SPECIAL

Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) The declaration by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader, Eknath Shinde, that “picture abhi baki hai (the movie is not over)” regarding Operation Tiger, signals a deeper, aggressive phase in the war for the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray.

By warning that the operation has not concluded and “more breaking news” was on the horizon, Dy CM Shinde is sending a clear psychological and tactical message to the remaining elements of the Opposition.

Shinde’s choice of using a popular Bollywood dialogue is designed to achieve maximum psychological disruption. By executing the defection of six out of nine Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Shinde camp achieved the legal buffer (the two-thirds threshold) needed to avoid anti-defection penalties under the Tenth Schedule.

However, keeping the threat of Operation Tiger 2.0 alive prevents the remaining Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) cadre from stabilising or organising counter-strategies.

The phrase “picture abhi baki hai” indicates that the crossover pipeline is not restricted to New Delhi. The Shinde faction is signaling to the remaining UBT MLAs and municipal corporators (particularly in Mumbai, Thane, and the Marathwada belt) that the doors are open, prompting a sense of political isolation among those who stay behind.

Shinde’s public posturing about ongoing operations is as much directed inward at his coalition partners as it is outward at the Opposition.

Within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, seat-sharing discussions are notoriously complex. By consistently demonstrating a capacity to dismantle the Opposition and pull in winnable regional heavyweights, the Shiv Sena chief leader asserts himself as the primary electoral engine of the coalition, matching the organisational muscle of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP.

The ongoing nature of the operation helps Shinde continuously reinforce the narrative that the shift in power is an organic, expanding realignment rather than a one-time transactional mutiny.

It challenges the emotional “sympathy wave” that the UBT camp has relied upon till now, by projecting Shinde’s faction as the inevitable, stable home for regional workers.

However, political observers remarked that while continuous political engineering yields immediate headlines, an elongated Operation Tiger carries distinct structural vulnerabilities.

A political party can only absorb a finite number of leaders before running out of institutional rewards (tickets, ministries, state corporation chairs). If Shinde continues to pull in more Opposition figures, he risks triggering internal rebellion among his original 2022 loyalists who have been waiting in line for political patronage.

A prolonged spectacle of political defections can induce voter fatigue. While top-tier leaders change coats, the grassroots electorate often grows cynical. If the narrative shifts from “protecting Balasaheb’s legacy” to “unending political engineering,” it could trigger silent voter consolidation against the ruling establishment when the secret ballot is finally cast, said political observers.

Shinde’s aggressive assertion that the “picture is still rolling” shows that he recognises the momentum is currently in his favour. However, the true climax of this political script will not be determined by how many leaders cross over in Delhi or Mumbai, but by whether this top-tier institutional migration can be converted into an organic, transferable vote bank at the grassroots level before the credits roll.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

–IANS

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Vadodara, July 13 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Satish Patel filed his nomination papers for the Manjalpur Assembly by-election on Monday, with senior party leaders projecting him as an experienced organisation man capable of carrying forward the legacy of eight-time MLA Yogesh Patel, whose death last month triggered the bypoll.

Patel submitted his nomination at the Vadodara Collector’s Office after a show of strength that began with the inauguration of the BJP’s election central office in Manjalpur, followed by a public meeting and a ‘Vijay Vishwas Bike Rally’ led by state BJP president Jagdish Vishwakarma.

Senior party leaders, office-bearers, workers and supporters accompanied the candidate during the nomination procession.

Before the public meeting, BJP leaders paid floral tributes to the late Yogesh Patel, whose death on June 2 left the Manjalpur Assembly seat vacant after more than a decade of representing the constituency and eight consecutive Assembly election victories spanning 36 years.

Addressing the gathering, Vishwakarma said the BJP was confident of retaining the constituency.

“The resounding victory of BJP candidate Satish Patel in the by-election will be a true tribute to late Yogesh Patel,” he said, adding that a decisive mandate would further strengthen the development initiatives being implemented in Gujarat under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

He described the BJP as a “Party with a Difference”, saying it was the only political organisation where an ordinary worker could rise through dedication, service and commitment.

“Satish Patel embodied that organisational culture and praised his years of service within the party,” he emphasised.

He also urged party workers to visit every household, maximise voter turnout and work with complete dedication for the BJP’s victory.

In his address, Satish Patel appealed to voters to elect him and said he would work to fulfil the unfinished aspirations of the late Yogesh Patel while continuing the development of Manjalpur.

Patel is a veteran BJP organisation leader with a long association with city politics.

A former president of the Vadodara district BJP, he has also served as general secretary of the district unit, chairman of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee, chairman of Chhani Nagarik Sahakari Bank and director of the Baroda Central Cooperative Bank and Vadodara Sugar Cooperative.

He has been elected as a municipal councillor multiple times and is regarded within the party as an experienced organisational and cooperative sector leader.

Party leaders cited his clean image, administrative experience and organisational abilities as the reasons for his nomination. The Manjalpur by-election has become one of Gujarat’s key political contests.

The BJP has fielded Satish Patel, while the Congress has nominated former state minister and Gujarat Congress vice-president Bhikha Rabari.

As per the schedule, nominations close on July 13, scrutiny will be held on July 14, and candidates may withdraw by July 16.

Polling is scheduled for July 30, and counting of votes will take place on August 3.

–IANS

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Guwahati, July 13 (IANS) Assam Agricultural University (AAU) will conduct its Common Entrance Test (CET)-2026 for admission to various undergraduate programmes for the 2026-27 academic session on July 18 at 18 examination centres across six cities of the state, officials said on Monday.

According to an official release issued by the university’s Registrar, the entrance examination will be held in three sessions during the day to facilitate candidates appearing for different undergraduate courses. The first session will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by the second session from 12.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. The third and final session will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The examination will be held at centres in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Tezpur, Kokrajhar, Silchar and Guwahati. Candidates appearing for the test have been advised to download their admit cards from the official website of Assam Agricultural University before the examination.

The university has also announced a change in one of the examination venues in Guwahati. The examination centre earlier allotted at Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University (KKHSOU) at Rani, Patgaon, has been shifted to the university’s Resham Nagar campus near Bodoland Guest House on National Highway-27 due to technical reasons, the release said.

Candidates allotted to these centres have been asked to download their newly issued admit cards from the university’s official website to check the revised venue details before appearing for the examination.

The Common Entrance Test is conducted annually by Assam Agricultural University for admission to its undergraduate programmes in agriculture and allied disciplines offered at constituent colleges across the state. The university expects candidates to verify their examination details well in advance and reach their respective centres on time to ensure smooth conduct of the examination.

–IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, June 14 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan is set to place “Good Governance with Empathy” at the heart of his administration and the state budget to be presented on June 19, according to remarks and policy signals that emerged in the early weeks of the new UDF government.

As Leader of Opposition, Satheesan had frequently spoken about the need for a governance model that combines efficiency, accountability and compassion. Since assuming office as Chief Minister, he has repeatedly indicated that “Good Governance with Empathy” would be the defining philosophy of his government, with the upcoming state budget expected to reflect that approach.

A glimpse of this vision was evident during a function held on May 29 at the Suryaprabha Auditorium in Mannanthala, where two bishops of the Mar Thoma Church were honoured on the occasion of the golden jubilee of their priesthood.

Inaugurating the event, CM Satheesan referred to a verse from the Book of Micah in the Bible, saying it had been a guiding principle in his public life and leadership. Quoting Micah 6:8, the Chief Minister said: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

CM Satheesan told the gathering that these words continue to guide him in his role as Chief Minister. The emphasis on justice, compassion and humility, he suggested, should not remain abstract values but must find expression in governance and public policy.

Political observers believe that the government’s recent actions reflect this philosophy.

One example frequently cited is the intervention in the case of Ruvani, a resident of Vizhinjam who became the face of a human-interest issue that drew public attention. The Chief Minister had personally announced that a house would be provided to her and facilitated the identification of a sponsor to make the project a reality.

The move was widely viewed as an example of governance responding to individual distress with empathy rather than limiting itself to routine administrative procedures.

With the UDF government preparing to present its first full budget on June 19, expectations are growing that welfare measures, social justice initiatives and citizen-centric governance reforms will feature prominently.

If CM Satheesan’s recent statements are any indication, the budget is likely to seek a balance between administrative efficiency and compassion, reinforcing the government’s stated commitment to Good Governance with Empathy.

–IANS

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Guwahati, June 14 (IANS) The Assam government has amended the Assam Excise Rules, 2016, in a move that industry sources say could lead to an increase in liquor prices due to changes in licensing provisions and regulatory coverage across the alcohol supply chain, officials said.

The amendments, notified through an extraordinary Gazette, expand the scope of licensed operations and revise key definitions governing the manufacture, storage and sale of alcoholic beverages in the state, officials added on Saturday.

The amendments were issued by the Excise Department under Section 84 of the Assam Excise Act, 2000, and have come into force with immediate effect, except for one provision under Rule 19 that will take effect from July 1, 2026.

One of the significant changes is the revision of the alcohol content threshold in a key definition under Rule 1A.

The prescribed limit has been increased from “more than five per cent V/V” to “more than eight per cent V/V”, altering the classification framework under the excise rules.

The notification also replaces the definition of “Manufactory” with a broader provision.

Under the amended rules, a manufactory will include premises where Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA), Rectified Spirit, India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), Beer, Wine and Country Spirit are manufactured and stored without payment of ad valorem levy or excise duty under licences issued under the rules.

In another major amendment, the state government has widened the licensing framework by specifically including IMFL wholesale warehouses, beer wholesale warehouses, beer retail OFF shops and Country Spirit wholesale and retail outlets within the ambit of relevant licensing provisions.

Excise officials said the amendments are intended to streamline regulation and bring greater clarity to the licensing and operational structure of the liquor industry.

Industry observers, however, said the expanded regulatory framework and compliance requirements may increase operational costs for manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, which could eventually be reflected in retail liquor prices.

The latest changes are part of the state’s ongoing efforts to strengthen oversight of the alcohol sector and modernise excise administration in line with evolving industry practices.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, May 3 (IANS) India’s largest Tricolour was unfurled deep beneath the sea at Swaraj Dweep, earning a place in the Guinness World Records.

Bengaluru-based adventure sports professional Sharath R. Ashok was among the key participants in the historic underwater mission.

Sharath R. Ashok, who is the son of Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader R. Ashoka, has drawn attention for his international accomplishment, which is being seen as an inspiration to youth in the state.

The large-scale operation, conducted on May 2, saw participation from more than 200 skilled scuba divers from across the country.

Organised with the support of the Andaman and Nicobar administration and Indian defence forces, the mission involved unfurling a massive 60×40 metre (2,400 square metre) national flag underwater, despite strong currents and high water pressure.

Recognising the achievement, Lieutenant Governor Admiral D.K. Joshi presented the team with the official Guinness World Records certificate.

Sharath R. Ashok, an automobile engineering graduate, has been active in the field of adventure sports for more than a decade.

A certified dive master and scuba instructor with international credentials, Sharath also has training in paragliding, paramotoring, motocross, and mountaineering. His diverse experience enabled him to take on the demanding underwater mission.

Speaking about the achievement, Sharath said the Indian Tricolour symbolises the strength and unity of 1.4 billion Indians.

He described unfurling the national flag beneath the ocean as a moment of immense pride, adding that his journey in adventure sports and wildlife conservation motivated him to be part of such a significant national effort.

Sharath Ashok has more than 10 years of experience leading and conducting adventure sports activities across diverse terrains and environments. He has conducted training sessions and led expeditions in scuba diving, motocross, paragliding, paramotoring, and mountaineering.

He is a certified dive master and instructor with extensive experience in training and mentoring aspiring divers and instructors. He is also active in politics and passionate about protecting wildlife and natural habitats.

–IANS

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