
After Kerala and Karnataka, the race for the top police post in Uttar Pradesh began even before the government launched the process to pick the replacement of DGP Prashant Kumar, a 1990-batch IPS officer, who retires from service this month. Sources said it is unknown whether the state government will forward a panel of names to the UPSC or opt for its amended rules for selecting the new DGP.
Apart from Prashant Kumar, UP cadre IPS officers, including DG (Jail) PV Ramasastri of the 1989 batch and DG (Training, Police Headquarters) Sanjay M Tarde of the 1994 batch, will also retire on May 31. This will change the seniority list of police officers in the state.
Therefore, 1990 batch officers like DG (State Human Rights Commission) Sandeep Salunke, DG BSF Daljit Singh Chaudhary, DG attached to DGP headquarters Renuka Mishra and DG (Training) Tilottama Verma are seen as front-runners for the coveted job, sources said. Tilottama Verma is the senior-most of them. The grapevine has it that she might be the final choice, leading to UP getting its first woman DGP.
BJP may induct prominent MPs
The BJP is reportedly preparing for a significant wave of inductions. Several prominent leaders from rival parties, including five MPs, among them three sitting, are expected to join their ranks over the next six weeks. According to sources, one of the sitting MPs is a woman known for her strong nationalist stance and outspoken support for the government during Operation Sindoor. It could happen towards the end of June or shortly after the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
“This much-anticipated political shift is likely to deliver a substantial blow to a major opposition party,” a source hints. Ahead of these high-profile entries, the BJP is said to be creating a conducive environment for MPs from Opposition — those who have consistently supported PM Narendra Modi’s government on matters of national importance — to break ranks and align themselves with the BJP’s vision of nation-building.
There’s suspense about the names, except for a BJP functionary’s clue that “they are law-makers who dare stand up for the nation, even while being part of parties that routinely oppose the government’s positive initiatives.” What about Congress MP Shashi Tharoor? The senior functionary responded cryptically: “Our party respects his intellect and unwavering dedication to the nation. For us, the nation comes first — everything else follows.”
Irani now more of a philanthropist!
Of late, former Union minister Smriti Z Irani appears to have embraced a more philanthropic role following her defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In a notable gesture of solidarity with the Indian Armed Forces after the success of Operation Sindoor, she announced that she would donate her entire pension and benefits, which she is entitled to as a former MP, to the National Defence Fund. Irani now serves as an adviser to the All India Traders Federation and is a strategic advisor to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), lending her voice more actively to the cause of trader welfare.
A senior BJP leader, speaking anonymously, observed, “She is an intelligent woman leader of the BJP, who now deserves a more academic responsibility till she wins again from Amethi and returns to active politics. She is now more of a philanthropist than a politician.” Recently, she was at the Harvard Kennedy School for a lecture on “Breaking the Mould: Women Leading in Politics”.
Her routine includes regularly participating in seminars and conferences, frequently addressing diverse audiences. Recently, she delivered alecture at the CAIT-organised “National Trader Leaders Meet”. She also participated in the “Women Leaders in STEM” panel discussion at the Hopkins Indian Conference 2025. In addition, Irani participated in the dialogue at the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2025 in Singapore, speaking on the theme “Catalysing Collaborative Philanthropy for Climate & Development in Asia.”
Fake news busted during Op Sindoor
The government reinforced the Fact Check Unit, which operates under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) at the National Media Centre, during Operation Sindoor for real-time fact-checking of false claims and manufactured stories about damage to Indian forces. Senior I&B ministry officials, from Prasar Bharati and the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), collaborated to manage the crisis and debunk fake news that could cause public panic. The team operated round the clock, with top government functionaries, including the I&B Secretary, continuously monitoring the situation. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and MoS L. Murugan interacted with the team members during the operation to maintain morale.