The BJP’s central observers have reached Chhattisgarh to finalise the appointment of a chief minister in the state where the party recently came to power after defeating the Congress in the assembly election.

The observers – Dushyant Gautam, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Arun Munda – are in state capital Raipur, accompanied by state BJP chief Arun Sao and state in-charge Om Mathur.

The BJP has been holding hectic meetings at the highest levels to pick three chief ministers for the three states where it won the recent elections – Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

Many leaders have been coming to meet with BJP chief JP Nadda at his Delhi home. A key meeting of the BJP’s newly-elected 54 MLAs is also likely to be held today, after which the suspense over the top post may finally end.

“Our party’s observers are coming, and we are waiting for the decision they take (at the meeting today),” Mr Mathur told news agency PTI, adding there is no “formula” to appoint a chief minister. There is a system set by the BJP’s parliamentary board which will be followed,” he said.

The BJP won 54 of the 90 seats and the Congress 35 in Chhattisgarh. The Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) managed to win a seat.

Speculation is high the BJP may select an Other Backward Classes (OBC) or a tribal chief minister if it doesn’t pick Raman Singh, who served as chief minister thrice from 2003 to 2018.

Vishnu Deo Sai, Renuka Singh, Ramvichar Netam, Lata Usendi, and Gomti Sai are being seen as contenders from the tribal community.

Mr Sao, who too resigned as an MP after being elected MLA, and OP Choudhary, both from the OBC community, are among the potential candidates.

Whoever is selected chief minister in Chhattisgarh will have a big role to play in the BJP’s campaign for the national election next year. The BJP aims to wipe out the Congress from this state in the Lok Sabha election.

In the 2019 election, the BJP won nine out of the total 11 seats in the state, while the Congress won only two.

Mayawati, the chief of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has named her nephew Akash Anand as political successor. 

Akash Anand, a prominent face during Mayawati’s Lok Sabha election campaign in 2019, is the national coordinator of the party. 

The veteran leader made the announcement at a key party meet today which was attended by the party office bearers. 
   
Mayawati, always a great critic of dynastic politics, had appointed her brother Anand Kumar national vice president of the party in 2019 and nephew Akash was made a national coordinator.

28-year-old Akash entered politics in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He was seen in several photos alongside Mayawati and other top BSP leaders.

Before that, Akash Anand was seen at multiple BSP events and also accompanied his aunt on the 2017 Uttar Pradesh state poll campaign.

BSP leader Udayveer Singh said Anand has been given the responsibility to strengthen the party organisation all over the country. “She (Mayawati) said he (Anand) will be her heir after her,” he said.

The development comes a day after Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, who recently became a target of an unsavoury exchange on the floor of the house, was suspended from the BSP.

Danish Ali was suspended after he walked out of Lok Sabha proceedings on Friday along with other opposition members to protest against the motion to expel Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra for “unethical conduct”.

Yash recently unveiled the title and release date of his upcoming film through a short teaser. Titled Toxic – A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, the movie is slated for release on April 10, 2025, marking a three-year gap since his last release, KGF 2, which hit screens in April 2022. 

Sharing the teaser on social media, Yash quoted Rumi, saying, “‘What you seek is seeking you’ – Rumi. A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups. #TOXIC @KvnProductions #GeetuMohandas.”

The one-minute title teaser showcases Yash in a retro persona, sporting a Fedora hat amidst an atmosphere tinted in shades of grey. Surrounding him are half-burnt circus tickets and cards, hinting at a period-action thriller. Notably, his distinctive hat and an antique gun set the tone for the film. Reports suggest the storyline delves into the global drug mafia. The movie was reportedly shot in Goa, Sri Lanka, and London.

This teaser also confirms Yash’s collaboration with director Geetu Mohandas, known for her impactful work in both Bollywood and Malayalam cinema. Her 2019 film, Moothon, was hailed as a cornerstone of emerging talent in cinema that year. The pairing promises an intriguing blend of diverse storytelling styles.

Rumours are abuzz about the film featuring three leading ladies, with Sai Pallavi being one of them. However, confirmation is awaited.