Hotel Ritz Carlton in Pune was witness to a high-profile political gathering on July 29. It once again endorsed Maharashtra’s culture in which personal and political factors are kept apart. The occasion was the betrothal of deputy CM Sunetra Pawar’s son Parth with Kainaat Dara. As announced earlier, the wedding will take place on 27 February next year. The prominent among those present were Nationalist Congress Party patriarch Sharad Pawar with wife Pratibha, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde, NCP bigwigs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare as well as a score of VIPs. The occasion had heightened political suspense since contrasting reports have been emanating from both NCP factions about their possible merger. While Pawar himself has discounted any such development, certain leaders are said to be hopeful even now. The engagement ceremony was fraught with emotion with memories of Parth’s late father Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash in Baramati. The probe in the mishap is still on. The atmosphere was silent for a minute as Parth broke down while bowing to his father’s portrait. Care was taken to ensure that nothing was left to chance. For instance, a NCP leader had called on Karveer Peeth Shankaracharya a couple of months ago to seek clearance about holding the ceremony since certain quarters believe that a sacred event should be celebrated in a family which is in bereavement within one year or only after three years. All eyes now will be on the day of the wedding.

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Abhijeet Dipke is the focus of anti-BJP parties in Maharashtra. Even former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has sought his time and invited him to Matoshree when the young agitator visits Mumbai. On his part, Abhijeet has started lobbing one political missile after another against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Besides threatening another mass agitation if the demands of the fledgling outfit are not honoured, Abhijeet has taken a cautious stand by declaring that CJP does not support violence. His modest apartment in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in Marathwada is the new place of attraction. Senior minister Sanjay Shirsat from the Shiv Sena (Shinde) was among the first to call on Abhijeet. Both families have a long-time relationship, it was stated. Shirsat has demanded police protection for Abhijeet. Soon thereafter, Sena (UBT) leader Chandrakant Khaire reached the residence of the new youth icon and made a call to Uddhav. Both conversed for a little while and Uddhav invited Abhijeet to Matoshree. He is said to have replied in the affirmative.  Unfazed by the spotlight on him, Abhijeet has reiterated all his charges against Modi and Shah. Meanwhile, the subject of curiosity about Abhijeet is the young girl who was seen with him after the Delhi agitation was called off.

Ajinkya Rahane was part and parcel of the Fab-4.2 which took over the mantle of India’s Test cricket batting from the 2010 decade and after the exit of Fab-4.1 in Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Venkatsai Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. And so, one has to say Indian cricket has been beautifully blessed with the likes of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rahane and Rohit Sharma taking the centre stage for over a decade of time. In the Fab-4.1 edition, Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were the terrific twosome who scored 15921 and 13265 runs in 363 Test matches together; in the following version, none has a 10000+ accumulation. Seven were middle order champions (with the exception of Rohit, 66 innings as an opener and 50 in the middle order) by their own right. Missing the Fab-4 rank are the spectacular Virendra Sehwag and the stoical Gautam Gambhir. Rahane with 5077 runs embellished with 12 x 100s deserves a place in the Fab-4.2 version, scoring 3-figure knocks at Wellington, Lord’s, Melbourne (twice), North Sound (Antigua), Kingston and Colombo (twice). The cool as a cucumber Rahane was capped 85 times (winning 44), but not once did he play at his home ground at the Wankhede. After playing the 85th Test in Roseau against the West Indies, Rahane dragged on for three years before calling it “Quits”. He was keen and eager to show his gifts at the Wankhede and to achieve the 100-Test mark; both eluded him. He ought to be disappointed. He captained India in six Tests and did not go down once, and that will be a feather in his cap! A typical Mumbai cricketer, showing nerves of steel when the going became tough, Rahane earned encomiums and respect of the cricket world after winning the Test series in Australia in the 2020-21 series. Rahane was an important chapter in India’s Test cricket.  

The past month was rife with talk about Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay planning to settle in Poes Garden – Chennai’s epicentre of heated politics, high drama and intrigue. The hum about Vijay eyeing late CM J Jayalalithaa’s palatial bungalow to be his CM abode is gaining credence every day…the denizens of this tony neighbourhood are again shaken and stirred. Memories of an earlier CM’s dominance and security cordons are still fresh …add to this the domineering presence of her close confidant Sasikala is even more fresh. She has built her own palatial residence just across Veda Nilayam. Just around the bend is super star Rajini’s sprawling home, a place he coveted and contracted as his own nearly 50 years back. It is said that JJ’s convoy once had stopped Rajini entering Poes Garden. The latest is his estranged son-in-law actor Dhanush has built a Rs 150 crore lavish mansion in the same vicinity. The most unexpected win of Vijay’s TVK has changed many an equation. Imagine the shock of these same denizens when Dhanush posed for a huge fan club from his balcony. He is now harbouring accelerated political ambitions…if Vijay can, why not me? He is said to have even hit upon his party flag and social service plans. The huge crowd that gathered in Poes Garden on his 43rd birthday on July 28, augured yet another star entry into this crowded arena. Is TN uniquely distinct in this jump from cinema to politics? Only MGR had that genuine charisma, neither filmy nor posturing …he loved his state and even today has a phenomenal following. Many a star like Sivaji Ganesan, Kamal Haasan, Vijaykanth and a smattering of junior artists have thrown their hats in the ring, only Vijaykanth could make some dent.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s unwholesome attack on IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti dubbing him as “gaumutra expert” as part of her effort to target the Centre’s newest high-powered expert panel to reform India’s examination system was not only way off the mark but also raised serious questions about her speech writers. She was speaking over the introduction of the Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 in the Lok Sabha. How on the earth could she cheerily dumb down a scientist known for his work on microprocessors, not medicine? Questioning the composition of the newly constituted task force, she said its members included “a former IB chief (Tapan Deka), the owner of an IT company (Nandan Nilekani) and even an expert on gaumutra.” The flippancy of her remark, offered without elaboration, was unmistakably aimed at IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti. It revived a controversy that first surfaced in January 2025, when Kamakoti claimed cow urine had antibacterial and digestive properties, a comment that drew swift criticism from scientists and opposition leaders alike. Kamakoti Veezhinathan, who joined IIT Madras faculty in 2001 and took over as Director in January 2022, specialises in computer architecture, information security and VLSI design, which is the process of packing millions of tiny electronic switches called transistors onto a single silicon chip. He heads the institute’s Microprocessor Development Programme and its Information Security Education and Awareness Programme. He led the team behind SHAKTI, India’s first indigenous industrial grade microprocessor, a homegrown chip meant to reduce the country’s reliance on imported processors in areas such as defence and communications. His other roles include membership of the National Security Advisory Board and, earlier, chairmanship of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

At the peak of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi last week, an embarrassing episode unfolded at Kerala House, the state guest house run by the Kerala Govt located close to the protest site. Congress leader from Bihar, Kanhaiya Kumar, who earned his spurs in Left-oriented politics as student leader of JNU, experienced some embarrassing moments. It may seem odd that Kumar faced trouble when he tried to avail facilities at Kerala House. That too when the Congress led UDF is heading Kerala. So how come Kumar, a member of the influential Congress Working Committee, faced trouble? Apparently, Kumar got detained by the Delhi Police on July 24 following an altercation at Kerala House. Kumar, who is in charge of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) at the AICC, and considered close to Rahul Gandhi, was taken into custody after the Resident Commissioner of Kerala filed a complaint against him. He said he was told that Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar was expected to visit Kerala House later in the day. It seems it is the Governor problem again. “Governor was coming, and Governor is King,” Kumar was quoted as saying. The Congress leader said he had only gone to meet a friend at Kerala House and alleged that his detention reflected the functioning of the Union Govt and blamed HM Amit Shah and the Delhi Police for it. Reportedly, Kumar had gone to Kerala House to stay in a room booked under his friend’s name. However, officials informed him that no rooms were available. He then approached Kerala Resident Commissioner Puneet Kumar to seek clarification. The conversation reportedly turned into an argument, after which the Resident Commissioner called the Delhi Police and requested that Kumar be removed from the premises.

Mayank Yadav’s telling blows caught one’s attention in the three-match Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe. While the attention in the series was anchored on the 15-year-old find in left-hander Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the express fast bowler Yadav who was laid low by injuries, treatment, recovery and rehabilitation for close to 22 months also drew much of the attention. After a three- match series against Bangladesh in October 2024, Yadav was treated for injuries related to a lumbar stress fracture, lower back injuries, side strain and also elbow and toe issues. So different parts of the body were non-functional, but the selection committee — recognising a rare talent who could bowl in excess of 150 kmph — placed their faith in the fast bowler for three engagements in Harare. In four days, Yadav spearheaded the men in blue attack — in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana — sending down 11 overs, not bowling the fourth in the second match. He struck in the first ball of his return to international games, removing opener Brian Bennett, and went on to take five wickets at 6.55 an over, virtually choking Zimbabwe in the first six-over power play. Clearly he had been looked after at the BCCI’s Cricket for Excellence facility in Bengaluru over the last 22 months. Yadav can turn out to be a match-winner in the shortest format, but he is not in the Indian team for the Asian Games in Japan, where Bumrah, Arshdeep, Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy are expected to play their parts. But Reddy is down with a left quadriceps injury, and Rana with a Grade 1 hamstring niggle, and there could be an opening for Yadav to get in for the Asian Games squad.

When Dharmendra Pradhan declared himself as a “street fighter” during a brief but sharp exchange with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on July 27 in the Parliament, it just seemed as if the former HRD minister was all geared up for a long haul. At every step, the BJP leadership had been trying to cushion the blow for him. Two days ago, when he had put in his papers over NEET paper leaks, who’s who of the Union Cabinet – from HM Amit Shah to Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh to FM Nirmala Sitharaman—had visited his residence to express solidarity with him. When he reached Parliament’s Makar Dwar, NDA MPs waited to receive him. As he entered the complex, party colleagues greeted and escorted him inside. Pradhan was apparently seen smiling as his colleagues welcomed him. What moved everyone was the fact that Pradhan had resigned without facing any personal allegation or any direct involvement in the NEET paper leak. After all, those who leaked the papers were three Pune-based Chemistry professor and teachers. Interrupting Pradhan’s interaction with NDA MPs, Jairam Ramesh reportedly approached Pradhan and expressed sympathy over his resignation. “It happens,” the Congress leader told him. “Nothing happened,” Pradhan shot back and snappily added: “I am a street fighter. Not an AC room activist.” The sharp exchange was seen by BJP leaders as a signal that Pradhan remained politically confident despite stepping down. One of the party’s tallest leaders in Odisha, Pradhan played an important role in BJP’s West Bengal campaign, where the party formed its first government; a successive Govt in Haryana. It is likely he could work in Punjab or head for UP. For some odd reason the Congress is trying to block passage of law in Parliament to enhance punishment for those leaking papers. It is more focussed on peripheral issues like use of excessive force against students.

Now all eyes are on former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as to what will be his next role? Pradhan was forced to resign following mass protest by the student-based satirical movement, the Cockroach Janta Party over NEET paper leak. He is too important person to be benched. He played a strategic role in West Bengal, Odisha and Haryana elections ensuring BJP win. Both PM Modi and Amit Shah immensely value his contribution and there are talks he may be asked to work on the forthcoming Punjab election. But in his home state where he engineered BJP’s win to defeat 24-year old well entrenched Biju Janata Dal, there are different kinds of buzz. He may be given a bigger role in the state is one version and chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s group fears that Pradhan entry may diminish their roles. This apprehension may seem correct because Pradhan never hid his aspiration as a contender to become the Odisha CM. But PM Modi had other plans for him at the Centre, and chose Majhi instead playing tribal card. The burning question is: Will CM Majhi face leadership challenge with Dharmendra’s likely entry into Odisha politics? Keep watching this space.

Amidst the rejoicing in Tamil Nadu after the capitulation of the Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and his resignation, the talk about his earlier insults to the Tamilian is flying around like a locust swarm. Quotes and recalls of his deeds and misdeeds are raining …some are not even aware of the why of his resignation. “Ashes flyback into the face of him who scatters them” is the famous Thirukkural quote; any person who does not rein in his speech, stands to regret that which tumbles out. Dharmendra Pradhan an accomplished BJP leader has many credits to his name. As a Petroleum Minister he was known as Modi’s Ujwala man, a reference to his scheme of free LPG cylinders to families below the poverty line. But his continued and vociferous push back of the Tamils when he tried to push through the New Education Policy (NEP) still rankles the state. When DMK MP Kanimozhi and others asked him why this new policy should be adopted, he shot back “Tamilians are uncivilized”, a slur he had to take back. But he hammered the state’s stance insisting that the Tamils are obsessed over language and use language as a political tool to oppose any new programme. Till Tamil Nadu accepts our NEP, we won’t release the education fund. Stalin and his party were enraged by this threat. The curse of the Tamils …is it too far-fetched or is it just an emotional outburst?