Tight-lipped for a cause?

Merchant bankers are generally forthcoming and even readily brag with hacks about the IPO mandates that they secure from those aspiring to tap the market. This is more so in the current times of IPO frenzy.

However, things were quite different when it came to the proposed mega LIC initial public offering. Almost all the 10 investment banks that were selected by the government this past week to handle the IPO of LIC remained tight-lipped on talking about their selection and other modalities. Reason: It now transpires that DIPAM — which is the most powerful government department (next only to the PMO) — had sent a mail to the selected investment banks to refrain from talking or sharing details about the mandates with the media.

Needless to say that the investment banks decided to follow the advisory (read instruction) down to a tee.

'No show' by Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented himself back again for the daily Covid review press conference at 6 pm on Saturday. His choice to disconnect from the eagerly watched live show for 36 days at a stretch had sent rumour mill working overtime and gave rise to theories for and against — depending on which side of the political divide they originated from.

After all, the recess coincided with a surge in daily new cases and test positivity rate as also all-round criticism of the State’s Covid strategy. As he began the address on Saturday, Vijayan said he was happy to resume after a break forced by ‘an intervening session of the Assembly followed by Onam holidays’. Nothing more, nothing less!

Living it up

Former chief minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa is making it large when it comes to his retired life. Sources close to him say that he recently took his entire family for a holiday abroad and when he returned to Bengaluru, a brand new seven-seater Toyota Vellfire, a hybrid electric car, which costs about ₹1.06 crore was waiting for him at the parking lot.

Sources also say that the Toyota has been bought to ensure that he has a comfortable ride during his campaign ahead of the State elections. Some relief for a man who was quite reluctant to give up the CM’s post not long ago.

Batting for majoritarianism

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel stoked a storm of a debate after his remarks at the idol installation ceremony of Bharat Mata Mandir in Gandhinagar earlier this week. Patel had stated that India’s secularism, Constitution, democracy and secularism will cease to exist if Hindus become a minority.

He also said, “Those talking about Constitution, secularism and India’s laws will do so as long as Hindu community is in majority in the country. Once the number of Hindus goes into minority, nothing of this will exist.”

Later in an explanation to TV channels on his comments, Patel said his reference was in context of the current global events, where people with extremist ideologies have overpowered democracy in a nation.

Abuses fly thick and fast

Hurling abuses is nothing new to politics. But it hit a new low last week in Telangana, with top Congress and TRS leaders exchanging abuses, attracting sharp criticism on social media. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee President A Revanth Reddy ridiculed Telangana Rashtra Samiti leader and Labour and Employment Minister Ch Malla Reddy, calling him a ‘joker’ and a ‘broker’.

Malla Reddy, who’s not new to using lighter and harsh words on public forums, paid the Congress MP back in his own coin, calling him a ‘blackmailer’, a ‘middleman’ and several other unmentionable things. Social media was abuzz about the lack of sanity of politicians while talking in public.

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