Shashwata Chatterjee on watching the football World Cup, spending days in the MP's Delhi home and the day his Dadu came to visit him in his college in Los Angeles.
'He always had a choice to resign and walk toward the sunset in protest.' 'Instead, he chose to be a mute witness to one of the most sordid chapters of India's parliamentary history when MPs were bought up like cattle to steer the nuclear deal through,' says M K Bhadrakumar.
A 10-time Lok Sabha MP, Chatterjee was a central committee member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, which he had joined in 1968. He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.
The 89-year-old leader was expelled by the CPI-M after he refused to step down from his position as Speaker holding that the post is above any party politics.
'We have to find a way out of this confrontational politics.'
While the new Brezza keeps its tried and tested 1.5 litre NA engine, there is now an additional 1.0l turbo petrol unit with a 6-speed manual gearbox to tempt younger buyers, points out Somnath Chatterjee.
The new City hybrid might seem expensive at Rs 21 lakh but offers a hybrid powertrain with excellent efficiency plus more aggressive styling.
India's entry-level passenger vehicle market is experiencing a significant recovery, with mini car wholesales surging 86.3 per cent year-on-year in the first half of FY27, driven by improved affordability and stronger overall demand.
The updated Maruti Suzuki Baleno redefines the premium hatchback segment in India with its aggressive new look, advanced Level 2 ADAS features, and a more fuel-efficient Z series petrol engine, catering to the evolving demands of tech-savvy car buyers.
Kia has introduced its Sorento SUV to challenge the long-standing dominance of the Toyota Fortuner in the premium SUV segment, offering a luxury-focused approach with a feature-rich cabin and hybrid powertrain at a competitive price point starting from Rs 27.9 lakh.
Maruti Suzuki India is strategically investing in the premium hatchback segment, launching a refreshed Baleno with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to capture a significant share of the evolving Indian passenger vehicle market, even as SUVs continue their dominance.
koda Auto Volkswagen India is actively exploring various approaches to penetrate India's burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) market, including importing global models, local assembly, and developing highly localised products, as EV penetration is expected to reach 17-18% by the end of the decade.
Honda is re-entering the Indian market with the ZR-V, a premium hybrid SUV designed to be a halo product and showcase its global line-up, despite its high import price and some missing features.
The highly anticipated new generation Toyota Hilux is set to launch in India in July this year with significant upgrades, premium features, and a powerful mild-hybrid diesel engine, aiming to capture the Indian pick-up truck market.
While being more expensive than its four-door sibling, the M440i convertible is more exotic with its looks, and being a convertible certainly adds to the driving experience, says Somnath Chatterjee.
While the starting price is the same as the Duster at Rs 10.4 lakh, the top-end is slightly cheaper at Rs 18.5 lakh for the 1.3l automatic.
Maruti Suzuki India's CFO, Arnab Roy, has urged the central government to introduce an amnesty scheme or an 'as-is' settlement option to resolve past indirect tax disputes, aiming to clear legacy litigation and foster growth in the automotive industry. Roy emphasised the need for a 'smarter way to address the past' to provide long-term certainty for businesses.
Skoda Auto is strategically navigating the competitive Indian automotive market by prioritising profitable growth, exploring new powertrain options like CNG and a limited diesel return, and gearing up for a locally produced electric SUV, all while expanding its retail footprint.
The Skoda Kushaq steps into the limelight with the latest facelift. Somnath Chatterjee checks it out.
It is not perfect, given its lack of space and no diesel engine, but as a package the new Duster is brimming with character, which appeals to you in the end, says Somnath Chatterjee.
Despite its sub-4m footprint, the Gravite offers impressive cabin space, three usable rows, and practical storage solutions making it ideal for budget-conscious families, says Somnath Chatterjee.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) reported a 9.1 per cent year-on-year decline in net profit for the April-June quarter of 2026-27, marking its second consecutive quarterly fall. This dip occurred despite a significant 29.3 per cent jump in sales volume, primarily due to escalating commodity prices, increased energy costs, and logistics disruptions stemming from the West Asia conflict.
koda Auto Volkswagen India aims to capture a 5 per cent share of India's passenger vehicle market by 2030, driven by new product launches, including alternate fuel vehicles, and a potential entry into the high-volume sub-4 metre SUV segment.
Toyota's first standalone electric SUV, the Urban Cruiser Ebella, delivers strong range and performance with premium quality, but rear space and features could have been better, says Somnath Chatterjee.
If you value space, low running costs and lack of features don't bother you, only then look at this Vinfast.
Tesla's Model Y L signals a serious push to disrupt India's luxury EV market with more space, power, and aggressive pricing. Priced just 2 lakh above the standard version, it undercuts expectations significantly.
Volkswagen has unveiled a significant facelift for its Taigun compact SUV, introducing a new 8-speed automatic gearbox for the 1.0 TSI engine, a panoramic sunroof, and a host of design and interior enhancements to sharpen its competitive edge in the bustling SUV market. But is it enough?
Former IAS officer Kanwaljeet Singh Cheema joins the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), with party president Sukhbir Singh Badal highlighting his administrative experience and criticising the AAP government's performance in Punjab.
The Renault group is set to significantly expand its presence in India, aiming to establish the country as one of its top three global markets by 2030 through the launch of seven new vehicles, a 5 per cent market share target, and ambitious export goals.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticises Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary conduct, accusing him of being unduly influenced by advisors and questioning his casual attire in the House.
VinFast's VF6 storms into India as the most affordable electric SUV above 4 metres, packing premium features, 468km range, and free charging till 2028 to disrupt the EV market, observes Somnath Chatterjee.
'So far our production is not affected. But every day the situation prolongs, it does bring risks in terms of shipments getting delayed.'
'In India's competitive automotive market, staying relevant means continuously raising the bar.'
JSW MG Motor India will launch four new models this year, and is planning to invest between 3,000 crore-4,000 crore in the country over the next couple of years. The new models include a plug-in hybrid, an electric vehicle, the Majestor SUV and one additional model yet to be disclosed.
The new Fortuner Neo Drive embraces a 48V mild-hybrid system for better refinement and modest efficiency, without diluting its rugged DNA.
The new Seltos has grown in size with a length of 4460mm and that's 95mm longer!
Been to Kashmir? Post your #KashmirPhotos on ZaraBol and we will carry the best responses on Rediff.com!
The Curvv hasn't set the sales charts on fire and Tata needs another product aimed straight at the Hyundai Creta, which is where the Sierra fits in.
India's diagnostics sector is accelerating capacity addition and geographic expansion, as large chains and regional players invest in new laboratories, integrated centres and dense sample collection networks to tap rising demand for preventive, advanced and precision testing.
