Left, Right & Centre

On Left, Right and Centre tonight, we discuss three big stories: The political crisis in Puducherry after the Chief Minister resigns; the impact of the mahapanchayats or farmers' meetings in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh; and the Coronavirus upsurge.

WHO Chief Scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan speaks to NDTV amid the scare over new mutant strains of the coronavirus. India must use logistics of both the public and private sectors to ensure an increase in the pace of vaccination drive, she said.

On the day he resigned as Puducherry Chief Minister, V Narayanasamy said the BJP used the central agencies to threaten Congress MLAs and indulge in horse-trading. "BJP wanted to break our government before PM Modi's visit on February 25," he alleged.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said there could be a lockdown across the state if the coronavirus numbers keep going up. The remark comes amid reports that mutant strains of the virus are already present in the state. On Left Right and Centre, we explain what these mutant strains are, how deadly they are and how transmissible these Indian variants can be.

After a prolonged debate over the involvement of the private sector in India's vaccination drive, NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul tells NDTV that there will soon be an announcement on the plan to rope in private sector in the vaccination drive. "We will unveil a plan in a matter of a few days, and I assure you, the private sector will play a very important role," Dr Paul says, adding that it will be a strong partnership between the public and the private sector. Dr Paul also speaks about the emergency use authorisation of Russian vaccine Sputnik V.

The Delhi Police arrested Disha Ravi alleging that she is a key conspirator in the January 26 tractor rally violence who prepared and spread the "Toolkit" in an attempt to revive a Khalistani group. But in the court, when asked repeatedly by the Judge for evidence, the Delhi Police said investigation is still underway. Did the police go ahead with the arrest based on just allegations?

NDTV accesses the latest, high-resolution satellite images of the North Bank of Pangong Lake, where the process of de-escalation is underway. Is the disengagement with China in Eastern Ladakh a win-win situation for India?

The process of disengagement between India and China is continuing in a satisfactory pace at the moment, the government says. Many people would have felt that given both sides were really entrenched in their positions over the last few months, it would have been a long winter up in eastern Ladakh. Former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran speaks to NDTV on what the way forward is and whether this is a win-win situation for India.

Close to 92 lakh people have been inoculated against the coronavirus in India. There is an excess vaccine supply, but India may still miss its targets. On Left, Right and Centre, we bring to you exclusive details of a letter written by banker Uday Kotak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as president of the Confederation of Indian Industry or CII to include the private sector the vaccination drive.

After Disha Ravi, the police go after her associates. Tonight we ask, are "Toolkit" activists a threat to India?