TWO HOOTS FOR MEDIA

The inscrutable Modi is at it again. This time its media. Having bashed the media with a reverse slap with a decree to ban for a day a news channel, he has come out speaking for the rights of the press.
Having had made his day by cocking a snook at the press, he seems to have become a votary of media rights.

The fact is that  after becoming the prime minister, Modi has never cared or craved for press publicity. He had conveniently bypassed the media and taken use the social media to reach out to the masses.

BIG NOTE, BIG POLITICS

Ban on big notes have become big politics. Parliament session is going to be driven by it. Parties have polarised on the issue. Debate on national agenda has shrunk along a short bandwidth. Macro issues of economy has gone out focus, and Modi Government's money management policy and its related politics have become the common refrain.
The brunt of the move is being borne by the common man. Patience is giving way to anger. Modi knows it well. It won't be a big surprise if he initiates another surgical strike of move that will divert the attention well.

The move has also brought to the fore cracks in the government's argument that the move was conceived and initiated six months early. New bank notes carry RBI governor's signature. Patel has taken up office two months before, so how come the previous Governor didn't sign on the currency.

MULAYAM MIND GAMES

The dark shadow of political gamemanship has cast a grim shadow on the mahagathbandhan dream. Mulayam, the inscrutable veteran of many political wars, has cast a dice on the troubled chequered plot of UP politics. The Supremo has asserted that his party will go all the way alone in the coming hustings.
So where does that leave the mahagathbandhan tieup efforts ?
With such fanfare socialist cheftains were gathered on one platform on the silver jubilee celebrations of the Samajwadi party. Such efforts were made by state party chief Shivpal Yadav to bring the tribe together. So has the mission of the emissary failed ?
Another question. Will Akhilesh will now have to prove his mettle on the electoral battlefront all alone ?
Another pertinent question. Has overtures of Congress failed to enchant the fair maiden that is Samajwadi party ? Did Prashant Kishore ask a bit too much from Mulayam ? Did the seat bargain upset Mulayam ?
These are some queries which are demanding answers ?

VADRA TIMES

The controvesry surrounding Robert Vadra doesn't seem to die down. First it was bluff and buster of investigation, and then when BJP came to power one of the first things that Haryana government did was to form an enquiry committee to ferret out the truth.
After about two years now when  committee is almost ready with the report, and have asked for a six weeks extension of its term to scrutinize some newly found documents, Congress has raised a hue and cry.
In an almost parallel development Enforcement Directorate has summoned Vadra to question him on land deal irregularities in Bikaner.
Congress is crying itself hoarse over alleged witch hunt of Vadra, and Vadra is turning sentimental over twitter on his persecution.
Question naturally arises when will all this drama end. Will truth ever come out of investigation, or will the matter will remain a thorn in the flesh of Congress.

OLD HABITS DIE HARD

Prime Minister Narender Modi's educational degree has has become a national issue. It has blacked out all other news. Panama Papers, Kerala election campaigning, Augusta scandal all have taken a backseat. It seems that nothing is more important than Modi's degree. At least that's what the Aam Aadmi Party is trying to prove.
After a day of attack and counter attack between BJP and AAP the matter still hasn't come to rest, or rather, hasn't been allowed to rest. The AAP will now swoop in Delhi University to investigate the matter.
It seems that AAP has made its business to hog the headlines. There are quite a few veteran journalist in the party, and they know fully well what tickles the press. Right now they are using their journalistic experience to give the party extra mileage.
Kejriwal had already made his business to act as a scoop master. All along his path to glory this was the common thread. In the early days of the party, one after another press conferences were held and sheafs of 'incriminating ' doucuments were waved to the tv cameras and journalists to bring to fore some scam or the other. That habit has not died with time. It has taken a different hue.

The two thousand crore empire of Baba Ramdev is a success story which hard nosed business will envy. It's time blue blooded IIM and Harvard educated elite took note of the earthy commerce lessons that the yoga master has to give. From a small shop to a boutique product chain the story has unfolded without any big fanfare.

Today the Yoga Baron's empire is worth Rs. 2000 crore, and is giving other FMCG biggies sleepless nights. Ramdev is the face of the company, it's brand ambassador and promoter. The huge mass base he has developed in his avtaar as a yoga guru is getting converted to a consumer base, and is minting him money.

It's the era of new age living. Health and holistic living are the buzz words. Ancient healing sciences are being embraced by the people. Tradition is no longer treated with disdain. All these are helping the surge of Patanjali.

To top it all, Ramdev is following an aggressive pricing starategy. He is cutting prices of his products which is making similar products of other companies look expensive. These price cuts are so deep that it is giving the consumers no choice but to buy Patanjali.

The Patanjali franchise is growing in leaps and bounds. Patanjali has 5,000 franchisee stores. Retailers average gross turnover is Rs 25,000 every day. Profit margins for retailers are 10-20% across product categories. 

The game has barely begun. Ramdev has tied with two big advertising agencies to push his company. Plans are afoot to enter retail market in a big way. It won't be a surprise that in the times to come Patanjali's footprint gets across fast food, services and other sectors. It's trans national growth can't be belittled. Add this to the fact that Ramdev has political ambitions and then envision the force multiplier that the company will garner. 

WATERING DOWN OF IPL

The Bombay High Court has directed BCCI to hold all matches outside Maharashtra. After 30th of April all the matches wiil be played outside the state. This is view of the severe drought conditions prevailing in Maharashtra.

BCCI has now left with no option but to comply with the ruling. Watering of cricket pitches were a major concern. The amount of water sprayed is being seen as a criminal waste.

According to BCCI it has supplied 40 lakh litres of water per day to stadiums for IPL. Compare it with the amount of water being sent to Latur in trains.

Court has rightly reprimanded the BCCI. Cash rich BCCI should donate from its coffers to the drought hit region. It has been shirking from it's responsibily uptill now. Now is the time for BCCI chieftains to show their deshbhakti and commitment to nation.

DEJA VU RAHUL

Rahul Gandhi shrill diatribe against Modi is losing its sting. Think of any hot spot and you have the image of Rahul popping up. Whether it is Hyderabad Univesrity, JNU,Kerala Temple or Deonar dumping ground. All is happy playground of Rahul Baba. No visit of Rahul is complete without a billious haranague againt Modi and his policies.

Latest is Deonar dumping ground. Rahul arrived in his cavalcade, survey the dirt and took stance behind the TV cameras. What followed was not somethng new.A rant against Modi's Clean India campaign, and a direct attack against the state government. A few sympathetic utterances were made against the long suffering denizens too.

Are their no advisors in the grand old party to enlighten the young prince about the dangers of deja vu politics. Rahul has often been condemned for sounding repetitive, of lacking new ideas, of lacking vision.

By heeding none he has trod were angels fear to tread. Rahul has to know that he is pitched against a very innovative master of politics Narender Modi. A man brimming with novel ideas and a grand vision for India. Rahul has to match his wits with the best in the game. By sounding like a stuck gramaphone record he is putting his political career and that the future of Congress Party in peril.

POLITICS OF DROUGHT

Everyone likes a good drought. More so the politicians. This has been proven once more correct. Bundelkhand is getting scorched. Ponds and rivers have dried up. People's tears have also dried up. For their is no one to care.
Akhilesh government has suddenly woken up after four years of coma and has started distributing largesse. 2017 is near, and so is the time of reckoning. Fear of hustings has made the Samajwadi Party to loosen it's purse.
Modi government is not far behind in laxity. It has been made aware of its responsibility after a vitriolic reminder by the Supreme Court. After a lashing by the court the central government had released part of the due fund on account of MANREGA. The state of Uttar Pradesh is still to get its full payment on this front. So much so for concern of farmers.
Modi government is holding rallies. It is spouting concern for the downtrodden. But it's laxity towards the farmers is criminal. Will holding Kisan rallies bring relief to farmers, or will it bring votes for the Modi government ?.
Can Modi government fool all the farmers all the time. Time will tell.

GAME - NITISH

''JDU anoints Nitish Kumar as its new chief.''

This was an expected news headline, but it's subtext is not that simple. Constitution of JDU doesn't allow more than two consecutive tenure to its president. Hence it was clear that it was time for Sharad Yadav to take bow. But what could follow is more complex.

Sushasan Babu, Nitesh Kumar has stepped on a platform that gives him national hype. He can well position himself as a Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2019 hustings. The party would well want to do so. More so when chances of an umbrella front to emerge is strong.

JDU under Nitesh can change the political equation of Uttar Pradesh as well. Congress can side with JDU in the state. During Bihar elections Mulayam had distanced himself from the Third Front. Now JDU led Umbrella is all set to challenge Samajwadi Party in its own bastion. Ajit Singh led RLD can join hands with JDU. So could Jharkhand Vikas Morcha. Apna Dal of UP can also cosy up with JDU. This can lead to vote polarization.
JDU's entry may not directly affect major parties, but it can cut into thier votes and affect the final poll outcome. This can prove disastrous
But the biggest beneficiary will be Nitish Kumar. He will now have a wider canvas to paint his ambitions on.