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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The performance of the 10-month-old Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government is poor.

Is decline and fall of Mayawati also the end of a Dalit dream? Does she have it in her to rebuild the movement and the party? In last ten years, BSP has gradually declined. Her party drew a blank in 2014 Lok Sabha election. And now, the BSP plummeted to a mere 19 seats in 403—member Uttar Pradesh assembly. Juxtapose that number with the 206 seats she won in 2007 to see how steep the fall has been.

Political turmoils in Tamil Nadu post-Jaya have heightened with the split in the ruling AIADMK and the breakaway group led by former Chief Minister Mr O Panneerselvam, claiming to be rightful heir to ‘Amma’s” mantle, ahead of a crucial by-poll (April 12) in Chennai’s R K Nagar constituency.

India is witnessing an interesting experiment being carried out by the RSS in the caste laboratory of Uttar Pradesh. While the prime minister, Narendra Modi would be the liberal and democrat face of the Sangh, especially the BJP, by installing Yogi Adityanath as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh the RSS has moved one step forward in its mission to showcase Uttar Pradesh as the model of the Hindu Rashtra.

Only two months have passed since Donald Trump took over office as the President of the United States on January 20, but the manner in which, he has been violating the provisions of the US Constitution that already, there are serious conversations in Washington among the Congressmen about whether things are heading towards a possible impeachment. On March 20, the FBI Director confirmed at the meeting of the Congress’s Intelligence Committee that his agency has been investigating the connection of Trump campaign before the November 8, 2016 poll, with the Russians. The FBI also repudiated the allegation made by President Trump against his predecessor Barack Obama that the former President ordered wiretapping of Trump Towers last year. The statements made by the FBI Director Comey revealed that Trump had been lying even as a President. It was one thing to make wild allegations in the course of a campaign but after taking the oath to the Constitution as a President, he has to abide by the norms , but Trump has violated that and he was found constantly lying.

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India has expressed the view that the only way to settle the Ayodhya dispute is for the Supreme Court to give its verdict, which will be binding on all parties. The CPI in its statement today disagreed with the position of the Chief Justice of the apex court that an out of court settlement through discussions, could be attempted.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) may be in the seventh heaven over its stupendous success in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly elections. But the party’s plans to consolidate the party have run into more problems in Kerala.

Old-timers will recall how the term, grand alliance, gained prominence on the eve of the 1971 general election. The tie-up comprised the Congress (Organization) as opposed to Indira Gandhi’s Congress, the Swatantra Party, the Jan Sangh and the Socialist Party.

Usually there is an annual Exim Policy after the general budget to align the export sops taking into the view the new taxes. But with the Goods and Services Tax rollout now more or less certain from July 1, 2017, it is quite possible that the Exim policy is deferred to take note of the implication of game-changing tax reform GST on exports before coming out with the annual foreign trade policy. Already a committee constituted by Director General of Foreign Trade is working to align rates with GST.

‘Desh mein Modi, Pradesh mein Yogi’ is the new slogan heard in the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh after the Gorakhnath Mutt head Yogi Adityanath took over as chief minister of UP on Sunday. The choice of Yogi shows that the BJP interprets the UP victory as a vote for Hindutva although the official text was development. Interestingly, even Yogi, who is known for his hardline Hindutva chanted soon after taking over, “Sab ka saath and sab ka vikas will be my first priority.” Optimists say give him a chance while the doomsayers claim that UP will go the Hindutva way further. While talking of development will he also keep Hindutva as a subtext just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing?