Saubhadro Chatterji In Madurai

Stories by Saubhadro Chatterji In Madurai

No hard stance on Telangana: Cong to AP leaders

No hard stance on Telangana: Cong to AP leaders

Rediff.com   18 Dec 2009

The Congress top brass late Thursday night assured its agitating legislators of Andhra Pradesh that "no whip" will be issued to vote in favour of a separate statehood resolution, if and when it comes in the Assembly.

Achuthanandan in, Buddhadeb out of Communist meet

Achuthanandan in, Buddhadeb out of Communist meet

Rediff.com   20 Nov 2009

His own party -- the Communist Party of India Marxist -- might have sidelined him. But V S Achuthanandan -- the octogenarian chief minister of Kerala, has eventually found a place in the international arena of communism.And Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee -- once the 'poster boy' of communist governance in a capitalist society -- will miss a chair as his party organises the 11th Communist and Workers Parties International Meeting to discuss a rescue path from the financial crisis.

When a bus sealed music director Pritam's fate

When a bus sealed music director Pritam's fate

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2009

He's one of Bollywood's busiest music composers. But Pritam is careful not to take money and fame seriously.

Real estate in Delhi triggers new Cong-Mamata tiff

Real estate in Delhi triggers new Cong-Mamata tiff

Rediff.com   2 Nov 2009

According to top Trinamool sources, mercurial Mamata Banerjee is again angry with the Congress -- even before the previous contentious issues could subside -- over non-allocation of a preferred bunglow for her party office in the capital. Banerjee had zeroed in on bungalow number 14 on Bishamber Dass Marg as the ideal place to house her party office in Delhi.

CPI-M plans to do a 'Singur' on Mamata

CPI-M plans to do a 'Singur' on Mamata

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2009

Having been outwitted by Trinamool Congress' Mamata Banerjee after she sent the Tata Nano car project packing from West Bengal by demanding that land be returned to unwilling farmers, the Communist Party of India-Marxist is getting ready to do a Singur on Banerjee.

Left struggles to find allies in poll-bound states

Left struggles to find allies in poll-bound states

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2009

The recent electoral drubbing seems to have forced the Left to search for space in 'leftover' electoral politics, as it struggles to find suitable allies in different states for quick-fix poll adjustments.

Absence of key ministers defers meet on price rise

Absence of key ministers defers meet on price rise

Rediff.com   16 Oct 2009

The meeting was earlier planned to discuss price rise and formulate an action plan to combat it. But as Union agriculture, food and civil supplies minister Sharad Pawar is in Maharashtra and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is camping in Kolkata, the meeting has been rescheduled for October 19.

Congress starts to feel the Trinamool heat

Congress starts to feel the Trinamool heat

Rediff.com   16 Oct 2009

When Mamata Banerjee registered strong, vocal and public objections over the proposed Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill, it was dismissed by the other allies in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) as another one of her eccentricities.

Arun Gawli shines among Mumbai MLAs

Arun Gawli shines among Mumbai MLAs

Rediff.com   10 Oct 2009

Sometimes, it pays to be single. This seems to be the message Arun Gawli's Akhil Bharatiya Sena has given through its performance during the past two years and ahead of the 13th Assembly election in Maharashtra. The gangster-turned-politician's party has not only utilised 100 per cent of the MLA's fund for local area development, but is also the only party to do so.

Congress looks to gain from MNS-Sena crossfire

Congress looks to gain from MNS-Sena crossfire

Rediff.com   10 Oct 2009

From wearing oversized glasses to the oratory style and issues--Raj Thackeray is trying to emulate whatever his uncle Balasaheb Thackery and the Shiv Sena stood for. A perturbed Uddhav Thackeray, his cousin and son of Balasaheb, already called him "a contractor working on commission for the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combination because he fears that he might be put in a cage like a rat if NCP-Congress comes to power".

At Nashik, Raj steals the thunder

At Nashik, Raj steals the thunder

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2009

A poll update from Maharashtra's Nashik, where Raj Thackeray is on fire

Dhule chants two 'I's -- irrigation and industry

Dhule chants two 'I's -- irrigation and industry

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2009

It is a city where a few of the country's most strategic roads like National Highways 3, 6 and 211 crisscross each other. And for their political inroads, all election candidates in Dhule are chanting two "I"s -- irrigation and industry.

Maharashtra: Independents may change poll equation

Maharashtra: Independents may change poll equation

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2009

India's very own "banana republic"--Jalgaon district in northern Maharashtra that produces than 16 per cent of India's bananas and 3 per cent of the world's output--is living up to its name: in the coming assembly elections, it has the highest number of rebel independent candidates who are literally driving their parties bananas!

Maharashtra polls: Cong banks on loan-waivers

Maharashtra polls: Cong banks on loan-waivers

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2009

A poll update from Maharashtra

Yavatmal: Poll in the time of suicides

Yavatmal: Poll in the time of suicides

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2009

A poll update from a village in Maharashtra.

Amravati's poll theme: Mere paas maa hai..

Amravati's poll theme: Mere paas maa hai..

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2009

President Pratibha Patil's son is fighting on a Congress ticket against the powerful two-term sitting Member of Legislative Assembly and Maharashtra Finance Minister Sunil Deshmukh, who has quit the party to contest as an independent. A R Rahman made it a part of his Oscar awards acceptance speech. But not many imagined that the politics of Amravati would revolve around Salim-Javed's immortal dialogue in the Hindi blockbuster Deewar: "Mere paas maa hai!"

Left may co-ordinate with BJP to take on UPA

Left may co-ordinate with BJP to take on UPA

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2009

After voting with sworn political enemy Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against its one-time ally the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) last year, the Left is again considering floor co-ordination with the BJP in Parliament.

UPA takes land Bill off the agenda

UPA takes land Bill off the agenda

Rediff.com   7 Aug 2009

The retraction was preceded by a shouting match between Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Railway Minister Mamata Banerji, who had threatened to walk out of a Cabinet meeting protesting some provisions in the Bill earlier this month.

'Rly factory at Singur will serve no purpose'

'Rly factory at Singur will serve no purpose'

Rediff.com   7 Aug 2009

'We want to make Bengal an automobile hub.'

Trinamool looks to up its tally in Cabinet

Trinamool looks to up its tally in Cabinet

Rediff.com   5 Aug 2009

As the Congress brass is gearing up for the Cabinet reshuffle after the current Parliament session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought TC chief Mamata Banerjee's suggestions for her party's new nominee. Banerjee has conveyed to the PM and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that she has nominated Sudip Banerjee for this slot.