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Proving exit poll-wallahs and corporate-backed psephologists, most of whom predicted that the saffron animal was breathing down the neck of Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, shamefully wrong, the intrepid 65-year old rose like a one-woman army to have slapped the message of ‘No pasaran’ on the face of Hindutva-brand fascist offensive of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party. She braved the money-powered, media-grabber and wanton-misuse of state machinery, let alone the ‘dishonest studio arithmetic’ (coined by the late Raman Swamy after the absolute majority achieved by the Bahujan Samaj Party in the UP state assembly election nearly two decades back)of media-hyped psephologists whose credibility is under a big question mark.

The options are not many. The dark bottomless abyss stares at us. There could be either Covid 19 or starvation. Perhaps it could be both. Resembles the torture chamber of World War II when six crore, inclusive of children and seniors, perished under the wheels of fascism. Today, even in worst estimates, India could suffer the world’s biggest aggression of the pandemic adding 357,229 new cases, just three days back, taking its total outbreak past twenty million infections and overall death toll to 222, 408, as closely as merely two days back and now, within forty eight hours, it has gone up to 230,168. Now by May 6, it has gone up, 3927 deaths have been registered with 150per hour. As experts observe, this number could be doubled in the coming weeks. The third wave would be more ominous. The death toll could be more than double.

Mamata Banerjee’s political victory in the West Bengal elections is remarkably impressive. Here was a chief minister (CM) who successfully defied two-term anti-incumbency — and while there have been other CMs who have successfully returned to power for a third time (Narendra Modi is a prime example), Banerjee was facing the most formidable challenger in India’s political theatre.

India is in the midst of the world’s worst outbreak of Covid-19 cases. It is a dystopian nightmare. The new cases and death toll are continuously rising. The medical response is hampered by shortages of oxygen, drugs, and hospital beds. According to experts, “The significant inefficiency, dysfunction and acute shortage of healthcare delivery systems in the public sector do not meet the growing needs of the population.”

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fleecing of patients is a dastardly deed even in normal times. But then, we are not living in normal times. The entire world is at war with a rampaging virus which is snuffing out precious lives through its macabre death dance. The war can only be won with the fullest cooperation of all the stakeholders. If a section of private hospitals think otherwise and do not scruple at overcharging Covid patients – a crime against humanity - then governments must step in to punish the merchants who trade on human misery.

China is more and more adopting a big-brotherly attitude toward its small neighbours, giving rise to both fear and resentment in them. On May 10, the Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, Li Jiming, told a virtual meeting of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) that “Obviously it will not be a good idea for Bangladesh to participate in this small club four (meaning the Quad) because it will substantially damage our bilateral relationship.” In course of his speech, he branded the Quad as an “Asian NATO”.

Facing criticism after losing the Hartlepool by-election and control of eight councils, Britain’s local authorities, Labour leader Starmer is facing a challenge to his leadership not only by the Corbynites but even by some unattached Labour leaders.

The second wave, or rather a tsunami of Covid-19 as the Delhi High Court has observed, has knocked down India’s medical system. There are appalling reports of casualties due to a lack of medical facilities from all over the country. The paucity of drugs that Covid-infected patients need is a recurrent theme in the news. According to medical professionals, the current situation can improve if medicines are made available for all patients in adequate quantities.

LUCKNOW: The opposition is in an upbeat mood after panchayat results dealt BJP a humiliating defeat in its key districts.

As Covid continues to ravage the country and more and more areas coming under lock-down like restrictions, the automobile sector is worried about that the green shoots that had begun appearing may not survive for long. According to reports quoting a top BPCL official, fuel sales in April have plummeted, with the overall demand at the end of the month falling by 7 percent. Preliminary data released by state-owned retailers shows petrol sales were the lowest since August last year.