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Grandfatherly Love Gone are the days when political leaders were not found to be sensitive publicly. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s heartfelt tweet with a picture of him holding his granddaughter radiates the timeless joy of grandparenthood. In his post, he encapsulates the warmth and love experienced when holding a grandchild close to the heart. "The joy of being a grandfather! That magical feeling when you hold your littlest grand daughter close to your heart is hard to describe in words!" he posted.   

Time Running Out? With another controversial statement emanating from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, time is apparently running out for INDIA bloc allies to disassociate from the alleged anti-Hindu narrative. Leaders from several opposition parties are feeling the heat after the repeated controversial remarks from their southern ally. Among the possibilities being discussed are removing DMK from the alliance ahead of the 2024 polls.   

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Flexing MuscleThe issue of Marathas and OBCs is being widely discussed in the Maharashtra Congress leadership, especially after losing the five state elections. Maratha leaders of Congress in Maharashtra are not happy with the decisions of high command to give OBC leaders important posts like state president and Leader of Opposition in the Lower House. Though these responsibilities were given way before these elections, now that Gujjars in Rajasthan didn’t vote entirely for Congress party, this discussion has again started that either of the posts in the Maharashtra Congress should be given to Maratha leaders to pacify the community. After the big loss in the recently held five state elections, many Congress supporters and party workers started putting social media posts against current state Congress chief Nana Patole, while some put up posts in favour of a few Maratha leaders and asked to make them chief of state Congress.

Tech TalkAs the Telangana Congress gets ready to form the government, one of the biggest shoes to fill is that of an IT minister, a position which had K Taraka Rama Rao in the previous regime. A few of the names that are making rounds are that of Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Yellareddy MLA K Madan Mohan and Manthani MLA D Sridhar Babu. While Komatireddy has a lot of influence, Madan Mohan has a degree from Wharton Business School and D Sridhar Babu is a former minister who is popular among people.

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Changing PrioritiesThere are indications of a major political change in Bihar. After the results of the assembly elections, a JD-U MP spoke in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the same time, former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi also claimed that there will be a big change in Bihar. Through a social media post, he said Nitish Kumar is saying things through his MP that “Modi hai to mumkin hai. Modi hai to guarantee hai”. After a few days, Nitish Kumar himself will say these things, he added in the post.     

Failed MPsBJP had fielded 21 of its MPs in the recently held assembly elections. Twelve MPs won but ninw had to face defeat. The question is about those MPs who have lost the elections. Though the membership of these nine MPs is intact, their credibility has been compromised. Speculation is rife that now the MPs, who could not become an MLA, may be denied tickets by the party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.   

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Ideology Matters The recently held two-day NCP (Ajit Pawar) conclave faced criticism for inviting speakers who are directly associated with the right wing and another speaker who is said to be close to Sharad Pawar faction leader Surpiya Sule and Jeetendra Awahad. Both these speakers are journalists, one is a former editor of a Marathi news channel and the other is currently associated with a well-known web portal. Ajit Pawar said in his speech that they have not changed their ideology, though they have joined hands with BJP. But many party workers are also unhappy for inviting the speakers.  

Number GameThe BJP may further see an enhancement in its numbers in the Rajasthan Assembly. Though the party is sitting comfortably on adequate numbers, it may see an addition in the form of six of its rebels who have also secured victory against official party candidates in the recent polls. It is believed that as none of these rebels made any unparliamentarily comment or campaign during their election campaign they may be considered for re-entry to the saffron front.   

Number GameThe BJP may further see an enhancement in its numbers in the Rajasthan Assembly. Though the party is sitting comfortably on adequate numbers, it may see an addition in the form of six of its rebels who have also secured victory against official party candidates in the recent polls. It is believed that as none of these rebels made any unparliamentarily comment or campaign during their election campaign they may be considered for re-entry to the saffron front.   

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Backroom Strategist The Assembly poll outcome in Chhattisgarh was a surprise for the BJP, Congress and self-proclaimed political analysts. However, there was one person who was silently confident of an imminent upset and ouster of Bhupesh Baghel government. The party's state in charge Om Mathur had apparently explicitly told the top leaders that a saffron surprise is going to happen in the central Indian state.   

Foreign TripThe day after a win in the assembly polls, the BJP has started preparing for the Lok Sabha elections to be held after five months. However, at the same time, many big leaders of Congress are apparently now busy in planning a foreign trip, the election fatigue of five states and also the upcoming Christmas and New Year break. The workers of the grand old party are seemingly angry at these senior leaders who have a tendency to fly abroad after every such election, whatever may be the outcome.  

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Rath YatraWith Lok Sabha polls just months away, BJP has decided to reverse its recent losses in Himachal Pradesh. The party will launch 113 raths across the state as a part of its outreach. Each of these raths will travel to two panchayats every day and aim to spread awareness regarding the welfare policies of the Narendra Modi government.

Mission SouthThe mission down south of the BJP won’t just end with the fierce campaign it did in Telengana. At a meeting of council of ministers, PM Modi has drawn a programme for most ministers, especially those from Rajya Sabha. While Lok Sabha MPs are expected to go to their constituencies, those from the Upper House are expected to woo the southern areas. This will be part of Viksit Bharat Yatra and Rozgar Yojana which will push awareness of the government‘s flagship welfare programmes.

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Fruity FunUnion Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju has shared a heart-warming video on social media alongside daughter Mysha. The clip, uploaded on X (formerly Twitter), shows Rijiju and Mysha joyfully picking "fresh and sweet" lemons from trees in his backyard in Delhi. In his post, the minister encouraged his social media followers to plant and nurture fruit trees, emphasizing the unmatched pleasure of savouring fruits harvested from one's own backyard.

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Owaisi's Telugu EndeavourAIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi possesses only conversational proficiency in Telugu, but has pledged to learn the language after Telangana elections, emphasising the linguistic pride of the state he represents. This commitment by Owaisi comes after nearly three decades in active politics, as he strives not to be left behind in tapping into the emotions of the people in the country's youngest state. Fluent in Urdu and English, Owaisi made the declaration against the backdrop of heightened emotions during elections for linguistic pride and the Telangana struggle.

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Cabinet Expansion in UP?Speculation of expansion in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet has intensified again. It is learnt that senior leader OP Rajbhar is scheduled to meet Amit Shah on November 30, after which, the ceremony is expected to take place. Since joining NDA, Rajbhar has been continuously claiming that he will be made a minister soon. The cabinet expansion has apparently been delayed due to the campaign process for the ongoing assembly polls in five states. 

RLD Flip-FlopWhat is RLD chief Jayant Choudhary’s political strategy? Sometimes he can be seen with Congress, while on occasions he is firmly with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. What is Jayant Choudhary's plan? Whose game will RLD spoil in 2024? The political corridors are abuzz after RLD chief Choudhary addressed election rallies in support of Congress in Telangana. RLD, had days ago, expressed its strong backing to Akhilesh Yadav. But this move has bewildered many. With the Lok Sabha polls months away, RLD can be a key player in western UP and hence the need for both these parties to woo Choudhary.      

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Ghar Wapsi in UPThe BJP, which is busy preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is expected to clear the homecoming of more than 5,000 rebels expelled after the UP civic elections. The return of the rebels over the next few weeks is expected to boost its prospects ahead of the general elections. More than 5,000 office-bearers of the saffron party, who contested against its official candidates in the UP civic elections, were shown the way out.

BJP's ST Outreach in UttarakhandThe BJP in Uttarakhand is preparing an outreach plan for the Scheduled Caste community by holding conferences across the state. The party plans to take the welfare schemes run by the central and state governments to the underprivileged communities. The programs have been planned keeping in view the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The conferences will be held in Dehradun on November 30 and Haldwani on December 2. 

No Mobile in the HouseAs per the new rules for MLAs in Uttar Pradesh Assembly, no mobiles, banners or posters will be allowed inside the House. The UP Assembly will operate under new rules for the first time in 66 years. The Winter Session of the House is set to begin this week and is expected to face a lot of pandemonium as the opposition parties hope to shake things up ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

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Bulldozer CampaignBulldozers were lined up to welcome Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath ahead of his campaign for Assembly polls in Telangana. Bulldozers have become synonyms with the popular CM for his targeted approach against criminals in his state. Yogi was campaigning for BJP candidate T Raja Singh in Goshamahal, who is also a Hindutva icon in the state. 

2024 Back-UPIn view of the possibility that they may be left behind in the race for tickets in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, several BJP MPs in Uttar Pradesh and their close associates are reportedly trying to connect with the Samajwadi Party and the Congress. The move comes after the BJP conducted several surveys in UP, seeking feedback of current MPs and possible candidates from various constituencies.

File photo of Bhupender Yadav. (PTI)

Gurugram GambleWith just months to go for 2024 Lok Sabha elections, there is speculation in the BJP that Union Minister Bhupender Yadav may be fielded by the party from Gurugram. The senior leader hails from Jamalpur village in Gurugram, which is a Yadav-dominated seat. This is likely to create unrest in the saffron party as senior leader and Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh currently represents the area in the Lower House. 

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KTR to Replace KCR?There is a strong buzz in political circles that KT Rama Rao, also known as KTR, is likely to replace KCR if the BRS secures power in Telangana Assembly elections. It is understood that KCR wants to hand over his political legacy to son KTR on a strong pitch. The senior leader is expected to concentrate on national politics after handing over the position to his son.

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Battle RoyaleThough the BJP has not projected any CM face in Rajasthan, there has been an interesting development during the ongoing campaigning for assembly polls.  Among all the BJP chief ministerial contenders in the desert state, Vasundhara Raje is the only one who is stepping out of her constituency and campaigning for other candidates. This has put the central leadership in a difficult position as they are not understood to be keen on putting her in the top job again.

Rift in INDIA bloc?Angered by the failure of the INDIA bloc pact in Madhya Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav is understood to be preparing to field Samajwadi Party candidates from Rae Bareli and Amethi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The two seats are considered Nehru-Gandhi family fiefdoms. The move comes after repeated attacks by Congress leaders on the SP chief during the Madhya Pradesh polls campaign.

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Choosing Tickets Even after Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Revanth Reddy announced that influential businessman and former TDP Ali Masqati would contest from Charminar seat, the ticket was ultimately given to Mohd Mujeebullah Shareef. Political speculation is that Masqati, who is part of the family, which owns Masqati Dairy Products, was wary that taking on MIM would hurt their business. Masqati has several branches in Old City and taking on MIM reportedly did not look like a good business decision for them.  

BJP’s Mission 80Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is understood to be conducting a survey for its Mission 80 in Uttar Pradesh. Along with sitting MPs, reports of potential candidates are also being prepared. It is believed that the report of some MPs in the first survey was not good. These include some MPs from Awadh, Kashi, Gorakhpur and Western region. Many of these are likely to be denied tickets based on the survey outcomes.  

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Rajasthan RebellionDespite claims on managing rebellion within party ranks, there are at least 20 rebels still in the fray seriously challenging the official Congress nominees. The situation is so bad that AICC’s Rajasthan in charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has issued a letter warning the rebels to withdraw or face action. A similar warning has also been sounded out to senior leaders and party workers who are supporting candidates other than the authorized party candidate.    

Poster Contest With the Lok Sabha elections just a few months away, candidates and probable candidates have started to flex their muscles in their respective areas. Ticket hopefuls are putting up posters and hoardings at strategic locations, thanking the area residents and wishing them well. One such area is Gautam Buddha Nagar constituency of Uttar Pradesh where a former Union minister is facing a tough contest from a BJP spokesperson also considering himself to be a probable candidate.   

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Madhuri Dixit’s New Role?Over the past few days, there has been speculation in political circles that actor Madhuri Dixit may take the political plunge. The actor is understood to be in talks with Bharatiya Janata Party for joining the political outfit. It is believed she might be fielded from the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency in next year's general elections. If the plunge happens, she will be joining an array of actors who have taken the political route in their later years.

Harnessing YouthThe Shiromani Akali Dal has launched a youth membership drive of the Youth Akali Dal --- the party's youth wing --- to improve the party's reach amongst the young population. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal’s aim is to give appropriate electoral representation to youngsters at all levels and he has decided on 50 per cent reservation for youngsters on all organisational posts. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the party is hoping to regain lost ground in Punjab.

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Keeping UpThe end of campaigning for the ongoing assembly polls was observed by most leaders by taking a break with their families. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel too took time off to meet his grandson. Posting a picture on social media, Baghel stated his grandson Vivansh had recently learnt to walk. "And walking along him has ensured that I am no longer feeling tired from the long campaigning," he added.

SP’s DilemmaThe clamour to take action against Swami Prasad Maurya is increasing within the Samajwadi Party. This comes after his repeated anti-Hindu comments. Leaders in the party feel that SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav themselves are people who follow Hindu religious customs, and the comments are going against the ethos of the party. Swami Prasad Maurya's repeated controversial statements are creating a lot of issues for the party and its leadership.

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Uma Bharti Returns? Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti has expressed her desire to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The announcement has left many senior leaders worried as she is considered someone who is difficult to deal with. Though Bharti has herself refused to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, she is now preparing to contest the 2024 elections which is expected to create headache for the senior leadership.  

Musician Politician Singapore’s Deputy PM Lawrence Wong recently showcased his musical skill in a heartwarming sitar performance alongside a sitar player named Karthigayan. Sharing the video on X, Wong expressed his gratitude towards Karthigayan for patiently guiding him through the fundamental techniques of the instrument. He conveyed his appreciation for the enriching experience and his eagerness to delve deeper into the exquisite realm of classical Indian music. Wong’s display of musical dedication caught the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who commended Wong’s commitment to the sitar. Modi applauded Wong's passion, expressing his hope that it continues to flourish, inspiring others along the way. He highlighted India's rich musical heritage, a tapestry woven with diverse rhythms and melodies that have evolved over millennia.  

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Karnataka LoP Soon?Days after finalising its Karnataka unit chief, the BJP is also likely to take a decision on the appointment of its LoP in the Assembly. While BS Yediyurappa's son Vijayendra has been appointed to the top post, the LoP is also likely to be a leader from his generation. The party is taking a long-term stand on the leadership in the state and is likely to appoint another youngster to the crucial position. The BJP MLAs in the state had been demanding appointments to the top two posts for the past several months.     

Flawed StrategyThe media boycott strategy of the Congress seems to have boomeranged with three interviews being given to those on the list. The party was left red-faced but it also became a free for all within the party. The communication department head Pawan Khera came in for flak for not being able to implement the strategy. He gave an interview to defend himself. But with speculation rife that there could be another round of changes in the department ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, many aspirants have begun to tell the top leadership that this shows how Khera may not be the best person for the job.

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Dynastic IssuesBy making BS Yediyurappa's son, Vijayendra, the president of its Karnataka unit, BJP has seemingly ended the issue of nepotism being pointed at by a section of party leaders. It is believed that the issue may be something to be said about in election speeches in the future but it is not an issue anymore for appointments in the organisation. Several leaders in the state unit were opposed to the appointment, but the party leadership has decided to play it safe ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Temple TreasuresThe Odisha Congress has launched a unique protest demanding the opening of all four gates of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri and opening up of the temple's "Ratna Bhandar". Termed as “Sankirtan Satyagraha” the protest was held in front of all Jagannath temples across the state. Though the Puri temple has four gates, devotees are allowed to enter the temple using the front door only following the outbreak of Covid-19.

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RLD-Congress TroublesRashtriya Lok Dal, which was expecting four-five seats from Congress in Rajasthan, has been allocated only one seat. RLD leaders believe that over this unexpected behavior, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary may not have openly come out against Congress like Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, but he has taken note of the allocation. The impact of the move is likely to be visible in the party’s strategy for the Lok Sabha elections next year.  

BJP’s HopeThe Bharatiya Janata Party, which is fighting 18 years of anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, wants opposition candidates from Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party to do well in the forthcoming polls. With most pre-poll surveys predicting a close contest between the BJP and Congress, the party hopes that even 10-odd wins by these two parties could ensure its comeback.

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Missing PilotDespite claiming that all is well within the Rajasthan Congress leadership, things on the ground seem different. The photographs of former deputy CM Sachin Pilot are missing from posters at the party’s headquarters in Jaipur. Political speculations have been fueled ever since these posters went up and have turned into a political issue. Questions have once again been raised on whether the party high command has truly been able to resolve the leadership crisis in the Congress.

‘WoW’ Railways!Union minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, shared a post on social media of Vande Bharat Express passing Kerala’s lush green Vellayil railway station. The collage image of two trains attracted many netizens to comment on the minister’s X post, but it seems that Vaishnaw also keeps a tab on the current social media trends very well. He not only posted the pictures but used a caption saying “Just looking like a WoW”. This phrase recently became famous on social media platforms.

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Rahul, Varun Gandhi Meet in KedarnathThe two Gandhi family scions, Rahul and Varun, on the opposite sides of political spectrum, met in Kedarnath. The “chance” meeting set off a bout of speculation in the political circles ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Over the past few months, Varun Gandhi has not been actively involved in BJP programmes. There have been speculations that the Pilibhit MP is unhappy in the saffron unit and is exploring options outside the party ahead of the general elections. 

Grassroot TrainingBJP veterans and IT cell members have shared insights and strategies with party Vistaraks at a training session recently in UP’s Ghaziabad. The training focuses on 120 Lok Sabha seats from nine states. In the coming days, these Vistaraks will work to win back the lost political ground by talking to Panna Pramukh, Booth President, Mandal President and other office bearers of BJP. General Secretary of the organisation, Dharampal, also interacted with Vistaraks from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Ladakh, Delhi and Uttarakhand.  

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‘Akhilesh for PM’ PostersPosters portraying Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav as the “future Prime Minister” have been put up outside the party office in Lucknow. With months to go for Lok Sabha elections, various INDIA bloc parties, including the SP, have been posturing to secure the coveted position. Only time will reveal whether the demand finds support among other allies or is limited to respective party cadre. 

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DKS' Vokkaliga ConsolidationA meeting of Vokkaliga leaders called by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has caused a buzz on whether he is rallying support to lay claim to the CM's chair. It is rumoured that many MLAs had approached Shivakumar, or DKS as he is popularly known, to express unhappiness with the way the state is being governed, and sought help to get funds for their constituencies cleared. The same fight for the top job had earlier been curtailed by the high command's intervention. The next few days will reveal whether its intervention is required this time as well.   

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Mulayam Memorial Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has decided to build a memorial in the memory of his father Mulayam Singh in his native village Saifai. Akhilesh is expected to lay the foundation stone on November 22, which is also Mulayam’s birth anniversary. Party cadres have been invited to the event, which is also expected to mark the launch of the 2024 campaign by the party. The memorial is being built where Mulayam’s Samadhi is located. The design of the main building of this memorial will be like that of Parliament. There are also plans to install a bronze statue of Mulayam at the site.

Shobha as Chief?There is talk that MoS Shobha Karandlaje may be made the Karnataka BJP chief. If this is so, then the leader who has been elected twice as an MP from Udupi-Chikkamgaluru seat will have to look to forfeit her chances of being nominated again for an MP ticket. Insiders say BJP's senior leader CT Ravi, who lost his Chikkamagalur seat in the May 2023 elections, may be given the ticket to this seat instead of Karandlaje.