Left, Right & Centre

The political fallout of Arvind Kejriwal's protest against what he claims is uncooperative bureaucrats is getting bigger. All the key opposition parties, including the chief of Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee, have extended support to Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Congress, however, has not joined in backing Mr Kejriwal. Has Ms Banerjee positioned herself as a de facto leader of a federal front? Is this a Congress self-goal before the Lok Sabha elections in 2019?

India has seen some setbacks in foreign policy in its neighbourhood. Seychelles has cancelled a major Indian naval base project, and the Maldives has refused to give visas to Indian workers. India's foreign policy in the region could come under pressure.

The government has called off the Ramzan "ceasefire" but perhaps there really was no option amid the uninterrupted violence in the state including repeated attempts at infiltration. So, it's back to square one in Jammu and Kashmir. There will be no let up in the fight against terrorists in the state, no ceasefire, just more operations. Kashmir today is in a critical situation, perhaps more so than ever. With this latest peace formula proving to be unsuccessful, the big question is, what is the solution?

Support for Arvind Kejriwal seems to be building up as his sit-in at the Lieutenant Governor's house is into its sixth day. Four chief ministers - Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, HD Kumaraswamy and Chandrababu Naidu - wrote to the Lt Governor asking him to allow them to meet Arvind Kejriwal but were denied permission. They then decided to meet Arvind Kejriwal's family at his residence. Today on Left, Right and Centre, we are going to focus on the unprecedented situation we have in the National Capital. Is this latest dharna of Arvind Kejriwal's and the AAP government a master stroke or blunder?

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah speaks up about the killing of renowned journalist Shujaat Bukhari. He highlights that some things Shujaat Bukhari said may have been "unpalatable to the national mainstream" but stresses that he "did not take any sides". Mr Abdullah also talks about other voices in the past that have been silenced in similar ways.

Shujaat Bukhari was a prominent face of Kashmiri journalism, with over three decades of experience. The 52-year-old veteran journalist was given police protection after an attempt on his life in 2006. But while Kashmir has been witness to brutal violence, it is the first time in nearly a decade that a journalist has been attacked and killed and the questions now being asked are, why Bukhari and why now?

Senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari was shot dead this evening outside his office in Srinagar in an audacious terror attack that has left the nation in shock. Mr Bukhari, the editor of Rising Kashmir newspaper, was shot at close range in the attack in which his two security officers were also killed.

Baijayant Jay Panda, who just resigned as Lok Sabha MP of the Biju Janata Dal or BJD earlier this week, today told NDTV his decision to quit the party and resign his parliamentary post came after the death of his father, Dr Bansidhar Panda, in May. "My decision to quit BJD was based on this last straw when neither the BJD party president nor anybody came to pay their last respects to a man, my father, who was not involved with my politics but had been a very close friend and associate of the late Biju Patnaik after which this party is named."

Tejashwi Yadav, the son of Bihar leader Lalu Yadav, today said he was working with Rahul Gandhi to "save democracy and the constitution". The 28-year-old, seen as the political heir of Bihar Veteran Lalu Yadav, is known to share a rapport with the Congress chief. Today, on the question of the Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate of the united opposition, Tejashwi Yadav gave a cautious response that took nothing for granted.

Four BSF soldiers have been killed in Pakistani firing at the International Border in the most serious violation of the ceasefire since both sides agreed to honour it in letter and spirit only late last month. How can this ceasefire be protected and it's sanctity maintained?