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Carpet ConundrumThere's a renewed buzz about the Jammu and Kashmir election this year and the reason is one carpet. On his recent France trip, much of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gifts originated from states that are coincidentally going to polls this year. Be it the 'pochampally ikat' in a sandalwood box gifted to Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emanuel Macron, that has its origin in Telangana or the marble inlay work table gifted to Elisabethe Borne, Modi's French counterpart, which is from Rajasthan's Makrana. Both Rajasthan and Telangana are going to polls this year. So when PM Modi gifted a hand-knitted silk Kashmiri carpet to Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of French National Assembly, Lutyens insiders took a note of it, connecting it to a possible election in the union territory which is currently under President's Rule. The hand-knitted silk carpets from Kashmir have an amazingly innate attribute of displaying different colours when viewed from different angles or sides.

Rahul’s Quick FixBefore the next leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi is likely to seek a fix for his knee which had been giving him some trouble in the first phase of the yatra. The senior Congress leader is undergoing special Ayurvedic treatment in Kerala to get his knee fixed as soon as possible. This will be a 'ghar wapsi' of sorts for him as he was a Lok Sabha representative from the state till not long ago. The Congress is also hoping that a majority of its INDIA alliance partners will join the yatra this time around.

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RaGa’s New YatraWith just months left for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul Gandhi is gearing up for another round of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. The political buzz is that the second phase of the Yatra is expected to commence in September.  Through the Yatra, the senior leader is trying to connect with the masses and garner support for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. During the first phase of the Yatra, the former MP had travelled extensively across different states.

Retaining MPThe BJP is hoping to retain its Madhya Pradesh bastion in assembly polls scheduled for later this year and the saffron unit has decided to replicate its trusted 'Gujarat Model' to ensure victory in the neighbouring state. The buzz is that as part of this plan, over one-third sitting MLAs are likely to be dropped by the BJP in Madhya Pradesh to ensure ending anti-incumbency against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.

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Reservation PromisesWithin days of the SBSP joining the NDA, the Yogi government is understood to have started the exercise of including Rajbhar caste in the Scheduled Tribe list. Under the process, the Uttar Pradesh government has conducted a survey in many districts and preparations are on to send a proposal to the Centre to include Rajbhar community in ST. Om Prakash Rajbhar, who contested the assembly elections along with Samajwadi Party, had recently rejoined the NDA.

Time To Switch?Rumours were rife that former Union minister Ananth Kumar's wife Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, who also holds the position of working vice-president in the Karnataka BJP unit, could be joining the Congress. Having been denied the Lok Sabha ticket in 2019 and then again in the recent state assembly polls, the grapevine said she could be looking at a switch with the promise of an MP ticket from Congress, which is in power in Karnataka. However, Tejaswini clarified that she had no such intention and her commitment to the BJP, the party that her husband built, is steadfast.

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Taglines and MoreTo counter the narrative that opposition alliance “INDIA” is not about Bharat -- a smaller slogan will be added as tagline – “Jeetega Bharat …Judega Bharat”. This will be in all Indian languages. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh is the one making the idea possible. Even the background of the poster is blue which is the color of the Indian team to denote “Jeetega Bharat”.

Aggressive BJP During the ongoing Parliament session, the BJP has been on an offensive to counter opposition over Manipur. And this is being done by producing similar crime related data and videos to put the opposition-led governments in the dock. Pictures, videos and other gruesome details of similar crimes from opposition-ruled states such as Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and others are being released regularly by the BJP in the public domain. This session the BJP has decided to take the battle to the opposition.     

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Missing AdhirInside Parliament, INDIA constituents are making full use of the adjournment of session and discussing their plans ahead. The Opposition bloc is now planning a tour of Manipur and also the manifesto for 2024. But in all this banter, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is missing. Congress has asked him to be kept out, considering that any cosying up to Mamata and TMC will hurt him in his home state. Adhir is under pressure from his constituents to not ally with TMC but he can do little as his bosses have decided to be united for 2024.

Regional AppealWith Lok Sabha polls less than a year away, the BJP has decided to launch a regional-level public contact programme. The party has commissioned region-wise videos, to feature senior ministers in the Narendra Modi cabinet, on the positive changes made to people's lives during NDA rule. Before and after comparative videos that aim to reach out to the voters directly are also being prepared. The party is expected to launch a region-specific campaign to be led by senior leaders.

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Changing NamesAssam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has changed the word India from his Twitter bio to Bharat after 26 opposition parties named their alliance Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India). Sarma's Twitter bio was earlier CM of Assam, India. Targeting the name of the opposition alliance, Sarma had also tweeted earlier. He has dropped the word 'India' from his Twitter bio and replaced it with 'Bharat'.

Extended TermBJP's Haryana president Om Prakash Dhankar's term is likely to be extended till the end of 2024. Though his three-year term is complete, in view of the general elections and assembly polls in Haryana next year, the party is not likely to change the state president. Dhankar is an old Sangh hand and also fits the caste formula in the state. The BJP thinks the state president should be from the influential Jat community as the chief minister is a non-Jat.

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Target RajasthanBJP is trying hard to emerge victorious in the forthcoming Assembly polls in  Rajasthan. And its star campaigner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held several meetings in the state over the past few months and another one is scheduled to be held in Sikar on July 27. During the programme, the PM will transfer the amount of Samman Nidhi to the accounts of 9 crore farmers across the country from Sikar. The occasion will be utilised to reach out to the influential farming community across the country and also to create a 'mahaul' for the saffron unit in the state.   

Survey for CitizensMinistry of Electronics and IT is asking all the citizens to share their experience of overall 'Digital India' initiatives. The ministry has shared a link (https://iima.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bqR4E3AVOQMNssm) to a survey which includes a set of questions such as Do you use any of the platforms or products of the Digital India initiative (DigiLocker, Aadhaar and UPI). Additionally, in this survey, the participants also need to provide personal information such as name, education, age, gender, profession and locational details.  

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Familial TiesThe NDA allies' meeting wasn't just for making alliances stronger. It also turned out to be the one to renew familial ties. LJP's Chirag Paswan and his uncle and Union Minister Paras were seen embracing each other at the meeting. With just months to go for Lok Sabha polls, the family seems to be mending ties in an effort to return to the Lower House in a stronger position. It is also learnt that the two are expected to hold talks for seat finalisation over the next few days.

Rural GamesThe second 'Chhattisgarhiya Olympic' was inaugurated by Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel at Nawagaon village on the outskirts of Raipur. Chhattisgarhiya Olympic 2023–24 is an event aimed at promoting traditional sports and fostering a sports culture in the state. Among the games played at the event will be Gedi Daud, Bhoora Chalan, Banti (Kancha), Pitthul and Fugdi. With lakhs of participants and viewers from the rural areas likely to take part, the games are being showcased as a mega event by the Congress government ahead of the assembly polls later this year.

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Waiting Game All eyes are on Bengaluru but also on the Congress Working Committee. The Shashi Tharoor camp is watching the CWC appointment as that would be a test of whether he has been accepted by the party for contesting against Mallikarjun Kharge. Fact is, most Congress leaders from Kerala have complained that he has cosied up to the Left there and that he should not have campaigned strongly for the presidential polls. Tharoor camp is worried as to whether he will get ticket from Congress this time. Hence, the keen watch on CWC appointment.   

Changing Perceptions

In about a year's time, there has been a complete turnaround in the image of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Even after facing a humiliating loss in last year's Assembly polls in his electoral constituency, Dhami has been able to completely change his perception amongst the top leadership of the BJP. And by implementation of saffron agenda like UCC, he has seemingly emerged as the undisputed leader in the state. This is a complete change from being targeted by detractors within the party.

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Pasmanda OutreachWith months left for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, BJP plans to organise a 'Pasmanda Sneh Yatra' to connect with the deprived Pasmanda Muslim community. The yatra is proposed to be flagged off from UP's Ghaziabad on July 27, the death anniversary of former president APJ Abdul Kalam. The aim is to connect with the Muslim community in various parts of the country and evolve another vote bank for the saffron unit. Many senior party leaders are expected to be part of this outreach programme.   

Eyes on SharmilaOver the next few days, all eyes will be on YSRTP chief Sharmila on whether she joins the Congress. It is believed that the decision is likely after a meeting between Sharmila and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. The biggest hurdle to the alliance or the joining is seemingly coming from local Telangana Congress leaders who are against the possible move. A decision on the issue is expected after the opposition leaders meeting in Bengaluru today.  

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Wait for LoPDespite repeated meetings and discussions, the BJP has so far been unable to finalise the name of Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly. It is understood that despite consultations with senior state leaders, including BS Yediyurappa, the party has not been able to allocate the important change to anyone. Though party sources claimed that the name would be finalised soon, it seems no one is showing enthusiasm in shouldering the burden of the post after suffering a massive defeat at the hands of Congress in recent assembly polls.

Capital FightTaking a cue from Andhra Pradesh, the clamour to change Kerala's capital from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi has begun. Recently, a proposal was made by young Congress leader and Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden seeking that Kerala's capital be shifted to Kochi as it was not centrally located and more accessible than southern Thiruvananthapuram but also connected to northern Kerala, making it easier for administration. Hibi made the proposal to relocate the capital in a private member's bill which he presented in Parliament in March. However, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government rejected the proposal outright, calling it impractical.

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BSP's OutreachBSP supremo Mayawati has instructed party leaders to start preparations for the upcoming assembly elections and 2024 Lok Sabha polls. At a recent meeting, she discussed party strategy and gave broad guidelines on the outreach programmes to be conducted by leaders.  It is learnt that she has instructed BSP leaders to bring forth brutal incidents of caste oppression happening across the country on Dalits, tribals, poor, labourers and the underprivileged. The attempt seems to reclaim the party's voter base amongst the backward castes.

Political WolvesAndhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has a warning for people before 2024 --- “Beware of political wolves who are out to loot you of your money”. Jagan appealed to people that they should choose the YSRCP which has implemented welfare schemes. He added that the 'political wolves' loot public money and their objective has been to 'plunder, stash and devour people's money'. Jagan claimed that his government has spent over Rs 2.25 lakh crore on various welfare schemes while the 'political wolves' are yet to deliver on their commitment and promises.

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Not A Drop of WaterWhile making his budget speech, the 14th in his political career, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has the distinction of not sipping a glass of water. This time, despite the fact that the CM was unwell and had a bad chest congestion, he refused to drink water to maintain his track record. Though he did lament to journalists that he may have to drink water due to ill health, yet determination took over and Siddaramaiah ensured that he did not drink water.

Cracks Widen?After the last CLP meeting, state Congress chief Nana Patole went to meet Sharad Pawar alone but this has not gone down well with many Congress leaders. They are of the opinion that Patole should have informed the senior leaders and taken a delegation to meet Pawar. This could have portrayed that the entire state Congress leadership is with Pawar and his NCP. Though the high command is not in favour of changing the guard, messages was conveyed to Patole in very strong words that it is not the time to play a solo game.

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New Governors Soon?There is widespread speculation that the Narendra Modi government is expected to effect major changes to its gubernatorial appointments. Among the names doing the rounds is senior leader Captain Amarinder Singh who might be moved to Jammu and Kashmir as the Lieutenant Governor. A few senior ministers and BJP leaders, who have crossed the 75 years threshold, are also expected to be adjusted in various Raj Bhawans across the country. 

TMC's Sushmita Deb PlanThere is a plan ahead of the Lok sabha elections in Trinamool Congress' choice of Rajya sabha nominations. Derek O'Brien is now the TMC candidate considering his closeness to Abhishek Bannerjee while activist Saket Gokhale has been chosen as he spent 150 days in prison. But the surprising omission was Sushmita Deb who, sources say, will contest for the Lok sabha polls . The entire party will campaign for her, including CM Mamata and Abhishek. A top source said in case she loses Deb will still be rewarded for her fight and be given the Rajya Sabha seat.  

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Visit of a 'Gentleman Secretary'

 In a gesture that has won some hearts for sure, a Pensioners Association has hailed the visit of Secretary V. Srinivas to their office a couple of days ago, terming him as a “gentleman secretary”. This was the first such event in the history of Pensioners Associations where a Secretary and his team of officers came out of their offices to visit the office of the Bharat Pensioners' Samaj in Jungpura to know all about the working of the Pensioners Federation and Association. The association termed this a “new beginning”. Srinivas used the occasion apprised the Association members of the various initiatives taken by the department including holding of a Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign, compilation of CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021, development of an Integrated Pensioners' Portal for providing pension related information to pensioners from a single portal, Nationwide Pension Adalats for on the spot resolution of grievances and Anubhav Awards. The various policies made for the benefit of pensioners, such as pension for widowed, unmarried, divorced daughters were also discussed. The association hosted Srinivas and his team for a sumptuous lunch.

Transforming Lives

Department of Telecommunications in collaboration with MYGOV, is celebrating "Bharat Internet Utsav," in which citizens can share videos for up to two minutes about how internet has transformed lives on any of the social media handles with the hashtag #BharatInternetUtsav or upload in drive link. The same link can be submitted on MYGOV at https://innovateindia.mygov.in/bharat-internet-utsav/. Prizes of up to Rs 15,000 will be awarded to the finest tales. The event will be held on MYGOV till August 21.

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JDU Split?Within days of turmoil in the Nationalist Congress Party, power corridors are abuzz with speculation that a similar situation is brewing in Bihar. It is being said several JDU MPs and MLAs are in contact with the Bharatiya Janata Party and a Maharashtra-like situation may spring up. This latest rebellion is being fueled by some MPs' fear that they might lose their tickets in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The next few days may throw up another round of political maneuverings.

Cabinet Expansion ReduxWith BJP's organisational rejig out of the way, the Cabinet reshuffle at the Centre may finally take place over the next few days. Political circles are buzzing regarding an imminent rejig of the Narendra Modi cabinet. The speculation regarding a possible reshuffle in the council of ministers has been on for the past some months. With the 2024 Lok Sabha polls less than a year away, several senior ministers are also likely to be sent to the organisation to strengthen the party.

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Destination Delhi for PawarOver the past few weeks, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has been favouring the national capital for holding party meetings. An important party meeting to elevate his daughter Supriya Sule to the post of working president was held in Delhi. So was another meeting held days ahead of Ajit Pawar jumping ship. The buzz is that Pawar senior was afraid that he might be outmuscled if these meetings took place in Maharashtra. Hence, a safer locale of the national capital was chosen.

Another Haryana CrisisWoes of the BJP's Haryana seem to be unending. Senior leader and former Union minister Chaudhary Birender Singh has opened a front against the Manohar Lal Khattar government. The senior leader is understood to be threatening to form a new party. Singh has indicated that the announcement may be made at a rally to be held in Jind on October 2. The senior Jat leader has been lashing out at the state leadership of the BJP over the past few weeks.

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Varun Gandhi’s ReplacementHas the BJP found Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi's replacement? Political circles are abuzz with talk that the saffron front leadership is miffed with the leader and have zeroed in on a possible replacement. A party MLA hailing from the district is being looked as a possible replacement of Varun in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The MLA is also considered close to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.  

Cultural Treat for US AmbassadorUS Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti visited Banga Bhawan in New Delhi and shared a short note, saying “Kemon Acho” which means “How Are You” in the beginning. In the video, he can be seen standing in front of the pictures of Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray. Garcetti referred to both icons as “Bengali Greats”. He then can be seen exploring Bengali cuisine, including "mochar chop", which is a cutlet made with banana flower, the traditional Bengali dal and rice, 'luchi', which is made using maida, 'begun bhaja', which is fried eggplant, as well as steamed fish also known as 'fish paturi'. He not only praised the Bengali food, but also asked about the culture, filmmaker Ray, music, and football. At the end of the video, the ambassador said “Sighrai Dekha Hobe, Kolkata”, which means “See you soon, Kolkata”.  

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Will Nitish Kumar Join NDA Again?Soon after a split in NCP, political speculation in Bihar intensified. There are discussions in political circles on whether Nitish Kumar can once again join the NDA. This comes soon after Nitish Kumar's one on one meeting with MLAs to keep them united. Can a Maharashtra like situation be repeated in Bihar? It is being speculated that if Chief Minister Nitish Kumar listens to his antar aatma ki awaaz he might come back to the NDA fold.  

Yediyurappa's Growing ImportanceThe importance of former Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa has continued to increase despite a recent loss to the BJP. The senior BJP leader was in the national capital to discuss the appointment of leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and state unit chief.  Yediyurappa, who is also a member of the party's parliamentary board, has continued to hold sway over the party's affairs in the southern state and the party seems keen to involve him in all major decisions related to the state.    

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Ajit Pawar’s Delhi VisitA day ahead of the Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) important meeting in New Delhi held last week, Maratha strongman Ajit Pawar was in the national capital. Interestingly, though Ajit Pawar did not take part in the meet, his timing of visiting the national capital had raised several eyebrows. With the senior NCP leader now joining the Ekanth Shinde cabinet in Maharashtra, there is a buzz in political circles that he might have touched base with important BJP leaders during his visit to New Delhi. This visit, though earlier termed as one to attend a private family event, has indeed turned out to be a political one.

Praful Patel at Centre?Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) working president Praful Patel, who was seen along with Ajit Pawar at the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai, may soon find accommodation in the national capital. Speculation in the political corridors is that he may be given an important portfolio in the Narendra Modi cabinet. The rejig in the Union council of ministers is expected to take place soon and will accommodate NDA partners from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and new entrant NCP.

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Selective Amnesia?Former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao has been the subject of controversy in Telangana. His family and followers have often accused the Gandhi family of ignoring him and not giving him his due. When Rahul Gandhi was in Hyderabad for Bharat Jodo Yatra, he had drawn flak from opposition parties for not offering tributes to Rao's statue. However, on his birth anniversary, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mentioned his contributions to the nation. The party Twitter handle has also tweeted about it. With Telangana polls just months away, the party seems to have remembered Rao.

Cyber WoesKerala's Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) unit is currently facing an internal rebellion as certain members are using its social media platforms to expose alleged misconduct by high-ranking leaders. Instances include the use of fake degree certificates, inappropriate video calls, and incidents of domestic violence. In response to this situation, senior members of the CPI-M have decided to engage social media experts to educate party members on responsible digital behaviour and emphasise the importance of addressing issues through proper channels, such as reporting them to the politburo.

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Target GehlotThe big pink hoardings of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot across Jaipur and some cities of the state has not gone down well with the top leadership in Delhi. The hoardings display only the CM with neither the party symbol nor the Gandhis or party chief Kharge. While those close to Gehlot say it's a state government advertisement, it seems central leaders --- including Rahul Gandhi --- feel this conveys the impression that the state polls will be only about Gehlot. This creates a problem at a time when the party is trying to sort the Pilot versus Gehlot spat.

Missing MinisterA senior minister in the central government, who is known to be fond of being in the headlines, has been keeping a safe distance from the press for several months. This despite the fact that several of his senior colleagues have been holding regular press conferences over ongoing events in the government. What prompted the minister to switch to this mode could have to do with making statements on the sidelines of events, which seemingly haven't gone down well with the party leadership.

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Ajit Pawar Missing AgainAn important meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party took place in Delhi on Wednesday. The national capital was plastered with posters and banners of the party leadership. These carried photographs of party chief Sharad Pawar, working presidents of the NCP Praful Patel and Supriya Sule. Interestingly, photograph of senior leader and former Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was missing from these hoardings.  The key NCP meeting is being held after new posts were allocated to Sule and Patel. 

Himachal ExpansionWith Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge recently, there is buzz again regarding possible cabinet expansion in the state. The Chief Minister's visit to Delhi has increased the speculation of potential ministers. Sukhu also discussed organisational issues with the party chief, which include political appointments to various boards and departments of the state government. The moves come in as the party is hoping to strengthen and reward its cadre and leaders in the state ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.  

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BSY Making a Comeback?Senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa has announced that the party will hold protests inside and outside of the House during the Karnataka Assembly session. After the recent defeat of the party at the hands of Congress, this is the first time that BSY has made such statements. Sparking a buzz that he may be indicating towards his return to active politics in the state. The former CM also called on party workers to prepare for the 2024 Lok Sabha and Bengaluru municipal polls. 

BJP Rejig Buzz The political circles are buzzing regarding an imminent rejig in the BJP' organisational rejig. With just about a year for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, this is being considered the optimal time to make any changes in the party organisation. The recent defeat in the Karnataka and the forthcoming crucial assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana are expected to be factored in while allocating responsibilities to leaders. The rejig is expected to help the party focus on securing a win in the next general elections. 

Cadre FirstBJP has decided to prioritise its booth workers on June 27 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the cadre. Ahead of the next round of assembly polls, the saffron party has planned to infuse its cadre with enthusiasm through the PM's address. The names of 10 'karyakartas' will be selected from each Lok Sabha constituency for participation and these workers will be involved in BJP's electoral booth management in the forthcoming polls.

BJP's BluesOver the past few weeks, the BJP's Telangana unit has been facing an ongoing battle between senior leaders Eatala Rajender and Bandi Sanjay. Both camps want their respective leader to be projected as the chief ministerial face in the 2023 assembly elections. However, it is learnt that the two are just pawns in a larger war for dominance between the saffron unit's two powerful national general secretaries. The two are engaged in a battle of one-upmanship to ensure control over the party ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

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Sharmila to Merge With Congress?Will YSRTP chief YS Sharmila merge her party with the Congress? There are whispers in the political circles that Congress is trying to convince her to take on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Buzz is that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to speak to Sharmila and her mother Vijayamma this week on the impending merger. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are expected to travel to Idupulapaya to pay homage to Sharmila's father and former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy if the merger is approved.

Beginning of End for JDS?In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it is being said that the Janta Dal Secular has decided to align with the BJP to try and defeat the Congress. But all is not well in the JDS as many leaders are not comfortable with the arrangement. A leader said on condition of anonymity that this will only relegate the JDS to the background and become another BSP and the Gowdas will become irrelevant like Mayawati.

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Actor Vijay’s New Role?Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay will celebrate his birthday on June 22 and his fans decided to surprise him by featuring him on a Times Square billboard. This also makes him the first Tamil actor to appear on the iconic billboard. Is this also a way to herald Vijay's entry into politics? The buzz doing the rounds is that he can take the political plunge ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls. One will have to wait and see how another actor fares in politics.

BJP’s Report CardBJP is set to field top ministers to present a report card of the Modi government's various departments on the completion of its nine years. Top Union ministers will showcase the achievements of the government likely to begin from June 23 and will conclude in the first week of July. The first such conclave is likely to be addressed by Union minister Nitin Gadkari. Other ministers which are likely to present the report cards are Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Smriti Irani, Narendra Singh Tomar, G Kishen Reddy, Anurag Thakur and Piyush Goyal. With assembly polls to crucial states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana approaching, the party wants to send a message regarding various welfare measures of the Modi government.

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Samajwadi Party’s Lok Sabha PrepSamajwadi Party has appointed in charges for the Lok Sabha seats for the first time for preparations for the 2024 elections. The party has identified 36 seats where it is working intensely. It is understood that the party will also field some sitting MLAs in the 2024 general elections. While members of the Yadav family can be candidates for Kannauj, Mainpuri, Firozabad, Azamgarh, Badaun and Jaunpur seats. Most of these seats are already held by the SP's first family.  

Andhra MLAs' Report CardPerformance of YSR Congress MLAs will be reviewed by Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy this week. This review will serve as a report for MLAs seeking party tickets for the upcoming polls. The CM has been conducting performance reviews of YSRC legislators every three months. MLAs that are identified as poor performers need to tighten up their act or may face denial of ticket in next polls. The YSR Congress is laying emphasis on good performance as the party hopes to secure more seats for its candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as well.  

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Ajit Pawar's Power LossWithin days of installing Supriya Sule and Praful Patel as top leaders of the NCP, Sharad Pawar is now understood to have clipped the wings of Ajit Pawar further. The buzz in the party is that all future ticket distribution will be done as per the wishes of Supriya Sule and not of Ajit Pawar. Till now, Ajit Pawar had a major say in the ticket distribution process. This has apparently been done to ensure there are no rebellions against Sule from within the party.  

New Ally for BJPWith the opposition parties trying to form  a united front, BJP's search for new allies may be bearing fruits. Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief OP Rajbhar may soon be meeting top leaders of the BJP to work on the intricacies of the proposed alliance. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is trying to find new allies to join the NDA. Recently, there was a buzz that Rajbhar had held a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Varanasi. However, Rajbhar has denied that any such meeting took place but political whispers have already begun.  

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Another Actor to Enter Politics?There is a strong buzz that actor Manoj Bajpayee is likely to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha election on a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ticket. He is likely to be fielded by the RJD from the Valimiki Nagar seat in Bihar. The Bollywood actor had met party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav in September last year. Bajpayee hails from Bettiah in West Champaran district and the RJD hopes that his popularity amongst the young population of the state can be used for the party's advantage in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress’ Karnataka ModelWithin days of securing power in the Karnataka polls, the Congress has decided to scrap anti-conversion law and purge the textbooks of the saffron agenda. The fast-paced implementation of Congress' manifesto promises regarding these issues is being seen as deliberate as the Grand Old Party wants to showcase the "Karnataka model" ahead of the forthcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. If the Congress is able to successfully project the “Karnataka model”, the party feels that it will help a consolidation of minority votes in its favour.