For producers, re-releasing films is a cost-effective option. The marketing and distribution expenses are far lower than for new releases. Re-releases tap into the large fan bases of iconic films, giving long-time fans a chance to relive their favourite stories on the big screen. Furthermore, these revivals provide a unique opportunity for younger viewers who may have missed these films during their initial release. The combination of nostalgia and iconic music resonates deeply with audiences.
It’s a drivetrain solution provider for windmills and industry applications. Every one out of three drive train products installed across the globe bears the brand name of this one. Truly, this German major has traversed quite a long way and undergone a major metamorphosis in the process. One-and-a-quarter-century-old Bocholt-headquartered Flender has significant presence in India. Not surprisingly, the top management team of Flender was in Chennai a few days ago. The presence of the top honchos was more to reiterate the commitment of Flender to India. After all, it has been in India since 1961. It now has three production sites — one each at Kharagpur (WB), Chennai (TN) and Walajabad (TN). Around 10% of its nearly 9,000 skilled personnel across the globe are housed in India. And, it has been putting more money into this country since 2020. Why not? For one, India is the right choice for all those who are looking for the China Plus One option in the post-Covid era. For another, the focus world-over is now increasingly on sustainable development. The robust ecosystem — the presence of assorted turbine makers and a well-evolved supply chain — according to its India CEO Vinod Shetty, is ideal suited for Flender to aspire for a bigger role in driving energy transition in the country. Indeed, Flender is quietly expanding its India operations for a bigger role in its global game plan.
Tamil film producers and their financial backers are now rethinking this model — big money, big stars, big projects but no guarantee that it will reap profits. So the new strategy…safe and secure than spend thrift and sorry. Can small budget films do big business? A resounding yes to three of 2024s baby budget films that warmed the cockles of producers’ hearts. Three films of this year, Lover, Lubber Pandhu and Vaazhai have pulled in amazing profits and massive margins. Lover’s budget was a mere Rs 5 crore, and plus other expenses added the total cost to Rs 6 crore. Hold your breath! It made a profit of Rs 13 crore. But Lubber Pandhu (Rubber Ball), a title that would have gone unnoticed, made the biggest rake in for Prince Pictures who earned Rs 35 crore in TN gross alone — 300% profit. Vaazhai was no sneeze over either…it brought Rs 12 crore profits in TN. Film making costs and exhibition/promo expenses can zoom up dangerously, and after paying the incredible star salaries, if the film’s overflow is modest, stakeholders have no insurance cover to fall back on. Small is big is fast becoming the new open sesame for Kollywood to stay safe.
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar finds commonality between Vote Jihad and a particular section of the people voting for the BJP. Explaining his stand, the NCP founder said it was seen in Pune that the BJP was consistently supported by a certain segment (read Brahmin) in some areas. We expect this to happen though don’t call it Vote Jihad, he remarked. According to Pawar, if such voting patterns happen, it is the right of every community to vote as per its choice. He again charged that deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had raised the issue of Vote Jihad. Pawar’s jab was directed at those specific areas of Pune where Brahmin population is dominant and mostly BJP candidates are elected from such localities. Time and again, Pawar has been accused of creating the bogey of caste with an eye on electoral gains by engineering a rift between sections of the electorate. In support of his contention, Pawar said slogans like ‘batenge toh katenge also fall in the same category as they have a communal shade. He alleged that the issue has been cropped up by the ruling dispensation as it is desperate at the bleak prospect in the assembly election, after the Lok Sabha rout. Fadanvis had condemned the Vote Jihad philosophy after cleric Sajjan Nomani released a list of the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates and asked the Muslims to vote for them.
West Bengal BJP has begun to feel the burden of having a former bureaucrat CV Ananda Bose in Raj Bhavan. He poses no problem for the TMC regime but remains out of bounds for them. Bengal BJP leaders find that they are never able to access him. Half the time, much harassed Bose is always catching a flight to Delhi to fill the ears of central leadership. They feel Kolkata Raj Bhavan should have a politically savvy governor like Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan or Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi who keeps local governments on toes. Party sources feel with assembly elections in 2026, there must be an effective, political governor who will be able to keep chief minister Mamata Banerjee on her toes. Instead, they find Governor Bose is embroiled and immersed in fighting his own personal battles. Two years after he took charge as governor, Mamata pinned him down with one of the Raj Bhavan staff alleging inappropriate conduct in May 2024. The TMC supremo who is buffeted by corruption allegations and scams, tried using allegations made by a contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan to put the Governor on the defensive. Didi made it such a political issue that even her two MLAs — Rayat Hossain Sarkar and Sayantika Banerjee — elected in the bypolls recently, refused to go to the Raj Bhavan to be sworn-in. They were sworn in by the Speaker at a special session of the Assembly on July 5. Bose has filed a defamation suit against Mamata after she remarked that “women are afraid to visit Raj Bhavan due to recent incidents”. Meanwhile, hunt is on for new Bengal BJP chief as Dr Sukanta Majumdar is a Union Minister now.
In a country of over a hundred crore people, job creation must be the principal objective. Viewed from that perspective, the Make In India campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi must be welcomed whole-heartedly. Generating a slogan is a lot easier. Making it a reality, however, is a tough proposition. There are so many hurdles in the way for making the Make In India pitch a reality. It can become so only if all arms of the government – both at the Centre and at state level – work in complete coordination with each other. This ambitious non-leather footwear project in Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu promoted by the Kothari group is facing a peculiar problem. The technology partners — those setting up units in the non-leather footwear park — are unable to get fly in technical experts from China to India. Their presence is critical to get these units off the block quickly. Notwithstanding recommendations from assorted agencies, the authorities concerned are yet to clear Chinese technicians’ visas. Issues of minor nature like this can jeopardise the Make In India focus. Border skirmishes notwithstanding, bilateral trade between India and China in FY23 stood at $ 113.83 billion. As of 2022-23, China was India’s third-largest trading partner. Well, New Delhi must find ways to remove the glitches coming in the way of the Make In India campaign.
Members of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) are peeved by the gall shown by their own ilk to prop up individuals — for the post of President — who have no connection with the rich tapestry of Mumbai cricket. Political class thrust upon the association as President is nothing new, a handful of them — Sheshrao Wankhede was one — have done good things for the association. That the association has been helmed by politicians for a long period of time is an indictment of the general profile of the association that seems to lack dynamism to lead and rise above the partisan. The time is upon the MCA to choose someone from within as President to fill the vacancy caused by the untimely demise of Amol Kale. It is virtually impossible in the prevailing circumstances to keep the vested interests with political heft at bay, especially with the BCCI disbursing around Rs 100 crore from the previous fiscal. Members of the MCA should be proud that they belong to an institution that has won the national title — the Ranji Trophy — 42 times and delivered world class cricketers to the national team. So a correction course taken at the next election of the President a couple of weeks from now will go a long way in setting the house in order, by giving strength to people who have worked for the association, know the ropes and not allow strangers to usurp positions. Their motto should be to put such undeserving and power-seeking people in their place. The time is upon the 300 plus members and cricketers with a right to vote, to demonstrate common sense and a good deal of guts!
In a bid to revitalize its political strategy following recent electoral setbacks, the Bengal CPI(M), has broadened its outreach to include public opinion outside traditional party lines. The Left party recently made a public appeal to share their perspectives via email, an initiative that quickly garnered significant attention. Although the specific contents of these messages remain confidential, sources within the district CPI(M) have revealed that the feedback highlights several critical issues such as concerns about organizational weaknesses, structural problems, leadership fragmentation, and inefficiencies in booth-level operations. Additionally, there is growing discontent regarding disconnect between the youthful representation at the state level and its effectiveness in grassroots activities. This outreach initiative underscores the party’s commitment to introspection and its efforts to address internal challenges by engaging directly with the public. Despite reserved positions for an age group of under-31 members in Area Committees aimed at youth inclusion, numerous committees across the state have struggled to fill vacancies even after three years, prompting widespread lower-level discontent. A CPI(M) member expressed concern that while the party organizes social media campaigns at the state-level, there is a disconnect at the booth level. A senior CPI(M) district leader questioned why state-level leaders are not more active at the grassroots, lacking awareness of local constituents, despite booth-level workers engaging with senior leaders on social platforms. Furthermore, allegations have surfaced alleging ‘understanding’ between local leadership and the Trinamool in various areas, reaching the attention of Alimuddin Street, the headquarters of the Left. Senior state leaders have acknowledged in internal discussions that they lack awareness of the true organizational dynamics at the booth level.
Trisha Krishnan and Thalapathy Vijay were the best-selling Tamil cinema on-screen pair in the mid-2000s. Their first film, Ghilli, Rs 50 crore hit, still draws repeat audiences for bubbly entertainment and a fast moving story. Four back to back films including Kuruvi naturally lead to cotton candy talk of the two getting serious. The pairing stopped. Only when Lokesh Kanakaraj announced Leo, Trisha came back to the Vijay pairing after a gap of 15 years. Lokesh, Vijay and Trisha alchemy is expected to sizzle at the boxoffice. Parallel to cinema happenings, Vijay is super busy and super present in the news for the launch of his party Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam. Social media is full of news about his “powerful and planned “thrust into politics, with all kinds of imaginary status about his marital life, parental non proximity, even his son rising as a challenge. What about his love life? Ah, this is where it becomes hot and humid. The infamous Suchitra leaks hit Vijay and Trisha with hot Saravana Bhavan rasam like spice. For those who are not in the know, Suchitra, a former singer and now suffering from delusional disorders puts out the most atrocious claims on the life, liaisons and love of filmi denizens. A birthday wish picture on Vijay’s 50th on Trisha’s Insta set the cats screeching. Suchitra wrote: “Trisha is a parasite. She is preying on Vijay’s loneliness in the absence of Sangeeta, pushing her way closer to fulfil her own political ambitions through Vijay. I am warning Vijay”.
DMK leader RS Bharati known for his acerbic wit, often packaged as motivational twits was presiding over the July 3 shrill decibel DMK student wing protest against NEET, when his usual foot-in-the-mouth talent surfaced, socking and shocking the audience and media. “Even a dog gets a BA degree now,” lambasted lawyer Bharati. “We are not doctors or lawyers because of our privileged caste status, or Sanathanam or Gothram. We owe our education and status to the Dravidian alms (pichai).” Even as BJP’s TN chief K Annamalai raised a volley of protests against Bharati’s dog label insult, the damage control machinery of the DMK moved fast to assuage feelings. As Bharati deftly took his foot out, he spewed another bout of venom on the educated particularly the Brahmins whose sole aim in life was to exploit the lower castes, deny them entry to development. NEET was one of the most unshakable barriers. Bharati’s message on X put all in perspective. “A particular high bred caste prevented people like us, the downtrodden, from getting educated, even access to education. So what heights we have achieved is clearly the largesse of the Dravidian ideology.”
In an interesting move that came around the same time as the inaugural Parliament Session concluded, PM Narendra Modi constituted 8 Cabinet Committees in which the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was included in as many as seven of the eight cabinet Committees. While, PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah constituted the Appointments Committee, the FM was included in as many as seven. These include: Cabinet Committee(CC) on Accommodation, CC on Economic Affairs (CCEA), CC on Parliamentary Affairs, CC on Security and CC on Skill Development, Employment and Livelihood. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar figured in CC on Economic Affairs and CC on Security. Significantly several NDA leaders such as JD (U) leader HD Kumaraswamy figured in CCEA. So did BJP’s ally from Bihar Lallan Singh. TDP leader & Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Naidu was in CC on Parliamentary Affairs. CC on Political Affairs again had Naidu from TDP and Jitan Ram Manjhi from Bihar. Chirag Paswan was accommodated in the panel on investment and growth. In the CC on skill development INLD leader Jayant Chaudhry was included.
The BCCI’s announcement of a cash prize of Rs. 125 crore to the Indian team — the support staff included, and the national selection committee members too – for winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Barbados has not surprised anyone. Thirteen years ago, the World Cup-winning Indian team was given Rs 30 crore, with each of the 15 players getting Rs 2 crore after a request was made by a player to increase the sum from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore because 30% plus will go towards income tax. After 11 years, each playing member could get Rs 5 crore or a little more for winning an ICC title. Last November, the Indian team was trounced by Australia in the World Cup (50 overs) final in Ahmedabad, but Rohit Sharma, who had a significant say in team selection, especially on the matter of taking four spinners (Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal), showed the way with his leadership and with the bat — going hell for leather at all times. The BCCI Secretary Jay Shah did not waste time declaring the cash award, but there was a clear message: Win the big prize, the ICC signature events and reap the rewards. It was a fabulous achievement for the Sharma-led Indian team. But it must be said that a bit of providence – in naming Sharma as the captain after Hardik Pandya was laid low by a lower limb injury in the World Cup match against Bangladesh in Pune – allowed India to field an experienced team for the competition held in the USA and Caribbean.
Maharashtra legislative council’s leader of the opposition (LoP) Ambadas Danve’s five-day suspension from the house is unprecedented in the state’s history. The fact that Danve used swear words denigrating womanhood while challenging a BJP member on the floor of the house has proved more shocking. Realising the gravity of his offence, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has apologised, though conditionally. Danve was engaged in a verbal battle with BJP’s Prasad Lad when the reprehensible language was used by him. When a resolution to suspend Danve for five days came up, the opposition demanded discussion on the motion. However, quoting precedents, deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe declined it. Uddhav later regretted the utterances of his party leader. However, Danve was unrepentant. He used threatening language against Lad once more. Moreover, he said that the BJP had no right to teach him democratic norms as it had suspended 150 members from the Lok Sabha. The conflict began when Lad made some statement pointing a finger at Danve, who vehemently objected and at one point was seen advancing menacingly towards Lad. The swear words used during this exchange stunned both sides of the house. The unsavoury incident is bound to impact electioneering for the assembly as the level to which elected representatives can stoop will create an impression among the rank and file about to take any liberties they wish.
The election to 11 legislative council seats in Maharashtra later this month will be fraught with suspense with the entry of Uddhav Thackeray’s Man Friday Milind Narvekar as a candidate. Known to be close to every influential leader in the state, despite party affiliations, Narvekar has always remained in the news for a variety of reasons. Uddhav’s decision to field him has added to the electoral thrill as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has the adequate number to bag two seats, while Milind will have to toil to win the third seat, in case the election does not happen unopposed. According to the current party strength in the legislative assembly, a winner will have to garner 23 votes. Given the statistics, the ruling Mahayuti can win nine seats and the MVA two. However, as Milind has entered the fray, the possibility of cross voting is appearing distinct since voting for the election is through a secret ballot. Previously, large scale cross voting has taken place in Maharashtra. Since the splits in the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress party (NCP) are not too distant in the past, the recurrence of changing loyalties can hit either side. Knowing this, back office efforts to make the election unopposed are underway. Narvekar has started calling on his buddies, who were earlier with his party but have parted ways recently to make it happen.
The deal street is abuzz with the news that the former HDFC executive Satrajit Bhattacharya is close to acquiring a Mumbai-based mid-sized housing finance company. People in the know of the deal, say it is perhaps one of the biggest acquisition deals by a start-up in recent times. Bhattacharya is expected to make a public announcement soon of his acquisition as well as the launch of Weaver Services. Ever since the 54-year old Satrajit quit his high profile job from HDFC, the country’s premier housing finance company, he has been on the radar of I-bankers and Executive Search firms with a job offer. But he was keen to become an employer not an employee. As soon the cooling period was over Satrajit made his entrepreneurial plans of getting into affordable housing finance space public. Being an M & A specialist, his strategy to hit the ground running by acquiring a housing finance company seems to have attracted well known PE players. It is learnt that they are willing to bankroll him for more acquisitions. Satrajit’s entry into the housing finance space seems well-timed given the fact that the government is keen to address the massive housing shortage in India –estimated at around 10 crore units — with the bulk of the shortage being in the lower income segments.
The latest news that Tamil Nadu’s BJP chief K Annamalai has been chosen to study International Politics at the Oxford University for three months is making waves both in the Tamil Nadu BJP and the DMK circles. Many are reading between the lines of his study assignment as he goes in September and will be back only in the New Year. Reportedly, many within the BJP are eyeing his seat albeit even if it’s a short reign. Ah, the Teacher’s pet is going away, with any number of carpetbaggers of the club sashaying in to lead the charge of the fight brigade. Annamalai is truly maha kicked by such an honour to be one among 12 international people to be invited by Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence programme. He is also going away as the big bang state Assembly election will be in 2026. Now with the BJP tasting blood in the Lok Sabha polls, and TN promises to be the coveted catch if it happens in 2026 – a BJP win will reset Dravidian politics. For the two well entrenched Dravidian parties fending off the major offensive led by Annamalai will be the real challenge.
At least in two recent meetings, PM Narendra Modi has apparently indicated to both ministers and secretaries that they must not constantly look to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for administrative initiatives or governance ideas. First, at a meeting with Ministers of State, he had suggested that they must come up with their own ideas of governance. And not wait for signals from the PMO. He had given similar advice during his interactive session with secretaries of the Government of India. In short, Modi has begun to de-emphasise the PMO and wants more ideas from all levels to give inputs for governance. The lack of top down control over the administration from the PMO seemed like a fresh idea. It also seemed to coincide with his idea to rebrand his PMO as “people’s PMO” at the beginning of his new term. Official sources feel Modi’s call for more ideas from all levels of governance in the third term instead of just the PMO marks a big shift in governance emphasis. It may be also recalled that in his first interaction with officials of the PMO, Modi had not only lauded staff for their work in the past, he had also explained the concept of “people’s PMO” to the staff. Modi said that the government means new energy of strength, dedication and resolve and expressed confidence that the PMO is primed to serve the people with dedication. He highlighted that it is not Modi alone who runs the government but thousands of minds that come together and shoulder the responsibilities.
Bollywood’s successful producer Vashu Bhagnani is cash-strapped and has put one of his properties on the block. Reportedly, he has not paid Rs 65 lakhs to his crew who worked in three of his films. Besides has also not paid the stars like Akshay Kumar who has agreed to wait. Incidentally, most of his films in recent times starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff have bombed at the box office. In the case of Akshay, all his four films with Vashu have done badly. Industry insiders say a film bombs because of poor script or high cost of stars or lavish production cost. It is an open secret that some of the popular stars take about 40% of the cost of production of the film. Vashu Bhagnani who entered Bollywood in 1995 has given a series of superhits, so it’s surprising he landed in a financial mess. He invested about Rs 1,000 crore in Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan Mission Raniganj, Ganpath and Cutputli. But earnings have been very poor. Also, signing big stars does not guarantee box office success. In the past Raj Kapoor landed in financial trouble after Mera Naam Joker flopped; Prakash Mehra after Bal Brahmachari and Zindagi Ek Jua and Manmohan Desai after Anmol and Toofan. But, these producers failed not because of the high cost of stars but because the audience did not like their stories. In the case of Bhagnani’s high cost of stars is also one of the reasons. There is surround sound that actors should cut their price. Will they?
The leadership of Ajit Pawar faces its most critical litmus test as he gears up to lead his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to fight not just his uncle Sharad Pawar but some disgruntled leaders within his own party, besides, facing hostile vibes from his alliance partners — BJP and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde). This attack from multiple fronts is on account of the poor show of his party in the Lok Sabha polls; it bagged just one of the four seats. Even RSS openly expressed its displeasure of BJP entering into an alliance with Ajit Pawar in view of his blemished track record. Luckily, he has got a big relief; BJP has sent out a message that it will fight the forthcoming Assembly polls together. The other problem he is facing is poaching. Srom some of his own ex-party colleagues now in Sharad Pawar’s camp are trying to woo leaders from his camp. There have been constant claims in the media about how 10-12 of his legislators are in touch with the Sharad Pawar’s faction and may cross over. Some of the senior leaders within his own party are not particularly happy about his unilateral decision to nominate his wife Sunetra Pawar who lost the Lok Sabha battle to Supriya Sule, to Rajya Sabha. It is learnt that strong leaders like Chhagan Bhujbal have already begun strengthening his Samata Parishad platform, through which he has been very vocal in supporting the OBC agitation. Whether Ajit Pawar is able to retain his flock, put up a strong fight and bounce back, now remains to be seen.
The last budgetary allocations before the October assembly polls in Maharashtra hold much political significance. Legislators across the political spectrum are eagerly waiting for fund allocations before deciding their next political move –which party to crossover. Currently, budgetary allocation is the only thing holding MLA’s from jumping on to other parties for tickets or even to contest as independents to protect their careers from coalition compulsions. It’s an open secret that budgetary allocations for works in constituencies are crucial for legislators not just as brownie points for seeking votes for elections but also serves as indirect funding for their elections through kickbacks from contractors. Ajit Pawar, who continues to retain the finance ministry despite change of governments in Maharashtra and has recently presented his 10th budget, is known to be partial towards providing allocations for his supporters. He has earlier been accused of walking away with fund allocations for his legislators even as overlooking those for the others. His nephew and most vocal critic Rohit Pawar has already accused the Mahayuti government of bringing out tenders with lax conditions to suit their favourite contractors with an eye on funding elections. The state, whose debt has already mounted to Rs 7.8 lakh crore, is planning to table supplementary demands worth over Rs 1 lakh crore for various works.
In his maiden speech in the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on July 1 triggered an uproar in the House with his remark targeting the BJP, saying those who call themselves Hindus “only talk about violence, hatred and lies. Those who claim to be Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, and untruth… You are not a Hindu.” His sweeping remarks against Hindus earned quick response from PM Modi, interrupting Rahul’s speech. Modi, who extended the courtesy of listening to LoP’s speech and sat through his nearly 2-hour speech in the House, objected to him painting the entire Hindu community as “violent” as a serious matter. After the exchange, Union home minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi. It was interesting to see that the LoP’s remarks were promptly countered by top ministers from the Modi Government — like Rs 1 crore that is paid to Agniveer martyrs by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while Rahul’s remarks about MSP for farmers were dealt with by Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan. In a tweet, UP chief minister Yogi too sought apology from Rahul for his remarks against Hindus. Meanwhile as Rahul’s speech went awry the one person who rushed to his defence was his sister Priyanka. She insisted that her brother only spoke against the BJP and would never speak against the Hindus. Rahul who kept personally attacking the PM for always being serious, even mockingly said the PM had said (Mahatma) Gandhi was revived by a movie. In his speech, Rahul talked about his 55-hour interrogation by the ED and how leaders “are” still kept in jail on the order of the PM.
In the earlier regime, the mindless interference by Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary VK Pandian upset not only the bureaucrats but even politicians across the party lines. Putting an end to that unilateral style of management the new BJP government in Odisha headed by Mohan Charan Majhi is ensuring a high degree of professionalism. For starters it has started making changes at the top by appointing Manoj Ahuja, a 1990 batch Odisha cadre IAS officer, as the Chief Secretary. Sources say that Ahuja has been selected because leadership at the highest level have reposed faith in him for his administrative acumen and rich experience across the departments. He was the former Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Secretary of Steel & Mines, Food, Supplies & Consumer Welfare and Commissioner of Commercial taxes. All these experiences will help him to fast track numerous administrative issues, and ensure that the common man can feel the difference. It may be recalled that the PM in his election campaign has promised to make Odisha No 1 state and Ahuja needs to ensure the entire bureaucracy is in sync to work towards that goal. Now, with absolute majority, BJP cannot pin blame on BJD. Ahuja will retire on December 31, 2024 and there are strong indications that he, like the former two secretaries, will get an extension.
For all the confrontation between the Congress and the Government over NEET and resolution over Emergency in the opening session of the 18th Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is apparently quite happy with the large office that has been allotted in the Parliament House to him in keeping with his new status as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Entitled to maintain a small core team, Rahul is keen to maintain a social media team drawn mainly from the AICC. For the initial day-to-day work, Rahul has made it known that he wants to share the experienced team assisting Mallikarjun Kharge, the Rajya Sabha LoP. Such as Kharge’s secretary Ravindra Garimella. Party sources said Rahul has already indicated that he may not be interested in routine meetings like business advisory committee meetings that fix the agenda for Lok Sabha sittings and may be only too happy to delegate it to senior colleagues like KC Venugopal or Gaurav Gogoi. He was apparently making inquiries about panels where PM Modi would be present. As such, it is not that PM Modi will be present in any of the parliamentary panels. But then as Lok Sabha LoP, Rahul would also get to preside over the Public Accounts Committee– a panel that reviews functionings of the PSUs. The PAC is a prized panel where PSU chiefs would be keen to please the PAC chief. For his new role as LoP, Rahul was initially seen wearing a kurta that most netas tend to wear. However by Friday a clean shaven Rahul decided to shed the old world image and was back to sporting his favourite gear– white T-shirt and jeans — something he was identified with during his Bharat Jodo Yatra days.
He knows inside out of cement. He breathes cement, and is passionate about his organisation. He is also acutely aware of the fast-changing dynamics in the cement industry. All along, he has run the cement business in a co-existing system. Initially, he worked with the Chemplast group as a co-promoter. Subsequently, he carried on with the Radhakishan Damani of DMart fame as passive investors. With the Damanis selling their stake to Aditya Birla Group company UltraTech Cement, N Srinivasan has to co-exist with the Birlas now. Is there a definite method to the latest twist? The way things are panning out, it appears a win-win for all the three players. Damani has cashed out happily. Birlas have gained more than a toe-hold into The India Cements, which has a legacy going back to pre-Independence days. Birlas have, for now at least, chosen to stop at the level of financial investor. Given the tall stature of Srinivasan and also considering his age, Birlas have taken a wise course. For Srinivasan, the situation is not new and yet new in a way. This time, he has to co-exist with a financial investor who is also a cement maker. For stakeholders across the canvas, this could be a welcome development. After all, Birlas have a rich background in terms of culture and values. That bodes well for India Cements. What lends credence to the emerging new setting was the unreported informal confabulations at India Cements a few days prior to the sale of stake by Damani in the open market to UltraTech people. The current arrangement seems perfect given the fact that both Srinivasan’s daughter and granddaughter are passionate about driving the cricket franchise Chennai Super Kings. Interestingly, for Birlas there is a Tamil Nadu connection, Kumar Mangalam Birla’s mother Rajashree was born in Madurai. She went to St Joseph’s Convent School and Fatima College. After her marriage to Aditya Birla she moved to Kolkata.
Why two left-arm spinners? Why not a right-hand off-spinner… was the question raised by the cricket fan and even some experts when the team was announced. The team’s think tank had convinced the national selection committee that though Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are like spinners, the wiry Patel was sort of a most valuable player with splendid skills in bowling, batting and fielding and that he had to be on board. Patel was India’s best left-arm spinner in the two years, starting from 2022, and no way was he not going to be travelling to the USA and West Indies for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav may have bagged plenty of wickets, but Patel has quietly chipped in with eight scalps at 15.50 and with a strike rate of a wicket for every two point some overs. He has played the supporting cast role exceptionally well; it was his three strikes against England that, in a way, paved the way for India to call the shots after posting 171 on the board in the semi-final. The Nadiad-born Patel converted a miraculous catch of Australian captain Mitchell Marsh: his spectacular effort in the deep just about demonstrated his commitment to the game. An injury suffered during the Asia Cup last September kept him out of the World Cup in India. The decision-makers kept faith in him, and the results are there. Patel has been the cynosure of all eyes in the Twenty20 tournament. He has sent down 108 balls for eight wickets as against Jadeja’s 78 balls for one wicket.
Maharashtra’s three-party alliance government’s last budget has instigated a war of attrition. As anticipated, the budget has showered a bevy of announcements with an intent to please as many sections of society as possible in view of the coming assembly election. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, after presenting the budget, expressed confidence that it will dispense justice to all. Similarly, opposition leaders including Uddhav Thackeray have attacked the budget, saying that it lacks imagination and initiative to develop the state. The state is under a debt burden of over Rs 7 lakh crore though its ratio with vis a vis state GDP is within norms. The proposed measures in this budget are bound to add to the indebtedness as over Rs 50,000 crore will have to be shelled out during the year towards the interest payment. At the top of Pawar’s basket is the “CM’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme (My Dear Sister Scheme)” under which all women between 21 and 60 years of age will receive Rs 1500 every month. It is a replica of a similar scheme under implementation in Madhya Pradesh. Farmers, too, are wooed by promising them to write off all their dues towards the power consumption for their agricultural pumps. Girls desirous of taking professional courses and falling in specified economic categories will not have to pay any tuition or examination fees. Pawar, while presenting the interim budget for 2024-25, has promised three cooking gas cylinders free of charge to eligible families annually. The resultant additional burden is being calculated by the opposition to sharpen its attack during the current session.
In a recent state cabinet meeting, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her frustration with several ministers and leaders over allegations of corruption and non-performance. Giving stern warning to her cabinet, she has made it clear that she will not tolerate any lapses in governance, particularly in addressing civic issues and ensuring the general functioning of the government. It is speculated that her dissatisfaction with her ministers stems from a deeper analysis of the Lok Sabha election results. Despite the TMC securing a decisive victory by winning 29 out of Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha seats, a closer examination reveals underlying vulnerabilities in the party’s standing. While the TMC won both parliamentary seats in Kolkata, the party’s performance in the city’s municipal wards indicated a less dominant position. The TMC led in 93 wards under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, but the BJP’s significant presence, leading in 48 wards, highlighted growing opposition strength in urban areas. The BJP’s lead extended beyond Kolkata, with notable inroads in several civic bodies across the state. Didi’s displeasure is rooted in reports of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of responsiveness by local leaders. Such issues have eroded public trust and provided the BJP with an opportunity to gain ground. The CM’s stern reaction towards her ministers appears to be linked to her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee’s, critical assessment of the government’s performance. As the party’s national general secretary, Abhishek has been vocal about issues like corruption and inefficiency within the administration.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra is finding itself in a similar situation, faced by the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Both sides are engaged in concealing the fissures within. Leaders from both camps keep claiming that several MLAs from the opposite side are on their way to their fold. The simmering unrest came to the fore when Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut set off a fierce debate in the MVA by obliquely suggesting that Uddhav Thackeray should be the CM face of the Aghadi for the coming assembly election. State Congress president Nana Patole has discounted the demand by merely remarking that his party has decided not to comment on any of Raut’s statements. Incidentally, the Congress has won the largest number of LS seats in the state. Jayant Patil, leader of the third partner, the NCP (Sharad Pawar), says that the priority for now is to concentrate on winning the election unitedly. Conversely, the Mahayuti is in the same boat. Though ruling, its three partners are not on the same page over several issues. Already, sections of the BJP and Sena (Shinde) have started blaming the NCP faction led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar for the Mahayuti’s Lok Sabha debacle. Some local units have gone to the extent of demanding removal of the NCP(A) from the Yuti. Countering statements against each other are becoming common for the Mahayuti, posing a challenge for the leadership.
Maharashtra’s BJP deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis offered to resign over the 2024 Maha Lok Sabha debacle the party suffered but the high command rejected it. Then the social media faux pas happened, when BJP’s Maharashtra IT cell head Shweta Shalini sued well known Marathi journalist Bhau Torsekar who in his Youtube show Pratipaksha equated Shweta with south Indian actor and party counterpart ‘Ramya’ who cost the party badly down south India some years ago. Fadnavis’ outreach to Bhau met with the latter’s follow-up parody episode further impacting the deputy CM’s public persona. Consequent social media outburst from party insiders exposed all the Fadnavis men for mismanagement of Rs 550 crore party funds during Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra. Sources say, one close confidant of Fadnavis is accused of usurping Rs 25 crore to purchase a high-end apartment in tony Malabar Hill, and also renting a plush office in Mumbai at Rs 10 lakh a month. Likewise another confidant from Nagpur is believed to have secured plum posting in MSEB. BJP’s Lok Sabha debacle in Maharashtra is being attributed to wrong selection of candidates, conceding more Mumbai seats to CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and disconnect with BJP cadres. Will Fadnavis mend the tear, put his house in order in time to face state assemblies? Time will tell, even as BJP additionally invests ‘Tan, Man & Dhan’ upon Fadnavis’ NCP counterpart Ajit Pawar for edge in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections of 2024.
Om Birla, the NDA nominee, was elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 26, through a motion moved by PM Narendra Modi, which was adopted via voice votes. The only redeeming feature of the election that happened after 50 years in the Parliament was that there was no counting of votes. Election was by voice vote –by ‘Ayes’ and ‘Noes’. In fact after pro-tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab declared Om Birla as the Speaker of the lower house, JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan even wondered why there was no headcount or division. Mahtab told him that “it was beyond division of votes”. The Opposition, which had filed K Suresh as the Speaker candidate of the INDIA bloc, did not press for a division vote. It was not keen to showcase how much behind NDA it was in terms of numbers. The best part of the Speaker’s election was that it brought together PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi, who in his new role as Leader of the Opposition. Both of them were spotted shaking hands as they escorted Birla to the Speaker’s chair. As PM Modi noted Birla’s “warm smile brightens up the entire House,” and how efficiently he ran the House in the last 5 years .Opposition leaders were quick to harp on how he had suspended 146 MPs in 2023. Rahul Gandhi in his speech hoped Birla would allow the Opposition to speak and said “The question is not how efficiently the House is run. The question is how much of India’s voice is being allowed to be heard.” Congress sources say there would have been no hype over the Speaker’s election if only KC Venugopal had not bargained about deputy speaker’s post in his initial meeting with Rajnath Singh.
The big defeat of Biju Janata Dal both in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections has not put BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on the back foot. On the contrary, there is now a new spring in his stride and he has decided to take the BJP head on both in his state and at the Centre. With his party losing all the Lok Sabha seats, Patnaik has asked his party’s nine Rajya Sabha MPs to work in a cohesive fashion and strongly raise Odisha issues in the Rajya Sabha. The most important issue for Naveen babu is the long-standing demand for Special Category status for Odisha as it is prone to natural disasters. BJD leader in Rajya Sabha Sasmit Patra said, “The BJD MPs this time will not be confined to speaking on issues only, but are determined to agitate if the BJP-led government at the Centre ignores Odisha’s interest”. BJD MPs will also raise the issues of poor mobile connectivity and low density of bank branches in the state, speedy completion of National and Coastal Highway projects, demand for revision of coal royalty which has been ignored by the Centre for the last 10 years. BJD seems to have a long laundry list: AIIMS in Sambalpur, Koraput and Balasore; IT parks, semiconductor, textile parks; 20 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana; Kendriya Vidyalayas in each block of Odisha; Eklavya schools in every scheduled (tribal) block.
Do you remember Parry, Nutrine and Ravalgon? For many decades, they were dominating the Indian toffee and candy industry. Many smaller firms producing unbranded candy and toffee, too, co-existed with them. But these big names have long become forgotten brands. The minor ones have also fallen into the pages of history. A combination of factors has appeared to have accelerated the consignment of these brands to distant memory. For one, the industry itself has undergone a metamorphosis. For another, the advent of digitisation too has pushed them to near oblivion. Digital payments have become popular, and every vendor of assorted sort is happily accepting the digital payment of even the tiny sum. Time was when toffees and candy proved useful for the vendors who did not have `small change’ to return the buyers the balance money. Toffees and candy came in handy for vendors who used to offer them in lieu of tiny change to make the balance payment for the buyers. The advent of digital payments changed the whole dynamics surrounding the toffee and candy business since the vendors don’t need to stock them to offset the shortage of ‘tiny change’. Also, in the emerging modern world, the consumption habits of people at the bottom of the pyramid too have changed. If change has brought in transformation at a larger level, it has also caused huge damage at a different level. That has turned bitter for some, at least!
With no consensus between the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc over Lok Sabha Speaker post and the deadline for the nominations nearing, the two alliances have separately fielded their candidates. This is the first election for Lok Sabha Speaker since Independence. On June 26, as the Lok Sabha convenes, the legislators will vote to elect the next Speaker, choosing between the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Om Birla as NDA candidate and Congress’ Kodikunnil Suresh as the Opposition nomination. Om Birla, a three-time MP from Kota, and longest-serving Lok Sabha MP from Kerala K Suresh have filed their nominations for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker. A Lok Sabha Speaker is elected by a simple majority. More than half of the 543 members present in the Lok Sabha vote for a particular candidate to become the Speaker of Lok Sabha. The NDA, which has 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, enjoys a clear majority. The Opposition bloc has 234 legislators in the lower House of Parliament. Apparently many Opposition parties like the TMC and even NCP (Sharad Pawar) are not happy with the decision to go for a contest. TMC felt the Congress took a unilateral decision to contest the Speaker’s post without consulting other parties. With numbers in favour of the NDA, Om Birla is set to become the Lok Sabha Speaker for a second term. INDIA bloc said it was willing to support the NDA candidate but only if the deputy Speaker post is given to the Opposition. Clearly, the government did not wish a trade-off over the Deputy Speaker’s post. The Deputy Speaker’s post would probably go to one of its allies, the TDP.
Congress leaders in Kerala are yet to recover from the idea that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee would campaign for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Wayanad Lok Sabha by-elections. That, whenever it happens. This is a seat vacated by her brother earlier this month and it will mark Priyanka’s foray into electoral politics. Reports of Mamata working as a political mentor for Priyanka in Kerala emerged as an idea, post senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s confabulations with Mamata recently. Party sources said though it is not clear what exactly transpired in the chat between the two leaders, it is possible that the two leaders may have discussed better relations and for better coordination inside the Parliament. As for the Wayanad, Kerala Congress sources made it clear that it is the best seat in the “state for the Congress”. “Let us not forget that Rahulji has won Wayanad twice — both in 2019 and in 2024– by a margin of 3 lakhs. We have never taken support of any outside help. What will Mamata ji come and do here? Priyankaji will easily win here”, asserted an AICC functionary. Party sources pointed it is possible efforts are being made to keep Didi in good humour. The Kerala campaign perhaps could be a sop to humour the Bengal leader who has failed to expand beyond her state. Sources said it was Chidambaram’s idea to keep TMC close to the Congress. He had reportedly told Mamata that the Modi Government would not last beyond the next round of assembly polls and the Opposition must unite to dislodge the regime. He has been similarly working on the DMK too!
The defeat of five-time Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to Trinamool Congress seems to have not only relegated Chowdhury to the status of a state leader but also triggered speculations about a potential alliance between the Congress and TMC during the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament. Chowdhury’s loss is seen as a significant political shift. His vocal opposition to TMC supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had been a major factor in the “unwritten distance” between the Congress and TMC during parliamentary activities. His defeat is expected to change the dynamics, as many TMC MPs have pointed out that his presence was a barrier to cooperation between the two parties. With Rahul Gandhi known for his excellent rapport with Didi, the possibility of a Congress-TMC alliance seems more likely. Now, with Chowdhury’s diminished role, there is a newfound optimism about smoother collaboration between the two parties. On the other hand, Chowdhury has maintained that he was the first among Opposition leaders to support TMC MP Mahua Maitra during the cash-for-query scandal and her subsequent expulsion from the House.
Cricketers and teams do not talk about taking revenge these days; otherwise, the faithful would have been tempted to describe India’s facile win against Australia in the Super-8 clash of the ICC Men’s T20 competition at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, as an act of revenge! Only six months ago, Australia outwitted Rohit Sharma and his band of men in blue to win the ICC 50 over World Cup in the final in Ahmedabad. The Sharma supporters would be thrilled that the India captain blasted the Australian bowling to smithereens to make a match-winning 41-ball 92 against the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Following the defeat, Australia under tremendous pressure, fell by the wayside against Afghanistan and bowed out of the tournament with the very ambitious South Asian team putting it across Bangladesh. With a clean slate, not going down in a single match five, India faces England in the semi-finals, a repeat of the 2022 semis in Adelaide; and on that occasion, England thrashed India by 10 wickets. The match at Clive Lloyd’s Guyana can turn out to be another high-voltage showboat of the T20 World Cup. The England batters, most of them of the explosive type, will go after the India bowling. It has to be seen if Sharma’s main weapon, Jasprit Bumrah, who had successful outings against Ben Stokes’s team in the home Test series, will rise to the occasion once again. With Australia out of the way, any team is capable of turning the cricket world upside down!
Verbal War Between Uddhav Sena And BJP Over Kangana Ranaut’s Visit To Maharashtra Sadan In New Delhi
Newly elected BJP MP Kangana Ranaut’s visit to Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi a couple of days ago has set afire a verbal war between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP. News reports that Kangana had demanded the CM’s reserved suite in the state guest house and their subsequent refute by the Sadan officials have stoked bout of invectives. Sena MP Sanjay Raut has ridiculed Kangana’s reported demand and advised the Himachal Pradesh government to allot the suite reserved for that state’s CM in Himachal Bhawan to her. He has made some other remarks, too, against her. Taking on his old adversary, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane has rushed to challenge Raut by firing several questions at him. Rane has reminded his bete noire that Kangana is an elected MP and not “a backdoor MP” like him, referring to Raut’s third Rajya Sabha term. Attacking Raut’s criticism of the screen heroine, Rane has asked him, “Should it be made known about the stay of a Bollywood actress at the house you occupy?” To rub in the assault, Rane has dared Raut to seek an answer from Uddhav Thackeray about controversial police officer Sachin Vaze’s visits to the CM’s residence when he was holding the post. Raut had roasted the Maharashtra government about the latest drug racket bust in Pune. Responding in the same vein, Rane has asked him to clarify what steps the state had taken under Uddhav against the drug menace. Enough indications suggest that the two sides will become more virulent.
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar’s grandson Rohit Pawar has threatened to make a sensational disclosure regarding the state government within two days, involving commissions exceeding Rs 5000 crore. The NCP (SP) MLA, who is emerging as the potential future power centre within the party, has been making his presence felt. For some time, he is seen as the chief attacker against the rival NCP led by his uncle, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. The recent drubbing received by Ajit’s NCP in the Lok Sabha election has created flutters in his party, with news reports galore that some of his followers are likely to cross over to the NCP (SP). Against this backdrop, Rohit’s meeting with Maharashtra governor Ramesh Bais has created considerable suspense. His explanation that the meeting was to discuss certain vital issues of the state’s concern is hardly taken at face value. In his ‘X’ post, Rohit has claimed that bills worth Rs 20,000 crore for the public works department are already pending payment. Despite this, why new works costing similar huge amounts are being taken up. “Wait for two days, a big explosion is on its way,” he said. Alleging that the new expenditure will be incurred to show to the public that ‘something’ is being done for them, Rohit has warned the NDA rulers in the state that they will meet the same fate as in the Lok Sabha election for the coming assembly election.
In his career spanning over 40 years, the 67-year old Anil ‘Jhakas’ Kapoor has smartly kept out of controversy. But, in recent times found himself dragged into two controversies. He is being trolled for agreeing to host Bigg Boss OTT, a reality show which has become synonymous with Salman Khan. Bhai’s fans are mightily upset that Anil has replaced Sallu Bhai in one of the most controversial reality shows. Anil is not perturbed by criticisms and trolls. Meanwhile, he seems to be in the news for other reasons — fallout with his elder brother Boney Kapoor. Sources say that producer Boney has decided to cast his son Arjun Kapoor in the sequel No Entry Mein Entry without informing Anil and this has upset him. But when some reporters quizzed Anil, he quickly responded “Ghar Ki Baat Ghar mein hi rehne do”. Anil, one of the non-controversial actors in Bollywood, has acted in over 100 films and his career graph, like Dharmendra, Jeetendra, has been steady. The actor is constantly reinventing himself to keep in sync with changing times. He is identified for some of the interesting roles he essayed in Hindi films like Mr India, Mashaal, Tezaab, Ram Lakhan, Nayak, Welcome, English movie Slumdog Millionaire and English TV serial 24. As regards to his producer brother, he has worked with him in over nine films and has acted opposite Sridevi, his sister in law in eight films.
Maharashtra is witnessing re-emergence of a new kind of leadership — the hunger strike leaders — who issue diktats and dictate terms to the state from stages while sitting on hunger strikes in distant districts. The trajectory of these new leaders, Manoj Jarange-Patil from Maratha agitation earlier and Laxman Hake representing the OBC agitation currently, follows a similar pattern. Both agitations are led by hitherto unknown activists sitting on a hunger strike suddenly catapulted to fame by ceaseless media coverage and threatening to dislodge established political leaders that go against them. And both seem backed up by invisible political forces with a clear agenda to polarise specific community vote banks beyond the splits and factions of political parties. While the Maratha agitation suddenly sprung up in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, the OBC agitation is picking up in the run-up to assembly polls. These new leaders seem to emulate the original hunger strike agitation leader — Anna Hazare who however fasted mainly against corruption and corrupt leaders. Incidentally, the Jarange Patil-led Maratha agitation inexplicably died down right before the LS polls soon after chief minister Eknath Shinde was heard claiming in a viral video that he would rein in Jarange Patil after state Congress chief Nana Patole complained that Jarange had got too big for his boots. Whether the OBC agitation follows this pattern, how it plays on hereon and its impact on the assembly polls, now remains to be seen.
Even as all political parties in Maharashtra gear up for the forthcoming assembly polls scheduled around October, a sharp split between the Marathas and the Other Backward Class (OBC) community threatens to distort the political atmosphere of Maharashtra. Bandhs, highway blockages, stone throwings, tyre burnings fuelled by vitriolic statements from new leaders emerging from hunger strike agitations have become the order of the day. The consolidation of the Maratha vote bank which began with the successful agitation by Manoj Jarange Patil and subsequently led to the defeat of leading OBC leaders in the recent Lok Sabha, has sparked a sharp reaction from the OBC community which is feeling threatened. The OBC community views the consolidation of Maratha vote bank as an attempt to gnaw into their reservations and political strength. The OBC leadership across many political parties is also consolidating itself with leaders like Pankaja Munde from the BJP, Dhananjay Munde and Chhagan Bhujbal from the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP with support offered by Vijay Waddetiwar, leader of opposition in assembly from the Congress and even Prakash Ambedkar from the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) finding a common cause. The BJP, which suffered the most due to the Maratha consolidation in the LS elections, has now thrown in its weight behind the OBC plank, mulling Rajya Sabha berth to Pankaja Munde, reclaiming Eknath Khadse and even offering encouraging signals to Chhagan Bhujbal. The BJP is now on a sticky wicket as it struggles to do a balancing act to not antagonise the Maratha vote bank while retaining support of the OBC.
Maharashtra is poised for a run-for-your-money state assembly election with the battle for the “Kursi” being played out within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) formation already. A source reveals the “Tutari” was sounded by Sharad Pawar announcing his intent to assume power leadership post elections. Nephew Ajit Pawar, who politically usurped the official Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from under his feet, has launched into political gambits with a vengeance to engineer a crucial defection from his uncle’s camp to bolster his strength in the Rajya Sabha to three while recouping his faction’s prospects for Vidhan Sabha elections to 288 assembly constituencies, come November 2024. Uncle Pawar, aware that his Member of Parliament daughter Supriya Sule’s shot at a Union cabinet berth is off the table now, expects to take over the mantle of state politics with Congress unable to match Pawar’s stature with Maharashtra Congressmen being subsumed by his towering political personae. While seeking to shore up MLA numbers for his faction, the octogenarian Maratha may even be open to merging his faction with the Congress as CM elect. The Congress and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Shiv Sena meanwhile, are squaring up against each other over a political tussle undermining the latter. Sharad Pawar may not be averse to becoming a CM again to stop BJP/Mahayuti in its tracks. Here, Pawar seeks tacit Congress approval to allow him the lead in state politics and is expecting Congress revertal by June 30 says a highly placed source. Parallely, Pawar has also opened channels with Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav. And of course, Uddhav Thackeray who has tasted power wants to be CM again too.
Senior leader Sharad Pawar has set a cat among the pigeons by his oblique dissatisfaction about the seat sharing within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the Lok Sabha election. “Our party should have obtained more seats but I capitulated in the interest of the MVA unity,” Pawar said at a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) meeting on Friday. Without elaborating, he asked his followers to work harder for the coming assembly election. Known for his tongue-in-cheek remarks, Pawar’s veiled comment is interpreted as an attempt to create pressure on the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) to yield more seats for his NCP faction for the assembly polls. The strike rate of Pawar’s party was the highest in MVA for the LS election. It contested 10 seats and won eight while the Congress bagged 13 by contesting 17. The Sena was the worst performer, winning nine seats against the 21 it fought. Pawar’s observation has come when the MVA is said to be in favour of allotting 96 assembly constituencies to each partner in the 288-member house. Without saying so, Pawar has transmitted the message that the two partners should rein in their horses while demanding any seat share. The seat distribution assumes importance since it has been tacitly agreed that the next MVA chief minister will belong to the party which has the maximum number of MLAs.
Has Gautam Gambhir – foreseen to take the mantle of Head Coach of the Indian team from Rahul Dravid post the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup — been given his due for India’s 2011 World Cup title win? While the fans and the cricketing fraternity doffed their hat to a brave, heart-like knock played by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the stoical display by Gambhir after Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag’s early exit in the final against Sri Lanka has not been acclaimed enough. Yuvraj Singh’s all-round showing during the World Cup campaign has also been talked about off and on, but hardly Gambhir’s doughty 122-ball 97 in the final at the Wankhede Stadium. The Delhi left-hander kept India in the hunt for three hours and seven minutes and, in the course of it, forged an 83-run stand with Virat Kohli for the third wicket. Gambhir’s steadfast knock was the high point of India retrieving lost ground after the Lasith Malinga blows that ejected Sehwag and Tendulkar from the middle. Gambhir’s scores in the World Cup were 39, 51, 10, 28, 69, 22, 50, 27 and 97 for a tally of 393 in nine innings. He has scored 10324 runs for India in 242 matches/283 innings across the three formats and was part of the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup-winning Indian team. Gambhir has the credentials to play the role his predecessors like Dravid, Ravi Shastri, and Anil Kumble have done with great zeal. His return to play a proactive role in cricket upon quitting politics and showing the way for Kolkata Knight Riders to win its third IPL title has opened the door of the Indian team for him!
Tamil film’s well known director, 37-year old Arun Kumar (aka) Atlee has moved into the big league. His star trek which began in 2013 with Raja Rani got a leg up thanks to Thala Vijay. He directed Vijay in three superhits Theri, Mercel and Bigil. Like many super hits, Atlee guided his hits with more razzmatazz and gloss, a page taken from his mentor Shankar. Kollywood producers quickly realised that Atlee was building his own brand with way over budget films. Kalaipuli Thanu, a name to reckon in the Tamil Film Producers Guild cracked the whip…Tamil movies did not seek Atlee and when he tried to move to Telugu…he drew a blank. It seems Telugu and Hindi film producers are hard nuts to crack where finance is concerned. He has been lucky though. When Bollywood was down in the trenches and needed a hit badly to pull it out of the tailspin, Atlee delivered Jawan for SRK. Made on a Rs 370-crore budget, it raked in Rs 1200 crore. But Atlee was criticised for the way Jawan’s extravagance gnawed at the profits. Atlee has just made it known that his salary would now be Rs 100 crore plus profit sharing. Atlee announced his next movie with Allu Arjun. But call it destiny. The Andhra Pradesh government has changed and the new Czar Chandra Babu Naidu is unlikely to forget that Allu Arjun had campaigned for his rival Jagan Mohan Reddy. The latest buzz is that the prestigious project has been shelved. Allu is waiting for the release of Pushpa 2.
After yet another disappointing performance in West Bengal, the state BJP’s post-poll analysis has underscored the pivotal role of women voters and the influence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee. The BJP believes that schemes like Lakshmi Bhandar have further solidified the allegiance of women voters to Didi, making it challenging for the BJP to make inroads in the state. A section of BJP leaders has acknowledged that Banerjee’s targeted social schemes — such as the Widow Pension, Swasthya Sathi, Kanyashree, and Roopashree — have resonated strongly with the female electorate. The BJP’s internal dynamics are also set for a change, where current state president, Sukanta Majumdar, who is also the MP for Balurghat, has been inducted into the Modi government as a junior minister. This development has spurred discussions about his successor, especially since the central leadership has expressed dissatisfaction with the results under Majumdar’s leadership. With the West Bengal State Election slated for 2026, the BJP is keenly aware that winning over women voters is crucial to reversing its fortunes. Speculations are rife that the BJP may appoint a woman as the state president to counter Banerjee’s influence effectively. Names like Locket Chatterjee, Agnimitra Paul, Debasree Chaudhuri, and Malti Rava Roy are being considered, with former Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee emerging as the frontrunner. However, the race for the state presidency is not limited to female leaders. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and former state president Dilip Ghosh are also in contention.
On the heels of NCP(A) Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar, the BJP’s high profile OBC leader Pankaja Munde is said to be considering the same route to enter the parliament. Already, there is much consternation in the ruling NDA in Maharashtra since deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha despite her resounding defeat in the Lok Sabha election by her sister in law Supriya Sule. The justification that Sunetra has been elected from the NCP(A) quota is not going down well. As if this is not enough, sections of the media have indicated that Sunetra, a political greenhorn, is eager for a slot in the Union council of ministers. Pankaja, too, has lost the recent Lok Sabha election. She was humbled by a political novice fielded by the NCP (SP). She was asked to contest for LS though she had lost the last assembly election. Sunetra’s example has emboldened Pankaja’s supporters to demand the RS slot for her. The backdrop for the clamour are the two reservation agitations underway in Maharashtra presently. While the Maratha stir has been revived, a few OBC leaders have begun their indefinite fast unto death to oppose any possible move to cut a slice out of the OBC reservation for the Maratha caste. If Pankaja is sent to the RS and made a Union minister, the OBC vote bank in the state will return to the NDA, her supporters are arguing.
After Mamata Banerjee dealt a body blow to West Bengal PCC chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury by getting him defeated in Berhampore Lok Sabha by fielding cricketer Yusuf Pathan from Gujarat, a whole lot of possibilities seems to have opened up for the Congressman. Adhir is quite upset with the Congress leadership that did not pitch in any help during Bengal polls. In fact, post-defeat, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called him up and urged him not to vacate his Lutyens’s bungalow and promised to find something for him. To media queries about his switch to the BJP, Adhir has neither confirmed nor denied it. Yes, Modi-Shah are thinking of fielding Adhir as a Rajya Sabha candidate from Tripura in place of former CM Biplab Deb who has got elected to the Lok Sabha. The buzz is Adhir could be eventually inducted as a central minister and deployed to work in Bengal. Under Suvendu Adhikari’s leadership, the BJP in Bengal has been struggling. Apart from traditional leaders such as Dilip Ghosh who can take on Mamata, there are only a handful of leaders in the BJP who can take on the Trinamool. Of course, if Adhir joins the BJP he could prove to be a major irritant for Mamata. That means, for the TMC leader, getting Adhir defeated in Lok Sabha may not have been a wise move at all.
With the BJP government firmly in place in Odisha, the key question in everybody’s mind: “Is it the end of Biju Janata Dal”? “Not really…the political drama has just begun,” says a clued-in political analyst from Utkal University. Yes, BJD’s supremo Naveen Patnaik is not giving up the fight. Patnaik is aiming to be a formidable opposition force to BJP. He wants to stay relevant and aims to bounce back at the right time. Immediate plan of action is to keep the party united, regroup rank and file and prepare strategies for the future. Observers say, this makes sense as Naveen is still loved by four-crore plus Odias. He is likely to take over as leader of opposition in the Odisha Assembly. Rumours are BJD MLA Prasanna Acharya is now batting to be Naveen’s deputy in the Assembly. Naveen babu’s future success will depend on four factors, one, what “mantra ” he has which will enable him to keep his numbers intact, two, having ears to the ground addressing rank and file concerns, three, quickly creating second rung leaders and four grooming a successor. After being in power for over two decades, Naveen babu for the first time is an opposition leader. So how he converts this into a political opportunity will have to be seen. Right now he is playing cards close to his chest.
During the late J Jayalalithaa’s governance, Chennai’s Poes Garden was literally the epicentre of power. Nothing moved unless the diktat came from the iconic residence of the late CM, ably assisted by her confidante VK Sasikala Natarajan, a power centre in her own right. Sasikala, in near oblivion after her jail term has again surfaced and hit the headlines. She held a press meet at her imposing residence just across JJ’s home. Without much preamble, the lady announced “I have decided to get back my place and my party in electoral politics”. MGR and Jayalalithaa gave everything to build the AIADMK as the country’s third largest political party. But it has been sadly led into the worst setback by people with no vision, only greed and selfishness. She further added that she watched this debacle silently, and patiently like how “MGR taught me”. Both my leaders never used caste as the cornerstone…I too profess no caste. Making Edappadi CM when she was sent to jail was the beginning of the party’s downfall. She is determined to “free TN from the monstrous clutches of the DMK, unite AIADMK and bring back the glory. The rumbles and muttered exchanges are now growing louder. As also speculation was the message from the BJP high command to Sasikala to use her special talent to bring the broken bits together? For BJP her rise will be akin to killing two birds with a stone —EPS and DMK.
When Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was announced Lok Sabha candidate from Wayanad in Kerala by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, replacing her brother Rahul there was a lot of speculation about the timing of the announcement. Why did the Congress pick a festival day for the Muslims — Bakri Eid — to make the announcement? Is it because Muslims constitute the majority of the voters in Wayanad? Party sources also confirmed that the Indian Union Muslim League was consulted about Priyanka entering the fray. Though Priyanka has worked in both Amethi and Rae Bareli since 1999, for some reason her brother Rahul was reluctant to let her enter the fray. In fact many Priyanka loyalists in the party were disappointed that she did not get an opportunity to contest from Uttar Pradesh. For some reason Rahul did not want to pit Priyanka against Smriti Irani in Amethi, though later he bragged that his sister could have easily defeated PM Modi in Varanasi. It is being said because Rahul Gandhi wanted to take the credit of bringing down Modi’s numbers in UP. He was aware that he could do it only because of the unstinted support of the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav and the web of lies spread by the Congress. Congress sources insist that Priyanka would focus on the organisation and leave Parliament leadership to her brother. Of course, if she were to take an active role in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi and his team may find it hard to counter her. The BJP insisted that Priyanka should have been fielded from Rae Bareli if the Congress had to prove its resurgence, “instead of running away like a coward” tweeted BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya.
The real test for Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh will come in the coming days in the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with all 12 matches to be played in the Caribbean Islands, but in the preliminary stage, these two have turned out to be top-notch performers with the ball. While Jasprit Bumrah took centre stage with incisive spells against Pakistan and the men in blue’s opening campaign against the USA, Pandya and Arshdeep did their business in a smart manner. The `drop-in surface’ at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium – that was transported from Adelaide was said to be dubious. Whatever, Pandya and Arshdeep had a ball. They vindicated the national selection committee and team management’s emphatic call to back them for the global competition seen as no less than the 50-over format played in India last year. Pandya and Arshdeep were picked because they had solid performances for the men in blue, and calls to pick a handful of successful bowlers in the Tata-IPL-17 were dismissed by people with a significant say in selection matters. Pandya leads the bowling honours for India with seven scalps in three matches at 9.29, with a strike rate of 10.29, and the Sardar from Punjab has seven wickets at 10.71, with a strike rate of 10.29. Pandya missed the previous event in Australia in 2022 and was pilloried for not bowling much in the same event in Dubai in 2021. Pandya has 80 wickets for India in the format – third behind Yuzvendra Chahal (96) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (90), and Arshdeep has 69 wickets, sixth overall and behind Bumrah (79) and Ravichandran Ashwin (72).
Everyone in Delhi media has been talking about EAM Dr S Jaishankar, particularly the way he grieved for the passing away of his batch mate, Harpal Singh Bedi from JNU even as he was away on G-7 summit in Apulia, Italy. Not only did he tweet the photo of their varsity days — describing them as the first batch of JNU students for International Studies — but the minister also made it a point to attend his friend’s funeral in Delhi the same day as soon as he returned from the summit. Many hailed the EAM for being so down to earth and remembering his friend in the midst of his hectic international engagement. Many in the social media noted that the EAM was indeed a good friend to have. However, those who knew Bedi, working with news agency UNI, recall Jaishankar always kept a low profile and made it a point to catch up with Bedi whenever he had the time. Clearly, Team Modi 3.0 has ministers who take themselves lightly.
The Nationalist Congress Party led by Ajit Pawar is presently buffeted by successive jolts. The latest are the suspense surrounding senior OBC minister Chhagan Bhujbal and the demand by sections in the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde) to distance the NCP(A) in view of the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Intricately linked with this development, Bhujbal’s next step will impact the state politics since he is the focus of the Maratha-OBC conflict over the demand for reservations for the dominant caste. Bhujbal has been under pressure by his supporters to take a ‘decisive step’ about staying on with the NDA. Feelers are circulating that he could stage a homecoming – by returning to the Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. He had left the Sena in 1992 to join the Congress and later switched over to the NCP floated by Sharad Pawar in 1999. His decision to go behind Ajit Pawar had astounded even his close supporters. Bhujbal can command a substantial OBC vote bank. If this is not enough for the NCP(A), some elements in the BJP and the Sena (Shinde) have started complaining that the NDA candidates in their areas did not receive the expected support from Ajit’s party. The anger has been heightened due to Ajit’s decision to send his wife Sunetra to the Rajya Sabha despite her defeat in the Lok Sabha election. The next week will prove testing for the three-party ruling alliance for several other reasons, too.
The internal rift within the Bengal BJP is deepening as prominent leaders continue to point fingers at Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari for the party’s disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections. The political discord is escalating, with senior leader and former state president Dilip Ghosh indirectly accusing Adhikari of orchestrating the candidate selection process that led to the party’s downfall. Ghosh has suggested that his own transfer from the Medinipur constituency to the Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency was part of a deliberate strategy to undermine his chances. Under Ghosh’s leadership, the BJP achieved its best-ever results in Bengal, winning 18 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and securing 77 seats in the 2021 State Assembly polls, making the party the principal opposition force. In response to the criticisms, Adhikari has maintained that his role was limited to campaigning for the party and not interfering in organizational decisions. He has refrained from engaging in public debates about internal party issues. The unrest has spurred some party members to call for Ghosh’s reinstatement as state president, especially since the current president Sukanta Majumder has been made a minister at the Centre. Supporters of Adhikari argue that he remains a potent force against the Trinamool Congress (TMC), citing his significant victory over TMC leader Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram during the 2021 elections. Adhikari’s recent absence from a critical state party meeting on June 15, opting instead to be in Cooch Behar to support victims of post-election political violence, has added fuel to the internal controversies.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
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If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.