Tridib Raman
Speculation about a reshuffle in the Union Cabinet has intensified. It is being said that Home Minister Amit Shah recently met the President and requested her to remain in Delhi on a specific date. This has sparked rumours about what that “special date” might be. The Prime Minister is returning from Seychelles on June 29. According to insiders, the reshuffle may happen anytime between June 30 and July 6. It is worth recalling that after the 2019 elections, the first major cabinet expansion took place in the first week of July 2021, two years later. A similar timing pattern may repeat this time as well. There is intense speculation about new ministers. It was first reported in this column that the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, Shaktikanta Das (former RBI Governor), may become the next Finance Minister. There is also talk of Shrikant Shinde, son of Eknath Shinde, possibly being given the Power Ministry. It is also being discussed that the wings of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar may be clipped. Another rumour suggests that out of the group of 20 MPs who broke away from TMC, none may be inducted as ministers. According to sources, the RSS is opposed to giving them ministerial positions, arguing that those who were once politically opposed cannot now be rewarded with positions of power. It is said that the RSS has indirectly indicated that “the expectation of Lakshmi’s blessings for them has already been fulfilled earlier.” Although the PM, while wishing Dharmendra Pradhan on his birthday, praised his tenure as Education Minister, that does not automatically grant him a license to remain in the Cabinet. One may recall that years ago, when the Prime Minister was Chief Minister, he had lavished praise on Manohar Lal Khattar, but soon after, Khattar was called to Delhi. Similarly, Hardeep Puri’s Rajya Sabha term is set to end in November, but it is possible that his ministerial term may end even earlier.
Why was Japanese PM’s Assam Visit Cancelled?
Japan’s first woman Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, is visiting India for the 16th India-Japan Summit with a delegation of over 50 leaders and CEOs. It may be noted that more than 50 senior officials, business leaders, and well-known CEOs of Japanese companies will be accompanying the Prime Minister on this visit. During the trip, several proposals aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, including trade, investment, and defence, are expected to be discussed. On July 1, the Japanese Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Guwahati, where preparations for the summit had been underway for quite some time. The capital of Assam was being extensively cleaned, beautified, and decorated, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma personally monitoring the preparations closely. Suddenly, a message from Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reached the state Chief Secretary, stating that due to “unavoidable reasons,” the Japanese Prime Minister’s Guwahati visit had been cancelled, and the summit would now be held in Delhi. It is worth recalling that even in 2019, the then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Assam was cancelled due to anti-CAA protests at the time. According to sources, a senior high-ranking official reportedly explained to the Prime Minister that international diplomacy falls strictly within the Prime Minister’s domain, and it is important to understand the implications of a state Chief Minister stepping into this space. This is also in light of the fact that Himanta Biswa Sarma, during his recent oath-taking ceremony, had invited the US Ambassador to India. Regarding the sudden cancellation of the Japanese Prime Minister’s visit, it is said that the Assam Chief Minister was extremely upset and sought detailed clarification from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. He was reportedly told that the cancellation was due to “logistical issues,” because of which the Guwahati programme had to be called off.
Will Mohan Yadav Face Action?
The case of the alleged land scam involving Madhya Pradesh’s saffron Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is gradually gaining momentum. A leading English newspaper, ‘The Indian Express’, in its investigative report, has exposed the entire matter. According to the report published in the newspaper, since Mohan Yadav took charge of the state, in the last three years Mohan Yadav, his family, and relatives have purchased 167 acres of land through 137 plots in Ujjain. The main opposition party, Congress, alleges that “in the very areas where development plans were being drawn up, the Chief Minister’s family had already invested in land earlier in those same areas.” It is alleged that in Ujjain, Mohan Yadav’s family members, relatives, and real estate companies linked to the family have purchased most of the plots in those areas where new road projects were to come, and where the benefits of master plan and land use change (conversion of land use) were to be received; the family made initial purchases in those very lands. The opposition is raising the question that if this is not a “conflict of interest,” then what is it? Since Mohan Yadav became the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, several major and important development projects have been announced for his home region Ujjain in the last two to three years. These include large projects such as an industrial corridor and the Indore-Ujjain greenfield corridor. Is it merely a coincidence that in many zones of Ujjain’s Master Plan 2035, lands belonging to the Chief Minister’s family are appearing in bulk? Now, due to this controversy, there is also increasing debate within the Madhya Pradesh BJP as to whether the BJP leadership, which always speaks of morality and purity, will take any action against Mohan Yadav or whether this matter will also be brushed aside and forgotten.
Tapan Missed, Mahesh Arrived
It was almost finalised that Tapan Deka, the current chief of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) who is due to retire on 30 June, would get a one-year service extension. However, sources say that by the time the file reached the Prime Minister’s Office for approval, the decision had already been reversed. As Deka’s successor, the appointment of Mahesh Dixit, a 1993-batch IPS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre, has been given the green light. Dixit is currently serving as Special Director in the IB itself – a post that is generally considered the number two position in the organisation. Dixit has been posted in Kashmir for a long time and is regarded as a master in conducting intelligence operations against terrorists. He is also counted among the closest confidants of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. According to knowledgeable sources, Dixit’s appointment as IB chief is expected to bring greater strength and firmness to the country’s internal security apparatus. The question remains: why was Deka, who was already on extension, denied another service extension when his closest ‘boss’ wanted it? Sources claim that an important piece of information related to the Rajya Sabha elections had leaked from the IB office, and the Prime Minister himself was extremely displeased about the incident.
Judges’ Love for Badminton
Recently, a news item went viral on social media. It was about an event held in London called “Camaraderie, Sportsmanship and Goodwill”. The credit for organising it was given to international badminton player Avantika Deka. Social media was abuzz with claims that India’s Chief Justice, along with 70-80 serving judges from different parts of the country, had participated in the event at government expense. It was also claimed that Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had also taken part. The entire event was reportedly sponsored by Jindal Law University.However, when the matter was investigated, it turned out that the photographs of the badminton tournament being circulated were actually from last year. In this year’s tournament, neither the Chief Justice of India nor any other judges participated, and no minister from the Indian government attended either. Yes, two judges from the Allahabad High Court did participate in this year’s tournament, but both went to London at their own personal expense. When someone asked the Chief Justice of India why he didn’t give any clarification on the matter, he gave a straightforward reply: “When I didn’t go there at all, what clarification should I give?” Notably, Avantika Deka has also not posted anything about this year’s event on her social media account. Deka is said to be among Minister Kiren Rijiju’s close associates, and it was Rijiju who introduced Avantika Deka to Arjun Meghwal.
Not Everything is Fine in Karnataka BJP
All is not well in the Karnataka unit of the BJP. The bitterness between BJP’s National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh and the Yediyurappa family is only increasing. Recently, during the Legislative Council elections in Karnataka, this tension surfaced in a new form. There was chaos in the BJP when reports emerged that 11 BJP MLAs had cross-voted. As a result, the NDA’s third candidate, JDS’s Govind Raju, lost the election. Delhi took the matter very seriously. The entire Karnataka unit was summoned, and B.L. Santhosh was also questioned. The person who faced the maximum embarrassment was Yediyurappa’s son, Vijayendra, who currently holds the reins of the Karnataka BJP. In his son’s defence, Yediyurappa came forward and told the BJP high command: “Vijayendra has no fault in this matter. Much before the election, he had given a list of 11 BJP MLAs to Santhosh, saying he suspected these people might betray the party and cross-vote. But Santhosh neither called those MLAs nor conducted any inquiry with them.” It is said that after this, the BJP’s Chanakya also advised Santhosh that if he has been given any responsibility, he should discharge it properly.
Supriya’s Daughter’s Reception in Delhi
The grand wedding ceremony of Revati Sule, granddaughter of Sharad Pawar and daughter of his MP daughter Supriya Sule, with Sarang Lakhani was held at the World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The event, which took place on 20 June, saw the presence of the country’s top industrialists, from Mukesh Ambani to Gautam Adani, along with their families. Bollywood’s biggest stars, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan, were also seen dazzling the gathering. Rahul Gandhi, who usually maintains distance from such events, also attended. Several Union Ministers, including Piyush Goyal, marked their presence. From Maharashtra politics, shining stars like Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray, and Eknath Shinde were also seen in attendance. It is said that Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule had been working on the preparations for this grand event for several months. Sharad Pawar personally spoke on the phone with the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, Sonia Gandhi, and others. Later, Supriya Sule herself went to personally invite these very special guests. Rahul Gandhi’s visit was finalised at the very last moment. Since Sonia Gandhi was unable to travel from Delhi due to health reasons, she sent Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to Mumbai on her behalf. A special aircraft was arranged in haste for Rahul. Now, keeping in mind that the Prime Minister and several Union Ministers could not come to Mumbai from Delhi, the Pawar family has decided to host a reception for Revati and Sarang in Delhi. It is understood that this reception may be held during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. It is believed that the Delhi reception could see a full gathering of high-profile dignitaries from Raisina Hill, including President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, MPs, and other prominent personalities.
Who Will Replace Justice Bhushan?
The tenure of Justice Ashok Bhushan as Chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) is ending in July 2026. He will turn 70 in July. Since NCLAT is an extremely powerful body, several names have emerged in the race for the new Chairperson. Leading the race is the name of Justice Rajesh Bindal. However, two other Supreme Court judges also have equally strong claims. Justice J.K. Maheshwari is retiring on 28 June, and another Supreme Court judge, Justice Sanjay Karol, is retiring on 22 August. Both are considered strong contenders for the post.
Controversy Over Donations at Ram Mandir Grows Louder
The uproar over the alleged misappropriation of donations (chadava) at the Ram Temple is now being heard across the country and the world. There are serious doubts whether this matter can be quietly brushed aside just by making a show of catching a few small fish. On 26th June, the Congress party also raised some serious questions during its press conference. There is a huge outcry on social media regarding this issue as well. Meanwhile, a post by environmentalist and social activist Hansraj Meena on ‘X’ is going massively viral. In it, he sarcastically remarks: “Offer only prasad in temples. Deposit all cash, gold and silver donations directly at BJP offices.”
