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Going by numbers, the gathering of anti-BJP parties at Sonia Gandhi’s luncheon on May 26 was an impressive affair, for there were as many as 17. What is more, arch-rivals like the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, and Trinamool Congress and the Left, decided to overlook their differences and sit at the same table.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government celebrated completion of one year in office, lit took a decision, which was politically disastrous and morally indefensible.

With the parliamentary elections barely a fortnight away, Corbyn haters have become active and are joining hands to launch a tirade against him. Their basic allegation has been that Corbyn is a non-performer and cannot carry Britons with him. He does not understand their mood and aspirations. These people do not want to miss the opportunity as a misfire would place Jeremy Corbyn in a better position.

The situation in Kashmir is getting worse every day with the misguided and frustrated youth taking to streets and pelting stones at the armed forces, which are using force to quell the dissent. Due to continued hostility since the killing of Burhan Wani last July by security forces, militants and the youth have started targetting police and security forces. The situation as some Kashmir experts feel ,is worse than in 1990 when the militancy was at its height.

In the second week of May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an unusually low-key visit to Sri Lanka. No agreements were signed at the end of his visit, no joint declaration issued, no joint press conference held. New Delhi’s official position was that the Prime Minister had gone to attend the biggest Buddhist festival, Vesak Day, implying that it was of a non-official nature.

LUCKNOW: BSP supremo and former chief minister Mayawati is making a serious bid to reinvent herself and her party after the humiliating performance in the assembly polls.

The autonomy of the Reserve Bank of India, which, for the first time, came under severe pressure from the government during the UPA regime, especially during the period of Palaniappan Chidambaram as the finance minister, now stands officially diluted under the BJP-led NDA regime. Not only a new era of monetary policy formulation has dawn, under the Monetary Policy Committee, after 82 years, but, at the government’s behest, the banking regulator is now being involved in the decision making process of commercial banks to expedite resolution of their huge bad debt through restructuring and moving insolvency proceedings, if necessary. The centre asked RBI to issue directions to banks with large NPAs to initiate an insolvency resolution process in respect of a default.

The Union Government’s restrictions on the sale of cattle for slaughter have excited a collective snort of anger from Kerala, where the cattle slaughter is legal.

In presenting three years’ report card of NDA government (Times of India, dated May 17) NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagarya was euphoric on Modi’s dynamic challenges to reinvigorate the economy. But, he was suspiciously silent on Make in India- the flagship project of Modi’s new India vision. Presenting successes in coping with the challenges to decision making paralysis, slow progress of infrastructure projects, decimating corruption and ensuring no return of retrospective tax terrorism, Dr. Panagarya endeavored to paint a success story of the Modi government. But nowhere did Make in India figure. Has Make in India failed to achieve the goal?

Has the Naxalite movement launched 50 years back failed? Five decades ago on May 24 Shanti Munda, in her twenties, led an uprising for a poor sharecropper who asked for larger share of the produce. With a 15 month baby strapped on her back, she fired the first volley of arrows and killed a policeman, triggering a wave of violence that shaped a generation’s consciousness.