Mohan Bhagwat's 'unusually long' visit to Rajasthan sparks doubts

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat (pictured) recently spent 10 days at a stretch in Rajasthan, a visit described by many as “unusually long”. While the RSS “officially” denied that his visit had anything to do with next month’s elections in the state, Bhagwat's frequent treks to Rajasthan is being seen by many as an effort to mobilise RSS leaders and cadres on the ground amid reports that state Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is battling a wave of anti-incumbency. There are also informal discussions that the unprecedented resource mobilisation in the state is being undertaken on the condition that if the Bharatiya Janata Party came back to power, there would be a “different” chief minister.

Naidu throws hat into ring

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is fast emerging as a binding force in Telangana politics. As the anti-K Chandrashekar Rao forces grapple with that elusive seat-share formula which would please all, Naidu has reportedly stepped in and is conducting meetings with local leaders and urging them to be flexible on seat sharing. The idea is to keep the grand alliance of the Congress, TDP, Communist Party of India and Telangana Jana Samithi from falling apart. The Assembly polls are scheduled to take place in Telangana later this year and the state’ s ruling party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti, has announced it will go alone. 

How things change!

Things changed overnight for A K Bassi, the investigating officer considered close to ousted CBI director Alok Verma, Bassi was a hero on Tuesday as he produced his colleague and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Devender Kumar, in a Delhi court, and to everyone's surprise even paraded him in front of the media. Kumar was arrested on the basis of an FIR registered against then CBI number two special director Rakesh Asthana. Kumar was sent to seven days' custody. However, Bassi's fate changed in less than 12 hours. After M Nageswar Rao was appointed the acting CBI chief on Tuesday night, one of his first orders was to transfer Bassi to Port Blair. Sources said Bassi was not even allowed to pick up his belongings from his cabin in the headquarters as it remained sealed for investigation and he walked out of the building refusing to answer questions from the media. “Sent to kalapani,” said one of his colleagues, alluding to a colonial prison in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.