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Chinese president Xi Jinping has written new political history by elevating himself above legendry Mao Zedong and making the Chinese people accept his observations as his ‘Thought’ like Mao’s postulations at the 19th Congress of the Chinese Communist. The resolution on his elevation, however, does not mention that he was superseding Mao, but by implication the resolution made it apparent.

Does God-fearing Prime Minister Narendra Modi really believe that by 2022, India would have attained ‘developed’ status? Holding out this vista from holy Kedarnath, one should not belittle his religious faith but the record in economic governance so far suggests more of skepticism than of presaging a realisable outcome.

Annually for 25 years, the United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly for an end to the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. The nations of the world vote again on November 1, 2017. Last year, the United States and Israel abstained, but all other nations voted “No” to the blockade.

Jharkhand’s PDS Minister Saryu Roy, though acted late, however in one stroke demolished the myth of the government diktat of Aadhaar card being indispensable. On September 28 Santoshi, the girl belonging to an extremely poor family from Simdega, died of starvation after chief secretary Rajbala Verma’s directive to render the ration card of the family ineligible as they were not linked to Aadhaar. The family had not received any ration since February but subsisted on doles from villagers and the mid-day meal Santoshi got at her school.

The timing of Rahul Gandhi’s ascent is propitious. It can even be said that it is just as well that the Congress waited till now for the coronation of the crown prince because for the first time since the party’s humiliating defeat three years ago, its supporters can afford to wear a faint smile.

LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is finding it difficult to work with multiple power centres in the party and the government. Even after six months of assuming office, the Chief Minister is yet to have a grip on the affairs of governance and has miserably failed in the task.

The CPI(M) has suffered due to the internecine clash between the Bengal and Kerala line of the party, having been sandwiched between the personalities of the top two leaders for whom nursing their ego seems to be more important than shaping the party’s policies.

Holding simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and State Assemblies has come into focus once again after the Election Commission favouring the idea but also said that all political parties should be brought on board before such an exercise is conducted. Election Commissioner O P Rawat said early this month: “The Election Commission has always been of the view that simultaneous elections will give enough time for incumbent government to formulate policies and implement programmes continuously for a longer time without interruptions caused by imposition of model code of conduct.”

The recently appointed Economic Advisory Council (EAC), led by economist Bibek Debroy, has a tough job in hand - to propel economic growth in a manner that will create job. During the first quarter of 2017-18, India’s growth rate has slumped to 5.7 percent, a three-year low. Popular press attributed the slowdown as an aftermath of demonetisation, implementation of GST, and sluggish export growth. However, the problem is more than meets the eye.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s latest charge against BJP president Amit Shah that his business entrepreneur son Jay Shah struck it rich after BJP came to power in 2014, alleging a high-level corruption, only exposes his political naivete, if not a deliberately mischievous intent. According to the Congress, Jay Shah’s sudden rise is an "excellent example" of crony capitalism. The fact that Jay Shah had enjoyed a upswing in his business since 2014 can no way be held against his father or the ruling party until Rahul Gandhi is able to produce any proof to substantiate his allegation, presumably based on a website report. Jay Shah is not the only kin of a high profile politician who has chosen his own independent career of preference.