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LUCKNOW: In the name of memorial for late Prime Minister Charan Singh, various political parties are coming together to face the challenge from BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

The inexorable humid weather in the capital in the festive month of October has robbed the exuberant moments of celebrations, even as the weather patterns across the country seem to be swinging in extremes. India and other developing countries may continue to be in a denial mood that weather-related aberrations are not directly due to the broad climate change that is sweeping the universe due to the disproportionate spurt in greenhouse gases (GHC). They might persist with the folly of following the principles on equity and common but differentiated responsibilities, citing the case of how advanced countries had the prime mover advantage in exploiting the energy potentials to prime their industrial development in the last century when the rest of the world was in penury. But this in no way detracts the significance of doing something right now by all to reduce the noxious pollutions the planet is exposed to day in and day out in the name of economic growth and development that bear hardly any relationship to human happiness and well-being.

Believe it or not, the half-a-million-employee-strong postal department of the government of India faces the biggest threat to its 150-odd years’ existence from no other than the world’s largest courier conglomerate, Deutsche Post AG, a $55-billion German behemoth. Already a victim of governmental apathy and the Narasimha Rao-Manmohan Singh-led 1991-92 reform that led to a massive overhaul of the then departments of posts and telecommunications and corporatization of the telecom function leaving the loss-making postal department in the cold, India Post ended 2013-14 with a turnover of only around $1.7 billion (Rs.10,000 crore) leaving a one-billion-dollar (Rs. 6,000 crore) hole in the exchequer’s pocket to cover the revenue deficit. And, now Deutsche Post is breathing down its weak, business-wary, over-aged, wrinkled neck.

In September every year, leaders of more than 190 states across the world, whether big or small, get a chance to make long speeches at the United Nations General Assembly’s inaugural session, which are usually attended by nobody except their own countries’ diplomats and journalists (typically flown in and hosted by the domestic taxpayer). They use lofty rhetoric about improving the international climate while scoring points against their adversaries—their speeches’ real target.

The world economy is yet to make a full exit of the 2008 financial crisis and its recessionary aftermath, so that growth prospects for 2014, the sixth year, have had to be revised down, with the disappointing and uneven recovery, mainly among advanced nations. And geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, with limited impact so far, may hold greater risks going forward.

Even as the secular – sorry, “sickular” – brigade is upset over the live telecast of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s speech on Doordarshan, they seem to have missed a few tell-tale omissions in his address to the Hindu nation. For instance, there was no mention of the Ram temple or love jehad or conversions – issues that have agitated the saffronites for years and have enabled them to mobilize the communal-minded Hindus by arousing anti-minority feelings.

Engulfed with scams and scandals in the functioning of the government, the Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik is finding himself difficult to manage the growing dissatisfaction within his own party. There is no other option left for him but to expel anyone who raises voice against him.

Few persons have seen so many ups and downs in politics and personal life as Jayalalithaa. She touches the lowest ebb and yet bounces back with renewed vigor. She has enormous capacity to turn an adversarial situation to her advantage. Recall the March 1989 episode in Tamil Nadu assembly where she was manhandled and even attempt was made to disrobe her by some DMK legislators. She portrayed the event as Draupadi versus Duryodhana (Karunanidhi) fight and won wide sympathy. Finally she emerged victorious to become the chief minister in 1991.

The Union Government has set up 21 Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terrorist (CIAT) Schools across the country to train police and other security personnel for combating terrorism and left-wing extremism known as Maoism. Established during 2013-14, all the CIAT Schools have become functional.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The cohesion of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has been severely dented with the Kerala Congress (M) openly hinting at the possibility of the party having tie-ups with ‘like-minded’ parties outside the UDF.