At an interactive session marking Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s centenary celebrations in Delhi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat made it clear that there weren’t any differences between the Sangh and BJP. Responding to a bunch of pre-submitted questions at Vigyan Bhawan, he made it clear that while there may be “struggle” between the two organisations, “there is no quarrel”. “There can be matbhed (difference of opinion) here, but no manbhed (heart-to-heart disagreement). We need to move forward in one direction, and not different ones,” he asserted. He added that the goals of the two organisations are the same. A big takeaway from Bhagwat’s interaction was that he clarified on his idea of retiring at 75 years of age, which was widely seen as a reference to PM Modi. Even as the event coordinator read out a question that said, in as many words, that his statement “was seen as a reference to PM Modi — he will turn 75 next month.  Bhagwat, who is a week older than Modi, clarified that “I never said I will or someone else should retire. At the Sangh function in Nagpur, I was merely quoting a witticism by Moropant ji (senior Sangh leader Moreshwar Nilkanth Pingle aka ‘Moropant’) about how when someone gives you a ceremonial shawl at 75, you should think of retirement.” So, this is not for the retirement of anybody or myself he said. Another highlight was Bhagwat making it clear that Sangh doesn’t get to choose who will be next BJP president…if the RSS indeed had a say it would probably not have taken so long. In the same breath Bhagwat added that political leaders must have space to act independently.

Can Opposition leaders like Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee or Congress CM Siddaramaiah or AAP CM Bhagwant Mann shun a high-level panel being set up by the Centre to prepare for the centennial birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee? Just because they are politically opposed to PM Modi. Of course, not. The Ministry of Culture has notified three high-level committees for the commemoration of 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Birsa Munda, and the centennial birth anniversary of Vajpayee. PM Modi will chair each committee which as members have several CMs as well as union ministers. The committee for Sardar Patel will have 124 members is top heavy panel and includes former Presidents Pratibha Patil, Ramnath Kovind, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and has 21 CMs, including Opposition CMs Siddaramaiah, Omar Abdullah, Sikhvinder Singh Sukkhu, MK Stalin and Revanth Reddy. The committee also has Patel’s family members Nandini and Diribhai Patel. The committee on Birsa Munda has 118 members, including President Patil and President Kovind, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, several cabinet ministers and 20 Governors and L-Gs. The committee also has over 20 CMs, including Opposition CMs Hemant Soren, Pinarayi Vijayan and Revanth Reddy, besides Naidu and Advani. The Committee on Vajpayee has 124 members, and in addition to the former Presidents and Cabinet ministers, Advani and Naidu, 19 Governors and L-Gs and 17 CMs including Mamata Banerjee and Bhagwant Mann, besides Soren and Siddaramaiah. This committee also has as members Ranjan Gogoi, spiritual guru Ravi Shankar, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Ram Madhav, Suresh Prabhu, Kapil Dev, Azim Premji as well as Advani’s daughter Pratibha Advani.

Mysuru’s iconic Dasara celebrations are set to soar to new heights this year with an IAF air show planned as part of the festivities. In a major boost, the Modi government approved shifting the annual air show from Bengaluru where it is normally held to Mysuru. An elated Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah thanked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and extended a formal invitation to him to attend. In a letter addressed to Singh and shared by Siddaramaiah’s office, he said: “It would be a great honour if you could personally grace the occasion. Your august presence will be a source of immense encouragement to the citizens of Karnataka and will further strengthen the bond of respect and admiration that we hold for our Armed Forces.” Dasara 2025, Karnataka’s ‘Naada Habba‘, will be held in Mysuru from September 22 to October 2. The celebrations will feature a blend of traditional and grand events including the Gajapayana (elephant march), extended palace illumination, vibrant cultural programmes, and the majestic Vijayadashami procession, Jamboo Savari. Meanwhile even as Karnataka CM  was only  too happy  with the Centre for being kind to him with its move on IAF air show  and as well as bringing  a law to block leaders with  criminal antecedents from holding office (hopefully implicating DKS), his deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who has been probed by  the ED, surprised his colleagues in the state assembly and flaunted his familiarity with RSS’s signature anthem “Namaste Sada Vatsale“. It wasn’t clear if DKS was sending a desperate message to the Gandhis or trying to reach out to the Centre.

On the penultimate day of Monsoon Session of the Parliament, PM Narendra Modi once again reloaded his battle against corruption–a theme which had won him the historic mandate for the first time in 2014. It is a battle in which people have always stood with him. Coming on the eve of Bihar elections, it surely helps set the mood for the polls. Home Minister Amit Shah moved the 130th Constitutional Amendment in the Lok Sabha that brought the PM’s office into the ambit of law along with that of CMs, State Ministers and other Ministers. By this amendment Modi was essentially reversing the 39th Constitution Amendment which Indira Gandhi had brought during the Emergency in 1975 to exclude her office from prosecution. Of course, Rahul Gandhi explained it as going back to medieval times when the king could just remove anybody at will. An entire Opposition saw a BJP design to destabilise their government. The Centre had legitimate worries. Delhi saw 3 AAP leaders reluctant to quit during their jail term — Arvind Kejriwal, Satyender Jain and Manish Sisodia. Then there has been the classic case of Senthil Balaji in TN who the DMK inducted into the cabinet while on bail. Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal attacked Shah. He said, leaders of the BJP are saying that this bill is to bring morality into politics. “Can I ask the Home Minister a question? When he was the home minister of Gujarat, he was arrested. Did he uphold morality at that time?” Quickly rebutting Venugopal, Shah said when the Congress trapped him in a completely fabricated case, he had resigned even before being arrested. “I did not hold any constitutional position and even after being released on bail, until the court fully acquitted me.”

After steel, aluminium and mining leadership, Odisha is now focusing big time on niche semiconductor business. It now wants to contribute to the national semiconductor ecosystem. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet has approved the U.S. chip major Intel-backed 3D glass semiconductor manufacturing unit in Odisha with an investment of Rs 1,943 cr. The plant will be set up by Hetrogenous Integration Packaging Solutions Pvt Ltd with an annual production of 5 crore units. Apart from this a silicon carbide semiconductor plant will also be set up at Bhubaneswar with an investment of Rs 2,066 cr by SiCem Pvt Ltd in collaboration with Clas-SIC  Wafer Fab, UK to manufacture 9.6 million Silicon carbide chips per year which will be used in missiles, satellites, telecom towers, rockets, railway engines, solar power, fast chargers and others. Immediately, Odisha focus area will be chip assembly and training and workforce development meeting infrastructure needs. Odisha seems confident to take the leap first by chip assembly followed by chip manufacturing, backed by government incentives. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan feels Odisha will emerge as a semiconductor hub because of “PM’s purvodaya vision of Look East Policy.” He said chip manufacturing process is part of PM’s election promise to double Odisha’s income. Sources say, though actual investment will take time to materialise, however serious assessment has already begun where Odisha stands particularly with regard to the availability of engineering talents from IITs, National Institute of Science Education & Research which compliments semiconductor start-ups. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav feels with these plants Odisha will be able to attract the best of brains to Odisha.

At a time when a section of the Opposition leaders such as Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Manoj Jha and Jairam Ramesh were all keen that former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar should take on the Modi government for forcing him out of office and were hoping that he would possibly be propped up as a candidate for the September 9 Veep election. On his part, Dhankhar has played wisely and remained out of reach for the Opposition leaders. A seemingly worried Kapil Sibal posted on X seeking the whereabouts of Dhankhar and made it clear that only Home Minister Amit Shah should know; Dhankhar himself did not fall for the Opposition bait. He has played by his ear and instincts. According to well-informed Jaipur journos, the political buzz is that PM Modi and Dhankhar have already reached a deal. They probably had a meeting. Though the contours of the Modi-Dhankhar agreement are not clear, the government has been making arrangements to please the Jat leader from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.  The Rajya Sabha secretariat last week appointed Kaustubh Sudhakar Bhalekar, who had been Dhankhar’s senior PS, as the private secretary to the former VP. Sources said there are about 20 people who Dhankhar had brought in along with him in the secretariat. There are issues about regularising their services. With nominations closing for Vice-President next week, it remains to be who will be the Opposition candidate for V-P contest.

The BJP has zeroed in on the rightly suitable candidate to serve India’s next Vice Presidentship, scheduled meeting of NDA allies for consensus come Monday. Erstwhile V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar’s bitter experience ensures Modi won’t repeat same mistake, leading to selection of a hardcore BJP loyalist this time round, just like President Draupadi Murmu’s candidature for the Indian Presidency was finalized. Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat was called to New Delhi on August 16 highlighting his name as the most likely choice of PM Modi. However, Lt Governors of Delhi – Vinai Kumar Saxena – Jammu & Kashmir – Manoj Sinha – also find serious consideration, according to BJP sources. Devvrat held governorship since 2019 in his current post, also served as Arya Samaj Pracharak and principal of Gurukul in Haryana till 2015, before his first appointment as governor of Himachal Pradesh, de facto Chancellor of Universities in the state and then in 2019, in Gujarat as well. Saxena was appointed Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor in 2022 becoming the first corporate sector honcho appointed to the gubernatorial post. His three decades of corporate experience include chair of Khadi & Village Industries Commission between 2015 and 2022. Lt Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, is in zone of consideration for elevation considering his able tenure in erstwhile terror infested state unbundled into Union territories alongside repeal of article 370 from the forehead state of India. While the next V-P being a hardcore BJP loyalist is near certainty, PM Modi is known to keep his cards close to his chest.

PM Narendra Modi, RSS Pracharak himself, commemorated the organization’s centenary year during his Independence Day speech from Red Fort even as 80-year-old former RSS Pracharak Prakash Pathak returned the freedom fighter certificate issued in June 2025 in disgust over rampant corruption in Maharashtra. The certificate signed by CM Devendra Fadnavis was given to him for 18 months imprisonment during the “Emergency”. Pathak had eschewed celibacy, become householder, participated in public life as elected municipal councillor in Latur municipal council and then corporation. When BJP assumed power in 2014, Fadnavis installed as CM, he thought justice would be done with the corrupt booked for pillaging Latur’s public funds. Associated with ABVP, he repeatedly cited Latur’s goings to Fadnavis through 50 communications and last year brought to notice non-recovery of Rs 350 crore from errant contractors, civic officials. Says he, “Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office forwarded my communication seeking SIT to probe gross irregularities to Maharashtra CM who ignores repeatedly reiterated state government auditors’ reports.” Last year Pathak threatened self-immolation just like a ABVP woman student did in Orissa just recently. Says Pathak, “I returned the certificate issued to me in June 2025 bearing the signature of CM Fadnavis. I am not broken by the failure of the executive and legislature as the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court on August 1 admitted my PIL proving that one pillar of democracy is still alive and kicking.” Justices Manish Pitale and YG Khobragade of HC’s Aurangabad bench directed Pathak to deposit Rs 5 lakh by September 2, 2025, to register the PIL.

PM Narendra Modi always converts adversity into opportunity! Come December, he will take a shot at converting tariff penalties @50% into penalty corners instead – He along with three countries Brazil and Argentina, all slapped with high tariffs by Trump, will kick off an Indian Football League. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli will lead teams at Wankhede for this Indian Premier League (IPL). Playing in the league will be the international stars including Lionel Messi, Neymar – representing Argentina, Brazil respectively and, even Europe. The tariff strikes by the U.S. president upon the three nations has birthed this new found sporting spirit between PM Modi, Presidents Javier Milei and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, for trade deals alongside sharp passes of football scaled up to IPL standards based out of India. Cricket boasts a limited number of 20 odd playing nations, the IPL football league will enjoy options from over 155 football playing nations. Modi’s plan to land penalty kicks upon Trump also offers the Latin American nations included in Trump’s foul tariff hit list, massive infrastructure/ stadiums for the football premier league while retaining their national pride. Unlike their football clubs/players being poached by oil rich Middle East nations, the IPL deal offers lucrative contracts for football stars maintaining their  status with millions in contracts, merchandise, telecast rights and more to be made, say sources. Modi will thus provide gainful tournaments on scale for Indian footballers also who would benefit from international exposure in the sport in their own backyards to throw up international Indian stars just like IPL cricket has done. Good money for youth with huge filip to their countries’ economies to boot. Goooooaaaaaaaalllllll! 

Call it election fervour or a pilgrim’s progress, PM Narendra Modi has single-handedly opened up the Temple Parikrama to India’s devotion driven pilgrims. It’s a debatable point to talk about our country being more aware of the Himalayan Shrines and Kasi sacred spots, even the Buddhist temple trails. Has the same importance not been given to the Southern edifices of stunning and amazing temple architecture, the sagacity of the Royal lineage of Cholas and other kings who designed and built temples as the focal point of all cultural, artistic and socioeconomic aspects of life? Every visit of the PM has now showcased these divine wonders. The media has carried the visuals not just pan India but globally. This focus has indirectly enhanced tourism. After multiple visits, Modi is expected to visit Tamil Nadu again on August 28-29 to go to Thiruvannamalai and the majestic Arunachaleswarar Temple. This holy site holds great importance for the Ashram of Saint Ramana Maharshi. Modi is expected to host his Mann Ki Baat from the Chidambaram Temple (the astonishing rock sculptures here portray the 108 Karanas of Bharata Natyam. The Navagraha (nine planets) circuit is perhaps the most inspiring and informative …from Suryanar Koil to Saturn’s abode at Thirunallar (the only Navagriha place which is on the outskirts of TN). There are numerous myths and scientific lores…for example, the Sun’s rays resplendently light up the inner sanctum of Suryanar Koil on Makar Sankranti day …like the SUN temple at Konarak. The mythology and significance of the pantheons is not explained to the tourists. The Vatican has developed audio wearables for every sanctum for guiding the tourist. Maybe our PM can intervene and make it a truly spiritual and fulfilling visit to the Navagraha circuit.

PM Narendra Modi’s terse responses to President Donald Trump’s incessant tariffs tantrums (complaints former wasn’t dialling him up) now witnesses secret backroom parleys by the latter to pre-empt his own tariff deadline. Scheduled U.S. delegation visit come August 25 notwithstanding, American officials are already parked at New Delhi trying to salvage a negotiated outcome to ink an official trade agreement according to sources. Trump’s ‘Washington sanctions’ met deadpan reactions this side of the global south and the ‘been there done that’ attitude borne out of India’s legacy of past precedents. Then PM, Indira Gandhi steered India through global sanctions imposed at U.S. behest over our nuclear proliferation stance notwithstanding the world boycotting India. BJP PM, Atal Behari Vajpayee withstood American pressures to join global nuclear club with Pokhran aplomb. India’s requisition for U.S. cryogenic engines was similarly stalled so the country developed indigenous space launch capabilities providing more tech savvy, cheaper space launch expertise today. Trade tariffs @ 25% and identical penal sanctions won’t budge Modi to bend India like Beckham. Modi’s silent stance ensures sudden choreographed escalations over racial tensions in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Australia, UK don’t precipitate. Silent Modi has ramped up Indian responses with Russian President Vladimir Putin confirming to visit India. Russian intelligence cited security concerns to reschedule intended visit as an honoured guest of India in August itself. Modi will meet China President Xi Jinping next even as India’s second naval base INS Jatayu set up on Minicoy, the largest among Lakshadweep’s many islands, afforded it needed naval heft in the Indian Ocean region.

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s controversial remarks about eliminating anyone whether rich or in any position,” if he comes against Rahul Gandhi’s command or rule”, Telangana is going to write his death order. His remarks had gone viral as he was seen to be taking on PM Narendra Modi on behalf of Rahul Gandhi. Telangana Congress leaders are however now convinced that Reddy, who had initially been in BJP, was perhaps indulging only in a mock fight or noora kushti to please the Gandhis and earn their trust. Apparently, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi conveyed to Telangana Congress leaders visiting him that Revanth Reddy speaking strongly against PM Modi and attacking him served a purpose. Perhaps, he was doing it with PM Modi’s blessings. “Unless you attack me, the Congress leadership will not trust you,” Modi had advised CM sometime back. It may be noted that CM Reddy’s remarks were made at a Congress protest rally held to push for President’s assent to the bill passed by the Telangana government to ensure 42% reservation for OBCs in local governance. It was seen as a strong message being sent across to PM Modi. However, within hours after Revanth Reddy’s warning, Telangana CMO clarified that the CM had used only a figurative political expression such as — mithi mein mila denge — to emphasise state’s strong resolve to defeat “anti-democratic forces” through “democratic means”.

Has the U.S. President Donald Trump’s punitive tariff war with India pushed PM Narendra Modi to have his sort of “Indira is India” or rather “Modi is India” moment! Well, almost unwittingly yes. A day after U.S. President imposed another 25% levy on India taking the total to 50 %, making it among the highest imposed by the U.S. on any country for buying Russia oil, PM Modi gave a veiled response to President Trump’s tariff threats on India, saying that India will “never compromise” on interest of its farmers. “For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers,” he said. India has been under the U.S. pressure to open its market to dairy products. New Delhi was particularly resisting U.S. dairy products because milk is secured from meat-fed bovine. “I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it and I am ready for it. India is ready for it,” he said, ‘his words were so much like the late PM Indira Gandhi. Meanwhile NSA Ajit Doval who interacted with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow amidst U.S. tariff tantrums announced that Putin would visit India later this month. Interestingly, business leaders rallied behind the government. Anand Mahindra felt Trump’s tariff threat could unleash “unintended consequences”. He wondered, “Just as the 1991 forex reserves crisis triggered liberalisation, can today’s global ‘Manthan’ over tariffs yield some ‘Amrit’ for us? Shouldn’t India seize this moment to shape a virtuous consequence for itself?” Modi’s robust stand against U.S. tariff must have surely surprised Rahul Gandhi who had jibed him about his hands being tied because of cases against Adani in the U.S.

Before Donald Trump’s ‘Tariffs @ 25%’ plus penal fines over Russian oil (another 25%) started impacting India, acute shortages of rice, ‘desi masalas’ have hit the U.S. supermarkets. India won’t export to the U.S. except on its own terms with tacit responses launched including PM Narendra Modi’s strategic alliances with Russia, China, Iran and FTAs with EU/UK already inked dry even as France is next in line. India assiduously rejected Trump’s tantrum to open up her markets allowing American farms/dairy products while refocusing its exports re-spread widely into Europe, Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and host of nations open to barter without being U.S. centric. PM Modi’s exhortation to ‘Be Indian, Buy Indian’ aimed at absorbing trade imbalances over reduced U.S. exports will assimilate into Indian consumption rationalizing inflationary trends. Iran has upped the ante against Trump’s trade hegemony tariff plan, assured steady oil supply to long-time friend India. Interestingly, Chinese vessels are India’s resort for Russian oil imports even as oil carriers purchases and indigenous fabrication on scale is ongoing. China’s economy depends on manufacturing/exports and yet, recently sluggish trends have forced its realignment with India, which, on the other hand, ramped up the manufacturing sector with Apple, Samsung, Tesla also emphasizing Modi’s ‘Make (it) in India’ theme. Independence Day, come August 15, may witness Putin’s surprise visit to India after NSA Ajit Doval, MEA S Jaishankar visits to Russia. Modi has built up oil storage, stocked up reserves for 60 days as the Andaman & Nicobar islands have revealed high oil reserves. EU’s shopping spree for Russian gas and gold comes as Uncle Sam prospects Pakistan dry for oil (in Balochistan) where he is in for a nasty surprise welcome as well.

Donald Trump’s ‘dead economy’ slur upon India/Russia has irked India that officially eschewed interest to purchase the fifth-generation F35 fighter jets. Short Post reported earlier on India’s reluctance to buy the American planes. The U.S. president Trump’s disparaging India talks will adversely impact the U.S. instead. Well-placed sources said, “India’s trade relations with the USA also included wide-ranging exposure to American bond markets for relationship building as indirectly sought by the USA. Trump’s undiplomatic language dissipated this informal American pressure and will evaporate Indian government/private sector spending on American treasury bonds hereon.” Over five years, demand for the U.S. government bonds declined to historically lowest levels (-17%). With foreign governments emulating India’s scaling down of financial spreads in the U.S. bonds and the American Federal Reserve also scaling down its own exposure over rising interest rates, the economic outlook for the Trump government, which raises $2 trillion annually to service its fiscal deficit, appears bleak. India partnered the U.S. economically to encourage her emphasis on exports to the USA. Trump’s belligerent stance repeatedly failed to get India to buckle down over higher tariffs pressures, again put off till August 8, with U.S. dairy and agricultural products imposition upon Indian markets staved off effectively. While concerns linger regarding its pharma and auto sectors India doubled down on indigenous manufacturing that coincidentally is coming of age today. Indian PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ exhortation to Gen ‘Z’ to manufacture semiconductor chips witnessed 20 varieties already past the testing phase, set for launch in six months. Similarly, 48,000 indigenously fabricated Close Quarter Battle) carbine assault rifles developed in collaboration between DRDO and Bharat Forge, set to reach 70,000 units...

PM Narendra Modi ticked off Congress MP(Sholapur) Praniti Shinde who had dubbed Op Sindoor as “media tamasha” in her Lok Sabha speech. Without taking her name, Modi charged the Congress of mounting a savage attack on Pahalgam victims by setting up an ordinary member to attack the operations of armed forces. Such description of Op Sindoor was dubbed as severe and heinous akin to an acid (tezaab) attack on the Pahalgam survivors, “spreading acid” in the country.  Exposing Congress’s betrayal, Modi said, “Got the world’s support. But sadly, no support from the Congress”. Politically it is interesting that Praniti’s insensitive comment came up for mention in Modi’s intervention. Daughter of former Union Home Minister and Maharashtra CM Sushil Kumar Shinde, Praniti  was once wooed by Maharashtra BJP to join the party. However, considered close to Rahul Gandhi — she has been part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra — has firmly entrenched herself in the Congress’s charmed inner circle. On his part Modi tried answering all issues raised by the Opposition in the Lok Sabha regarding Operation Sindoor. He observed that while the country was moving ahead at a fast pace towards self-reliance, the Congress was becoming dependent on Pakistan for issues. “Unfortunately, Congress is importing issues from Pakistan.” He slammed the Opposition for doubting the timing of Operation Mahadev that involved gunning down terrorists involved in Pahalgam attack. With reference to a third country’s involvement, Modi made it clear “No country in the world has stopped India from any action in its defence against terror”. On May 9 night, “U.S. Vice President (JD Vance) tried to reach out to me 3-4 times, but I was busy with meetings with the armed forces”.

Was ex-Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar contemplating ‘Ghar Wapsi’ to the Congress fold after engineering a political coup at the expense of the BJP which was pre-empted by PM Narendra Modi in the nick of time? A well-placed source reveals, “Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla had accepted the notice of motion moved by 155 BJP MPs to impeach Delhi High Court Justice Yeshwant Verma as per the decided political strategy. Breaking from the plan, however, Dhankhar also accepted a similar motion moved in the Rajya Sabha by 66 Congress MPs as well as the Opposition’s near identical motion to impeach Allahabad High Court Justice Shekhar Yadav. Political alarm bells went off within BJP and PM Modi issued Dhankhar a 15-minute window to submit his resignation or pain of his own ejection from the V-P post through a vote of no-confidence.” Dhankhar began his political career with Devi Lal, founder of Lok Dal that had merged with the Jagjivan Ram Congress to form Janata Dal before moving to the Congress party under the late Sanjay Gandhi. Realizing the Congress’ political gambit to embarrass the BJP by exploiting the intended impeachment of Justice Yadav in the forthcoming Bihar state assemblies was nipped in the bud Dhankhar, a farmer, Jat leader and advocate known for wining and dining with Justice Verma of the burning cash stash infamy threw in the towel. PM Modi also came in for flak from within his own party for his political exuberance of trusting outsider politicians like Dhankhar and installing them in high statutory posts within the BJP ruled ecosystem that could have cost him dearly had Dhankhar gone through with his nefarious plans.

USA President Donald Trump has blinked first under the incessant stare of Indian PM Narendra Modi over the bilateral tariffs issue. The Union Commerce minister Piyush Goyal led trade delegation to USA returned back in a huff over American attempts to brow beat India into the formers’ one-sided tariff pact. “Goyal and delegation negotiated hard and long till he got the cue from PM Modi to break off talks and return home. Not even a day after the Indian trade delegation returned to India, Trump’s crestfallen team went into a huddle and has decided to send a team of U.S. delegates to India to retrieve the situation and still thrash out a trade and tariffs pact,” a person familiar with the developments told shortpost.in. They will be on our turf now with Goyal strategically making public our disinclination to accept American dairy and agro products on American terms. Massive de-dollarization is taking place in the world after many nations emulated India to deal only in their respective currencies internationally which has impacted the U.S. badly. Ascending gold prices (10 gm) crossed Rs 1 lakh price barrier with silver set to reach Rs 1.5 lakh per kg and countries are focussed on their precious metals reserves. With the hegemony of the U.S. dollar all but vanquished, India looks forward to a more balanced trade and tariffs deal with the U.S. even as it exports reliable and durable technology to the world. An Indo-French and Indo-German collaboration in technology, Russian tie-up for fifth generation fighter jets and more has ushered India into the Big Four of the world both economically and politically.

PM Narendra Modi who was on a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu was apparently under tremendous pressure from DMK leaders to extend “best wishes” for chief minister MK Stalin’s health and his recovery– in his public meetings–this was one thing he had skipped. It is another matter that Stalin was discharged from Apollo Hospital on July 27 evening a week after he was admitted to the hospital. It was probably around the same time that   Modi had left for Delhi. As per protocol DMK MP Kanimozhi was present at Dindigul function of PM Modi so were DMK ministers and state chief secretary present at functions near Trichy. Within the   State BJP, Modi had encouraging words for new chief Nainar Nagendran, in what is being interpreted as a snub to former president K Annamalai. AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) received PM Modi at the Tiruchirappalli airport. The meeting sealed doubts over AIADMK and BJP, particularly after the way the EPS has been asserting that his party is going to get a majority on its own. EPS and PM Modi were meeting for the first time since the AIADMK and BJP renewed their alliance. The meeting came amid the war of words between the allies ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Earlier, EPS ruled out a coalition government with the BJP and said, “Our alliance would achieve a grand success in 2026. AIADMK will be victorious and will form a government on its own.” This statement contradicts Amit Shah’s interview where he said that the NDA led by the AIADMK will form a coalition government in TN.

PM Narendra Modi on his return from the UK and Maldives will be spending two days in Tamil Nadu; he will be directly reaching Tuticorin. On July 26 he will unveil a series of landmark projects worth over Rs4,800 crore across multiple sectors which will significantly enhance regional connectivity, boost logistics efficiency, strengthen clean energy infrastructure, and improve the quality of life for citizens across the state. The PM will inaugurate the New Terminal Building at Tuticorin Airport developed at a cost of around Rs 450 crore, designed to meet the growing aviation demands of the southern region. Spread across 17,340 square meters, the terminal will be equipped to handle 1,350 passengers during peak hours and 20 lakh passengers annually. On July 27, he will participate in the celebration of the birth anniversary of the great Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola I with the Aadi Thiruvathirai Festival at around 12 noon at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple in Tiruchirappalli. He will release a commemorative coin honouring one of the greatest emperors of India, Rajendra Chola I. This special celebration also commemorates 1,000 years of the legendary maritime expedition of Rajendra Chola I to South East Asia and commencement of the construction of the iconic Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, a magnificent example of Chola architecture. Further strengthening the state’s power infrastructure, Modi will lay the foundation stone for a major power transmission project — the Inter-State Transmission System for evacuation of electricity from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 (2×1000 MW). This project, developed at a cost of around Rs 550 crore, will include a 400 kV (quad) double-circuit transmission line from Kudankulam to the Tuticorin-II GIS substation and associated terminal equipment. It will play a pivotal role in strengthening the national grid..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from his five-nation visit and immediately held over 20 high level meetings to include India’s President Draupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chiefs of Indian armed forces and more. The long pending delivery of two sophisticated fighter jet engines by General Electric was successfully accomplished end of last week besides a large trance of armaments from the USA that instantly put inimical rogue nations Pakistan and Bangladesh on high alert. PM Modi had similarly kept the former on tenterhooks and guessing even while launching ‘Operation Sindoor’ on the day India was merely scheduled to hold ‘mock drills’. This was Modi’s signature style just like he allowed the annual Amarnath Yatra to be held right until the day in August 2019 when Article 370 was revoked in Jammu and Kashmir. “The confusion over the number of aircraft on either side during Operation Sindoor was another successful gambit by the Indian side that deliberately launched dummy airplanes that were shot down by Pakistani air defence forces to expose their correct locations to then face an Indian aerial assault. Fact is, India has just ordered spares, replenishments and artillery armament fitting for 36 Rafael fighter jets from France that indicates the entire fleet is intact,” a well placed source reveals. Turkey based NGO – the Turkish Youth Federation – calling itself Saltanat-e-Bangla exploited Dhaka University to peddle leaflets supporting creation of so-called “Greater Bangladesh” that over ambitiously includes parts of India in its eastern and northeast regions. PM Modi cut off the water sharing treaty dehydrating Pakistan and now, floods it even as Afghan/Balochistan groups bring it to its knees. Is it Bangladesh’s turn now?

He was a dark horse who became the chief minister of Odisha. Mohan Charan Majhi who was handpicked by PM Narendra Modi recently celebrated the first anniversary of BJP rule in June 2025. But he seems to have a bout of bad luck. He is making front page news for all the wrong reasons. A few months back it was regarding 500 Nepali students forced to leave the campus of KIIT University in Bhubaneswar following a period of unrest related to the death of a Nepali girl student. This became a diplomatic issue. This was closely followed by a stampede during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri resulting in the deaths of three people and injuries to more than 50 others. More.  A BJP leader was seen thrashing a senior OAS civil servant at his office premise. The Opposition parties – BJD, Congress – seem to be baying for his blood. With so many arrows in their quiver the Opposition hit the streets portraying him as an incapable leader. Incidentally, even BJP’s own cadre ABVP has joined the chorus with Opposition leaders. The latest trigger point is the alleged molestation and rape of a college student of Fakir Mohon College, Balasore. She died by self-immolation as the Vice Chancellor did not act on her complaint of molestation by the college professor. Seasoned political observers say for BJP sorting out the current sexual harassment mess including institutional failures will take time and government may face challenges in implementing safeguard reforms quickly. As of now the dice seems to be loaded against Majhi and one has to see how he comes out unscathed from this mess.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has once again invoked the powerful sentiment of Bengali Asmita ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. In a move reminiscent of her successful 2021 campaign, Banerjee accused the Centre of systematically targeting Bengali-speaking individuals and migrants across BJP-ruled states, painting it as part of a larger political design to marginalise Bengalis. This protest comes just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled rally in Durgapur on July 18 and the TMC’s annual Martyrs’ Day on July 21. The TMC supremo led a protest rally on July 16, alleging that the Union government had secretly issued a notification permitting detention of individuals — especially Bengali speakers — on mere suspicion of being illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Walking alongside her nephew and party’s National General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee — amid speculations of a strained relationship — Mamata projected a message of unity and communal harmony by notably including a Buddhist monk and a Muslim cleric, underlining inclusivity in the face of alleged divisive policies. She raised concerns over Bengalis being labelled as Bangladeshis despite having Aadhaar and PAN cards. She pointed out that over 1.5 crore migrant workers from other Indian states are working in Bengal with dignity, unlike the treatment meted out to Bengalis elsewhere. Didi cautioned that if Bengalis are detained, Bengal will politically detain the BJP through the ballot box. Political observers believe that the choice of location for the PM’s rally on July 18 in Durgapur is strategic as it will encompass the two key Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bardhaman district — Bardhaman-Durgapur and Asansol. In both constituencies BJP was defeated in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Modi’s address is expected to clarify BJP’s stance — whether it will continue with a Hindutva-driven approach or pivot toward inclusive development.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat  and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were born in the same year and same month. A couple of days ago, Bhagwat made a remark that has gone viral, many interpreting it as a signal to Modi to step down. At a book release function, Bhagwat quipped that 75 was the age to bid adieu and retire. Immediately, Modi baiters were overjoyed as if the PM had actually handed over his resignation. This has reference to a statement made by Modi many years ago that the retirement age in politics should be 75. As soon as he emerged as the sole leader, Modi gently but firmly sent away the old guard, led by LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, into the sidelines. The rule was implemented across the states, too, with rare exceptions. Hence, discussion has been rampant about Modi’s own decision. While there is silence on the BJP front about Bhagwat’s oblique advice, a few Modi followers have ventured to suggest that the suggestion could have been about the RSS chief himself. It is well-known that the RSS is disciplined to such an extent that even its head is not allowed to breach its ironclad culture. In the past, Balasaheb Deoras and Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) themselves relinquished the position, among the most coveted in India, owing to their advancing age and failing health. On the other hand, Bhagwat is physically fit and enjoys attending cultural events. Many of his speeches have become a guiding light for the RSS rank and file. Hence, all eyes are now on the Dussehra rally, traditionally used by RSS chiefs to announce some pathbreaking decision.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor did not expect a second foreign tour so quickly after delivering exceptionally well as team lead of the (Indian) Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs’ outreach to the world post ‘Operation Sindoor’. The Indian diplomat turned MP was invited to PM Modi’s residence late night, and following an hour-and-a-half long meeting, dispatched out-and-out to Russia without even returning home to pack his bags. Tharoor met Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov the following day and was not surprised when the Russian leader commenced his parlance in French. India’s former UN delegate comfortably, consciously negotiated the rest of the conversation in French with aplomb. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on out-of-the-box thinking now extends without the BJP party lines, making him the first Indian premier to command international statesmanship across party lines for national progress. Another first in Indian international history was Union defence minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to China to attend the SCO summit where he not only refused to sign on the dotted line of the resolution for excluding references to Pak terrorism but also sidelined the courtesy call meeting with the Pakistani foreign minister who was also in attendance. Singh’s visit to China simultaneously witnessed India’s NSA Ajit Doval holding talks with his Chinese counterparts emphasizing Pakistani double speak vis-a-vis China and USA respectively. Next up, MEA S Jaishankar’s visit to China that may well accomplish another major diplomatic win for India. So, what else is new? 

When it was announced that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge would interact with the media to mark Emergency anniversary, it was presumed he would come up with some punitive step against Shashi Tharoor, for intensifying his praise of PM Modi in an article published in The Hindu. However, Kharge appeared rather muted and merely stated for the party, “it is country first”, contrasting it with the view that “for some” individuals for whom it is, “Modi first and then the country comes.”  Pushed to specifically comment about Tharoor, he made it clear that the Gandhis had possibly not favoured any action against him. Tharoor enjoys rather good equations with both Sonia and Priyanka. Kharge merely said “Mr Tharoor is very fluent in English. I can’t read English well. His language is very good. That’s why we have made him a Congress Working Committee member”. A senior Kerala Congress leader also made it clear that no one in the state unit is pushing for action against Tharoor.” We hear Tharoor is looking to position himself as India’s candidate for next UN Secretary-General. It is likely that the Modi government may back him. Along with support from the U.S., Tharoor could possibly clinch it — an office he once bid for in 2006.”  Little wonder then Tharoor had responded to critics in the Congress with a message about birds “not seeking permission to fly”. Tharoor, currently at the centre of a row within the party, was on a private visit to Russia to promote a documentary series based on his book “Inglorious Empire” and had meetings with key members of the Russian leadership such as foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

Veteran leader Sharad Pawar was approached by then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who was desirous of visiting Israel to study its innovative farm techniques and water management initiatives. Pawar was then Union agriculture minister. Once Pawar had announced that he would lead a delegation of agriculturists to Israel. After reading this news, Modi approached him and requested his inclusion in the visiting group. Pawar obliged and Modi could go to Israel, which at the time was extremely strict about granting visitor visas. “Modi called and I responded positively,” Pawar recalled in an informal chat with the media. He was referring to the U.S. president Donald Trump’s claim that it was POTUS who had brokered peace between Iran and Israel. Pawar said it was imperative that Modi should take a clear stand about this conflict. He reminded the PM that his successive predecessors had taken a consistent position about Iran and had stood by it. It was Modi who was the first PM to visit Israel, the veteran leader said. Pawar was quizzed about the current anti-Hindi agitation in Maharashtra and the reticence of some celebrities about the issue. For instance, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has kept mum on the controversy. Pawar said Sachin was a sportsperson and hence it was not necessary that he should talk about this language feud. “Ask Sachin about cricket,” Pawar quipped.  He reiterated that the three-party opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi will fight the coming local body elections unitedly.

Hours after the U.S. bombed Iran’s three key nuclear facilities on June 21, PM Narendra Modi spoke with President of Iran Dr Masoud Pezeshkian. “We discussed in detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at the recent escalations. Reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,” Modi said in a post on X. The conversation assumes significance as many Indian students are still in that country, hoping to return back home. Teheran had evacuated Indian students with the help of our mission to leave Iran via Armenia and Doha. Some batches of students managed to reach Delhi. Our mission in Tehran has been helping students from Nepal and Sri Lanka also to leave Iran. Pakistan too rushed to condemn the attack and said that Iran had all the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN charter. The official comments by Pakistan come days after its Field Marshal Asim Munir visited White House for a lunch hosted by President Trump. Pak reaction seemed odd considering the initial reports suggested that the U.S. plan was to use Pak base to attack Iran. But now media reports indicate that the U.S. Stealth bombers were flown from Missouri for over 37 hours and had refuelled mid-air to carry out the operation. Clearly it seems President Trump did not trust Gen Munir and had a surprise element in the strikes. In Iran, Hossein Shariatmadari, the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s representative, has called for immediate retaliation. He talked about launching a missile strike on the U.S. naval fleet in Bahrain and simultaneously closing the Strait of Hormuz. Any adverse action in Hormuz could hurt India.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandra Babu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh is clearly moving centre stage in politics. The 42-year old Minister for IT and Human Resources Development came for high praise from PM Modi on the way he organised the International Yoga Day event in Visakhapatnam. The event was a logistical success with Lokesh overseeing extensive arrangements. Modi specifically praised Lokesh’s efforts, a gesture that resonated widely within TDP circles and reinforced his growing stature. He managed to mobilise a record crowd of 302,087 at Visakhapatnam alone. Calling him bhai, PM Modi said “I want to praise Lokesh profusely. He has proved how a social celebration should be planned, and executed and how all sections of society should be brought together in just one and a half months”. How Lokesh had organised the Yogandhra Abhiyan should serve as a role model for the rest of India. In this abhiyan, two crore people took part in it (referring to events across mandals). This is the cardinal principle of the Viksit Bharat, said Modi. TDP spokesperson Prof Jyothsna Trinagari said the Visakhpatnam numbers were double of Surat which was about 1.47 lakh. A notable highlight of the event was the use of a QR code-based participant tracking system, which yielded highly accurate attendance data, setting a new benchmark. Of course, it is not that Lokesh had suddenly moved into the spotlight; he has had a number of high-profile engagements with national leaders, including a one-on-one dinner with Modi on May 17 along with his family and meetings with key Union Ministers. These suggest that he has been slowly emerging as key interlocutor for Andhra and TDP — he has been acting as a bridge between the Centre and the state. 

PM Narendra Modi’s 35-minute phone call with the U.S. President Donald Trump since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack was clearly aimed at sorting out misgivings back home. He told firmly that no mediation or trade deal led to cessation of hostilities with Pakistan. The highlight of the phone call was when Prez Trump asked PM Modi if he could visit the U.S. on his return from Canada. PM Modi politely declined the offer citing his prior engagement of visiting Croatia. But, interestingly, Prez Trump has accepted PM Modi’s to visit India for the QUAD meeting later this year. As per Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri read out of the phone chat, “PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this entire series of incidents, never was talks held at any level on India-America trade deal and mediation between India and Pakistan by America. The talks regarding cessation of military action was held directly between India and Pakistan under the existing channels established between both militaries, it was done at Pakistan’s request…” He shared that the phone-call overtly clarified that India, “has never accepted mediation, does not accept it, and will never accept it. There is complete political unanimity in India on this issue.” Meanwhile Congress leader Jairam Ramesh was dismissive about Misri’s statement. He said “Understand the ‘triple jhatka’ that the Indian foreign policy and diplomacy has received. Today Field Marshal Asim Munir whose provocative, incendiary, inflammatory comments are directly linked to the Pahalgam terror attacks…is invited for a one-on-one special lunch with President Trump.…” BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya hit back calling Jairam “a congenital liar — much like Rahul Gandhi. He is now peddling yet another falsehood, claiming that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s statement doesn’t match the U.S. readout — while dramatically waving his phone around. ” But here is the catch: the readout he is citing...

Well, when National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 10 evening at his official residence in Mumbai, Fadnavis shared a picture with the ace sleuth on his X handle. Though the CM did not share details of his discussions, the meeting has set off speculation in Delhi political circles that Doval, who is 80 years old and has been the NSA since 2014, could be considered for a gubernatorial role. It is being said Doval could be moved to Raj Bhavan in view of his advancing years and somewhat indifferent health. Since he has done tremendous work in revamping the security set-up under the Modi regime, PM Modi is not keen to let go of him. It is being said Modi would like to accommodate him as Governor and Maharashtra Raj Bhavan could be an ideal place. BJP sources said governors reshuffle/appointment would be first in the series of changes in the Modi government that would come before the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. With the Governors’ appointments, changes will happen in the Union Cabinet and eventually in the election of BJP chief.  Lot of administrative changes and changes in the party set up have been delayed because of a series of unfortunate events. As far as Doval is concerned what is  working for him is that he is a much  decorated IPS officer of the Kerala cadre (1968 batch ) who hails from Uttarakhand  who has been overseeing sensitive  security operations of the Modi Government in the past decade. In June 2019, when he was reappointed NSA he became the first NSA to get a Cabinet rank. In 2024, he got a 3-year extension as NSA.

PM Narendra Modi delivered a powerful message as he marched on the Chenab Rail bridge with an Indian flag. The Tricolour march reminded many of the 1992 Republic Day flag-hoisting at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar, during the peak of militancy. At the peak of militancy in 1990s, when separatist violence sought to tear Kashmir away from India, Modi, along with BJP party stalwart Murli Manohar Joshi, hoisted the Indian flag at the iconic Lal Chowk– a move that Modi and saffron party leaders still boast of as an audacious challenge to anti-India forces. On June 6, it was the first time since the Pahalgam terror attack, followed by the recent military conflict with Pakistan, that Modi landed in Jammu & Kashmir to inaugurate the Chenab Rail Bridge in the Reasi district. As the Valley’s railway was linked with that of the rest of India, a big message of integration was delivered. Power and meaning were added to that message as Modi walked on the Chenab Rail Bridge, waving an Indian national flag. What makes the inauguration and the PM’s Tricolour walk especially significant is that they come within a month of Operation Sindoor which was conducted after the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir. The 1.31-km-long Chenab Rail Bridge is an engineering marvel. The key infrastructural project will enable direct rail travel from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. But this isn’t just any other connectivity project. It lies in the world’s most heavily militarised zone, sandwiched between three nuclear-armed countries—India, Pakistan and China. Over 215 km of approach roads were built through rugged, terrorism-hit terrain, opening up areas once reachable only by foot or boat.

Some BJP ruled states will witness a change of guard in the coming days starting with Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel seeking relief from public service to tend to his ailing son (Short Post reported earlier). Other CMs on the block include Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Odisha although the last incumbent Mohan Charan Majhi was issued the ‘Perform or Perish’ diktat having only recently assumed power. Rajasthan’s deteriorating law and order scenario queered the pitch for Bhajan Lal Sharma, installed at expense of the Rani of Dhaulpur, Vasundhara Raje first placed on probation (as BJP LoP) by PM Narendra Modi, then shrugged off, with state assemblies being fought under Modi’s name. Rice bowl of India, Chhattisgarh’s tribal CM Vishnu Deo Sai is also in cross hair of BJP high command for inability to grow party ideology in erstwhile Congress ruled state and, being invisible unlike his Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand counterparts. To non-corrupt Sai’s credit, he recently introduced anti-conversion law, mobilized anti-naxalite operations. Rajasthan’s Brahmin CM Lal, however, made rounds of New Delhi (thrice in recent weeks), may be replaced by Rajput Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. UP governor (former Gujarat CM) Anandiben Patel held consultations with PM Modi to address her home state CM issue with Union Sports, Youth Affairs Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya’s name being considered. As senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain, however, puts it, “PM Modi listens to all but takes decisions on his own!” While steeped in corruption owing to alliance politics, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis remains the PM’s blue-eyed boy.

The investigation into the flooding that derails Mumbai every monsoon took a Bollywood twist with the entry of actor Dino Morea. Dino and his brother Santino spent two days of long hours of questioning at the Mumbai office of the Economic Offences Wing after being accused of indulging in financial irregularities in the desilting work of the critical Mithi river that runs through the heart of the city, flooding and derailing it every year. While the investigation against flooding in Mumbai against two companies, three brokers, five contractors and three civic officials, are essentially being perceived as attempts to target the Thackeray family that has been ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation uninterruptedly from 2005 to 2022, Dino landed in it thanks to recorded telephonic conversations with middlemen Ketan Kadam. Incidentally, this is not the first case where Dino has landed in legal trouble due to his association with Aaditya Thackeray. He has also been linked earlier in the Disha Salian murder case, chiefly by Nitesh Rane. The Rane’s and Thackeray’s share a turbulent relationship since the exit of family patriarch Narayan Rane’s from the original Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. Since then, they have been known to take potshots regularly at the Thackeray family right through Rane’s journey from Sena to Congress to BJP. Not surprisingly, Nitesh Rane, Maharashtra’s fisheries and port development minister, derisively termed Dino Morea as the daughter-in-law of the Thackeray residence Matoshree. Aaditya countered by pointing out to Dino’s Christmas celebration with prime minister Narendra Modi at his Delhi residence.

In a sharp counterattack to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent address in West Bengal’s Alipurduar, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has challenged the PM to a live TV debate—teleprompter and all—and dared the BJP to call early elections in the state. Modi’s address, widely seen as the start of the BJP’s campaign for the 2026 Assembly elections, took aim at Mamata, branding her “Nirmam” (merciless) while highlighting recent communal violence in Murshidabad and Malda, the Supreme Court’s scrapping of teaching posts which left over 25,000 teachers jobless, and accusing her government of blocking Central government’s schemes. Hitting back, Didi accused the PM of engaging in “political Holi” at the expense of national interests. She dismissed his “Operation Bengal” remarks as an insult to the people of the state and pointed out that her nephew, TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, was part of an MP delegation meeting global leaders—signalling her party’s commitment to protecting the nation’s interests internationally. Didi also slammed the Centre’s political motives behind naming the post-Pahalgam operation. She mocked Modi for his transformation from a self-proclaimed tea-seller to what she described as a “sindoor salesman,” a dig at his remarks that she interpreted as disrespectful to the women of Bengal. Mamata claimed that she had instructed her leaders to avoid commentary on “Operation Sindoor” despite its provocative nature. She accused the PM of spending more time on foreign trips than on India’s pressing issues and criticized what she called the erosion of federalism under Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s watch, branding him the country’s “acting Prime Minister.”

The French reluctance over sharing source code data for India’s Rafale fleet of 36 fighter jets saw PM Narendra Modi turning to Russia for fine-tuning 16 indigenously developed “Kaveri” turbofan engines (currently being tested on modified Ilyushin 11-76 aircraft in Russia). India is now reconsidering further purchase of 26 Rafale Marine jets while looking at the Sukhoi Su-57 Felon Russian fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter as the alternative given President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to share technology, jointly collaborate to develop ‘Made in India’ production lines with deeper source code access. In modern fighter aircraft source code refers to software for effective control over mission-critical systems to include radar, electronic warfare, target acquisition and weapons release systems. Rather than depending upon recalcitrant France for every software patch or operational change resulting in limitations of weapons integration particularly, Indian-make or importer weapons, Putin’s sweet-heart deal to develop India’s stealth bomber with super manoeuvrability and advance avionics is being pursued by PM Modi who was also offered the upgraded S-500 systems in joint collaboration by President Putin last week. Further to the weapons and upgraded missile defence systems, Russia has also upped the ante on its crude oil exports to India with further rationalized tariff for Brent with India’s imports from that country now standing at 41% of its total annual oil flow. India will now procure 110 mega oil carriers to ensure a seamless flow of continuous oil slide from Russia, a tested and proven ally for decades now.

Several Congress leaders are worried about Rahul Gandhi’s approach towards the government on Operation Sindoor. They believe Rahul’s views are significantly damaging the party’s image as he is obsessed with attacking PM Modi on all issues. Though he is not directly attacking the PM but throwing barbs at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, party leaders believe Rahul is distraught that Modi did not consider his status as the leader of the opposition (LoP) and did not ask him to lead a delegation of MPs for global outreach. He feels his status is equivalent to that of late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had represented India as LoP in a crucial meeting of UNHRC in Geneva in the 90s. It seems even Mallikarjun Kharge was equally disappointed that as Rajya Sabha LoP he did not get the honour. Instead, the Modi government preferred to include those who had closely worked with the MEA or had articulated sensible views on foreign policy like Manish Tewari. It is being said that as soon as the names were out a flustered RaGa aide had even tried to lecture a senior member of the all-party panel that he must now conduct himself and not toe the government line. The senior Congress leader firmly told the caller– that in such foreign policy missions there is only one line –that is the India line. It is this subtlety that seems to be lost on the likes of Rahul Gandhi and Kharge. Congress sources said it is frustration that is driving Kharge to describe Operation Sindoor as a “chutput war”. More than the war, what is worrying Congress is that Rahul Gandhi is in the grip of two advisers he had recently recruited. Party feels he has gone haywire ever since.

The all-party delegation led by Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule to propagate India’s stand concerning Operation Sindoor has started on a positive note. Sule has once again emphasized that for her party, the nation is first, the state second, then the party and finally the family. This is considered a message for the Congress party in particular and the crumbling INDIA front in general. Supriya’s father Sharad Pawar has already made it clear that domestic politics should not have any bearing on the nation’s interests, especially in the international arena. He had expressed this opinion to convey to the Shiv Sena (UBT) that he was not on the same page with it as far as Operation Sindoor was concerned. Of late, there have been consistent media reports that Pawar is likely to reach an understanding with his nephew Ajit Pawar in a bid to merge both factions of the NCP, which he founded in 1999. Ajit has split the party and the larger chunk of the organization is behind him. On the other hand, elder Pawar is in constant touch with PM Modi amidst reports that Supriya will be entrusted with a major portfolio in the Union cabinet as and when some pact is sealed between the two sides. Significantly, the NCP(SP) has refrained from making any adverse comments about Operation Sindoor or Modi.

Is Mamata Banerjee changing her approach towards PM Modi? There has been speculation within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) that her nephew and party national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, is advising her to tone down her criticism of the PM and the BJP, as he believes the ED and CBI are closing in on him in various corruption cases. For some time now, Mamata’s directive to TMC leaders not to make any personal comments against Modi has been followed by them. Abhishek has been particular that the TMC should not appear to be disallowing the BJP from functioning as an Opposition party by using police and administration. The latest episode involving Abhishek joining one of the MPs’ delegations for global outreach after Operation Sindoor has caused a surprise. A day after Didi withdrew her MP, Yusuf Pathan, who had been named by the government, from a multi-party delegation, she nominated Abhishek to replace him. This was after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju reached out to Mamata to “pacify her”. Mamata is learnt to have told Rijiju that the Centre should have consulted the party instead of unilaterally picking Pathan. After Rijiju’s call, she also announced that a five-member team will visit Srinagar, Poonch and Rajouri to express solidarity with the people affected by cross-border shelling by Pakistan. She is sending Rajya Sabha MPs like Derek O Brien and Sagarika Ghose to J&K. It is being said Mamata withdrew Yusuf Pathan from the delegation only because she hasn’t been happy with him. She had found the former cricketer who hails from Gujarat is an absentee MP. He was nowhere to be seen in the aftermath of Murshidabad violence. He is apparently getting away only because of his proximity to influential bhaipo Abhishek.

PM Modi is very angry with Turkey. Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan it has consistently been hostile to India in complete disregard for the deep-rooted trade arrangements between the two countries. During the 2023 earthquake that ravaged Turkey, India was among the first countries to respond with relief material. India launched Operation Dost to provide assistance and relief materials. Yet, Turkey provided drones and personnel to Pakistan during the military hostilities that ensued between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. Turkey’s repeated interference on the Kashmir issue and the recent support for Pakistan have adversely affected its bilateral ties with India. Modi has asked his top aides to do a systematic review of Turkey’s involvement in India’s infrastructural projects and strategic sectors such as the ongoing metro project in Lucknow, Pune and Mumbai and manufacturing in Gujarat. The government is reviewing both active and completed Turkish-linked projects and assessing their impact. While no official terminations have been made yet, the Indian government seems to be considering a gradual and economic disengagement with Turkey. During Apr-Feb 2024-25, India’s exports to Turkey amounted to $5.2 bn, forming about 1.5% of India’s total exports. Its imports during the same period stood at $2.84 bn accounting for 0.5% of India’s total imports. Between April 2000 and September 2024, India received around $240.18 mn in FDI from Turkey. Turkish companies have worked in partnership with Indian companies in several key sectors including, metro rail, tunnel construction, airport services, education, media and cultural cooperation. The Atal Tunnel project in Kashmir also had the involvement of Turkish firms. After central universities like JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia severed ties with Turkish counterparts, IITs and several universities have also followed suit.

PM Modi ‘s decision to use the services of senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to present India’s case before other countries became quite obvious from the moment Tharoor openly came endorsing the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor. Tharoor is leading an all-party delegation to the USA, Panama, Guyana, Brazil and Colombia. The Kerala MP’s endorsement of Operation Sindoor has apparently made Rahul Gandhi very angry with him. Rahul is also upset that the government did not pick his choice — Lok Sabha deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi. Accommodating Gogoi whose wife reportedly has close links with a Pak-based NGO, had posed a challenge for the government. Jairam Ramesh said the party was dismayed that among the 4 names only one person — Anand Sharma– had made it. Other 3 Congress leaders Tharoor, Manish Tewari and Salman Khurshid were directly sought out by the government. The Congress first described Tharoor’s action as “crossing the Lakshman Rekha”. Party sources said the attack on Tharoor was organised by AICC Gen Secretary KC Venugopal, a close Rahul Gandhi aide who fancies himself as the next Kerala CM. When Tharoor punctured the Congress’s campaign of having yielded to a third party mediation in the Indo-Pak conflict by asserting that India would have never agreed to third party mediation in its bilateral issues with Pakistan, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told the media that “When Tharoor saab speaks, it is not the party’s opinion.” With so many fireworks, it remains to be seen if Tharoor will continue to remain with the Congress swallowing the swipe. The Gandhis have not liked him ever since he contested against Kharge. But, if Tharoor bows out to carve out his own space, it could queer the pitch for Congress in Kerala, ahead of assembly polls next year.

PM Modi is very happy that he did not bow to the severe American pressure to give up buying Russian missile systems Jets equipped with Scalp missiles and S-400 Air Defence System; as they have been India’s weapons of choice in both the ongoing war with Pakistan and Operation Sindoor. The significance of the S-400 air defence system was demonstrated on the intervening night of May 8-9 when India effectively stopped an extensive onslaught by the Pakistani army employing drones and other missiles. The Russian S-400 and indigenous Akashteer defence systems successfully repelled every Pakistani attack, preventing any projectiles from hitting their objective. India’s defence forces even neutralised Pakistan’s one Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft in Punjab province of Pakistan. When India chose to purchase the S-400 defence system in 2018 through a $5 billion agreement with Russia, the Modi government was faced with significant criticism from the U.S. The acquisition of the S-400 by India was met with resistance from the earlier administrations of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. There had even been threats of sanctions from the White House under Donald Trump. However, Modi was aware of the importance of the S-400 in improving our air defences against China and Pakistan. Thus far, three S-400 squadrons have been received and are currently in service, with more expected to follow this year. It is the most advanced long-range air defence weapon in the world, with the ability to track and engage several aircraft targets up to 600 kilometres away. It is known as the “Sudarshan Chakra” inside the Indian Air Force and is capable of detecting, tracking and eliminating a wide range of airborne threats, including ballistic missiles, UAVs and fighter aircrafts. Modi has decided to place more orders for S-400 systems.

Noted writer Javed Akhtar has invited sharp comments from both extremes due to his statement that If he had to choose between hell and Pakistan, “I will prefer to go to hell.” Similarly, his oblique praise of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has evoked different reactions. Akhtar’s frank speech at the launch of Raut’s book “Hell in Heaven” in Mumbai on May 17 became a highlight. Always a target following his speeches, Akhtar said, “Both sides abuse me. But there are also many people who treat me kindly.”  Akhtar observed in the speech that many memorable literary works had been written in prison. His reference was to Raut’s jail custody for a hundred days in connection with a controversial land deal in Mumbai. The book written by Raut describes his experience in that detention. The book is in focus owing to the various claims made by Raut regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray. But Akhtar’s finding some similarity between Raut and many giants who went to prison for ideological reasons has angered leaders like Neelam Gorhe, deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra legislative council. She said, “Those leaders were in prison for fighting for the nation’s freedom or such noble causes, not for economic offences.” Akhtar’s remarks have generated ripples across social media and political circles. Expectedly, while some have praised Akhtar for his fearless stand against hate speeches, his critics feel that he is needlessly stoking a controversy.

The Union government is planning to send teams of political leaders, former diplomats and experts to countries in key regions of the world to articulate India’s point of view on the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent clashes with Pakistan. Among the MPs from the Opposition camp who are expected to be roped in for the outreach are Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, the current chair of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Ghulam Nabi Azad and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asauddin Owaisi. Azad is being considered as he is a prominent face from Kashmir who can speak on issues related to the region and cross-border terrorism. Owaisi, the Hyderabad MP has been the most vocal voice against Pakistan in the Opposition camp ever since the Pahalgam terror strike that killed 26 of our tourists on April 22. He has rallied in support of Operation Sindoor. According to official sources, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is coordinating the foreign tour, which is expected to begin after May 22. Invitations have already been sent to the MPs. Each delegation is expected to comprise 5-6 MPs, who will visit different countries, including the U.S., the UK, South Africa, Qatar, and the UAE. According to sources, the government’s current aim in sending delegations of MPs from all parties is to send a clear message to the world. It is a lot like the time when PV Narasimha Rao felt the need that India must speak in one voice on Kashmir to counter a Pakistani onslaught. He had sent Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then an Opposition leader to lead an official delegation to the 1994 session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva and had forced withdrawal of a resolution to censure India on Kashmir.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has lamented that although then Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray and veteran leader Sharad Pawar were instrumental in saving the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi from serious consequences, Modi paid back by splitting the Sena. He has warned that he possesses much more explosive information which will create havoc if disclosed. “But being a believer in Maryada Purushottam Bhagwan Ram, I will not divulge it,” Raut says in connection with the release of his latest book in Marathi Narkatla Swarg means Heaven in Hell. The autobiographical account deals with the one hundred days Raut spent in jail custody after the Enforcement Directorate arrested him, alleging that he was involved in some suspect redevelopment projects in Mumbai. Raut was later released on bail by court, rejecting ED’s demand to extend the detention. Raut has also said that the two leaders helped Modi’s deputy, Amit Shah as well. “When the entire nation was against Modi, it was Balasaheb, the Shiv Sena and its daily Saamana (of which Raut has been editor for almost 30 years) which stood by Modi firmly,” Raut has reminded the BJP. Raut has written extensively about the land deal for which he was arrested. He has mentioned the names of certain power brokers and challenged the government to initiate action against them. The book has many more sensational disclosures.

A day after he made it clear to Pakistan that  it can no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail, PM Modi visited Punjab’s Adampur air base early Tuesday (May 13) morning and met with the pilots and support staff who carried out Operation Sindoor in which India took out nine terror targets deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir on May 7. “It was a very special experience to be with those who epitomise courage, determination and fearlessness. India is eternally grateful to our armed forces for everything they do for our nation,” he shared on X. PM Modi’s surprise visit to the airbase had a strong message. It sent a message that India stood firmly with its armed forces and the PM led the nation in personally thanking them. Even as he guided and monitored Op Sindoor, he thanked the military for its services in his address just a day earlier. The visit also demolished Pakistan’s false claims of having inflicted serious damage to the air base during its overnight strikes. PM Modi who was accompanied to Adampur by Chief Marshal A P Singh spent about an hour with the airmen. Adampur Air Base is the base for the Indian Air Force’s MiG-29 fighter jets. Pakistan had falsely claimed that it had destroyed the S-400 base at Adampur on the night of May 9-10, in response to India’s Operation Sindoor. A photo of the PM saluting the brave airmen with the formidable and frontline S400 Triumf air defence system in the backdrop  decimated those claims.

Pakistan’s army is presently in a state of shock and awe. Gen Asim Munir failed to understand how Indian missiles and drones entered 100 km deep inside Pakistan and his army did not have a whiff about this attack. How his air defence system failed.  Gen Munir is deeply worried about this major gaffe. The terror hideouts that were destroyed were located in high-security zones. Prime Minister Modi had warned in advance that our armed forces would strike in a manner that Pakistan would never imagine. Terror headquarters of Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar and Syed Salahuddin were closely guarded by the Pakistani army near the cantonments and located in congested residential localities. Pakistan expected that many civilians would die in Indian attacks, but the precision bombs fell only on terror camps. Pakistan’s air defence systems were supposed to be strong near these nine sites. These targeted attacks have unnerved Islamabad. The attacks clearly show that the Pakistani generals have no idea about the efficiency and operational capabilities of the Indian armed forces. Meanwhile, it is being said “Operation Sindoor” was a tightly kept secret even within the Union Cabinet. PM Modi involved only Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Other members of the Cabinet Committee on Security — Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman — were kept in confidence. So, Rajnath’s importance has gone up. Modi wanted everything to be kept top secret. Within 25 minutes on May 7, our Army and Air Force destroyed terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) by launching missiles and drones. The headquarters of terror masterminds Hafiz Sayeed and Masood Azhar were reduced to rubble, deep inside Pakistani territory. Masood Azhar lost his sister and nine other family members in the air strike. It was Modi who took the big powers into confidence in advance to control the after effects of...

In the post-Pahalgam scenario, while the entire Opposition had initially united in support behind the Narendra Modi government, Sanjay Raut turned out to be the first lone voice of dissent. Not content at just demanding Amit Shah’s resignation for his failure as home minister in preventing the Pahalgam attack, Raut also made snide remarks about state call for mock drills likening it to the call for banging of thalis during Covid. He also got his Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena to abstain from the all-party meet called on April 24. In the absence of Uddhav Thackeray, who is said to be vacationing in Europe, for which he earned some brickbats too for not cutting it short, it was left to veteran leader Sharad Pawar to tame him down. Pawar questioned his absence at the first all-party meet. Subsequently, Raut’s tune changed his tone. Not only did he turn up at the following all-party meet on May 8 chaired by defence minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Shah himself but also briefly muted his criticism of the Modi government. But this ceasefire too didn’t last long. He did a volte face on May 11; strongly demanded Shah’s resignation once again and even daring the PM to address an all-party meet. A considerably weakened Uddhav Thackeray, post the Sena split engineered by Eknath Shinde, is said to have given him a free hand. Despite being criticised, ridiculed and even despised for his daily-morning media bytes, earning him the sobriquet of “morning siren” , Raut has emerged as the lone ranger within his party, his alliance and even in the nation as the post-Pahalgam scenario revealed.

It was a PM Modi speech that the entire nation was waiting to hear. That was because everyone wanted to know why Operation Sindoor — that was going so well for India — had been called off. Today we finally heard from the horse’s mouth that Op Sindoor has only been paused. The action is not over yet. He laid bare his Pakistan policy —  he spelt out his terms of engaging with a terror sponsoring state like Pakistan post Operation Sindoor. He let it be known to the whole world that no power on earth can make him have a dialogue with Islamabad, post Pahalgam terror strike of May 7. “…If there will be talks between India and Pakistan, it will only be on terrorism and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)…India’s stand has been clear, terror, trade and talks cannot be done together,” he said. He said “Operation Sindoor is not just a name. It is a reflection of the feelings of millions of people in the country. Operation Sindoor is an unbroken pledge of justice. Late night of May 6 and morning of May 7, the whole world has seen this pledge turning into results.”  A quotable quote from his speech was “Pakistan ki tayyari seema par vaar ki thi lekin Bharat ne Pakistan ke seene par vaar kar diya“. But by far the boldest of what he said, “…No nuclear blackmail will be tolerated anymore…” He said “Terrorist attack on India will have to face a befitting reply, and the response will be on our terms”. The best part of the speech, he made no reference to President Donald Trump or Vice President JD Vance. 

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has congratulated the Modi government and the armed forces for launching the military action against Pakistan, boosting the nationalistic fervour pervading the nation. “We congratulate the Central government leadership and our armed forces for decisive action Operation Sindoor taken against Pak-sponsored terrorists and their supporting ecosystem following the cowardly attack on unarmed tourists at Pahalgam. This action to serve justice to aggrieved families and the entire country in the brutal massacre of Hindu tourists has enhanced self-respect and morale of the whole country,” the RSS said in its official statement. Expressing solidarity with the government is rare for the RSS, which says “We totally agree that military action being taken against terrorists, their infrastructure and support systems in Pakistan is necessary and inevitable for the security of the country. In this hour of national crisis, the entire country stands with the government and armed forces in spirit and action.” RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had visited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence just a few days prior to the launching of the concerted action by the three arms of the Indian military. Such a visit has taken place after many decades. Earlier Modi had visited the RSS headquarters in Nagpur to pay respects to its founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the first time the PM had gone there since taking over in 2014. Both visits had evoked a strong political comment. The intent of the visits is becoming visible now.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor cannot be ignored or intimidated even by his own party. But surprisingly his talents, communication and diplomatic skills are overlooked…deliberate or by accident? Tharoor’s felicity with English and his fluent communication is often dubbed intellectual arrogance. A recent interview with Al Arabia is bound to make the country look at him with awe and admiration. It is a lesson in non-partisan voice in a time of national crisis. Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs he has hit home the fact that the current conflict with Pakistan is India’s “calibrated response” to Pakistan’s repeated terrorist incursions. “India is not escalating, merely reacting with precision and restraint by hitting back at terrorist locations.” Pakistan is a master of denial …the most humiliating one when Osama Bin Laden was given sanctuary in Abbottabad. Tharoor further goes on to laud the term “Sindoor” and how appropriate it is in the context of the terror killing of a newly-wed man at Pahalgam …in one swoop , his wife’s as well as many other victim’s sindoor was wiped off. Why then is the Congress High Command not openly volunteering his talents as a global media mouthpiece to defend India’s stand? The BJP and especially Modi have extended their hand openly. At the Vizhinjam Port inauguration, Modi was all admiration for Tharoor’s presence. Is the tipping point at hand now? Whatever the political exigencies and ideology compulsions, a resource like Tharoor could well be harnessed for India’s benefit.