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BHOPAL: The BJP has, finally, decided to deny ticket to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. But the party adopted a unique strategy to declare its decision. There are clear indications that Mahajan was ‘coerced’ into saying in so many words that she is voluntarily withdrawing from the electoral battle. But the language she has used to convey her resolve gives an impression that the decision is far from voluntary. A newspaper has this to say on the development: “In an open letter that revealed her anger, she wondered why the BJP leadership has not nominated her from Indore yet. ‘I am moving myself out of the equation to ease the confusion among senior BJP leaders over selection of candidate from Indore. They can choose whoever they want to’, she says in the letter released on Friday afternoon.”

Since the year 1950 the 7th of April is observed as world health day all over the world. The decision to observe this day was taken by the world health assembly in 1948 at Geneva. It is an important day to highlight the plight of people’s health and thence plan strategy to take steps to ameliorate the related problems. The objective is to increase public awareness of various causes and prevention of different diseases and also to provide knowledge how to prevent their complications. It is important to impart knowledge to the people about how to take self-care. It is also time to ask governments to provide healthy environment.

A spate of pro NaMo messages keeps on flying on social media. The messages urge for vote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure another term to him so he can continue good work though messages fail to identify his good work in fist term. However the publicity blitz by the government identify expansion of road networks, electrification of 18000 difficult villages, power supply for more hours as achievements without mention of addition to unemployment, slow down of growth rate, cash crunch and addition to poverty of millions or enrichment of few business tycoons against collapse of micro-industrial sector. But it cannot be disputed. You are immediately branded as antinational element the moment you doubt the claims.

Veteran BJP leader LK Advani wrote a blog. He wrote, among other things, that the BJP does not regard those who do not agree politically with it, ‘enemies’. Adversaries, but not enemies. Soon after, BJP President Amit Shah belied that claim. He said henceforth the BJP will have nothing whatsoever to do with Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP. Meaning ‘CBN’ is ‘enemy’, not just political adversary.

For the first time in any general elections, North India and South India; Northerners and Easterners have become part of election rhetoric and accusations and counter-accusations are being levelled along parochial lines, a new low that political parties are touching in their bid to fashion victories any which way. ‘Lovely, Praji’ like a Punjabi will say, and ‘Nala,’ like a Malayali will add.

Four major current developments have brought some labour concerns into the spotlight, some of which are expected to figure as election issues as well.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It might sound hyperbolic. But it is true. Rahul Gandhi came; he saw and he conquered. The massive turnout at Rahul’s road show at Kalpeta town which followed his nomination-filing from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency has raised the anxiety levels in the Left Democratic Front camp as well as in BJP circles.

It should not have taken the Brexit vote to show that one of the biggest challenges that the 21st-century organized left faces is its tenuous connection to working-class interests. The rapid rise in Labour membership following Corbyn’s remarkable leadership triumph in 2015 has given progressives the opportunity to close the door firmly on the past few decades — and insist that socialism should not be something boring, cliquey and separate from everyday life.

Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot’s overwhelming victory was a message by the city’s voters Tuesday that they want an overhaul and makeover of City Hall and that they want to trash the entrenched political machine that has ruled the city for so long. The nation’s third largest city is now the largest American city ever to elect a black woman mayor.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi filed nomination papers to contest from the Wayanad constituency which Thursday, turned into ‘Human Sea’ with thousands lining up streets and crowding squares to catch a glimpse of Rahul accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Up north, in Amethi, BJP candidate Smriti Irani, looked like she was in break-heart pass, the limelight going south to bypass Wayanad, tri-junction Kerala-Karnataka-Tamil Nadu.