Opposition members unwilling to ask government tough questions? | Powertrip #102

Welcome to this week’s Powertrip, a political newsletter exclusively curated for TNM and NL subscribers by Dhanya Rajendran, Shabbir Ahmed, Pooja Prasanna, and Nidheesh MK. The Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs is meeting on May 19 to discuss the recent escalation with Pakistan and Operation Sindoor. Will Opposition members refrain from asking tough questions, as Powertrip found out has been the trend lately? In Kerala, the new faces selected for the Congress leadership shows the growing influence of religious and caste organisations. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin held a solidarity march in support of India’s defence forces trumping the Governor who planned an all-faith meeting at the Raj Bhavan..Inside TrackExclusive stories, for your eyes only.Opposition’s new job: Defending the govtThe high-stakes meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs is scheduled for May 19, during which the government is expected to brief members on the recent escalation with Pakistan and Operation Sindoor. With many questions still swirling around the operation, there’s growing interest in whether Opposition members will come out satisfied with the answers they receive from the government. This committee is led by Shashi Tharoor.But here’s the thing. A committee insider offered a surprising twist: the government’s toughest defenders these days aren’t just the usual BJP voices like Ravi Shankar Prasad or Sudhanshu Trivedi. “In fact, BJP leaders hardly need to defend the government anymore. Opposition leaders are doing that job for them,” the member said.The reason? An unexpected silence from several Opposition members who, once vocal, now shy away from pressing the government even during closed-door sessions. Only two members—TMC’s Sagarika Ghosh and CPI(M)’s John Brittas—are said to consistently raise pointed questions and press for answers.Meanwhile, the Congress is once again abuzz with rumours that Shashi Tharoor is going to leave the party. Many are unhappy with him for acting like the spokesperson of the Union government and appearing across TV channels and web platforms defending every move of the government..Congress leadership rejig in Kerala: Who’s really pulling the strings?As Kerala’s 2026 elections loom, the Congress party is sending a message: not just to voters, but to the powerbrokers behind the curtain.The new KPCC leadership lineup reads like a census pie chart: Sunny Joseph (Catholic, Syro Malabar) as President, Adoor Prakash (Ezhava) as UDF Convenor, PC Vishnunath (Nair), AP Anil Kumar (Dalit), and Shafi Parambil (Muslim) as Working Presidents. Coincidence? Not quite.Behind the reshuffle, we are told, lies a quiet race between bishops, community and caste organisations. The Syro Malabar Church, once content with behind-the-scenes influence, is now flexing muscle publicly, lobbying for ‘true Catholics’ in top posts. Anto Antony, a seasoned MP and a top contender for the party chief post until the last minute, is speculated to have lost out due to whispers of his Pentecostal leanings, which made him not Catholic enough for the clergy.While SNDP’s Vellappally Natesan slammed the Congress for “Ezhava neglect” and warned of Ezhava drift toward the BJP, the party appears to have used the leadership reshuffle to make swift course corrections.The appointment of working presidents Vishnunath and Shafi Parambil signalled a long overdue nod to generational change in the Congress. Geriatric heavyweights like former UDF convenor MM Hassan are being nudged gently to the sidelines, while younger leaders—with grassroots credentials, television polish, and street cred—move to the centrestage.But let’s not mistake this for a clean break. The party’s youth pivot still needed a clearance from Kerala’s unofficial Electoral College: the community organisations.The Nair Service Society had long argued for a stronger Nair face at the top. Indian Union Muslim League insisted its favoured young blood be counted too. In the end, the leadership roster ended with just enough youth to call it reform and just enough legacy to keep the peace.Yet, tellingly, not a single woman made the cut.While these strategic appointments aim to consolidate support across diverse communities, they also highlight the growing influence of religious and caste organisations in shaping political narratives. As the election approaches, the Congress’s ability to navigate these complex social dynamics will be pivotal to its quest to reclaim power in Kerala..MK Stalin’s ‘patriotic’ counterAs tensions escalated between India and Pakistan last week, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin held a solidarity march in support of India’s defence forces.Sources told TNM that the decision to conduct the rally was made immediately after consultations with officials. This was around the same time the Tamil Nadu Governor was planning to hold an all-faith meeting at Raj Bhavan to express solidarity with the armed forces.Raj Bhavan sources said that the Governor had planned to invite Stalin to the event, but before he could do so, the Chief Minister’s announcement regarding the solidarity march took them by surprise.Sources also added that the Governor spoke to Stalin and invited him to the event. However, the Chief Minister was busy leading the march, so he delegated Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu to attend the event at Raj Bhavan on his behalf.With the idea of holding a solidarity march, the Chief Minister has countered critics who accuse the DMK of having a secessionist mindset. It also gave the party an opportunity to highlight its contribution of Rs 6 crore to the National Defence Fund immediately after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.Similarly, the DMK government had donated Rs 50 crore in three installments during the Kargil War..Zero HourA political story of public importance.Four questions Indians must ask about Operation Sindoor.It is unclear what the offensive achieved. But what it revealed is stark..PowermovesTop 5 political storiesHow one Andhra Pradesh bureaucrat was hauled up for contempt of court nearly 2000 timesWhat Janardhan Reddy’s 7-year sentence means to his Karnataka MLA seatSunny Joseph named new KPCC chief amid internal rifts, Sudhakaran steps down India saw over 20 lakh excess deaths in 2021, official Covid-19 toll was only 3.3 lakh ‘Shelling is our reality’: Evacuees in Jammu camps on attacks, bunkers, and livelihoods

Opposition members unwilling to ask government tough questions? | Powertrip #102

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