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Rahul Gandhi appears to be a changed man after his 56-day-sabbatical. He has gone almost overnight from being a figure of fun to becoming somebody whose role the newspaper-reading classes are now beginning to re-evaluate. As if to disprove the charges that he is not interested in politics or an extrovert, who hardly bothers about the common man’s problems, he plunged headlong in taking up the issues confronting the farmers. First he impressed Parliament by taking up issues relating to Land Acquisition Bill and net neutrality, demonstrating remarkable confidence, punch, humour and aggressiveness. The massive Kisan rally addressed by him at Delhi’s Ramlila ground too was a success. His charge that Mod-led government favours corporate houses and big business is slowly sinking in peoples’ psyche. There perceptibly appears to be a shift in public mood.

China led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has finally taken shape with the participation of 57 founding members including India and AIIB is opening new opportunities to India for participating in a big way in the projects to be taken up in the developing countries in Asia with finances from the AIIB. India, in all probability will be offered the Vice President’s position with the biggest funder China holding the Presidency. The authorized capital of the AIIB will be US$ 100 billion with an initial subscribed capital of US$ 50 billion. The headquarter of the AIIB will be based in Beijing.

LUCKNOW: Major political parties have started their campaign for Mission 2017, or the assembly elections due that year, to capture power in Uttar Pradesh. Topping the chart are issues like the land acquisition bill and inadequate compensation to farmers in view of damage to their crops due to rainfall all over the country.

China’s rapidly rising military budget and her growing land, air and naval power, together with her belligerent attitude to her neighbours make the idea of a regional security architecture for Asia with India as its centerpiece worth examining.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley got his Finance Bill, giving effect to his February 28 budget proposals, through the Lok Sabha, but not before a roll-back plus some extension of sops for foreign institutional investors. One step forward and two steps backward is not uncommon with Governments, however eloquent Mr Jaitley has been on his 'soojh boojh ki sarkar'

A big debate has started in the Indian left movement about the possible political and tactical line of the CPI(M) after the election of Sitaram Yechury as the new general secretary of the Party following the conclusion of the 21st Congress of CPI(M) at Vizag on April 19 this year. Expectations are high among the well wishers of the Left movement in India that Yechury will be innovative in his approach and he will impart new impetus to the ailing left movement of the country which has been witnessing a declining phase in the last few years. Yechury, soon after his election as the CPI(M) general secretary enthused the Congress delegates by declaring that he considers the 21st Congress as the Congress for the future. He has come out more openly favouring cooperation with the Congress in fighting the forces of Hindutva which are posing a grave threat to the unity and integrity of the country.

Will the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi seize the moment of opportunity, which has come his way after his return from the mysterious sabbatical? This is the question that is being asked within the Congress, as the party men are not sure how determined or how serious he is about his future role. What is the guarantee that he will not disappear again?

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) monitors continuously the internal security situation, issues appropriate advisories, shares intelligence inputs, extends manpower and financial support, guidance and expertise to the State Governments for maintenance of security, peace and harmony without encroaching upon their Constitutional rights. It also keeps a tab on national integration, communal harmony and Ayodhya.

The euphoria of saffron being the new red in Bengal lies shattered on the Chowringhee Square. The municipal verdict has indeed been a rude shock to the BJP’s Chanakya, Amit Shah. In January this year, at a rally in Burdwan, Shah, a stockbroker by profession who knows the value of keeping blue chips in one's portfolio, has made his intentions clear to the people of Bengal that pursuing the political line of his mentor Narendra Modi to make a Congress Mukta Bharat, he would ensure Trinamool Mukta Bengal.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan continues to call the shots in Kerala CPI(M). But the resentment against the domination by the “Kannur lobby’ headed by him is growing, too.