One time Mamata's trusted aide Mukul Roy expires

 Mukul Roy had snubbed PM Manmohan Singh while in office as a minister in UPA-2.

Former Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy passes away at the age of 71

Paradoxically and technically, he was founding president/chairperson of Trinamool Congress, when the regional party was launched in 1997.

Mamata Banerjee only joined later and then took over the reins of the ourfit.

Former railway minister Mukul Roy, once regarded as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's most trusted lieutenant and the TMC's principal strategist, died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital  early on Monday.

In 2012 a day after a train derailed in Assam following a blast, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked minister of state for railways Mukul Roy to visit the site but he virtually defied him, arguing that the track had been cleared and there was nothing for him to inspect. 

When contacted, Roy said, "I have nothing to say. I suggest you contact the General Manager of the NF Railway about this."

Northeast Frontier (NF) railway general manager MR Chandra said, "The minister (Roy) has already offered to visit the derailment site near Rangiya. But we told him that the ground reality is such that the situation is almost normal and there is no death except for some injuries."

He was 71, and is survived by his son, Subhranshu Roy, also a politician.

Once Mukul Roy was called Chanakya in West Bengal politics..

He breathed his last around 1.30 am at the hospital in Salt Lake, Subhranshu Roy said.

He had been suffering from multiple ailments and was in and out of the hospital over the past two years. Family members said he had also been diagnosed with dementia and had recently gone into a coma.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the demise of veteran leader Mukul Roy, describing him as a long-time political colleague and co-fighter in many struggles. In a Bengali post on X, Banerjee said she was "shocked and saddened" by Roy's passing and recalled that he had worked tirelessly for the Trinamool Congress since its founding, earning acceptance across all levels of the party.

"I am deeply shocked and grieved by the sudden news of the demise of veteran politician Mukul Roy. He was my long-time political colleague and a comrade-in-arms in many political struggles. The news of his departure has left me heartbroken," she said.

Mamata noted that he had later chosen a different political path before returning, and said his contribution to West Bengal politics and organisational skills would not be forgotten.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the death of former Union minister Mukul Roy, and said he will be remembered for his political experience and efforts to serve the society.

"Pained by the passing of former Union Minister Shri Mukul Roy Ji. He will be remembered for his political experience and efforts to serve society. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti," Modi wrote on X.

Mamata's nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also condoled Roy's death.

In an X post, he wrote: "The demise of Mukul Roy marks the end of an era in West Bengal's political history. A veteran leader with vast experience, his contributions helped shape an important phase of the state's public and political journey." "As a founding pillar of the All India Trinamool Congress, he was instrumental in expanding and consolidating the organisation during its formative years. 

His dedication to public life will be recalled with admiration. I extend my sincere sympathies to his family, friends and admirers. May his soul be granted eternal peace," he added.

A former Union minister and two-time Rajya Sabha member from West Bengal, Roy's four-decade-long political journey saw his stints in the Congress, TMC and the BJP.

His political career began with the Youth Congress, before he joined hands with Mamata Banerjee when she broke away from the grand old party to form the Trinamool Congress. 

Roy quickly emerged as one of the key organisational pillars of the fledgling party and went on to serve as its general secretary.

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2006 and became the party's leader in the Upper House in 2009, turning into TMC's principal troubleshooter in Delhi. 

In the UPA-2 government, when the TMC was a constituent, Roy first served as Minister of State for Shipping before taking over as the railway minister in 2012.

He had replaced Dinesh Trivedi as Railway Minister mid way during Budget session when fares for train tickets were increased. Mukul Roy and Sudip Bandyopadhyay had alleged that Dinesh Trivedi did not take Mamata's permission before announcing increase in ticket fares. 

In West Bengal's political circles, Roy earned a reputation as a backroom operator deft in organisational work.

 Following the TMC's historic victory in 2011 that ended 34 years of the Left Front rule, he played a significant role in consolidating the party's hold in several districts, overseeing defections from the CPI(M) and the Congress, strengthening the new regime's political base.

However, his career was not without controversy. His name had surfaced in the Saradha chit fund case and the Narada sting operation.

By 2017, relations between Roy and the TMC leadership had deteriorated. In November that year, he joined the BJP in a move that altered the state's political equations. 

Tasked with strengthening the BJP's organisation in West Bengal, Roy was credited by party leaders with helping engineer defections from the TMC and expanding the saffron party's base ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, in which the BJP won 18 of the state's 42 seats.

He was elected as a BJP MLA from the Krishnanagar Uttar constituency in the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections. 

Within months, however, he returned to the TMC, triggering legal and political wrangling. Subsequently, a court disqualified him as an MLA under the anti-defection law for switching parties after being elected on a BJP ticket.

Though he rejoined the TMC, Roy never regained the political centrality he once enjoyed. As his health declined, he gradually withdrew from active politics.

Often described as the 'Chanakya' of West Bengal politics during his prime, Roy remained a pivotal figure in the state's turbulent political landscape.

Leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, also condoled Roy's death.

In an X post, he wrote, "Deeply disheartened to learn about the sad demise of senior politician, Shri Mukul Roy. My sincere condolences to his family. Praying that his soul attains eternal peace. Om Shanti."

The Saradha and Narada scandals cast a long shadow over Roy’s political career, marking a significant turning point. 

These weren’t just financial misdeeds; they represented the first cracks in the TMC’s carefully crafted image of integrity. Roy’s name became deeply associated with the nexus of political funding and systemic exploitation. Critically, how Roy handled the ensuing investigations shaped his subsequent political path.

Unlike individuals defined by steadfast ideological commitment, Roy’s political approach was fundamentally transactional. 

As central investigative agencies tightened their focus, the “architect” began to strategically reposition himself within the political arena.

Roy’s move to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017 was a watershed moment in Indian politics. 

He brought not only his personal influence but also the TMC’s strategic playbook. 

He equipped the traditionally urban-focused BJP with the tactics needed to effectively compete in West Bengal’s rural areas, significantly contributing to their strong showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

However, his return to the TMC in 2021, after the BJP failed to win the state government, was met with considerably less enthusiasm.

Ends 

India, China invite Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur for official visits

 

Envoys from New Delhi and Beijing extend formal invitations amid pledges to deepen bilateral ties

India and China today invited Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to pay official visits to the countries at mutually convenient times.

"My Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent Christensen, has my full confidence. Together, we have an opportunity to make both of our nations more prosperous and secure,” Donald Trump wrote in his letter to Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman. 

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma extended to Khalilur an invitation from Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to undertake an official visit to New Delhi at an early date.

The envoy of China also extended the invitations on behalf of their respective foreign ministers during separate meetings with the foreign minister of Bangladesh at the foreign ministry.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen conveyed an invitation from the Chinese foreign minister for Khalilur to undertake an official visit to China at a mutually convenient time.

The envoys congratulated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for leading the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to a decisive victory in the general elections, which they termed as one of the most free and fair elections in the country's history.

They also felicitated Khalilur on his assumption of the office of the foreign minister.

The Chinese ambassador conveyed China's firm support for PM Tarique Rahman's 'Bangladesh First' policy. He said the Chinese premier intends to work closely with the Bangladeshi prime minister to further deepen bilateral cooperation.

Khalilur underscored the importance of advancing the Bangladesh-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. He also called for enhanced Chinese engagement with all relevant stakeholders for the early repatriation of Rohingyas.

The Indian high commissioner expressed his government's readiness to work closely with the new government of Bangladesh to further advance bilateral cooperation.

Blogger : Not far from Bangladesh border

Trump congratulates Tarique, hopes to strengthen US-Bangladesh trade ties

US president urges implementation of trade and defence agreements to boost bilateral relations

"On behalf of the American people, I congratulate you on your historic election and wish you a successful term as Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh,” Trump wrote in a letter to the prime minister, who took oath on February 17.

" I also hope you will take decisive action to complete the routine defence agreements that would finally give your military access to high-end, American-made equipment -- the best in the world!,” he wrote.

Trump expressed his eagerness to work with the prime minister to strengthen ties between the United States and Bangladesh

Ends

BJP and allies eye "massive" cross voting to win maximum 20 plus in Rajya Sabha polls

Of 37 Upper House seats slated for March 16 polls across 10 states, BJP to work hard to picjk up 5-6 extra ....   “manoeuvrings” kicked off

PM Narendra Modi keen to reward organisational hands such as the current national vice-presidents and general secretaries.

There will be RSS quota but the cut off age of 75 may be applied too. 

In Odisha, with 65 MLAs on the Opposition side, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s 51 MLAs, at least one seat will go to the principal Opposition with the final seat up for grabs for both sides. 

NDA set to bag 19 seats : 

BJP and allies eye "massive" cross voting to win maximum 20 plus in Rajya Sabha polls 

  

          Leading the charge : Amit Shah 

The vacancies arise as the terms of 37 members of the Council of States elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana are set to expire in April 2026. 

As plain calculation suggests, the BJP and allies have enough numbers to elect 19 MPs as against Opposition's 12.

Along with the saffron party; Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh are expected to play their cards well.

The Lotus party may even field one or two retired bureaucrats in some states.

The saffron party is likely to release its list around Holi in early March.

The BJP-led NDA is looking to increase its tally in the Rajya Sabha significantly.  

In addition to 37 seats, another 34 vacancies are set to arise in the Upper House by the end of year 2026.

Several stalwarts including Sharad Pawar will retire and many of them face mega hurdles to re-enter Parliament. 

The minimum number of Assembly seats, as per the foundational formula of a particular ally’s legislators in the House, is clear in states where the NDA is in majority, such as Maharashtra and Bihar. 

But other states, where the BJP or NDA is in power with a relatively smaller margin of seats, such as Odisha and Haryana will be interesting to watch. 

Several factors are in play when it comes to choosing a candidate for elevation to the Rajya Sabha. 

BJP may avoid repetition of members who are about to complete their second consecutive term totalling 12 years.

As it stands, the NDA has 133 MPs in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, with the BJP itself accounting for 103 seats.

The BJP keen for 20 more to touch the 123-seat majority mark.

In Maharashtra, where the BJP-led Mahayuti has 235 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly, the NDA is likely to claim six of the seven vacant seats. 

Here, each vacant seat will require the support of 41 MLAs. 

In Bihar, where the “magic number” is 49 MLAs, the NDA is in a position to win four of the five seats but, sources say, it may stake claim on all.

 In Odisha, where the BJP is in power with around 80 MLAs including its allies, the party is closer to the required figure of 37 MLAs per seat only in the cases of two of the four vacancies.

In Assam, the NDA’s 86 MLAs would enable it to get two of the three vacant seats, given the required figure of 42 MLAs per Upper House berth. 

But in the remaining seat, the Opposition’s 39 legislators are falling three short of the “magic number”. 

In Haryana, the NDA has 50 MLAs, five more than the required figure of 45. At 37 MLAs, the Opposition is short by eight. 

Maharashtra will be an interesting case in point given the developments around the two NCP factions and their stalwart Sharad Pawar being also among the retiree MPs.

Newly-elected BJP national president Nitin Nabin, whose new team is likely to be in place by the end of this month, is certainly among the frontrunners for a Rajya Sabha berth from the BJP’s quota. 

Others are from among the 11 national BJP vice-presidents and the eight national general secretaries (including the post of national general secretary organisation).

 Many prominent faces who have served in gubernatorial and bureaucratic roles are also said to be among the contenders.

The members whose terms are ending include Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, Dr. Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan, Priyanka Vickram Chaturvedi, Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar, Dhairyashil Mohan Patil, Rajani Ashokrao Patil and Ramdas Bandu Athawale from Maharashtra; 

Mamata Mohanta, Muzibulla Khan, Sujeet Kumar and Niranjan Bishi from Odisha; 

N.R. Elango, P. Selvarasu, M. Thambidurai, Tiruchi Siva, Dr. Kanimozhi NVN Somu and G.K. Vasan from Tamil Nadu; Saket Gokhale, Ritabrata Banerjee, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Mausam Noor and Subrata Bakshi from West Bengal; 

Rameswar Teli, Bhubaneswar Kalita and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan from Assam; 

Amarendra Dhari Singh, Prem Chand Gupta, Ramnath Thakur, Upendra Kushwaha and Haribansh Narayan Singh from Bihar; Kavi Tejpal Singh Tulsi and Phulo Devi Netam from Chhattisgarh; Kiran Choudhry and Ram Chander Jangra from Haryana; 

Indu Bala Goswami from Himachal Pradesh; and Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi and K.R. Suresh Reddy from Telangana. 

One seat in West Bengal has been vacant with effect from January 5, 2026.

Modi Govt scores a key diplomatic victory :::::

 

Rahul Gandhi's men going shirtless only demonstrated bad taste and frustration.

The Modi Govt scored a key diplomatic victory.  

The AI Impact Summit concluded here with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration marking the success of the push by India and other countries in the Global South to frame artificial intelligence as a shared global good rather than an exclusive technological advantage of the rich and developed.

Endorsed by 86 countries and two organisations, the declaration sets out a shared global vision for what it calls "collaborative, trusted, resilient and efficient" artificial intelligence, whose potential can be realised "only when its benefits are shared by humanity". 

It pointed out that "the choices that we make today will shape the AI-enabled world that future generations will inherit".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented India as a hub for affordable and scalable artificial intelligence, saying innovations developed in the South Asian nation could be deployed globally.

“Design and develop in India. Deliver to the world, deliver to humanity,” the Indian leader said during his keynote address at an AI summit in New Delhi.

Members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a ‘shirtless’ protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India AI Impact Summit. The protestors accused the Prime Minister of compromising national interests at the summit. At least 4 protesters were detained by Delhi Police, and legal action has been initiated.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera had also targeted Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and a sharp political attack had been mounted.

The BJP responded strongly, condemning the protest as an attempt to disrupt an international event. An apology had been demanded from the Congress, and the actions of the Youth Congress had been described as anti-India and inappropriate at a global platform.

India celebrates 80 years of independence from the UK in August 2027. At about that same moment, “early versions of true super intelligence” could emerge, Sam Altman, the co-founder of OpenAI, said.

It’s a looming coincidence that raised a charged question at the AI Impact summit in Delhi, hosted by India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi: can India avoid returning to the status of a vassal state when it imports AI to raise the prospects of its 1.4 billion people?

Modi’s hunger to harness AI’s capability is great. He compared it on Thursday to a turning point that resets the direction of civilisation, such as “when the first sparks were struck from stone”. 

The most common analogy heard among the thousands of visitors to the summit was the dawn of electricity, but Modi was talking about fire.

       Getty image/ The Guardian 

His desire to use AI to supercharge Indian economic growth is matched by that of the big US tech companies. OpenAI, Google and Anthropic all played prominent roles at the summit, announcin7g deals to get ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude AIs into more people’s hands.

The Trump administration, seeing AI as central to its battle for supremacy with China, was clearing the path for the three AI companies. The US government signed the Pax Silica, a technology agreement that binds India closer to US tech and away from Beijing.

India lacks the semiconductors, power plants and vast gigawatt datacentres to go it alone. In common with most other countries, it faces a choice between US and Chinese AI models. Which they choose could have profound consequences for who controls India’s future, because if AI’s power emerges as predicted, it will not only tweak economic and social structures, but become their new bedrock.

Stuart Russell, a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of California, Berkeley, who closely follows India’s progress, said: “If we get to AGI [artificial general intelligence], AI is going to be producing 80% of the global economy. All manufacturing, most agriculture, all services will be just done; managed by AI, produced by AI.”

Jacob Helberg, the US under secretary of state for economic affairs, emphasised the threat from China if India should even think about looking elsewhere for its AI. “We have seen the lights of a great Indian city extinguished by a keystroke,” he said, in an apparent reference to a suspected Chinese cyber-attack on Mumbai in 2020.

Ends

Evolution of Bangla Language and Artificial Intelligence

 Around the time of the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the form of Bangla we recognise today began to take shape, drawing largely from the dialect spoken in the Nadia region. Over time, this dialect gained prominence and gradually formed the basis of modern standard Bangla.

As the use of AI increases, will Bangla gradually lose some multidimensional expressive capacity ?

One major obstacle for Bangla in this age of AI is the absence of a strong, comprehensive corpus. While English utilises systematic processes to track word frequency and evolution, Bangla lacks an official, systematically updated record. 

Historically, people were the primary drivers of the evolution of Bangla. Writers standardised forms and communities collectively decided what sounded “natural.” 

But in the 21st century, technology has also been a powerful co-author. Social media shortens expressions. Autocorrect nudges spelling choices. Search engines influence which words people use to find information.

In the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, language representation is a significant challenge. For major global languages, there is an abundance of datasets and resources that enable the development of advanced AI models. However, languages like Bengali, spoken by over 230 million people worldwide, remain underrepresented in AI research.

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) has added a new layer. With the rise of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT or Gemini, we can now hold conversations with machines in Bangla. AI has begun to read, write, and even craft creative content in Bangla. We can turn to it with our questions in Bangla and receive instant replies. 

For the first time in history, language evolution is partly being steered by machines trained on digital data. As this new voice enters our linguistic world, what will it mean for the language itself—for how we speak, shape, and pass it on? And what of young people, still learning Bangla, yet already turning to LLMs to converse in it? 

LLMs like ChatGPT or Gemini operate within a limited set of response patterns, typically around 10 to 20. When someone consults an LLM, or a student seeks educational help from it, their vocabulary and ways of expressing ideas can become confined to these fixed patterns. It can quietly guide how people write. Over time, these micro-influences accumulate,” mentioned Nishat Raihan, an LLM researcher at George Mason University. 

“Previously, if 20 different people tackled the same question, they would each bring unique expressions and approaches. Today, that richness of language and diversity of thought is at risk of narrowing, particularly among young people who rely on it heavily for assignments and homework.”  ( Daily Star) 

Many linguists share similar concerns, viewing these technological shifts through the lens of language use and creativity. 

“AI’s language is mechanical, and it is often quite noticeable whether an assignment or a piece of creative writing has been produced with AI. Bangla is a powerful language that can express a single idea in many different ways. As the use of AI increases, Bangla may gradually lose some of this multidimensional expressive capacity,” noted Dr. Tariq Manzoor, Professor in the Department of Bangla, Dhaka University.   

In the Oxford or Cambridge dictionaries, you’ll see that they systematically record new words as they are added to the language. In English, they maintain a corpus of the language, which allows them to track even small changes. 

By studying word frequencies, we can observe which words are increasing in use, which are declining, and which are disappearing from the language altogether. This is an efficient process to keep track of language changes,” explained Professor Musa.

Drawing on language change and language contact theories, Professor Musa highlighted how semantic changes, borrowing, and code-switching (alternating between languages in conversation) have become increasingly common. “Religion has played a significant role in recent language change. The usage of words related to religion has grown substantially. 

Currently, there is no system for officially adding new words, and we do not have any formal corpus. New words appear through newspapers, and we infer their meanings from context. 

Without an official corpus, Bangla currently lacks discipline, and many words are used incorrectly in the wrong context.”

Bengali.AI regularly hosts competitions to stimulate innovation and engage the research community. For example, the Bengali Handwritten Digit Recognition Challenge invited participants to build machine-learning models capable of accurately identifying Bengali numerals. 

Such competitions provide valuable benchmarks and encourage researchers to push the boundaries of what AI can achieve for underrepresented languages.

Ends 

Maharashtra wraps up 5% Muslim quota

 

The 5% reservation was granted to specific Muslim communities, not to the entire Muslim population of Maharashtra.

The recent move shuts the chapter on a policy 

that once triggered a legal battle in the Bombay High Court. It was partly upheld by the High Court in 2014 but later lapsed after a change in government. Now, with the framework scrapped, a political row between the Congress and the BJP has erupted.

DID THE HIGH COURT ACCEPT THAT MUSLIM COMMUNITIES WERE BACKWARD?

Yes, the court accepted the fact that there was sufficient prima facie material to classify the 50 specified Muslim sub-castes as socially and educationally backward. But that was just for the interim stage.

"In so far as reservations for specified Muslim Communities are concerned, there exists sufficient material or quantifiable data to sustain their classification as a special backward class. This material is in the form of the Sachar Committee Report, Justice Ranganath Mishra Committee Report, Report of the Maharashtra State Minority Commission and Dr Mehmood-ur-Rehman Study Group Report," the bench said,

The policy goes back to 2014. Months before the Assembly elections, the Congress-NCP government issued ordinances granting 16% reservation to Marathas and 5% to 50 specified Muslim sub-castes.

The Muslim quota was placed under a newly created "Special Backward Category A". It did not apply to all Muslims. Only those identified as socially and educationally backward groups were covered.

The Congress government cited the data from the 2006 Sachar Committee report. The Committee found that Muslims lagged on key education and economic indicators. In Maharashtra, a 2008 study group headed by civil servant Mehmood-ur-Rehman reported severe educational backwardness and low representation of Muslims in public services.

With the 5% Muslim quota, total reservations rose from 52% to 57%. Including the 16% Maratha quota, it climbed to 68%. That breached the 50% reservation ceiling, mandated by the Supreme Court. 

 That breach became the core legal flashpoint.

WHAT WAS THE 2014 MUSLIM QUOTA, AND WHY WAS IT INTRODUCED?

The policy goes back to 2014. Months before the Assembly elections, the Congress-NCP government issued ordinances granting 16% reservation to Marathas and 5% to 50 specified Muslim sub-castes.

The Muslim quota was placed under a newly created "Special Backward Category A". It did not apply to all Muslims. Only those identified as socially and educationally backward groups were covered.

The Congress government cited the data from the 2006 Sachar Committee report. The Committee found that Muslims lagged on key education and economic indicators. In Maharashtra, a 2008 study group headed by civil servant Mehmood-ur-Rehman reported severe educational backwardness and low representation of Muslims in public services.

With the 5% Muslim quota, total reservations rose from 52% to 57%. Including the 16% Maratha quota, it climbed to 68%. That breached the 50% reservation ceiling, mandated by the Supreme Court in the 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment. That breach became the core legal flashpoint.

WHO CHALLENGED MAHARASHTRA MUSLIM QUOTA ORDINANCE AND WHAT DID THEY ARGUE?

Soon after the ordinance was promulgated, it was challenged before the Bombay High Court. The lead case was Shri Sanjeet Shukla vs State of Maharashtra.

Petitioners argued that the new reservations breached the 50% ceiling laid down by the Supreme Court. They said the 5% Muslim quota amounted to religion-based discrimination. They also questioned whether the state had adequate quantifiable data.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Mohit S Shah and Justice M S Sonak heard the matter. In November 2014, the court delivered a detailed interim order. It examined the Maratha and Muslim quotas separately.

An interim order is a temporary order passed by a court before the final judgment. It is meant to manage the situation while the case is still being heard.

DID THE HIGH COURT ACCEPT THAT MUSLIM COMMUNITIES WERE BACKWARD?

Yes, the court accepted the fact that there was sufficient prima facie material to classify the 50 specified Muslim sub-castes as socially and educationally backward. But that was just for the interim stage.

"In so far as reservations for specified Muslim Communities are concerned, there exists sufficient material or quantifiable data to sustain their classification as a special backward class. This material is in the form of the Sachar Committee Report, Justice Ranganath Mishra Committee Report, Report of the Maharashtra State Minority Commission and Dr Mehmood-ur-Rehman Study Group Report," the bench said, according to case details listed in India Kanoon, a repository of Indian legal information.

Ends

Kerala may mark --- "Communists Mukt Bharat" ... But that does not Congress is on revivavl march

 

Demography and onground political dynamism do not favour BJP in Kerala.

Hence; due to anti incumbency; the Left may be ousted and after many months if not years, the Congress is set for a victory in a state poll. 

Last time the Congress tasted victory was in Himachal Pradesh in Dec 2022 and Karnataka in May 2023.  Telangana also came to Congress kitty in 2023. 

The saffron party may still have to work harder to convince voters that they would rule in Kerala and only then the fringe Hindu voters will trust the Lotus party in assembly polls. BJP's success in corporation polls was exemplary but it will still need different games and different political situation to win the prize in Kerala polls. 

The Congress has started screening candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. The party is likely to announce the first list of the candidates before Holi festival. 

Elections for the 140 Assembly seats in Kerala are likely to be held in March-April along with West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu. 

 The Congress plans to contest from around 100 seats in an alliance with the United Democratic Front (UDF). 

The UDF including Indian Union of Muslim League and Congress has been out of power for the last 10 years and hopes to dislodge the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) this time.

According to Congress insiders, the All India Congress Committee screening committee headed by veteran Madhusudan Mistry has started shortlisting the names recommended by the state unit. 

The insiders further said the central election committee is likely to meet soon.

Over the last few days, the Congress managers got several surveys done across the state and will factor the same in shortlisting the names of potential candidates. Rahul Gandhi's preferred choice would probably be K C Venugopal. 

In 2021, the CPI-M led LDF could retain surprising many and beating the usual trend; the state of Kerala was used to. 

             Blogger

The peculiarity of Kerala politics is unique. The Hindu voters may trust BJP for civic polls but when it comes to state assembly polls; they may prefer CPI-M to prevent IUML to come to power. This factor weighed a lot in 2021 too when the CPI-M could retain power.

Over the last few days, AICC general secretary organization KC Venugopal, AICC observers including CWC member Sachin pilot, Karnataka minister KJ George and Kanhaiya Kumar and the AICC in charges had been reviewing the UDF’s preparedness for the key contest with senior state leaders to ensure nothing was left to chance.

Additional info : 

The BJP is likely to field former DGP Jacob Thomas either in the Thrissur or Irinjalakuda assembly constituency in the upcoming assembly elections. 

Thomas’s candidacy is learnt to be more aligned with the interests of the RSS than with the BJP leadership in the state.