Mamata Banerjee Faces Uphill Battle to Rebuild TMC After Rebellion
Following a devastating defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has witnessed a rapid exodus of its members. Nineteen of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs and two Rajya Sabha MPs have already left the party. Interestingly, these defectors have not joined another party yet, but their departure signals deep internal discontent.
Women Rebels Lead the Charge
The rebellion against Mamata Banerjee is being led by prominent women leaders such as Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Saayoni Ghosh, Satabdi Roy, and Sushmita Dev. In her weekly column, Editor-in-Chief Jyoti Malhotra draws parallels between Mamata and noted khayal singer Kesarbai Kerkar, highlighting their capacity to negotiate power and excellence. The rebels have metaphorically picked up kitchen knives to stab the leader they once vowed to fight for. Mamata may need to invoke Rabindranath Tagore's spirit of walking alone, as expressed in the poem Ekla chalo re.
Pressure to Sideline Nephew
Mamata is under pressure to sideline or remove her problematic nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. The tension between 'us versus him' has reached a flashpoint. However, it is unlikely that Mamata will make drastic decisions regarding her nephew. Despite the challenges, senior journalist Shikha Mukerjee believes Mamata will not wither away, no matter how fervently the putschists and the BJP wish it.
Modi's 12-Year Milestone and BJP's Expansion
On June 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 12 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru's record of 4,398 days as prime minister. Ajay Mehra, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Multilevel Federalism, argues that the comparison is flawed because Nehru inherited a divided country and an empty treasury. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi is still taking baby steps under adversity, and his efforts, though imperfect, are sincere.
Senior journalist Radhika Ramaseshan notes that Modi's obsession with expanding the BJP's footprint nationwide led him to appoint Amit Shah as party president. Modi worked on a self-drawn agenda that balanced RSS expectations, party authority over government, stable bureaucracy, and large economic initiatives.
Modinomics: Balancing Change and Longevity
Senior journalist R Jagannathan describes Modinomics as a dynamic ideology that balances economic change with political longevity. No other party has better ideas for India's economic future, which keeps Modi ahead of his rivals.
Rise of Cockroach Janta Party
The sudden rise of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), founded by Abhijeet Dipke, has revealed a generation that feels unheard. Deputy Editor Harvinder Khetal warns that the image of young Indians marching under a cockroach banner signals a demand for opportunity. The CJP must convert symbolism into substance and viral popularity into meaningful reform.
RBI's Gold Dilemma
Amid the West Asia crisis, the Reserve Bank of India faces a trilemma: buy more gold, sell some gold, or stay still. Former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg suggests selling some gold to book profit and shore up foreign currency reserves. Changing the mindset that gold is untouchable is necessary.
India-EU Tensions Over Kashmir
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas met Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, leading to a joint statement that linked Jammu and Kashmir with Russia's war on Ukraine. Former MEA Secretary Vivek Katju calls this unprecedented and offensive, arguing that the EU showed disregard for Indian sensitivities. India must respond with logic backed by action.
