DMK’s Pressure Points

Senior Congress leader Manickam Tagore’s demand that the party be included in the government should the I.N.D.I.A. bloc win the Tamil Nadu election—he clearly thinks it will—and DMK’s lukewarm response tells an interesting story. “Tamil Nadu has always had single-party rule. The chief minister is firm on this,” said DMK Minister I Periyasamy. Congress’ bid to secure participation in government can be seen as a legitimate demand by an ally, but it may also have something to do with the view in the party that DMK is under some pressure ahead of the forthcoming election.

Recent decisions of the state government, such as introducing a Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS) that restores significant elements of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), is a pointer in this direction. Successive AIADMK and DMK governments have done little to date to restore key elements of OPS. TAPS promises 50 per cent of the last drawn salary irrespective of duration of service, and Tamil Nadu will have to foot the bill for older employees governed by OPS as well as newer ones now covered by TAPS. On the face of it, Congress does not bring much to the table in the state where its presence has declined. A DMK-Congress alliance does consolidate votes but Congress will likely fare very poorly on its own as DMK is clearly seen as the viable force against the AIADMK-BJP alliance. Overall, DMK’s strong association with Congress has not resulted in much gain for the ruling party while it has seriously strained ties with BJP and the Centre.

Pawar Saga, Next Chapter

The decision of NCP led by Ajit Pawar and the faction headed by Sharad Pawar to contest the Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Parbani municipal corporation elections together has set off speculation of the two reuniting as part of NDA. Ajit Pawar sees an opportunity in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad where civic woes are a major talking point. The Sharad Pawarled NCP has toned down its rhetoric against BJP as seen by its decision to distance itself from Congress’ vote chori allegations. The Pawar group also broke with the I.N.D.I.A. bloc over boycotting a parliamentary panel examining Bills to disqualify ministers facing serious charges. The senior Pawar has not been averse to allying with BJP in the past.

German Varsities in India

The visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to India saw several agreements being concluded, but tucked away in the interactions is an invitation to German universities to set up campuses in India. As of now, several UK universities are in the process of setting up campuses in India. The University of Southampton campus in Gurugram is up and running. The prospect of leading German universities, known for their expertise in science and research in STEM areas and engineering, is exciting as it can provide Indian students quality education without the costs of studying abroad.

Doval Tales

In a rare public interaction, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke to a young audience at a conference in New Delhi where he revealed he does not much use a mobile phone or internet. He does communicate with foreign interlocutors through secure means but is not wedded to his phone. The disclosure reveals a reason why Doval has been successful as an intelligence czar—he avoids all distractions. His staff is tasked with managing his schedule that includes important interactions within the security setup and government.

Nitin Nabin: Learning the Job

BJP’s incoming national president Nitin Nabin is familiarising himself with party activities by visiting state units and meeting beneficiaries of Central welfare schemes. He is expected to take over as party chief with incumbent JP Nadda’s extended tenure coming to an end soon. Nabin is expected to take charge of organisational affairs that require attention. The functioning of the party central office and communication of the Modi government’s programmes are a priority.

Modi’s Kite Passion

The international kite-flying festival in Ahmedabad, where Narendra Modi hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has been a favourite with the prime minister. He was a regular as Gujarat chief minister and, on one occasion, flew a kite with Bollywood star Salman Khan ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Khan had declared Modi would be able to “fulfil” his destiny and praised the development works in Gujarat. Soon after he became chief minister, Modi recognised the potential of the event to draw in popular personalities and turned it into a major soft-power show.

A Security Check in Kashmir

The ripples of the ‘white coat’ plot that led to the arrest of doctors from Kashmir for involvement in terror activities but could not prevent the November 10, 2025 Red Fort bomb blast continue to be felt in Jammu & Kashmir where key conspirators, including a local imam from Shopian believed to have radicalised the module, were apprehended. Security agencies are contacting religious seminaries and mosques preparing a list of such premises to verify the antecedents of those in charge.