A sweet end: After WB, Odisha gets GI tag for its version of Rasgulla

Odisha on Monday bagged the geographical indication (GI) tag for its “Rasagola”, thus bringing it a late cheer in its battle since 2015 with West Bengal on the sweet’s origin. West Bengal had won the first round. Both states staked their claim on the syrupy dessert. In 2017, West Bengal secured the GI tag for its “Banglar Rasogolla”. Now with Odisha also securing a certificate for a similar but somewhat differently named delicacy, it seems both will be relishing the sweet end.

Unhappy over ghar wapsi

Not everyone is happy with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath (pictured) securing the homecoming of two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs, Narayan Tripathi and Sharad Kol. The rivalry between the former leader of the state opposition, Ajay Singh, and Tripathi is an old one. During the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, Singh had contested from the Satna seat and lost by a very thin margin. He then blamed Tripathi for his defeat. Tripathi was then a Congress MLA from Maihar, which falls in the Satna Lok Sabha constituency. He switched to the BJP just two days before the Assembly elections last year, which is a reason why the Congress unit of Maihar seems firmly against Tripathi's ghar wapsi. But they have had to reconcile with the comeback because, as Spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said, the unit members would accept whatever Nath did to strengthen the party.

Relishing a plight

It’s been several days since actor Rahul Bose’s tweet about shelling out Rs 442 for two bananas at Chandigarh’s JW Marriott appeared on our timelines but the after-effect lingers. Brands continue to milk the hotel’s plight, which includes a fine of Rs 25,000 by tax authorities besides a massive PR damage — with pitches taking a dig on the overpriced fruit. On Monday, Marico’s Coco Soul chips reminded its Instagram followers that a pack of their coconut chips, which comes in four flavours, costs only Rs 356, nearly Rs 100 less than what the actor paid for two bananas. This follows a long list of other brands that are having a field day promoting themselves at the JW Mariott’s expense — be it rival The Park, which advertised “complimentary bananas” at its spa, or Oyo Rooms' mocking “Don’t slip”. While some such as Amazon, Policy Bazaar, and Pizza Hut had witty suggestions on how buying their products, service or subscription was cheaper, the likes of Reliance Smart and Nature’s Basket were quick to remind that they sold bananas at a much cheaper price — Rs 14 for two.