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Karnataka by-polls: Congress-JDS leads, Huge setback for BJP
In the by-election for three Parliament seats and two assembly, the Congress and JDS alliance is leading in four places out of five as per the latest reports. This is a huge setback for the main opposition, BJP and boost for the ruling government.
Shivamogga, Bellary and Mandya parliamentary seats while Jamkhandi and Ramanagara assembly seats went for by-poll. Except in Shivamogga, BJP is trailing in all the segments. The Shivamogga is BJP’s strong den which belongs to former chief minister B Yeddyurappa and his son Raghavendra has contested the poll.
Surprisingly, Bellary which is mining baron Reddy brothers’ bastion has slipped out of their hands as Congress’ VS Ugrappa has a lead over one lakh votes. In Ramanagara, Jamkhandi and Mandya too the results are in favour of Congress-JDS candidates.
Former finance minister P Chidambaram has mocked the BJP basing on the results and added that coalition has delivered. We have to see how the BJP reacts.
‘CM Power Star’ WIll Happen In 2019
The actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan, who once asked people at his public meeting to stop raising slogans of ‘CM Power Star’, seems to be feeling it magical and soothing when the same slogans are raised at the latest Janasena meeting in Peddapuram.
The confidence Pawan Kalyan has in himself on becoming Chief Minister of the state appears to be going over the board. Pawan expresses his belief and confidence in becoming CM in 2019. After he admonished Jagan and Chandrababu by bringing up the corruption cases on Jagan and alleging the venal rule of TDP, fans from the meeting began rallying cry with ‘CM Power Star’.
The Janasenani called it a mantra and assured them that it would happen in 2019. He expressed the inevitability of Janasena coming to rule due to its new equations, while Chandrababu and Jagan fail to form the government.
He went ahead criticizing TDP Ministers Yanamala, Nimmakayala Chinarajappa and also Lokesh. In a rather explanatory tone, Pawan claims his support for TDP in 2014 was then just and obstructing the same TDP from coming to rule in 2019 is also equity now.
Pawan vented out his anguish on media for putting up debates on him for cursing the ‘Andrew’ mining company owner, who amassed thousands of crores, but not on Balakrishna’s foul Talk on Modi.
Making a mention of 40 seat CM in Karnataka and Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, Pawan accentuates it as prominent signs of change. Looks like the Janasena chief is also expecting himself to see in a ‘kingmaker’ position, at least!
INDIA, No Need To Worry On Coalition Politics
Politics is the art of the impossible. Yesterday’s sworn enemies become today’s bosom buddies. Ideologies go for a toss! All the past vitriolic comments against one another are glossed over for the time being. Their dharma is simply “the end justifies the means.” As the next general election draws closer, the age of coalition politics is back again and this time, with several surprises!
Recently, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval argued that “A government with a decisive mandate is less vulnerable to the pulls and pressures a coalition faces and, hence, better placed to take tough, non-populist decisions in larger national interest.” This line of argument is not new and finds place in several analysis pieces throughout the history.
The popular perception about coalitions in India is coloured by short-lived governments of V P Singh (1989-90), Chandrashekhar (1990-91), H D Deve Gowda (1996-97) and I K Gujral (1997-98) and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) second stint in power (2009-14).
But, one cannot ignore the fact that India has seen three full-term coalition governments between 1999-2014 (also, another between 1991-96 under Narasimha Rao) and majority governments have hardly had stellar records when it comes to checking corruption. Importantly, some of the most disruptive and far-reaching policy leaps the country has seen have been made by coalition governments.
V P Singh championed social engineering in moving ahead with the Mandal Commission recommendations seven years after they were made. The Narasimha Rao government reset Indian economic and foreign policy, ditching frameworks Rao’s own party had followed since Independence. The A B Vajpayee (1999-2004) government pursued disinvestment in earnest at a time when it was a dirty word. And under Manmohan Singh, UPA-I introduced game-changing social legislation. In almost every instance, the government and its leader moved ahead despite criticism not only from the opposition ranks but also from within.
Here are some assumptions against the majority governments:
Assumption 1: That a majority in terms of seats reflects popular endorsement and therefore, has the license to exercise its mandate in the manner it considers appropriate in national interest. It is also assumed that a majority government has national perspective, unlike a coalition one where sub-national or even sub-state and stakeholder group-specific considerations, though aggregated for government formation purposes, remain the primary drivers for decision-making.
Assumption 2: That the only stakeholder group seeking to shape governance agendas and priorities with suspect motives and methods are elected public representatives. This suggests that coalition governments are more vulnerable to corruption, while a majority government, where ideological cohesion is greater and party bonds are thick, is less amenable to it.
Both these assumptions are flawed.
In a first-past-the-post (FPTP) voting system (which India follows), a majority in terms of seats does not necessarily reflect popular will – like the current situation with the North-dominated and North-focussed BJP. This is a known limitation of the FPTP system and the BJP was a ‘beneficiary’ of it in India’s 2014 parliamentary elections – winning over half the seats with only 31 percent of the popular vote. The Congress got less than a tenth of the seats even though it garnered a fifth of the popular vote.
On the contrary, coalition governments can be far more accommodative of various voices, given how dependent government survival can be on keeping partners’ social bases and electoral interests unharmed. Interestingly then, some of the most repressive and autocratic regimes across the globe, both historically and presently, have been majority governments.
Also, political parties, particularly large ones that make it to power on their own, are not monolithic but coalitions of multiple interests themselves and ideological cohesion and party discipline are no assurance against interest-specific lobbying via underhand means.
In fact, majority governments, lacking the added layer of checks and balances that partners present in coalitions, can get deeply mired in corruption. To be accurate, coalition governments can be unclean too but to suggest that majority governments are necessary for corruption-free governance underestimates how pervasive corruption is and how embedded and potent its drivers are.
For instance, the autocratic behaviour of the current majority government in India – BJP-ruled government – is one of the sole reasons for the formation of Mahaghatbandhan, which has brought the Telugu Desam Party and the Congress – which were historically on the opposite ends of the poles – together.
So, even majority governments are susceptible to brutal majoritarianism and high corruption just like their coalition partners. This time, it is the political necessity that has brought anti-BJP allies together. Therefore, the purpose of coalition partners doesn’t necessarily have to be to come to power but to give keep lax majoritarian government in check!
‘Who Knows! Pawan May Follow Chiru’
Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM and Home Minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa expressed doubts over actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan’s commitment towards Janasena.
Speaking on Monday Nimmakayala Chinarajappa said, “Pawan’s brother Chiranjeevi had set up Prajarajyam Party and merged it in Congress for Union Minister post. Who knows what will Pawan do in the future?” said Chinarajappa, expressing doubts over Pawan’s commitment towards politics and towards the party which he himself had set up.
A normally nonchalant and non controversial Chinarajappa also mocked Pawan Kalyan saying that there is no need for Pawan to change the society now.
Chinarajappa also fired on YSRCP leaders for alleging Chandrababu Naidu as A1 accused in attack on Jagan. He retorted back at YSRCP leaders Botsa Satyanarayana, Roja and others to maintain restraint. Home Minister stressed that though YS Jagan is not cooperating for the investigation, AP Government is taking the case seriously and had already set up a Special Investigation team (SIT) for the purpose.
“While the person who attacked Jagan is saying that he had done to garner sympathy for his favourite leader, YSRCP leaders Botsa, Roja are making unnecessary allegations against CM Chandrababu Naidu. How will Chandrababu become A1?” shot back Chinarajappa.
Janasena Influence On YCP, Ambati Upset!
YSRCP loyalist Ambati Rambabu is an unhappy person these days. According to YSRCP sources, the party Chief is thinking of giving Sattanapalle seat that Ambati contested to a Muslim candidate.
Apparently, in a recent survey done by YSRCP, people in the constituency are against Ambati Rambabu. With Jana Sena recently announcing a Muslim candidate for the seat, YSRCP is now planning to replace Ambati with a Muslim leader from the party. However, to pacify Ambati, the party high command has decided to give Ambati Rambabu a nominated post along with a soon-to-be-announced elevation in the party.
Sattanapalle has been TDP’s stronghold due to its candidate Kodela Sivaprasad who enjoys great goodwill and following in the constituency. With Jana Sena entering the fray and making key announcements in Guntur district, YSRCP is left with no option but to replace Ambati.
But, Ambati Rambabu argues that they will lose other communities’ support if a Muslim leader from YSRCP is given a ticket to contest from Sattenapalle. Looks like Jana Sena’s influence in Guntur is affecting the YSRCP in its candidate selection process.
Hero Worried With Industry’s Poor Response
Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Earlier days were like, a hero says something or tweets something, it became viral. But now, there are many other viral things that these heroes are not even getting noticed.
He comes from an influential family and became a hero forcibly. Since then he’s being tried hard on the audiences despite the fact that he has no single hit to his credit. And this hero is now upset with poor response from the film industry and film media regarding his latest movie.
Despite the fact that he is talking about it a lot on social media, really no one is caring about it. Especially the film fraternity has not taken it seriously for various reasons best known to them. This has caused huge worry for the hero and he’s said to be seeking shoulders of his friend to cry on an everyday basis.
One has to prove his talents at some point or the other, to make sure that they will get maximum attention. Otherwise, if they keep on continuing, then the exit doors are quite nearer!
‘No Ready Buyers For Serious Cinema’
National Award-winning film editor Sreekar Prasad, known for his contribution to popular films like “Dil Chahta Hai”, “O Kadhal Kanmani” and “The Ghazi Attack”, says there are no ready takers for serious cinema as buyers or theatres focus more on box-office earnings which come with “established actors”.
His name has been long associated with Mani Ratnam’s movies and other films that create fireworks at the box-office. But Prasad is also known for working on indie films like Chezhiyan Ra’s directorial “To Let”.
Earlier this year, the Tamil film, which deals with house rental issues, won the National Film Award. It has also been screened at about 30 film festivals across the world. A few weeks ago, it bagged awards at the first edition of the Pondicherry International Film Festival.
“When ‘To Let’ was made, its target audience was the festival circuit and so every festival that it attends and an award it wins, is a vindication of the film. I am also happy as it has been selected for the Indian Panorama Film Section at International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2018,” Prasad, who had edited the Malayalam film “Olu” — the opening movie of the upcoming edition of IFFI, told IANS in an email interview.
Despite being a hit at film fests, “To Let” is yet to release in theatres.
“There are no ready buyers for serious cinema in the market as the buyers or theatres are looking for collections and numbers which come with established actors. These sort of films have to create a brand for themselves with various festivals and awards to create awareness about the film and subsequently, get somebody to back it and release it in theatres,” he said.
“It is a huge task no doubt but in this case, filmmakers are optimistic as it is a relatable story and I too believe it will have its audience in public exhibition too. I wish there are theatres to showcase all types of cinema and not only targeted cinema, even if it is on a smaller scale, Prasad added.
“Otherwise, we will see the demise of pure cinema and filmmakers.”
He doesn’t let a film’s budget “distract” him. “Kayamkulam Kochunni”, touted as Malayalam film industry’s most expensive movie, is one of his most recent works.
“‘…Kochunni’ was a very well-planned effort by the director (Rosshan Andrrews) and it had all the ingredients in it to appeal to the masses. We had a few discussions at the script level and once the shooting started… though it took a lot of time to shoot and execute and edit, I was sure it would sort of work well,” he said.
After making his debut in early 1980s, he worked on films in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Assamese.
Coming from a Telugu-speaking family settled in Chennai, he did not have a plan or preference for editing films in any particular language.
“It was more about getting work to showcase my skills. Chennai was strategically the industry hub for south Indian films and also for the east and northeast part of India. So many filmmakers used to come to Chennai to do their post-production. During that period, I met a few filmmakers from other parts of the country and slowly, I started getting work in different languages,” he said.
His initial independent venture “Raakh”, which released in 1989, got him a National Film Award.
“So people noticed my capabilities, but the beauty of working in different languages, meeting people from different cultures and different types of stories have greatly contributed to my evolution as a film editor,” said Prasad.
But editing bilinguals or remakes is quite a task.
“Huge effort goes into them to maintain the same intensity as the one that was shot first but as time passes by, you get used to this pressure and we do it,” he said.
The last bilingual he made was “The Ghazi Attack” and he is in the middle of editing “Saaho”. “It has been an enjoyable experience,” he said.
First Look: Ram Charan’s Vinaya Vidheya Rama
The wait is finally over for Ram Charan fans. First look of #RC12, titled Vinaya Vidheya Rama released today and the teaser will be launched on 9th of November.
After ‘Rangasthalam’, this Mega Power Star movie is action-packed. All eyes are on this film, which has Kiara Advani as the heroine.
This Sankranthi release has Vivek Oberoi playing an antagonist. It is being shot in Azerbaijan. D V V Danayya is the producer.
281 And Beyond: More Controversial Stuff Inside?
He is Very Very Special aka VVS. Yes, we are talking about the iconic Indian cricketer, proud crown winner for Telugu people, VVS Laxman. And his knock of 281 against Australia at Eden Garden in 2011 is so memorable that it has now become the name of his book too.
‘281 And Beyond’ is the autobiography of VVS Laxman, which he has co-authored with another writer. While the Telugu cricketer claimed that it will be pretty quiet and interesting, it looks like the book has its share of controversies. After being in the cricketing limelight for 20 years as a player, surely Laxman has many things to share, especially regarding his rifts with other players, selectors and also his exit from international cricket due to MS Dhoni’s pressure.
The teaser promotional material of the book reads, ‘Despite being a better knocker against all types of bowling, Laxman never made it to the world cup playing team of the Men In Blue. How should we read this? Is this autobiography controversy free? Or there is more controversial stuff inside?
So far, no Indian cricketer has come up with a controversial story of themselves, while many have revealed some unknown details. Let’s see what Laxman is up to.
Heroine’s Attitude: Producers Stand In Front Of Her
She is not a star heroine, but she earned so much popularity with just single film. Her fame got tripled with the movie and audiences went berserk for her acting talent. Although she was not the hero, she had pulled off the whole film on her shoulders through the role. Later, several rumours about the heroine’s attitude did rounds. Even a few co-stars of her have publicly complained about her attitude and alleged ‘head-strong’ nature.
While many rumours about her attitude did rounds earlier, her team tried its best to quash them. Yet, there was no much use as one or the other rumour about her would come out often. And the latest is her alleged behaviour with the producers of her film.
During the shoot of her film (outside Telugu states), the heroine said to have shown her tantrums a lot. In fact, her film’s producers who are just starting in industry were often made to stand in front of her, said the onlookers on the sets. Talk is that several new, young producers who come to her to make a film are said to be getting similar treatment. Although the producers aren’t happy with the said heroine’s attitude, they don’t have any other choice.
Young Director’s ‘Private Moments’ On Twitter
Vijay Deverakonda’s NOTA film director Anand Shankar is engaged and he who claims to be a too private and shy person puts up his private yet joyous moments on Twitter.
The young director posted his pictures from his proposal of love to his girlfriend in Dubai. In those pictures, Anand is seen spending cozy time with his girlfriend showing off the ‘ring’ on her hand and the duo kissing in a private yacht with Dubai skyline in the background.
The happiest, Anand Shankar revealed that this remains his first ever post about his private life and he really felt like sharing his happiness with all. Well, that seems to be a dreamy and adorable proposal.
Anand directed two films before he did NOTA with Vijay Deverakonda, Iru Magan and Arima Nambi, of which both were failures. NOTA too could not perform very well at box office, despite the latest sensation Vijay Deverakonda being the lead.
