Game’s afoot

The Bharatiya Janata Party has unleashed its full force for the Bihar elections, deploying not only its top leaders and cadre from across the country but also leaders from its alliance partners outside the state for campaigning. BJP strategists say that this show of strength underscores the unity of the National Democratic Alliance. However, insiders admit that the move reflects the BJP’s desperation to outshine its partner in Bihar, the Janata Dal (United). Reports of growing sympathy for the JD(U) boss and chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, seem to have rattled the saffron party. It is no secret now that the BJP is eyeing the CM’s post in Bihar. Ironically, among the campaigners is the deputy CM of Maharashtra and Shiv Sena chief, Eknath Shinde. Early this week, Shinde addressed rallies in West Champaran and said that the five parties in the Bihar NDA were Pandavas and urged voters to defeat the Kauravas (Opposition). The Opposition has been accusing the BJP of plotting a Maharashtra-like coup in Bihar, recalling how the BJP had contested the elections under Shinde’s leadership but Devendra Fadnavis was ultimately made the CM. The Opposition leaders predict a similar fate for Kumar if the NDA wins the election.

Silly excuses

The subdued homecoming for Uma Chetry, a member of the Indian team that just won the women’s one-day international World Cup, on the night of November 6 led to the Assam government and the Assam Cricket Association facing flak. Questions were raised about their priorities when other players of the playing XI have received grand welcomes and substantial rewards from their home states. The Congress described the situation as a lost opportunity while a Gorkha leader wanted to know whether Chetry was ignored because of her surname.

Uma Chetry Sourced by The Telegraph from X

The 23-year-old wicket-keeper was welcomed at the Guwahati airport by a couple of ACA officials, airport staff, mediapersons and members of a Gorkha organisation; this was a day after the Indian team was invited by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, and President Droupadi Murmu for their pathbreaking achievement. The ACA and the Assam sports minister said that they were not aware of her exact schedule — an excuse which found few takers in this age of technology. The ACA argued that organising a welcome at midnight would have drawn criticism. The flak saw the state sports minister meet Chetry the following day at her Bokakhat residence. The ACA has announced a welcome event at the Barsapara stadium on Sunday. Well, better late than never.

Noose tightens

The murmur in the corridors of power is that Anil Ambani, who has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on November 14 for questioning in a loan fraud case, could be arrested. For the past few weeks, the ED has been continuously tightening the noose on Ambani’s Reliance Group since several banks, including the State Bank of India, classified its loan accounts as ‘fraud’ due to unfair practices and illegal diversion of funds. “Anil Ambani’s questioning on November 14 is very crucial. It is going to be a long day for him and there is enough possibility that he could be arrested,” said a Union home ministry official.

Speculation is rife in the ED headquarters in Delhi that Ambani’s appearance before the sleuths for the second time would be ‘decisive’. The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation have already raided and searched Ambani’s premises in connection with the money laundering probe linked to the alleged multiple bank loan fraud cases worth several crores against Ambani’s group of companies.

Tactical
outreach

Kerala’s BJP leadership has
come under the scanner after a circular was issued to the party cadre that the candidates for the forthcoming local body election would be determined on the basis of their religion. For quite some time, the state BJP leadership has been trying to
appease minority voters from the Christian and the Muslim communities. The BJP had conducted a survey to determine the candidates, held under the aegis of the BJP state vice-president, Shaun George. The party has also proposed visiting Muslim homes in the state in the coming days.

The BJP state president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, too, has informed that a Muslim outreach will be started under the leadership of another vice-president, M Abdul Salam M, an academician turned BJP leader. Over the last few years, BJP leaders have been visiting Christian homes ahead of Easter. Eyebrows were raised when the BJP leaders handed over greeting cards with pictures of Jesus Christ and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Already, Chandrasekhar has apparently obtained an anticipatory bail pre-empting the ruling Left Democratic Front and the Opposition United Democratic Front from accusing the BJP of instigating communal politics.