The absence of many TMC legislators from a major protest programme has triggered political chatter, raising questions about the party's unity and ability to transition into an effective opposition after its recent electoral defeat in West Bengal.
The internecine war within the Trinamool Congress took a new turn on Thursday with "party treasurer" Aroop Biswas writing to a bank seeking restrictions on the operation of the party's accounts, citing uncertainty over its legitimate leadership amid rebellions by MLAs and MPs.
Barely days after losing control of its legislature party in the West Bengal assembly, the Trinamool Congress is now staring at an even bigger political nightmare -- the possibility of the rebellion spreading to its parliamentary ranks.
Veteran Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has suggested that the rebellion within the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s legislative wing could extend to its Members of Parliament, following an unprecedented revolt by MLAs and the party's recent electoral defeat in West Bengal.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde mocked the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the assembly following the defection of six of its Lok Sabha MPs to his faction. Shinde stated that the opposition had lost its mental balance and predicted more "shocks" for them. The jibe came after opposition MLAs, including Aaditya Thackeray, walked out over procedural objections during the monsoon session.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated that India's roadmap for the 2027 World Cup, including discussions on senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, is confidential and not for public consumption. He also clarified that the BCCI adheres strictly to the Government of India's policies regarding bilateral tours, such as the potential resumption of ties with Bangladesh, without concern for the political situation in other countries.
Rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee has declared his dissident camp as the 'real Trinamool Congress,' claiming the support of 64 MLAs and a growing number of MPs, and explicitly stating they have no plans to merge with the Congress.
'I've asked them so many times that after going through gruelling shoot sessions for 30-40 years, what keeps your passion alive? I think it's the discipline to show up.'
Amid mounting speculation over his position within the Trump administration, FBI director Kash Patel reportedly could be the next senior official to exit Trump's cabinet in recent times, according to a Politico report.
Apart from Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, the Barasat MP, those attending the meeting included TMC MLAs Anisur Rahaman Biswas of Deganga, Bina Mondal of Swarupnagar, Mohammad Abdul Matin of Haroa and three more legislators from the Basirhat subdivision of North 24 Parganas district.
Riz Ahmed's new series Bait delivers a bitingly humorous, and topical commentary on a British-Pakistani actor's audacious journey auditioning for James Bond, challenging traditional casting norms and exploring complex themes of identity and representation.
Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre, whose ethereal beauty and acting talent made her a popular choice for many 90s films and earned her a loyal fan base, has firmly denied rumours linking her to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray after an old video of the two went viral.
One fact is irrefutable: Nepal's recent political history tells us that the route to a return of monarchy cannot go through India despite friends in high places, asserts Aditi Phadnis.
I learnt that Yogi was deeply unhappy with the BJP's choice of Lok Sabha candidates. He had proposed a list of names, but hardly any of his suggestions were accepted.
We do not whistle for Hathiram Chaudhary. And yet the bond we feel towards him is spontaneous, almost effortless. This is because he shares something of our too-ideal dreams, our wry acceptance of our limitations, our useful frustrations, and our pointless sprints, explains Sreehari Nair.
With the Delhi assembly elections weeks away, we decided to dip a barometer into the social media world to gauge the political chatter. This is what we found!
Dinesh Raheja tips his hat to his favourite Raj Kapoor movie, as we continue celebrating the legend's birth centenary.
At a time when none in Kerala's Left politics questioned the chief minister's authority, MLA P V Anvar hurled a series of accusations against Pinarayi Vijayan's government, notes Shyam G Menon.
'Like every Budget, this time, too, there is chatter around tinkering with the long-term capital gains tax.' 'Investors may not want to jump into the markets until there is clarity on this front.'
Kerala's election discourse operates surreptitiously. Its explicit face focuses on important national and local issues. At the same time, it seeks to secure apt communal equations to ensure votes, notes Shyam G Menon.
When the landslide hit, Sruthi's house was washed away, along with its inhabitants. She lost her entire family and some relatives. All she had left for a close confidante was her fiance Jenson. Days after the landslide and the loss of her family, Jenson died in a road accident that also left Sruthi with serious injuries. News of the accident and Sruthi's backdrop as the lone surviving member of a family wiped out in the July landslide, was picked up by the media, and people rushed to help.
'Unless the expatriate Indian community finds effective techniques through utilizing its strengths and prudent management, political success will continue to be a mirage,' argues S Gopikrishna.
We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.
'We need to be far more careful given the fact that while this is group lending, it's essentially unsecured.'
What would an Indian American president of the US look like, sound like and act like, especially on issues and policies pertaining to his or her 'mother-land'?, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
The prime minister's insistence that his voice cannot be suppressed left me both puzzled and amused. He has at his call, the government's official news dissemination/publicity channels, the pliant newspapers and television channels that were eager to prostrate themselves before a powerful government and yet, the dominant voice thinks it is in competition with other voices! exclaims Shyam G Menon.
Despite their opposition based on ideology, both the political Right and the political Left possess similar behaviour, observes Shyam G Menon.
"So, there was no infiltration of any Afghani Taliban... To that effect, we have been able to control (things)," he said.
We need to make sensible choices that are in the long-term interest of Indian cricket -- and the game itself, suggests Indrajit Gupta.
Assembly elections are due in the summer of 2016 in five places: Assam, West Bengal in the east and Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry in the south
Despite the indisputable facts demonetisation and its pain is yet to have a quantifiable political backlash. But this is provided the government can limit the damage to the next one week.
Introducing UCC is a challenging task for any government. The complexities are real and difficult to negotiate as it deals with sensitive religious and cultural sentiments. How can it strike an easy balance between individual rights and community interests?, asks Ramesh Menon.
Kathal has a fairly kooky premise, one that would fill up a half an hour sitcom in a bundle of studio laughs. But when stretched into a feature film, its whimsy slumps into awkward energy, observes Sukanya Verma.
This isn't a hatchet job, and my excuse for the exercise is my feeling that when you invert some of the clichés mentioned here, you might just arrive at the portals of genuine movie-making energy, says Sreehari Nair.
Delhi, daddy issues, drivers, domestic help, politics, patriarchy, sexuality, sexism, choices, compromises, community, religion, real estate, motherhood, marriage -- Gulmohar offers a loaded, layered understanding of familial relationships and its indirect impact on the people at the periphery, notes Sukanya Verma.
Sourav Ganguly is set to be replaced as BCCI president by 1983 World Cup winning-team member Roger Binny.
There is the problem of regions in the North East being theatre for power-play by nations with borders and influences converging in those parts, which in turn requires a sizable presence of the armed forces, notes Shyam G Menon.
L K Advani's observation on Narendra Modi, an attempt to cut the BJP's prime ministerial nominee down to size, billing him a mere event manager like Vijay Raaz in Mira Nair's film Monsoon Wedding, speaks volumes about their differences... In the coming days, the Congress and BJP may lock horns over the AgustaWestland chopper deal. In an Italian court, Guido Haschke, one of the accused middlemen who allegedly bribed the Indian side, has sought a plea bargain to reduce his jail term if convicted. On or around April 11, we will know how much Haschke is ready to reveal. Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt detects which way the political wind is blowing these days.
