All
Politics
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Celebrities
Last week, as Congress leaders protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s so-called “anti-Ambedkar” remark in Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi joined his party MPs in a blue T-shirt, giving up his trademark white polo T-shirt. His sister Priyanka also twinned with him wearing a blue sari. Clearly the Gandhi siblings opted to go for a very visual protest against Shah’s remarks. The choice of the colour of clothes of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) — usually spotted donning plain white T-shirts raised eyebrows. The colour blue has been associated with Dalit politics since 1942, when Dr BR Ambedkar established the Scheduled Castes Federation to campaign for the rights of the Dalit community. The body adopted a blue flag featuring Ashok Chakra. The flag was later retained by the Republican Party of India (RPI), founded by Ambedkar in 1956. Over time, blue became very closely associated with Dalit identity and activism. Even political parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party and the ASP, which champions Dalit welfare, embraced blue colour in their branding. As the Gandhi siblings lead the protest, it was the choice of colour of their clothes that caught everyone’s attention!
The Winter Session which saw a two-day discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution and introduction of One Nation One Election (ONOE) Bill has come to a close. It brought out sharp divisions over discussions and bills at least in two political parties — the Congress and DMK. In the Congress, if a first term MP Priyanka Vadra was seen opening the discussion on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, for some reason senior leader and eminent lawyer P Chidambaram did not get an opportunity to have his say about the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha. In the DMK, there was a clear division of views between the DMK parliamentary party leader TR Baalu and deputy leader Kanimozhi. While Baalu endorsed the government’s offer to refer the Bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, Kanimozhi seemed completely surprised by his stand and insisted that her party was opposed to the Bill and demanded its withdrawal.”DMK has consistently opposed the entire Bill. We do not accept that there can be ONOE because it is against the Constitution. It is against federal rights and it is against the will of the people. People choose state governments for 5 years, I don’t think you can take that right away from the people and give it to the EC to decide how many years governments can last or not. So, this is completely against the state, against federalism” said Kanimozhi. While her stand reflects TN assembly resolution passed in February against ONOE Bill this year, the media is awash with reports about how her late father Kalaignar M Karunanidhi had highlighted the benefits of simultaneous polls in his autobiography Nenjuku Neethi. Incidentally, Karunanidhi had advanced state polls to 1971 to coincide with LS polls.
The Thursday (Dec 19) visit of BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) MLAs to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur has become a hot political topic though there are other reasons, too, for intense politicking. Firstly, the MLAs belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar did not join the event. Secondly, those disgruntled due to their non-inclusion in the council of ministers have started expressing their anger openly. Like earlier two occasions, Ajit Pawar and most of his followers distanced themselves from the visit organized by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The presence of former CM Eknath Shinde and his MLAs proved to be another highlight. However, the discontent brewing within Mahayuti on other counts is now becoming more vocal. Political heavyweight Chhagan Bhujbal was the first to articulate it. His open criticism of Ajit Pawar surprised many since he had stayed by the side of Pawar all through. Now, there are reports that some of Bhujbal’s supporters want him to join the BJP to end his political wilderness. So far, Bhujbal has maintained that he is with the NCP (Ajit). The other notable leader to become the subject of political speculation is the legislative council’s deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe. Her detractors, mainly the recent Sena (UBT) entrant Sushama Andhare, have started hinting at Gorhe’s plans to go with the BJP. Gorhe, too, has not reacted to the talk. Ajit’s sudden disappearance for two days from the winter session only added grist to the grapevine. His explanation that he was down with a throat infection is hardly swallowed. More murmurs are expected to be heard once Fadnavis announces the allocation of the portfolios.
The Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has started preparing for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election, expected to take place early next year. This will be the fight for political survival for Thackeray because the Sena has been in power in India’s richest civic body since 1985. Taking stock of the situation, other political parties, too, have begun their planning. The picture this time will be fundamentally different since the BJP has emerged as the largest party in the state after the assembly election. Its estrangement with the Sena (UBT), which split in 2022 owing to Eknath Shinde’s decision to walk out of it, will be a major factor in the coming election in which the Congress will be an insignificant player, given its lacklustre performance in Mumbai and the state as a whole. Equally exasperating is the condition of the state Congress committee as its president Nana Patole is perceived as an ineffective leader by the rank and file. The BMC’s last election saw the Sena winning 84 seats in the 227-member house while the BJP had captured 82. Owing to the alliance ethics, the BJP had made no effort to bag the mayoralty of the financial capital of India. However, the BJP is not prepared to take any chance this time and a decision about its Mumbai president is likely to be taken soon. Sitting chief Ashish Shelar is among the hopefuls though his inclusion in the council of ministers could be a decisive factor in the final choice.
This was to happen one day or the other with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) putting its foot down saying it will not send its national teams to India for any signature event of the ICC, like the World Cups in the two formats in men, women and the juniors. This was the PCB’s riposte to the long-standing BCCI position — citing security concerns — that it will not send its team across the border for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and that it will play only at a neutral venue. For three World Test Championship (WTC) the two nations have taken themselves off the Future Tours Programme (FTP). The cricketers of the two countries may enjoy good relationships when they lock horns in neutral country venues and have fans across the border, but the Indian government has been steadfast in denying permission to the BCCI. The latest communication from the ICC has confirmed that in the 2024-2027 cycle all ICC events given to India and Pakistan, the matches featuring the two countries will be held at a neutral country chosen by the host country; in the Champions Trophy case the PCB is the host. What all this means is the elimination of high security arrangements that India had to do when Pakistan played last year’s World Cup matches in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata. It took hard bargaining by the PCB with the ICC — with Jay Shah in Chair since December 1, 2024 — for it to agree to a hybrid model in order to ensure that it remains the host in a neutral country venue as well and where India will play and this country is said to be the United Arab Emirates.
The massive success of Pushpa 2, has reignited the debate over screen allocation in West Bengal’s single-screen theatres. While the blockbuster continues to dominate the box office, its stronghold has created challenges for four Bengali films— Khadaan, Shontaan, Chaalchitro, and 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane—which targeted Christmas Day for their releases. The overlap has sparked a heated controversy over securing adequate slots in single-screen theatres, which remain a key audience base for Bengali cinema. Single-screen theatres across Bengal are grappling with the balancing act of accommodating these films while catering to the massive demand for Pushpa 2. Tollywood’s Christmas lineup has been significantly impacted, with producer-actor Dev expressing frustration on social media. He alleged that Khadan’s shows and advance bookings were disrupted due to the overwhelming presence of Pushpa 2. Arijit Dutta, owner of Priya Theatre, reported dividing slots among the films: Khadaan (two shows), Chaalchitro (one), 5 No. Swapnamoy Lane (one), and Pushpa 2 (one). However, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty’s Shontaan was left out entirely, sparking outrage from its director Raj Chakraborty, who criticized the lack of consistent support for Bengali cinema. A distributor, speaking anonymously, blamed the simultaneous release of multiple Bengali films during the festive season, suggesting a lack of coordination among producers. He pointed to Bollywood’s strategy of staggering releases as a model Tollywood could emulate. Star Theatre owner Joydeep Mukherjee called for better planning within the Bengali film industry to avoid internal competition. Interestingly, allegations have resurfaced about Shontaan‘s producer, pressuring hall owners to prioritize its films. This history has led some distributors to side with independent producers in the current clash.
Sunday’s swearing in of 33 (16:9:8 ratio for BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP respectively) mostly young cabinet ministers in CM Devendra Fadnavis’ 3.0 government was not followed up by expected portfolio allocations even late Thursday (Dec 19). The unrelenting clamour for one specific portfolio by a senior BJP minister-in-waiting (in apparent conflict of interest), aspiration to improve upon earlier performance in power sector by another are in the open awaiting the Maha Chanakya to coolly decide upon. Scribes housed at the state government ‘Suyog’ facility within the Family court premises near Vidhan Bhavan enjoy the Nagpur chill over familial evenings at ‘Sneh Bojans’ hosted by these as-yet ‘Anamika’ ministers. DCM Eknath Shinde’s camp brews hostility from left out veteran MLAs and cherry-picking ministers-in-waiting who threaten boiling point anytime soon. This is unlike the chill that has set upon the near deserted NCP office at Vidhan Bhavan sans activity, notwithstanding the bustling beehive of activity right outside and within the state legislature that is hosting its winter session. It is probably the first time in Maharashtra’s political history for such an ongoing legislature session without specifically assigned ministers manning questions on the floor of the state assembly and council while responding to public interest issues of state. For now, all portfolios rest with CM Fadnavis. NCP veteran Chhagan Bhujbal, Sena’s Tanaji Sawant complain vociferously from out in the cold even as some BJP MLAs rue their bad luck despite winning big in Mumbai city where the richest civic body will face the hustings very soon.
The events outside Parliament House that led to injuries to two BJP MPs was best summed up by FM Nirmala Sitharaman in her X post. She explained how “During the INDI Alliance’s protest inside Parliament premises today, Rahul Gandhi had forcefully pushed an MP, causing a domino effect that injured 2 BJP MPs –Pratap Sarangi (Balasore, Odisha) and Mukesh Rajput (Farrukhabad, UP)” Both the MPs are now hospitalised as they have sustained head injuries. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan was surprised that the Congress had so far not even bothered to say sorry. “I was wondering what was the purpose of Kharge-Rahul Gandhi’s presser, if they can’t say sorry. Our Nagaland MP, a tribal woman leader Phangnon Konyak had voiced discomfort that was caused to her by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.” She has written a letter to the RS Chairman. Adding further he said, “We feel Rahul simply does not deserve to be the LoP. When the Opposition is holding a protest, we usually take another gate. What was the need for Rahul Gandhi to wade into the area where BJP MPs were standing? He should simply quit as LoP.” BJP MPs including Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament Street Police station in connection with the scuffle between Opposition and NDA MPs. It is learnt that security forces repeatedly requested the Congress MP to use an alternative path, specifically arranged for a peaceful entry into Parliament. However, Rahul Gandhi declined the request. BJP’s Thakur said “The kind of attitude Rahul Gandhi has, he thinks he is above the law.” Responding to the allegations, Rahul said BJP MPs were trying to stop him and were threatening him “
Home Minister Amit Shah whose intervention in discussions on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution sparked off a row and seemed to have majorly united the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge charged him of insulting Dr BR Ambedkar.. He accused his rivals of being “anti-Ambedkar” and “anti-Constitution”, and “spreading lies”. In his concluding remarks in the Rajya Sabha, Shah sarcastically said, “It has become the fashion to say ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar…’ If they (the opposition) took God’s name so many times, they will get a place in heaven.” At a Press Conference, he charged the Congress of distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha saying the Congress had put out an edited version of his speech. “I come from a party which follows the ideals of Ambedkar,” asserted Shah.” Rebuffing calls for his resignation by Kharge, Shah made it clear that he had no intention of stepping down. “Kharge is asking for my resignation. If that will make him feel happy, then I’ll give it. But the Congress has to sit in the opposition for at least 15 more years. “In an unusual move — perhaps underlining the impact of the Opposition’s attack on this issue — PM Modi and senior ministers rallied behind Shah. “If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken!” said PM Modi. Amidst this, PM Modi and Shah met Rahul Gandhi and Kharge to appoint the next NHRC chief. TMC leader Derek O’Brien has moved a privilege notice against Shah in the Rajya Sabha for his remarks on Dr Ambedkar.
Ravichandran Ashwin was adroit in bowling the carom or knuckle ball or the doosra, but on Wednesday afternoon, Brisbane time, the nonconformist off-spinner of 13 years in the big league of the game deployed the “bombshell” to bring an end to his illustrious career. At the conclusion of the rain-marred third Test at the Gabba, the finger spinner with a few sobriquets, “scientist” being the most used among the media, Ashwin sitting beside his beleaguered captain, Rohit Sharma, matter of fact said: Today (Wednesday, December 18) was his last day as an international cricketer across formats and that he will be seen in action in club cricket, meaning IPL etc. The seasoned campaigner, starting his Test career in November 2011, was capped 106 times, and he missed 25 Tests after his debut; he featured in 61 wins, 47@home and 14 overseas. He read the writing on the wall about him losing the primacy as the No 1 spinner of the team in flannels after Washington Sundar was chosen for the first Test in Perth. Then being dropped to bring in Ravindra Jadeja for the third Test in Brisbane convinced him that his time was up…to hang up his boots. The home series against New Zealand that India lost 3-0 was a bitter pill to swallow for him. His numbers — 765 wickets in the three formats, including 537 wickets in Tests alone speaks of his right to be called a legend. It was a bold, practical call to take a bow while not in the field and that was an unhappy part that Indian cricket could not give one of its icons a fitting farewell. Ashwin has perhaps shown the way for a few more to bid adieu, sooner than later! They are over the hill, indeed.
A lot more medal events are to be held at the 33rd Summer Olympics in the city that is famous for fads and trends and fine arts and historical monuments which is Paris, but pessimism has gripped again from an India perspective at the Quadrennial games. The gold and silver has eluded sportspersons showing their talent representing the tricolour. The three bronze medals from Manu Bhaker (2 in the pistol events), Sarabjot Singh (1 pistol event with Manu) and Swapnil Kusale (rifle event) have lifted the spirit and hope somewhat in the India camp. Ambition, apart from skill and character, drives the individual sportsperson, virtues that have been amply mirrored in achievers like Manu, Sarobjit and Swapnil; the others like PV Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and the women pugilists have not lacked it, but have come up short in their respective sport and event. India is still looking for an Abhinav Bindra (gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games) and Neeraj Chopra to win the most shining and valuable medal — the gold coloured. Neeraj will try his hardest in the javelin throw and Manu will have another medal shot in the 25 metre pistol competition and the men’s hockey team will go for broke in the playoffs, but overall it’s been lacklustre results in most of the sports. Asian giants China, Korea and Japan are in the top 10 of the leaderboard and will continue to impress. The Olympics will get tougher and tougher as the sportspersons prepare for the 34th Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028 where Twenty20 cricket will make its debut. But the question on the eighth day of Paris 2024 is: Will India be able to win a gold medal over the next nine days?
Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan had kicked up a big fuss when Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Harivansh had called out her by her full name — Jaya Amitabh Bachchan — in the House on July 29 while asking her to participate in a short duration discussion on death of students in a Delhi coaching institute due to flooding . The actor took such offence at being called out by her legal name that she wondered why her husband’s name was being invoked along with hers. She had even schooled the chair how a mere Jaya Bachchan would have sufficed. The Chair said he was helpless as he had to go by only what was on record. Continuing her feminist rant, Jaya lashed out against the trend of women being recognised only by the name of their husbands. It was as if women have no existence of achievements of their own. A day later, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar came up with a piece of advice for Jaya and also put on record that Harivansh had only done his job. Instead of giving homilies to the Chair on how to call out her name, he suggested that she should proceed to correct her name legally in the records.
These two have been an inseparable part of his life. He is not just passionate about them. He has gone deeply into them. He lives these two. And, he breathes them as well. The two Cs — cement and cricket — have largely influenced the personality in him. A sense of toughness defines the man. Yet, he wears a sporty exterior. A combination of factors have conspired to goad the indefatigable N Srinivasan to let go of the cement business. It’s a tough call to quit. But he has reluctantly renounced the cement business. But he keeps his love for cricket intact. He may have sold his dear India Cements to Aditya Birla Group-owned UltraTech Cement. But he appears to have ring-fenced the league-level cricket teams supported by India Cements for decades. If grapevine has to go by, the league-level cricket teams are reportedly brought under the wings of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which is the Chennai franchise owner of the IPL (Indian Premier League) team. Still, there could be some cricketing issues. The sale pact with UltraTech is perfect cricket, it appears.
It was billed to be intervention on the Union Budget but Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi’s speech was clearly non-serious and limited to flagging his own pet issues such as caste census, legal status for MSP.. His favourite punching bag was how the Budget was going to help PM Modi’s friends create more wealth at the cost of India’s youth and the middle class. Flashing a picture of customary halwa making ahead of Budget in the House in violation of rules, Rahul wondered why there was no one from OBC, SC or ST among the secretaries involved in Budget making. A bit disappointed that PM Modi had not turned in to listen to his speech — there was no need for PM Modi’s presence, since both defence minister Rajnath Singh and FM Nirmala Sitharaman were in attendance. Rahul felt the PM did not have the “nerve” to listen into his speech. Charging the government of trapping Indians in a modern-day ‘chakravyuh’ and unleashing an atmosphere of fear in the country, Rahul alleged it was being run by six people led by PM Modi, HM Amit Shah, NSA Ajit Doval, two industrialists close to PM and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. He said because of the ‘chakravyuh’ there has been “concentration of financial power… We are going to break down this ‘chakravyuh’. The biggest way of doing this is the caste census,” he said and added that INDIA Bloc would pass guaranteed legal MSP and caste census in the LS. Disappointed with losing out the NEET battle in the Supreme Court, Rahul wondered why the FM had not spoken about paper leaks. But then why should she….that is not her domain?
If winter comes, can spring be far behind? If UltraTech Cement arrives, can the Adanis stay away? Well, the Aditya Birla Group-owned UltraTech Cement has just re-laid the industrial landscape in Tamil Nadu by buying out the indomitable N Srinivasan in The India Cements Ltd (ICL). Is this the beginning of a new order in the Southern cement field? All of a sudden, the game is getting redefined. In a fragmented south side story, the opportunities appear to be quite a lot. Not surprisingly, every little player in this part of the world pales into insignificance – reduced to the level of a small scale industry (in terms of capacity and financial muscle) – when compared to the Adanis and the Birlas of Ultratech. Adanis have just recently acquired Hyderabad-based Penna Cements. With Ultratech making its advances in the Dravidian land, Adanis have reportedly upped their ante and are looking around aggressively for cement assets. There are legacy names in this part of the world with good pedigree. When the competition takes an intense format, the playground becomes a vicious turner. When the name of the game is big, the focus is increasingly turning out to be on capacity building. What’s in a name? What’s in a brand? Everything can get consigned to the pages of history when the big game arrives!
The recent bout of intensified terror attacks launched in the Jammu region of the J&K Union Territory of India by Pakistan is akin to an unofficially declared war backed up by Chinese armory and Pakistani sniper commandos tasked with inflicting mortal damage upon the Indian army. According to a source, “The targeted terror strikes in the Hindu dominated Jammu region over the last three months has witnessed military sharp commandos carrying out the attacks using sophisticated Chinese make weapons and bullet proof vests piercing bullets to cause collateral loss of Indian soldiers. These apparent terrorists are expert snipers trained to set their sights on vulnerable spots on the soldiers notwithstanding the vests they wear.” Already, five to six families (Kashmiri Pandits) resident in the border regions of Jammu have relocated providing indication of the intent of the Pakistani offensive. Additionally, the huge lithium reserves discovered in the region that India intends to exploit to launch into the next age of economic development of the country through new age battery technology is also sought to be undermined by arresting the region of Jammu under a vortex of new found terrorism to literally bring physical regions under Pakistan’s terror cloud. J&K Governor Manoj Sinha, meanwhile, is working overtime after securing additional troops to quell the resurgent terror targeting soldiers and the Hindu population living peacefully in India’s paradise on Earth. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia in the wake of the intensified attacks were also aimed at exploiting the Russian alliance with China in order to curtail the latter’s tacit backing for Pakistan. The signs are ominous just like in 2019, when Modi stopped referring to Pakistan by name following the Pulwama terror attack and the Balakot strike upon terror was launched.
Is the Tamil Nadu government fixated on conducting a Formula 4 Night Streetcar race in Chennai? It should not, considering that an assurance was given in the high court that a proposed street event in December 2023 would not be held on the Island Grounds-Marina-War Memorial-Napier Bridge Road circuit for at least two years. But since the guarantee runs out in 2025, that year may well see the event being organised in the city at the cost of rearranging road traffic for days on end. Chennai, unlike Monaco or Singapore, may not be best suited to making busy roads into a race track for the mild enthusiasm of a few diehard fans who may love the sound of screaming race engines. It is the Opposition leader and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami who threw light on the government’s plans to go ahead with the road race as he saw letters written to industrial houses to support the event. The plan for the formula race had created a controversy when a YouTuber, now in jail, alleged that a Tamil actress having a home in Dubai was associated with the racing circuit companies and was behind the event coming to Chennai. It is clear young ministers in the cabinet seem committed to this tamasha just to please a filmy friend. They can expect severe strictures from the court if ever they solidify plans to run fast cars around the Beach Road.
The Bengali film industry is seeing a faceoff between the Directors’ Guild and the Federation of Cinema Technician Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEA) leading to political interventions to resolve the issue. The trigger was a 3-month shooting ban on Tollywood director Rahool Mukherjee for commencing shoot without requisite permissions from Directors’ Guild and FCTWEA. Notably, FCTWEA is led by Swaroop Biswas, the brother of Trinamool Congress minister Aroop Biswas. The situation has intensified with several high-profile Tollywood figures speaking out against the ban. Directors Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Kamaleshwar Mukhopadhyay, and Kaushik Ganguly, along with TMC MLA and director Raj Chakraborty, and actor-turned-MP Dev, have condemned the restriction. On July 26, the Directors’ Guild gave green signal to Mukherjee to start shooting of his film starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Anirban Bhattacharya. However, FCTWEA refused to lift the ban and permitted Mukherjee only to serve as a creative director. This decision led to a fiasco on July 27 when several technicians failed to show up for the scheduled shoot. Prosenjit pointed out that such a situation is detrimental for the Bengali film industry. Dev expressed strong disapproval of the Federation’s stance, while Parambrata Chattopadhyay accused Federation officials of leveraging their position to impose their own crew members, despite having sufficient staff already in place. The issue has stirred concerns about the influence of political figures on the film industry, with allegations of muscle-flexing by the Federation at the behest of Minister Aroop Biswas’s family. Director Rahool Mukherjee is keen that the whole situation is resolved amicably in the interest of Tollywood. Will the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who enjoys a cordial relationship with Tollywood personalities intervene and resolve the conflict?
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah who is battling charges of land allotments to his wife Parvati by Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) way back in 2006, has reportedly unleashed media war via advertorials to counter political charges against him. These advertorials in local media which first appeared on July 20 are apparently being released back to back on a weekly basis. The CM insists that MUDA had legally allotted 14 residential sites to his wife, Parvathi, in lieu of illegally acquiring her land. The authority had accepted its ‘mistake’, and a MUDA committee comprising members of BJP, JD(S) and Congress had allotted alternative sites in 2021 during the tenure of the BJP government. Siddaramaiah’s opponents including Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy feel details of the CM’s land allotments made their way into public domain courtesy his deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar. To counter allegations by the BJP and JD(S), Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh released a list of beneficiaries that included Kumaraswamy and some JD(S) MLAs. Responding to the charges levelled against him by Siddaramaiah, Kumaraswamy said he was yet to receive the site allocated to him in Mysore. “I was the CM in 2006. Had I wished to misuse my power, I could have registered that site in my name back then. But unlike CM Siddaramaiah, I did not misuse my authority.” He added that the investigation into this site has been ongoing since the time of late CM Ramakrishna Hegde.”In 2012, I wrote to MUDA for allocation of the site. I wrote another letter in 2017. Unlike CM Siddaramaiah, I never misused my authority. They are not giving me this site out of charity. I paid Rs 34,000, and it’s been 40 years,” said Kumaraswamy.
Controversial IAS officer Pooja Khedkar’s vanishing act has raised many questions as the family’s alleged past deeds are coming to light one after another. Khedkar, appointed in Pune collectorate, was hastily transferred to Washim in Vidarbha earlier this month as her medical certificate as a physically challenged person was found to be questionable. While she is still missing, UPSC chairman Manoj Soni resigned, making the matter murkier. Pooja was asked to report at the IAS Training Academy at Mussoorie but she never turned up, nor intimated about her movements. The Delhi police has filed a case against her. Pooja had given the address of a company, Thermoverita, in Pimpri Chinchwad, for obtaining the disability certificate. The company was sealed after the scandal broke out and now the municipal corporation is planning to auction it. The company has tax dues of nearly Rs 3 lakh and hence can face such stringent action. Meanwhile, the Khedkar family’s purported Baramati connection has been disclosed. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, had purchased some land in Waghalwadi in Baramati taluka over a decade ago, according to information surfacing now. There are allegations that he tried to change the record of ownership of the land. Pooja’s mother Manorama was earlier in the news for threatening some farmers in adjoining land in Maval area by brandishing a revolver. The police department’s efficiency is now questioned since Pooja has disappeared for such a long time.
Just before the release of his own Rs 100-crore budget directorial film Raayan, Tamil film popular star Dhanush went through pre-release agony of doubt and fear… he needn’t have. The crowds exiting cinemas were full of praise and admiration…for not just his direction, but the gracious way of projecting every actor in his or her true worth, not casting himself in every frame, using the ultraviolent action theme to effectively convey the blood and gore story….all in his favour as director. On X, a fan tweeted “A Badshah for Dhanush” (putting him on par with Rajinikanth hit Badshah). With the release of Raayan the debate in Kollywood has now graduated to Dhanush’s directorial skill? Will he plunge full-fledged into direction or manage both acting and direction? His confidence in directing actors like Prakashraj, Kalidas Jayaram, SJ Surya and Sandeep is now evident that he is capable of 50 shades of Grey. Starting off as an average looker and hesitant actor in 2002 in Thulluvadho Ilamai, taking on a variety of films and roles in 23 years, Dhanush has pitched his talent tent, in the right spot, capably. Of course he has gathered much moss and unsavoury baggage in his rise…as star, superstars damaad, family discord, competitive strife with Sivakarthikeyan, media overdrive on so-called dalliance with co-stars. Dhanush who acted in the Hollywood The Grey Man is no longer the Grey Man…He is Atrangi Re.
The maiden budget presented by the BJP-run Odisha government recently seems to have come in for harsh criticism from the intelligentsia and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik. The general feeling is that the BJP chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi has done a cut and paste job of his predecessor Patnaik’s popular programmes. Analysts pointed out that it was a rehash of most schemes implemented by Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal; the only difference being it was rechristened. On the social media questions were asked “Is CM Majhi running a name changing government or a game changing one?”. For instance, Patnaik’s ‘Mission Shakti’ programme has been renamed as Subhadra Yojana 2024 by the BJP. Similarly, BJD’s ‘Make in Odisha’ was changed to Utkarsh Utkal, ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ renamed Vikasit Gaon Vikasit Odisha, ‘Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana’ rechristened Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana. Looks like the BJP government in Odisha liked the content of BJD’s various schemes but not its name. Not to lose an opportunity Patnaik joined by the Congress blasted the Majhi’s government saying, “There is nothing new in the budget…more than 40 BJD’s government schemes were renamed by the Majhi government”. This renaming of these many schemes cannot be a coincidence. CM Majhi stated that the budget has taken inspiration from PM Modi’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikash’ vision. Besides cut-and-paste job, Majhi’s budget focussed on welfare of farmers and women as it was an election promise. Besides, it also saw prudence in funding Naveen Patnaik’s Metro Railway project at Bhubaneswar.
The Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections due in October/November 2024 has the BJP recalibrating its poll plans in the wake of the setback it suffered in the state at the recent hustings for the Lok Sabha. A revitalized and wiser BJP deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to stake a claim to contest 130 to 135 state assembly seats out of the 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra. At the recently held party conclave in Pune last week the BJP’s face for Maharashtra, shedding his inaccessibility tag, exhorted party men to desire and deserve party candidatures for the state assemblies with the only proviso that they consciously refrain from indulging in controversial public speaking. “The BJP has always performed well when a triangular political fight took place in Maharashtra, as in 2014 and 2019 securing when it won 122 seats and 105 seats respectively. The party is backing up DCM Ajit Pawar wholeheartedly to ensure a repeat in their poll fortunes in the state of Maharashtra,” BJP’s Maharashtra Executive Committee member Mahendra Jain avers dismissing talks of imminent plans to eject the Maratha leader as just idle chatter. All the same, loud rumblings abound of possible plans by the prodigal nephew of Sharad Pawar to reinvent his political positioning in Maharashtra. The BJP’s desperation for Maharashtra is undeniable, considering it lost the state in 1999 under then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure and again in 2019 under PM Modi, when the MVA alliance trumped BJP prospects in the state and, is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to rule the state. The poll efforts of the BJP are easier said than done what with the tallest Maratha leader in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray of the original Shiv Sena busy garnering a double sympathy wave for their respective political formations once again in tandem with the Congress. Only time will tell for whom the political bells toll?
The present and former home ministers of Maharashtra are entangled in a fierce word war, hurling serious allegations against each other. Former home minister Anil Deshmukh has claimed that he had received a proposal from deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to escape the ED’s action. Fadnavis is the home minister, too. Deshmukh has named a Jan Surajya Party leader, Samit Kadam, as the go-between. Kadam is learnt to be from Miraj in Sangli district and has refused to respond to any queries. Deshmukh was in the ED custody for a long time and has been out on bail. He said Kadam came to him repeatedly on behalf of Fadnavis and has threatened to make public certain video clips about the meetings. Fadnavis has refuted all allegations and countered that Deshmukh should come out with concrete evidence. He has threatened that he will publicise the information in his possession about Deshmukh after the latter really releases the clips. Deshmukh has reiterated his charge that there was a plan to arrest Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aaditya, Ajit Pawar (then DCM) and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab. He said Kadam had carried four affidavits and had asked him to sign them. “Had I signed them, all these four leaders would be behind bars today,” Deshmukh has said. The ruling and opposition formations are now busy discrediting each other over the controversy as the state assembly election approaches.
After 75 years, The India Cements Ltd (ICL) has changed hands. The indefatigable vice-chairman & MD N Srinivasan has finally called it quits and sold his family holdings to the Aditya Birla Group-owned flagship company UltraTech Cement. At the end of the day, he was a reluctant seller having got into a pincer-like situation by a combination of physical, economic and financial factors. An aging Srinivasan and aging plants have pushed ICL, whose birth could be traced to the pre-Independence era, into the hands of UltraTech. It may not be easy for Srinivasan -– who breathes cement -– to let go of ICL. No doubt, Srinivasan and his family are richly rewarded for their renunciation of ICL. Yet, he must be silently suffering the pain of parting ICL. Significantly enough, he has managed to ring-fence Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the largely successful IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket team. As an independent unlisted company, it is now largely owned by him and his family. CSK has not only gone from strength to strength but also spread its wings across the globe. A passionate patron of Cricket and cricketer, Srinivasan and his ilk could now focus fully on the game like a blinkered-horse. Franchise-based sport is proving to be the future across the globe. Significantly enough, Ultratech will get ICL only since Srinivasan and his family have ring-fenced India Cements Capital as well. Indeed, a fresh innings has begun for Srinivasan and his family.
Fairy tale or a dream come true, Manu Bhaker became part of India’s shooting sport’s folklore when she cracked the Olympic code by winning the bronze medal in the 10-metre air pistol event. Just 22, Manu’s performance, like the rest of the others, had fizzled out three years ago in Tokyo. India had fielded the most robust shooting contingent when the Olympics – because of the coronavirus pandemic was pushed back by a year – was held in the Japanese capital. Manu has been the most talked about shooter debated among the fraternity – all about her talent after winning the Youth Olympics at the age of 16. Thereafter, she won many medals but was disappointed that she could not rise to the occasion in Tokyo. As Anjali Bhagwat, once the face of India’s shooting sport in the women’s ranks, said: “Manu was amazingly focused right from the qualification stage and in the final. She held her nerves, she got great scores!”. Manu comes from Jhajjar in Haryana and has given an impetus for the sport after two disappointing Olympics for India at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 when none of its shooters could muster all their strength and demonstrate skill to win a medal, especially after Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won a bronze medal in double trap at Athene 2004, Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in the 10 m air rifle in Beijing, and Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang clinched the silver medal and bronze medal in the 25 m pistol and 10 m air rifle in London. Manu brought happiness on the second day of the Olympics at Paris 2024, an achievement that should inspire the others to become medal hopes and win too!
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee certainly surprised the Congress by attending the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by PM Modi on July 27. The Congress was so caught off guard by Mamata’s decision that the party could not even formally announce a boycott of its three CMs. Of course Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin who eagerly follows Congress line and Kerala CM Pinarayi Viayan had taken a similar stand. Mamata seized the NITI platform to launch herself as leader of the Opposition block. She was at the NITI Aayog meeting only to be a drama queen. She stormed out of the meeting saying she was barely allowed to speak. As per PIB Factcheck Mamata would have got a chance to speak only after lunch. It was also pointed out that Mamata as she spoke the clock showed “her speaking time was over. Even then the bell was not rung to mark it. “…I have come out boycotting the meeting. Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak, CMs of Assam, Goa, Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes.. This is unfair…I said you (central government) should not discriminate against state governments. I wanted to speak but my mic was muted. I was allowed to speak only for five minutes. I was the voice of the Opposition,” said Didi. Meanwhile, FM Nirmala Sitharaman slammed a non-present Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for charging NITI Aayog of muzzling dissenting voices like Mamata, saying she was happy that Mamata attended and was happier, when the CM said she was speaking for “Bengal and in fact for the entire opposition.” Mamata’s bold move to attend the NITI Aayog struck a chord with a section of Congress. “Our CMs should have also done it. It makes more sense to air our views than boycott,” said a Congress leader from TN. Sources say Didi was advised by her nephew Abhishek to attend the meeting and raise the Opposition voice. Mamata too has decided to lead the Opposition, steering it away from Gandhis.
On Friday (July 26) morning the local metro railway staff in uniform stepped into the train at some stations after the automatic doors opened and asked the commuters to alight declaring that the service was terminated because of unspecified issues and requested the regular travellers and visitors to find alternative ways to reach their destination. Paris, the fashion capital of the world, awoke to the news of unpleasant incidents hours before the inauguration of the 33rd Summer Olympics, the city’s third Summer Game, but the first after World War II. France, which was all set to put up a grand show on the Seine River, positioned thousands of police across the city served by a fantastic railway, tram and bus network to assure its citizens and tourists that all was in control. After the twilight hours, the Seine River came alive with a show that mirrored its ethos and culture to the 10500 athletes who sailed on the waterbody and to millions of television audiences. It was quite riveting; the opening ceremony itself being held outdoors for the first time in the history of the summer Olympics. The security apparatus will be in full force and alert over the next weeks for the smooth conduct of the games at venues scattered across the city. The opening ceremony has been described as “ground breaking” by the IOC with President Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte receiving world leaders at the Elysee Palace. From July 26 to August 11, the Elite Athletes of the world will take the centre stage with the ultimate aim of winning a medal, with their minds not affected by any security concerns.
Punjab Congress leaders were quite surprised by the manner in which former Punjab chief minister and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi came out openly in support of the controversial Khadoor Sahib MP, Amritpal Singh. Channi triggered a political uproar of sorts after he claimed that the BJP-led Central government had curbed the freedom of speech of Amritpal by continuing to hold him in NSA custody in an Assam jail. Reacting to the remark, BJP MP and Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu had a heated exchange with him in the Lok Sabha as he felt Channi was behaving like a traitor. “A former CM is behaving like a traitor and is misleading the entire country through the House.” Channi coming out in support of Amritpal did not go down well with the Punjab Congress. Party sources said Channi, a Dalit leader, had set a dangerous precedent of speaking up for a Khalistani leader in his pursuit for Jat votes. It may be recalled that the Congress and the country had lost Indira Gandhi to Khalistani assassins. In the Lok Sabha, LoP Rahul Gandhi got party MPs to heckle Bittu when he started countering Channi. Bittu had left the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha poll and joined the BJP and became a minister. Channi kickstarted the spat with Bittu by saying the BJP was like the East India Company, which had taken over trade to rule the country. Bittu got up to say something after which Channi reminded him, “Your grandfather (former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh) was a Shaheed (martyr)….” Bittu retorted, “My grandfather laid down his life for the country and not for the Congress.”
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray’s resolve to contest at least 225 of the 288 Maharashtra assembly seats has generated suspense as he only recently had wholeheartedly stood by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha election. Just back from a US-Europe tour, Raj made this announcement to plunge full-fledged in the assembly election at a party meet. His detractors immediately seized upon Raj’s changing stance and different interpretations began surfacing about his exact plan. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says that Raj’s policy is ever changing but always harming the interests of Maharashtra. On the other hand, the Sena (Shinde) has taken a cautious line. Senior minister Deepak Kesarkar has expressed confidence that Raj could alter his stand after the matter is discussed with him by Mahayuti leaders. Meanwhile, Raj’s announcement is seen to have two angles. Firstly, he will field around 225 candidates and decide his strategy according to the election verdict. Secondly, his announcement will be used as a bargain counter while discussing seat sharing with the Mahayuti. Though the picture is still hazy, social media posts have started appearing, listing the names of probable candidates and their constituencies. The suspense is heightened since the BJP, the Sena (Shinde) and the NCP(Ajit) have given enough indications that they will not sacrifice much in terms of the seats to be contested by the respective partners.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has affirmed her participation in the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi, despite INDIA bloc leaders deciding to boycott the event. Sources close to the TMC leader indicate that Didi’s attendance underscores her commitment to securing Bengal’s financial interests within the framework of federal relations. While aligning with the INDIA bloc, Banerjee is keen to assert her state’s autonomy, signalling a nuanced approach separate from opposition alliances. Political analysts interpret Banerjee’s move as a strategic assertion rather than a rupture in opposition unity, emphasizing her intent to voice for Bengal’s dues amounting to Rs 176,000 crore, including the allocation under Awas Yojana and MGNREGA schemes. Party insiders say that the NITI Aayog forum is a perfect platform for Banerjee to raise her state’s pressing fiscal concerns. In a pre-departure statement, Mamata voiced her objections to what she described as discriminatory practices by the Central government towards Bengal. She termed the Centre’s actions as a method to divide the eastern region economically and geographically. It may be noted that speculations were rife that Didi might drop from NITI Ayog meet to avoid controversy. It may be mentioned that Mamata did invite Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav to her Martyrs’ Day rally which underscores her strategy to strengthen regional political fronts independent of Congress.
Notwithstanding her two successive defeats in general elections and her backdoor entry into the state legislative council, BJP leader Pankaja Munde’s supporters have once again started propagating her name as a future CM of Maharashtra. Pankaja’s birthday falls on July 26 but she has decided not to celebrate it this year since three of her supporters reportedly committed suicide owing to her defeat in the recent Lok Sabha election. As MLC, she will visit her home district, Beed in Marathwada on July 29. Her supporters have started preparations to welcome her. As part of this euphoria, banners to laud her have come up in certain parts. Those in Buldana have become talk of the town since her image is shown, along with the headline: Future CM. Pankaja had lost the 2019 assembly election against her cousin Dhananjay Munde though she was a sitting minister. Now that both are on the same side of the ruling alliance, he had worked for Pankaja’s victory in the Lok Sabha election but she could not win. Following this defeat, pressure began mounting on the three-party Mahayuti government to ‘accommodate’ her. Accordingly, she was fielded by the BJP for the council election. Due to the assured quota of votes from the lower house, she is now a MLC. But the claims that she is a mass leader by her supporters have astounded even people sympathetic to her since she is the daughter of legendary Gopinath Munde.
The Budget blues are being felt all over the country save for Bihar and Andhra which got the most favourable allocations. While it is natural that the BJP, fast learning coalition dharma, gave away dollops of financing to keep the two most important allies in good humour, it offended too many states, including those ruled by the party itself, in skewed distribution of funds. Nowhere was the antipathy towards differential treatment of friends and foes felt more than in Tamil Nadu. Crying hoarse over funds needed to mitigate the misery caused by unprecedented flooding in Chennai at the hands of Cyclone Michaung and five southernmost districts that were hit by extraordinary amount of rain in 2023, Tamil Nadu saw a measly Rs 500 crore paid before the cyclone hit as woefully inadequate to relieve the flood-hit. Doles were paid out by the government of at least Rs 1,000 per family, but everything came from state funds rather than the Centre. No wonder the ruling DMK decided to take to the streets to point out the huge prejudices in the BJP that has earmarked Tamil Nadu as the most rebellious state and fiercest critic of the Narendra Modi government. While Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Pune are to get flood relief funds, there is zilch for Chennai, the worst hit of them all last year.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman strongly responded to Opposition criticisms that she had only picked two states — Andhra and Bihar — that are ruled by NDA allies for special attention in the Union Budget. Responding to Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge’s charge that the BJP-led government had unfairly prioritised Bihar and Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget for 2024-25 and it was a “kursi-bachao” document, suggesting that it was designed to preserve the government’s power rather than serve the nation’s needs , Sitharaman noted that the absence of specific state names in her speech did not mean those states were ignored. Sitharaman pointed to Maharashtra as an example, where despite not being mentioned, the state had recently received approval for a Rs 76,000-crore port project at Vadhavan ,Dahanu. “From the time of the interim budget till now.” If the speech does not mention the name of a particular state, does it mean that the schemes of the Government of India, the programmes of the Government of India, the externally-aided assistance which we obtain from the World Bank, ADB, AIIB and institutions like that do not go to these states? They go as per a routine,” Sitharaman remarked. Kharge said states where people have rejected BJP, those states got nothing from this budget! ” Everyone’s plate is empty, and in the plate of two states there are Pakora and Jalebi. This budget has been brought only to save his chair.” Attacking Bihar for Rs 26000cr infrastructure funds got so personal with JD(U) MP Dinesh Chandra Yadav protesting Chennai MP Dayanidhi Maran for linking collapse of 15 bridges recently to the release of Central funds.” Our state bears the brunt of flood waters from the Himalayas, something no one will know.” Vishakhapatnam MP M Sribharat of the TDP also highlighted the importance of Centre’s role in rebuilding his state.
Remember Ramesh Vangal. Once upon a time, he was the face of Pepsi in India. In fact, he led PepsiCo’s landmark entry into India in the early 1990s.This was widely considered as a pioneer in India’s opening of FDI. Post-Pepsi, the arc light, however, continued to be on Vangal as he formed an alliance with Suresh Kalpathi, the founder of SSI Ltd. Vangal also got into a cobweb when his company, Katara Holdings Ltd (KHL) Mauritius, bought into Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB), which was mired in controversy when internecine quarrels among promoter groups led to the shares slipping into non-Nadar hands. With funding facilitation from Standard Chartered Bank (Mauritius), KHL struck a complex deal in 2007 to acquire TMB shares. But the Enforcement Directorate found Stanchart guilty of violating Foreign Exchange Management Act in this particular transaction. Stanchart took the legal route to retrieve its money from KHL. The Supreme Court of Mauritius has since ordered the liquidation of KHL. Significantly enough, Vangal’s KHL holds over 53% stake in BSE-listed Kerala Ayurveda Ltd, a pioneer in providing Holistic Healing and Wellness Solutions. The official liquidator of KHL has informed Kerala Ayurveda that since he now has the custody and control of the shares held by KHL in the company, no trades are to be allowed on this stake without his authorization. The arc light is still focused on Vangal, it appears.
Political watchers were a little surprised that Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, who used to be continuously attacking PM Modi either via his social media accounts or via his statements had suddenly fallen silent. The buzz is that he had been advised by a senior non-Congress leader not to attack Modi. The leader reportedly cautioned him against inadvertently creating sympathy for PM Modi. The sane advice for Rahul comes in the wake of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee recently raking up the issue of Rahul being credited for good performance of Opposition parties in the 2024 Lok Sabha election whether in Uttar Pradesh or Maharashtra. The buzz is the LoP is preparing to save all his fire only for the Budget session beginning on July 22. Besides, in her meetings with NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata had emphasised on the need for all the focus and publicity to be moved away from the Gandhis and the Congress. She feels all non-Congress parties must get the credit for the performance. It clearly showed that the Bengal leader may have taken from where PM Modi had left when he had referred to the Congress as a political party, a parjeevi party or party that sustained itself more by depending on its coalition partners. Meaning, the Congress no longer had anything to add to the political basket.
Looks like the 56-year old Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is losing his Midas touch going by total collections of Rs 17 crore for his latest movie Sarfira. The film, a remake of Tamil movie Soraru Puttru, was based on the life of Captain Gopinath of Air Deccan fame. In fact, its budget was much less than Akshay Kumar’s film. Post Covid-19 pandemic the first Hindi film to be released was Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi directed by Rohit Shetty with Ranveer Singh, Ajay Devgn in the star cast. It did well at the box office opening with Rs 25 crore. But after that Bachchan Pandey spelt disaster at the box office and opened with just Rs 13crore. From then on films like Samrat Prithviraj, Raksha Bandhan failed miserably. He bounced back with Ram Setu and OMG 2 which did decent business at the box office. OMG 2 which was a hit had Pankaj Tripathi in the main lead but the actor was appreciated for his role as Shiva. As a producer he had to battle with CBFC for release of the film as it had given it A certification.There were Selfie, Mission Raniganj which opened at Rs 2.80cr which was better than Sarfira. Mission Raniganj earned Rs 33 crore while Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’s failure almost shut Vashu Bhagnani’s office. Sources say Akshay has not signed any new films and has reduced his price by 50%. But, the actor has quite a few films in production. Khel Khel Mein is with Taapsee Pannu and Vani Kapoor and directed by Mudassar Aziz who does not have a great track record. The only hope for Akshay is Housefull 5. Maybe his South sojourn could salvage his career.
Delimitation of state assembly constituencies executed for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir dealt a severe blow to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Akhand Bharat perspective through skewed voter dynamics, erstwhile state’s incremental geo-political representation. Senior BJP leader, Mahendra Jain says, “New assembly constituencies were carved out prematurely using antiquated 2011 census data assessing population figures arriving at a faulty delimitation process.” Jain insists the delimitation exercise was flawed over outdated data relied upon to incrementally create 43 assembly constituencies (in Jammu) and 46 in Kashmir. Effectively hereon, portions of Jammu region (Pir Panjal) encompassing Poonch and Rajouri districts got partitioned away to political space now Anantnag seat in Kashmir occupies. Shia-dominated regions from Srinagar Parliamentary constituency were also given away to Baramulla constituency similarly, using 20-year-old statistics. The recent Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla saw independent candidate Abdul Rasheed Sheikh, currently incarcerated for espousing separatism for Kashmir, being elected to parliament as an independent candidate. An election department official says, “Census taking exercise in large states like Maharashtra can simply be accomplished within six months. J&K and Ladakh UTs’ census exercises will require far shorter timelines.” While the delimitation commission set up in March 2020 looked at the entire J&K UT as one political region, a more discriminated effort, armed with real time data may have prevented Jammu region shedding literal political space. The recent uptick in unheard of terrorism activity in Jammu region over the last couple of months has further antagonized the polity of the region. Will Jammu recover from back-to-back onslaughts by politics and new found terrorism? Only time will tell! For the moment innocent pilgrims are prime targets in Bharat’s paradise.
Governor RN Ravi may not be everyone’s favourite former intelligence officer, but he has made a name for himself with the BJP top brass for holding the best nuisance value in an Opposition-ruled state. Now Ravi is desperately seeking an extension as his 5-year term is running out. His contention is that he served two years in Nagaland and came to Tamil Nadu capital Chennai only three years ago and so expects to stay on for two more years. He has been shuttling to New Delhi often to meet Home Minister Amit Shah who alone can recommend the extension he seeks, besides calling on PM Modi. The former CBI and IB officer’s stay in the Raj Bhavan in Guindy has been sensational, to say the least. He has picked every possible hole in all that the DMK government does and has put a spoke in the wheel of every piece of legislation passed in the Assembly. Only under the prompting of the Supreme Court has he changed a bit to be accommodative in the sense he has been recently clearing routine bills that are non-controversial. The moment he sees a red flag, as in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors that comes under the Governor’s jurisdiction, he would immediately take on the government. He has been the DMK government’s most acerbic critic and two more years of him may not be to chief minister MK Stalin’s liking. But being in the INDIA bloc, he knows the ruling BJP might like to keep their voice in the state for longer.
In Tamil Nadu, the month of Aadi (sacred month between Jul 17 and Aug 16) holds a distinct hysterical attraction for both buyers and sellers. Retailers advertise the most attractive discounts and buyers just cannot resist those drool worthy offers. But why Aadi month? For those familiar with religion and rituals, Aadi is not an auspicious time for weddings and family events. You may be surprised to know that newly-weds are not encouraged to cohabit ….a strange social custom with strong roots in superstition. Yet, Aadi is considered super auspicious for staunch devotion. Every day in the Tamil calendar has a deep religious significance. How did retail hysteria find its place in Aadi? Business and religion have coexisted profitably for ages…as religion has enabled the need to buy numerous products to appease the Gods, especially Ma Durga …offering dozens of glass bangles and sarees to the Goddess, simultaneously gifting to women devotees churning up demand for gifts galore that are sold at irresistible prices. Retailers are happy when the crowds stampede. Buyers use this opportunity of rock bottom prices to stock up for future gifting, weddings and events. Results: inventory flies out. The iconic store Chennai Silks opened Aadi sales this year with its full page ad featuring a “madisar model” draped in a nine yards saree. Religion, business and politics mesh here…the Dravidian ideology though consistently mocking Brahmin culture, is not averse to borrowing symbols of this culture to boost business. Ideology, religion, business everything has its place.
Tamil film fans are on a high …just salivating in anticipation of a star cine line-up. Keenly awaited is Lyca Productions’ thriller Vidaamuyarchi with Ajit and Trisha swinging to Anirudh’s merry music under Magizh Thirumeni’s direction. The news about Trisha taking on the director for some obscure issue and other roadblocks put the fear about Vidaamuyarchi becoming Vitta Muyarchi or effort abandoned. But all is well and Diwali is to be lit up by this film. Thangalan, the much talked about Kolar Gold Mines is a film that may take veteran Vikram to new heights in acting. This film, directed by PA Ranjit with music by GV Prakashkumar will be released on August 15. The very first song Minikki Minikki is already a hit for its rural beat, rustic voice and lyrics. Thangalan to be released worldwide in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi is predicted to be a creative and cash hit on the lines of KGF and RRR. Dhanush and his 50th film Rayan with a promising story and solid acting line up — Selvaraghavan, SJ Surya, Kalidas and Aparna Balamurali. AR Rahman has tuned the lyrics written by Dhanush with SUN Pictures gearing up for July 26 show time. Suriya’s Ganguva in 3D tech, directed by Siruthai Siva with Disha Patani, Bobby Deol and others is an epic historical film that has been long delayed. No wonder Suriya announced its Fire Song to be out on his 49th birthday on July 23 to keep interest alive in Ganguva. There are several small budget modest films too. Who can predict which of these films will grab audience attention?
With the Summer Olympics in Paris a few days away, the focus, from the Indian point of view, is on a handful of individuals and the men’s hockey team upon which interest never diminishes. After lacklustre performances in the quadrennial Olympics for 41 years, the men’s team won the bronze medal in field hockey at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, but put off to 2021 because of the pandemic. Apart from the men’s hockey team’s fortunes which has oscillated like a pendulum, much to the chagrin of the game’s die-hard fans, attention has riveted on the likes of the undisputed queen of badminton, PV Sindhu and the track and field super star, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra. Sindhu’s form has slipped significantly in the last year, but she has countless supporters who believe that a big stage like the Olympics could see her rise to the occasion. Chopra seems to be on another planet though, startling the athletics world with consistent displays in the last eight years. The armyman from Sonepat has won everything that has been before him and hence the expectations are high — for him to win the gold medal in Paris; he had won the gold medal for the first time in Tokyo. There is also much hope on the men’s doubles pair in Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and from the rifle shooters. In all 117 Indian athletes will be in action in the French capital. For a long time winning the men’s hockey gold was deemed as the ultimate victory, but these days the name that’s in everybody’s lips is Chopra, Neeraj Chopra! He will get a chance to defend the gold he clinched in Japan, three summers ago.
In a path breaking move the Madhya Pradesh has entered into collaboration with BTA (British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) Training Academy, the UK’s reputed, education training body that offers excellence in educational innovation. The BTA, it is learnt, will draft the academic curriculum and the knowledge will be imparted to the MP government medical staff through its partner hospitals Link Hospital and Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences in Gwalior and Indore respectively. This MoU is designed to upskill medical staff in the MP state who will receive top-class education based on the cumulative rich experience of England’s 75-year-old National Health Service (NHS) experience. The NHS is globally recognized as one of the best in the world in the primary, Emergency, and definitive care sectors. Doctors at the BTA who are trained and who have worked in the NHS for several decades will be instrumental in ensuring the best educational model will be created for Indian conditions and appropriate curriculum will be shared with its partner hospitals. In 2005, the World Health Organization published recommendations for actions regarding emergency medical systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In LMICs, it is gauged that by improving pre-hospital and Emergency care, deaths may be reduced by half. According to the World Bank, India is home to just 10% of the world’s registered vehicles yet accounts for 22% of traffic deaths. Indicating an immediate need to strengthen post-crash care.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has given a clarion call to the BJP rank and file. “Do not wait for a directive, jump into the ring,” he told a BJP conclave held in Pune to strategize for the upcoming assembly election in the state. Always lauded for his measured words and restraint, Fadnavis has surprised even his disciple by ordering the party organisation to become aggressive. Repeatedly castigating the so-called ‘Fake Narrative’ used by the opposition to spread disinformation about the BJP for the parliamentary election, Fadnavis lamented the fact that even the BJP’s elected representatives were reticent on this count. “Our workers await directives. I now ask you to start batting in full swing,” he said amidst great cheers. Pune is the BJP stronghold as well as that of NCP leader Sharad Pawar. In this connection, he rationalised the alliance with rival NCP’s Ajit Pawar. Following the BJP’s poor show in the election, many party functionaries and even RSS mouthpieces have started questioning the justification for taking Ajit along. Fadnavis said on some occasions, it becomes necessary to retreat a couple of paces to attain the objective. The saffron party is known to operate according to the directives (Aadesh) received from the top. The fiat issued by Fadnavis is seen as a signal to the BJP workers to show initiative at local levels and deal accordingly with the opposition.
All eyes are on the BJP government in Odisha as it presents its maiden Budget on July 25. BJP’s national president JP Nadda was on a two-day visit to review the party’s overall plan and budget allocation under the leadership of chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. All signals indicate that BJP will bite the welfare bullet albeit with pragmatism. BJP’s immediate objective is simple. It wants to meet the aspirations of the people and keep its poll promises. It is understood that Odisha budget outlay for 2024-2025 is likely to be around Rs 3 lakh crore — an increase of around Rs 40,000-50,000 crore over BJD’s earlier budget, say sources. To push welfarism, Majhi’s government has already made provision in the budget. Majhi plans to increase MSP of paddy to Rs 3,100 per quintal to meet its Samrudhi Krushak Yojana plan. To empower women, BJP had promised to pay Rs 50,000 per woman through its ambitious Subhadra Yojana Scheme which will be launched some time in September to coincide with the PM’s birthday. Sources say to cover 2 crore women beneficiaries the state government would require a budget provision of Rs 80,000 crore and it is expecting help from the Centre to partially fund this scheme. It will implement Ayushman Bharat Arogya Yojana as well as replace BJD’s KALIA cash incentive scheme. However, BJP sees wisdom in Naveen Patnaik’s Aahar scheme, the subsidised cooked meal scheme of rice and dal in 2015 to provide meals at Rs 5. This will be continued. However, BJP’s Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra hinted that the KALIA scheme will be renamed. Like all other BJP ruled states, the party is saying cheers to welfarism in Odisha too.
A verbal war has triggered between two Sena camps, both followers of Balasaheb Thackeray, over a movie sequel based on the life of fierce Shiv Sainik late Anand Dighe of Thane. The fuse for the skirmish was the show of the trailer held on the eve of Guru Purnima. Chief minister Eknath Shinde feels proud to call himself Dighe’s soldier. The first flick on Dighe was called Dharmveer. It had provided indication about two and a half years ago that Shinde was extremely unhappy in the then unified Sena. Soon thereafter, he walked out of the party along with over 40 of his followers to form the present Mahayuti government. Ever since, Shinde is the principal target of the Sena (UBT). Shinde’s close confidant and Thane’s MP Naresh Mhaske has lashed out at rival Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut, who immediately raised doubts about the veracity of some portions of the sequel, named Dharmveer-2. Mhaske alleged that ‘Matoshri’ never liked Dighe’s popularity and in fact Uddhav had pressurised to cancel a condolence meet at Thane after Dighe’s demise. The trailer show was attended by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis along with several BJP leaders. The Sena (UBT) is livid because of the Dighe movies. To sharpen the attack, Shinde’s followers have started saying that a third instalment, too, is being considered. The sequel will be screened for the public from August 9.
Amidst reports of strained relations between the RSS and the ruling BJP, the Centre in a notification last week allowed government employees to take part in RSS’s activities. The notification rolled back a 1966 ban on government employees joining the RSS. The renewed push to the Sangh membership, coming a year ahead of Sangh’s centenary year in 2025 was seen by the Congress as a peace overture by the Modi Government – a gesture by top BJP leadership to pacify the Sangh ahead next round of assembly elections. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge went on to charge that since the BJP couldn’t get a majority on its own and change the Constitution, it was getting RSS workers via back door to capture government machinery. RSS leaders however felt the Centre’s action may have come a little too late. “The 1966 order should have been withdrawn in 2014 itself, when PM Modi had secured the mandate. That is if a RSS pracharak can be Prime Minister of the country, why should there be any restriction on government employees becoming members of the Sangh,” pointed out a senior former Sangh functionary. He also highlighted that long before the Centre withdrew the 1966 ban order, several BJP ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh had made it possible for the employees to attend the RSS meetings. In its first reaction to the decision, the RSS said the Congress Government in the 60s had baselessly banned government employees from participating in the activities of a “constructive organization like the Sangh”, to cater to its political interests. “RSS has been continuously involved in the nation’s reconstruction and service to society for the last 99 years,” said Sunil Ambekar, RSS’s publicity chief and described the Modi government’s decision as appropriate.
Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam has a mega issue with Big B starrer Kalki 2898 AD and has slapped a legal notice on the makers of the movie. Acharya Krishnam, patron of Kalki Dham feels “India is a country of emotions, trust and faith” and the movie makers possibly couldn’t can’t play with the values of Sanatan.” Along with the culture and civilization of Sanatan, its Shastras also shouldn’t be twisted. Lord Kalki is the last incarnation of Lord Vishnu, which means no incarnation will take place after him. Many things have been written about it, abiding by the fact that Shri Kalki Dham was established and PM Modi laid the foundation stone. This film goes against what has been described and written in our Shastras. “This film has hurt our religious sentiments,” he says. He has some objections that have been put there in the legal notice. He is waiting for a response from the film-makers. Acharya Krishnam’s Kalkidham which is based out of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh is clear that “we couldn’t let anyone play with our Sanatan religion and our Shastras at any cost. It has become a fashion for filmmakers to play with the sentiments of the Hindu religion.” Sages are shown as demons, and they show others in good esteem. Freedom of expression doesn’t mean that you play with the faith of Hindus and our Shastras. “Kalki 2898 AD is the highest grossing film of 2024. Directed by Nag Ashwin, the post-apocalyptic film is inspired by Hindu scriptures.
When Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump took centre stage at the RNC convention in Milwaukee and spoke about the assassination attempt on him in Butler, Pennsylvania and said “God saved me.” Many ISKCON devotees worldwide may have agreed with him. That is because it was Trump who had helped ISKCON devotees organize the first Rathayatra in July 1976 in New York City by providing his train yard for the construction of the raths for free. However, the ISKCON (The International Society for Krishna Consciousness) which expressed its shock and sadness at the assassination attempt against President Trump was a little concerned that recent posts on social and traditional media about the help it had received from Trump for the first Jagannath Rathayatra in New York City. “We are concerned that media accounts have been exaggerated. For example, ISKCON did not directly approach Mr Trump or bring him prasada (sanctified foods). Nor do we wish to speculate on why or how he was recently saved from more serious harm. We are also concerned that some of the media stories may seem to suggest an ISKCON endorsement of Mr. Trump’s presidential candidacy. ISKCON does not endorse any political candidate, ISKCON said in a statement
The meeting of Chhagan Bhujbal with his ex-mentor Sharad Pawar, has set the tongues wagging about the formation of a third front in the state. The presence of the Uddhav Thackeray aide Milind Narvekar in the meeting also meant that the Shiv Sena chief too has been kept in the loop about developments. Bhujbal, who heads the Samata Parishad, an Other Backward Class (OBC) platform, has been talking strongly against reservations being granted for the blood relatives of the Maratha community. While Bhujbal is unlikely to join hands with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), there is a buzz about senior Pawar pushing Bhujbal to put up a fight as a separate entity. Bhujbal could prove to be the strong counterfoil against the BJP by attracting the strong OBC vote bank, the mainstay of the BJP. Bhujbal who is part of the Ajit Pawar faction of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is increasingly feeling cornered within the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance. Ajit Pawar is also under pressure following a campaign launched against him by the BJP labelling him as a liability in their alliance. Ajit Pawar’s recent strong stance of visiting Vishalgad fort personally and offering monetary compensation to those whose structures were demolished, mainly from the minority community, is being viewed as an independent step in that direction. This front led by Ajit Pawar, expected to fight polls on a secular plank, is expected to attract a lot of rebels including from the BJP. There is a strong buzz that the party might change almost 78 of its 105 legislators including many of the established faces in the state election.
If you meet Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar next time and find him wearing a pink jacket, don’t be surprised. The NCP leader has started donning pink following the advice of his strategist Naresh Arora, of DesigneBoxed Creatives. After suffering grievously in the Lok Sabha election, Ajit changed his campaign advisor and roped in Arora. Soon afterwards, he held a meeting of his followers and made it clear that those wishing to switch over to uncle Sharad Pawar were welcome to leave. Now he has decided to rebuild his party from the grassroots level. Significantly, he made this declaration in Baramati, stronghold of the Pawar clan because there are consistent media reports that many of his followers are on the verge of rejoining Sharad Pawar, a few did. One aspect of the overall invigorating preparation is to build his own image. Accordingly, besides displaying pink, Ajit has also started displaying the NCP badge on his chest. Henceforth, pink will be seen conspicuously in NCP(Ajit) functions, it seems. However, the party flag and election symbol will remain unchanged, it has been made clear. Ajit has started touring the state. While propagating the Mahayuti agenda, he will assess the mood of the NCP rank and file in view of thorny saffron criticism that the BJP was hit hard in Maharashtra in the LS polls on account of its handshake with Ajit. His planning will be based on the feedback.
The name of the game is marketing. The cinema business is all about hard-selling. The Indian II, a Kamal Haasan-starrer, is reportedly raking good collections at the Box Office despite a mixed review. That’s good news, no doubt, for the tinsel world. Is there a way to discover the exact collection? That could give a clue or two to the real appetite for a good movie. Well, the way forward is to go digital completely. Why not ticket sales be done only through online? For one, that could avoid the serpentine queue in front of the theatres to buy tickets. For another, it could provide visibility to stakeholders across the canvass on the revenue flow. That will go a long way in helping to devise a proper policy prescription to the cinema industry. An influential part of the cinema business is still not fully on-boarded into the formal system. Oftentimes, one is not sure if there is meaningful correlation between attendance at theatres and box office collections. Are we seeing the old style of accounting in the tinsel world? If the Railways could successfully run an online catering service to train travellers, why can’t a similar system be encouraged for sale of snacks and beverages at cinema theatres? The cinema industry has traversed quite long from a totally unorganised existence in the past. If the tinsel world is integrated into the formal system in every way, it will do a world of good to the industry, in general, and the national economy, in particular, if. That is easier said than done,however.
The huge success scored in the Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh has boosted the Samajwadi Party’s confidence so much that its leader Akhilesh Yadav has activated plans to storm Maharashtra as well. The arrival of over two dozen SP MPs in Mumbai over the weekend and their felicitation planned by state SP chief Abu Azmi, MLA, indicate Yadav’s resolve to demand a substantial number of seats for the coming assembly election in Maharashtra. Yadav was in Mumbai last week to attend the Ambani wedding. He interacted with various Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders and his own party workers to assess the situation in Maharashtra. In the first phase of his plan, the SP MPs will mobilise the large north Indian population in the state to create a vote bank. Thus, the MVA will henceforth be a four-party combine, consisting the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress, the NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the SP. It will take on the four-party alliance consisting the BJP, the Sena (Shinde), the NCP(Ajit) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by Raj Thackeray. Once upon a time, the SP in the state had several prominent leaders in its fold. However, except for Azmi, most of them parted ways with it. Now, in the changed circumstance, new entrants are eager to join it and play a meaningful role in Maharashtra polity.
There is a time-honoured adage in cricket that says, “Catches win matches.” In Suryakumar Yadav’s case, the golden rule of the game can be modified to read, “Catches win captaincy,” too! No one, least of all the national selection committee, can erase from their memory the stunt-show-like catch that Yadav converted to bring to nought the big straight blow of South African left-hander David Miller in the tense moments of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final at Bridgetown, Barbados on June 29. Less than a month after he demonstrated his athleticism, commitment and situational awareness to win the title for India’s men in blue, the decision-makers of Indian cricket have awarded him with the national team’s Twenty20 captaincy; it was not just the game-changing catch that impressed the selectors. Whoever brainstormed with them – his ability to maintain equanimity and not leave his foot on the pedal as captain of the Indian team on seven previous occasions must have also weighed in. As captain, he has made 300 runs off 182 balls with a century (an exact 100 off 56 balls with 7 x 4s and 8 x 6s) against South Africa at the Wanderers in December 2023. He has played in 68 Twenty20 internationals, scored 2340 runs, and featured in 51 wins, five as captain. In over three years, Yadav’s unique style of eruptive batting has made him India’s top-notch Twenty20 brand, even amid stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He has taken 45 catches, fourth behind Sharma, Kohli, and Hardik Pandya. The soon-to-be 34-year-old Yadav has not made the ODI team cut, though. It’s unlikely he will get the nod for Test cricket. Yadav has the top job ahead of Pandya, and his tenure will now be in his hands.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is contemplating significant changes within the party and the administration following the conclusion of annual ‘Martyrs’ Day’ Rally on July 21. This move is seen as a strategic necessity in preparation for the 2026 assembly elections. The party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee who kept away from all meetings for “medical reasons” is also expected to join the rally. Party insiders say that changes to be announced in August will affect Panchayats, Municipalities, and State Cabinet as the focus will be on appointing “proactive and effective individuals” to key positions. Despite a notable success in the recent state elections, the party’s leadership has pinpointed several organizational shortcomings. The vote share in urban areas has seen a decline, and while rural areas fared better, there is still a pressing need for organizational improvements. The TMC leadership is not fully confident in the level of spontaneous public support across various regions, prompting discussions about introducing new faces into the party’s organizational structure. According to a senior leader of the party, in close circuit, Didi has been clear in stating that although the government scheme benefited people vis a vis win for TMC yet there is a need for organizational overhaul. A particular focus of the reshuffle will be North Bengal. While TMC secured victories in the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat and the Raigunge Assembly seat in recent bypolls, overall progress in the region has been limited. Consequently, the party is meticulously reviewing its organizational setup in these areas to ensure more robust performance in future elections.
Even in an almost cameo role of Kamal Haasan in Kalki 2898 AD, it raked in the money and the laurels. But his full length sequel epic Indian 2 has turned into an embarrassment for all concerned – director S Shankar, Lyca Productions, Red Giant and cast. Hit in the solar plexus by a super long film that begs to be ignored. Especially brilliant director Shankar who has had many hits in his quiver and a reputation for big scale entertainment. In the high jinx, big money world of cinema many hits are quickly memory erased with one super flop. That’s exactly what has happened to wizard Shankar. But the long gestation period of Indian 2 brought an opportunity for him to sign up Ram Charan (fresh from the laurels of RRR and its near Oscar status) for directing Game Changer. Even as Telugu distributors, financiers and producers are shell shocked by the Indian 2 debacle, they have to scan the sky, hopefully for that rainbow. And appropriately enough it could be Game Changer with the suave Ram Charan. The political thriller written by Kartik Subburaj, features Kiara Advani, SJ Surya, Anjali and others. Ram Charan shared a collage of a helicopter that said, “The Game is about to Change … .Game Changer is all wrapped up. See you at the cinemas.” Cinema is mega money …it needs back to back game changers to survive.
With Odisha Legislative Assembly’s budget session set to begin on July 22, the big news is Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik is now bracing up to an “aggressive face off” to contain BJP. BJD now aims to play the role of a constructive and effective opposition leader. To achieve this the former chief minister has opted for “shadow boxing” strategy, similar to British Parliament’s Westminster style to contain BJP. Naveen babu has asked 50 of its MLA’s to solely focus on BJP’s strategy, policy and functioning henceforth. Effectively, it’s a two-pronged strategy. One, to empower BJD MLA’s in advance , so that they can intervene effectively during the forthcoming Assembly session on issues being neglected by BJP’s government headed by Mohan Charan Majhi. Two, it intends to take advantage of BJP inexperienced BJP ministers by raising a number of issues and forcing them to react. One can expect a stormy session in the Odisha Assembly henceforth. Political watchers are giving thumbs up to Patnaik’s strategy to push BJP on the back foot. But, BJP’s senior leader Samir Mohanty criticized Patnaik’s strategy as ‘absurd and superficial exercise’.
AIADMK chief and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) is a troubled man after the rout of his party in the Lok Sabha election. His stubborn resolve to “no alliance” with BJP is being blamed by many of his apparatchiks, and with the imminent run up to the 2026 Assembly elections, EPS is now tailgated and pressurised to take back the prodigals O Panneerselvam and VK Sasikala (Chinnamma). A chintan baithak held for brainstorming brought this demand to the fore. According to OS Manian, former party minister, the most crucial strategy is to knit a strong alliance under the AIADMK leadership like the DMK alliance. Leaks of unhappiness from VCK and Marxist Communist in the DMK combine are evident …why not break this bond? The Muukkulathor community in the southern districts form a big block of voters and they think Sasikala with 33 years of association with J Jayalalithaa will revive the charisma. OPS surprisingly won 3 lakh votes in his alliance perch with the BJP. So voices are now vehement about uniting the party to its old glory. EPS has a strong “No” to OPS but is silent on Chinammaa’s entry. With such overpowering arguments for and against restoring the status quo ante, no wonder EPS is confused and confounded. Sasikala who had announced in 2021 she was taking a political Sanyas has suddenly abandoned her sanyasi garb, put on her political makeup and announced a tour of TN in the holy month of Aadi.
India’s politicians are of the doughty, never-say-die type. Take Sasikala, a quasi-politician at best when she was J Jayalalithaa’s confidante but carries that spirit beyond her conviction for graft and a 4-year incarceration in a Bengaluru jail. Ejected from the AIADMK party at the instance of her pick for the chief minister’s job after Jaya’s death, Edappadi Palaniswami, she has decided to fight back after the AIADMK was trounced at the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls to the extent the party withdrew from the latest bypoll citing DMK monopoly over the election process. Sasikala tried to gather some forces in a recent visit south where she drew a crowd of personal loyalists. She also continues using the party flag bearing the profile of Annadurai on a black background, much to the chagrin of EPS who has been anointed Secretary of AIADMK, from the Supreme Court downwards. The idea of uniting the party and bringing back all the ‘black sheep’ – read Sasikala and O Panneerselvam – before the 2026 Assembly poll was aired at a party conference to take in the impact of Lok Sabha polls. But EPS shot it down vehemently even as he aired the view that the likes of Sasikala should stay away from active politics. He is intent on steering the party into the next state polls in what could be a do-or-die effort.
A significant rift within the Bengal BJP has surfaced, highlighted by recent statements from top party functionaries during the ongoing assessment of the Lok Sabha and Assembly bypoll election results in West Bengal. Union Minister and Bengal BJP President, Sukanta Majumdar, advised party workers against relying on actions by the CBI and ED to secure election victories. Instead, he urged them to focus on strengthening the party organization. This remark is widely interpreted as an indirect jibe at Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s Leader of the Opposition for referencing dates of central agency raids against TMC leaders. This exchange has further fuelled tensions within the party, with Adhikari controversially suggesting that the BJP should abandon Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inclusive slogan, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas,” and do away with its minority wing. He proposed a new slogan: “Jo humare saath, hum unke saath.” Majumdar quickly distanced the party from Adhikari’s statement, labelling it as a personal view. Under pressure from the BJP high command in Delhi, Adhikari later issued a social media statement claiming his comments were taken out of context. The BJP’s failure to meet its target of 25 seats in the recent Lok Sabha polls, securing only 12 compared to 18 in 2019, and losing three of its four seats in the Assembly bypolls, reducing its tally from 77 to 71, has intensified internal blame-game. Political observers see these exchanges as indicative of deepening internal conflicts within the state BJP leadership.
Why the high profile Prasad Lad did not file a nomination for the election to the post of president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) remains a mystery. The 53-year-old MLC of the BJP, who could pull strings with the state deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, announced that he would “100 %” file nomination, but according to the grapevine, was stopped from “entering the fray” upon instructions from the party bosses in New Delhi. What gives credence to this development is that another BJP big shot, Ashish Shelar — the Bandra boy is the president of Mumbai BJP — had already named the MCA vice-president Sanjay Naik as a potential successor to Amol Kale, who passed away in New York on June 10. Shelar pointed out at Kale’s condolence meeting that Sanjay had sportingly withdrawn in favour of Kale in the MCA election of October 2022. With Kale — who owed his position in the MCA to Fadnavis — at the helm, Lad could not have considered seriously engaging with the association. Lad’s backtracking will likely see the incumbent secretary, Ajinkya Naik, lock horns with the incumbent vice-president, Sanjay. Looks like they are daggers drawn and ready for the big fight! Should there be no withdrawal on July 16, the election will occur on July 23. The loser will retain his position, though (as secretary or vice-president), so both could get a toe-hold some 15 months before next year’s election to the full Apex Council. Lad may throw his hat in the ring next year if the BJP-Shiv Sena of Eknath Shinde and NCP of Ajit Pawar win the assembly elections in October-November.
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.
And this is vindicated by our two marquee advertisers – IDFC FIRST Bank and ICICI Lombard. Both believed in our story and have supported us from Day one. A big thank you to both.
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.