This week we saw the NCP split – as Ajit Pawar broke away to join the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance and took oath as Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister. As the political upheaval unfolded, TV news anchors took a U-turn from their usual narrative.   

Unlike 2019, when Arnab Goswami and his ilk questioned Uddhav Thackeray for Shiv Sena’s alliance with the NCP and Congress, Ajit Pawar’s move to unite with Shinde-Fadnavis was hailed as a “masterstroke”. This expression of high opinion also involved a lot of bad puns on the saga, with the ticker and thumbnail writers having a field day. 

Meanwhile, Rubika Liyaquat, who had quit ABP News last month, rolled out her two new shows on Bharat24. Fair to say, it’s not too different from her stint at ABP News as she continued to grill the opposition.

But Liyaquat’s takes on her shows is understandable – after all, the owner of Bharat24 Jagdish Chandra insists on providing “intelligent support” to the governing dispensation. 

Watch.