Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan made an unexpected visit to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s National Research Centre for Grapes in Pune, Maharashtra, on Friday. During his visit, he expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Centre's operations, particularly regarding the nursery and the effectiveness of grape varieties developed there. This criticism comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) evaluates its performance in recent Assembly elections.

In a related development, the BJP's Kerala unit is facing internal turmoil following comments made by P C George, who accused certain Catholic Church bishops of attempting to sway Christian voters towards the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). His remarks have sparked discontent among party leaders, who fear that such statements could damage the BJP's standing in the state. Additionally, Shone George's suggestion to rebrand the party's image away from its Hindu-centric perception was met with resistance from other leaders.

On a different note, Union Minister Tokhan Sahu took a proactive step in response to Prime Minister Modi's call for fuel conservation by cycling a 3-km stretch to his office, accompanied by his personal security officers. However, he later opted for a car to reach the airport for a flight, highlighting the challenges of balancing personal initiatives with practical needs.