Modi’s shadow is hovering over a “tez” channel of the country. Thus, taking a 360-degree turn, the channel is now seen singing paeans to him. Modi strategists had communicated before the channel’s be-alls a possibility that several of the channel’s top people had loyalties with Arvind Kejriwal. According to them, this was the reason they would, time and again, speak against the Central government. After this, the channel’s owner has relieved several such presenters from primetime programmes. Now the channel’s office in Noida frequently holds several poojas and religious ceremonies and a special team of 27 priests from Varanasi is called, which conducts the ceremonies. A specific time for pooja at the office has been set, during which time the reception area undergoes a makeover and recorded mantras are played in all the three floors of the office. The journalists, too, have to take off their slippers before entering the office. The journalists running the channel have been strictly warned by the management that they will not show the live relay of any press conference organized by Arvind Kejriwal. That is because Modi’s strategists believe that Kejriwal has no control over his speech and can say anything at any time.

It seems Gandhi family’s son-in-law, Robert Vadra, who was in London with Priyanka and Rahul in London, has increased his tenure of stay there. He was spotted at a birthday party in London’s Art Palace Hotel, which was held for Suresh Nanda, a man associated closely with the party’s arms deals.

Sonia is showing remarkable keenness at Lalu and Nitish contesting the elections together. Sonia organised an iftar at her residence to assuage the doubts with them and a special invitation was sent to both. The Congress is asking for 50 seats in the Lalu-Nitish coalition; it is upon Ghulam Nabi Azad and C P Joshi to meet with both leaders and sort out the differences about seat sharing. There are indications that Lalu and Nitish might agree to spare 30 seats for the Congress and 100 seats each might come into their bags. The coalition might leave a dozen seats for the Left parties. Prayers are also like a harvest – they give flavor to someone else’s palette, are sown by someone else and change the destiny of someone else.

Narendra Modi’s claim to make a “Bhashtrachaar mukt Bharat” (a corruption-free India) is proving to be hollow. His claim of “Na khaayengey na khaaney dengey” (Won’t take bribes, and won’t let others, too), isn’t ringing true either. A few days ago, tenders for seven mines were released in Jharkhand. Sources reveal that insider deals have taken place and the rate of mines has gone up to Rs 35 crore from Rs 15-20 crore. Those who had to warm their hands have done it already; those who burnt the fire of change have got nothing but ashes.

Don’t run after the sun, or you will be covered in darkness from head to feet; face it and you never know when the sun might travel on your shoulder! Maharashtra’s young Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has probably adopted this. In Maharashtra, it has come to be known that as an industrialist, Fadnavis is growing the fastest. In any case, his ideal politician is Sharad Pawar, who strengthened his position on the power of money and managed to stay this long in the state’s politics. Sources reveal that a long time ago, Fadnavis had said to his close confidante in Nagpur that his dream was not to sit in a Mercedes, but to own a part of the company that makes them. Looks like it might become possible.

A few days ago, India’s top industrialist Mukesh Ambani arrived in Delhi with his wife Nita Ambani and son Akash in his private jet. He was seen in serious discussions with a team of doctors at Mehrauli’s Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences. A group of Ambani’s personal doctors had also come with him from Mumbai. Sources reveal that Ambani wants to get his son Akash’s surgery done so that he loses weight. Sources also say that they haven’t reached a consensus if the surgery should take place in India or abroad. Mukesh Ambani wants to get it done in the US, because most of time nowadays is spent there.

Unaware of being called out, friendship lies unconscious, in an overflowing gutter right under power’s awning. Dawn may flutter its colourful wings and announce the birth of a new morning, but it may not be able to identify a few faces that are still lost in yesterday. Before 2013, Lalit Modi and Vasundhara Raje had the same relationship of morning and light; today, there is a chess game being played out in their relations. Portugal’s Bio Medical Research Organisation, because of which Sushma and Lalit Modi’s case came into limelight, was actually discovered by Vasundhara. Lalit Modi’s wife Meenal was suffering from cancer and she had been operated upon several times. At that time, it was Vasundhara who suggested this research centre’s name in Lisbon for Lalit Modi’s wife’s treatment and even took them there. She got her admitted there and spared no effort to take care of Meenal. She brought Lalit Modi’s wife to the centre twice for treatment and Meenal also benefited from it. Vasundhara was so impressed with this that she wanted to bring it to Rajasthan so that others could benefit from it, too. She was successful in doing it, and 35,000 meters of land in Pratap Nagar in Jaipur has been allotted for Champalimaud Foundation, under which the research centre functions. But swords were drawn between Vasundhara and Lalit during the Rajasthan Assembly elections in 2013, the reason being that Lalit had asked for tickets for some of his people, and Vasundhara refused to do it. Lalit Modi had allegedly given a warning to Vasundhara at that time, saying he had such documents in his possession, which if revealed might adversely affect her political career.

Lalit Modi is busy with his image management lately, and sources reveal he has given a big sum of money to a PR agency for its services (it is the same agency that has released the popular 200-page document on Modi). If sources are to be believed, it is the same agency that is in 50:50 partnership with an India media group, whose TV channel had started unraveling the secrets of Lalit Modi.

The Yadav family knows that in politics, what can be seen can be sold. Thus, ever since the Supreme Court has put an end to photographs of ministers and chief ministers appearing in government ads, Yadav family, which is at the helm of things in UP, is looking for a shortcut. Akhilesh consulted some expert lawyer friends in his Cabinet, and came up with a middle path – it was to have the chief minister’s photograph clicked taking part in any public activity, which can then be sold to newspapers and magazines for money. A few days ago, for instance, Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium has been given to UP Cricket Association (UPCA) on a 30-year lease. Big pictures of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and UPCA Secretary Rajiv Shukla signing the MoU were distributed to all newspapers by the UP public relations department. Learning by example, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has started doing the same thing. Chief ministers of other states are waiting and watching; if the Supreme Court does not take cognizance of this, they too will follow in Akhilesh’s footsteps. At the same time, father-son duo of Mulayam and Akhilesh feels that the Supreme Court’s order has benefited Modi the most; it’s only his face one can see throughout the country. Sources reveal that in the coming days, the UP government may challenge this directive in the court. The legal team of father and son has given a final shape to refutation.

It’s a good thing that UP’s young Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is as passionate about sports as he is about political games; cricket tops his list. A few days ago, Akhilesh signed a MoU with the UP Cricket Association (UPCA), which said that for the next 30 years, the maintenance and upkeep of Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium will be UPCA’s responsibility. For this, the UPCA will not only give the UP government Rs one crore each year, but also pay a 25 per cent share of money got from tickets sold for matches at the venue, to the state government. UPCA Secretary Rajiv Shukla had been working on this deal for the past 10-15 years. Shukla’s argument was that getting the stadium just a month before a match means it is not adequately cleaned or properly painted, leave alone maintenance. Those in UP are hoping that this new arrangement will mean a chance to watch some big matches.