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Odisha Chief Ministr Naveen Patnaik may face a difficult challenge if the revival of the Congress party takes place at this juncture when he is engulfed by a series of scams – from MineGate to CoalGate to land and housing scam to relief scam to the new Ponzi scam. He knows pretty well that at present the BJP will not disturb him much as the Modi government at the Centre would seek BJD’s help in passing some important bills in the Rajya Sabha. The only challenge can come from the Congress which is already aggressive and can become an effective challenge if it revives itself.

Time was when India proposed, the US disposed. Now, reverse is the trend. The US proposes, India delivers or dithers. The Indo-US relationship has taken a full circle over the decades. The $2-trillion ($5-trillion in PPP term) Indian economy is billed to become the largest in the Commonwealth by 2018 and 3rd largest in the world by 2024, according to Cebr Global’s World Economic League Table (WELT). The US is clearly looking for action to be part of this projected massive expansion of India’s economy. India’s largest trading partner wants to be everywhere, in every sector – from defence, nuclear, financial services, infrastructure to manufacturing, retail and e-commerce — ahead of its European and Asian rivals such as the UK, Germany, France, Russia, Japan and China.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s desperate efforts to assuage the anger of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), which is extremely unhappy about the U-turn of the Chandy Government in its liquor policy, have ended in a fiasco.

It’s humanly impossible not to be revolted by the killing of 134 innocent children in Peshawar by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and not to feel a surge of empathy with Pakistani citizens. This barbaric attack galvanised unprecedented solidarity demonstrations and vigils in South Asian cities.

In yet another massacre carried out by a breakaway group of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and retaliatory violence by the targeted people, nearly ninety people have been killed since December 23 in Assam. The group that targeted the Santhals is known as the Songbijit faction of the NDFB or NDFB(S). The NDFB signed a peace accord with the Government in May, 2005. Since then a ceasefire has been in force. But seven years later, a small faction of the NDFB led by I. K. Songbijit broke away from the main body and took to the gun again. Intriguingly, Songbiji himself is not a Bodo which is a plains tribe but a Karbi or hill tribal from the Karbi Anglong hill district of Assam.

To millions of Indians who voted for the Modi-led BJP in May 2014 and his crowning success in a nation-wide thirst for change, the 'governance' turn-out over the last seven months looks more of an anti-climax. No wonder, large sections have begun to feel somewhat disillusioned with the style of 'maximum governance' in vogue, less productive of jobs and uplifting of poor.

India must take immediate steps to integrate its diaspora spread across the globe in millions to be partners in country's progress. Their participation in both economic and political activities, particularly in the decision making process is essential. Sadly not much efforts have been made to foster greater integration of overseas Indians who should not only have the right to vote and also be represented as nominated members in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha. Suitable amendments to the Constitution should be initiated to give dual citizenship to overseas Indians. The decision to allow political participation of overseas India will give them added impetus to invest in economic activity in the country.

The fresh impetus given to the Hindutva agenda by the RSS and its combative affiliates like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal appears to have soured their relationship with the BJP. The deterioration may not be serious enough to lead to a rupture. Besides, there have been occasions earlier when the BJP leaders havn’t seen eye to eye with the supposedly cultural organization, the RSS, which heads the Sangh parivar.

The Government is all set to privatise Indian Railways notwithstanding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to the contrary, while laying the foundation stone for expansion of Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) at Varanasi on December 25, 2014. All railway unions’ representatives were detained before the Prime Minister’s function at the DLW in order to prevent them from protesting against the Government’s move to prrivatise the railways. Earlier, the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu also ruled out any such move. He was allaying the fears of railway unions. But actions of the NDA Government so far signal that the Railways are marching towards privatisation.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has upset the BJP’s applecart in Kerala. That has been the unpleasant upshot – a blessing in disguise, according to a section of the secular forces - of the aggressive reconversion campaign it has launched in Kerala.