Third eye: No Modi at Nitish’s oath

Calm before political storm

Many have been left wondering why the BJP elders have gone suddenly quiet after their initial fireworks after Bihar poll debacle. The reason, party insiders say, is that Yashwant Sinha is away in China for a ten-day visit. Sources say more action can be expected once he is back.

Priorities right for Kejriwal

While the meeting among Nitish, Mamata and Kejriwal on the sidelines of Kumar’s swearing-in is rumoured to have 2019 LS polls on agenda, Kejriwal appears keen on AAP’s next political battle. During his visit to Patna, Kejriwal is likely to visit Patna Sahib, a prestigious Sikh Shrine, with an eye on Punjab assembly polls in 2017.

Positive coverage of Film Festival

The Modi government is in overdrive for positive coverage of its International Film Festival beginning in Goa on Friday and has hired a PR firm to provide video clips of films to be screened at the festival, ensuring good quality questions to be asked to film celebrities, negative stories to be identified and prior arrangement of Twitter & Facebook chats with film personalities. With FTII protests fresh in mind, the government is taking no chances.

No Modi at Nitish’s oath

While Nitish may have invited PM Modi for his swearingin, it is unlikely that the latter will share space with a leader he so vociferously criticized in his election rallies just weeks before. It is heard that the PM will depute M Venkaiah Naidu and Rajiv Pratap Rudy for the event.