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And now a ‘Feel Good Party’!
NEW DELHI: Popular satirist Jaspal Bhatti Wednesday floated a new political outfit – the “Feel Good Party” – and promptly went on to mock at the country’s political tribe.
And in keeping with the times, he said his party was ready to form an alliance with any other party, ideology be damned, and said the symbol of the party would be a “smiling cat” and “a smiling dog”.
“I was compelled to float such a party because the feel good atmosphere promoted by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) is so powerful and so impressive,” Bhatti told IANS, tongue firmly in cheek.
“Its only agenda is to generate a feel-good feeling and keep that sensation going, no matter how bad people may be feeling.
“If we are voted, we promise to spend public money on promos and advertisements to keep up a constant feel good feeling.”
Bhatti, 48, an electrical engineer, has used his simple, yet hard-hitting comic style both in television serials, on stage and on the streets to get his message across and see that it hits home.
The feel good party would field candidates in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and “wherever the response is good”.
It is a “spoof” on political parties, and Bhatti has lampooned virtually every major political outfit of the country.
The party would have “no ideology”, he insisted, so that it would be that much easier to ally with just about anybody.
“We are open to an alliance with BJP or Congress, or even both,” he said straight-facedly.
And its prime ministerial candidate will only belong to the Bhatti family – a tribute to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty dominating the Congress party.
“Though our prime ministerial candidate will be a Bhatti, we will not announce any candidate until after the elections, so that there is no friction in the party.”
The entertainer continued: “First cousins will not be allowed – although grandchildren and even great grandchildren can join.”
The symbol of the party would be “a smiling cat” and “a smiling dog”.
Indecision?
“We have kept both symbols so that even if our party splits and we lose one symbol, the other will remain with us!”
The animals are, of course, grinning widely. “It is the feel-good factor,” reminds Bhatti.
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India Today Group debuts AI anchor ‘Sutra’ at AI Impact Summit 2026
Sutra aims to simplify live policy debates using sovereign AI models
NEW DELHI: India Today Group has unveiled Sutra, an AI-driven news anchor designed to deliver real-time, contextual reporting, marking the group’s latest push to integrate artificial intelligence into mainstream journalism.
The AI anchor was introduced at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi and developed in collaboration with BharatGen, with the initiative showcased by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
India Today Group said Sutra is built to navigate complex policy discussions and fast-moving developments by synthesising information into concise, accessible insights, aimed at narrowing the gap between high-level debates and public understanding. The AI anchor was used to surface live takeaways from key sessions at the summit.
India Today Group chief AI officer Nilanjan Das, said the project was focused on clarity and accessibility without diluting editorial rigour. He added that working with BharatGen aligned the group’s AI ambitions with India’s broader push towards sovereign technology capabilities.
BharatGen CEO Rishi Bal, said the partnership reflected a shift from basic automation towards deeper contextual intelligence in media. He emphasised the importance of indigenous, multimodal AI models capable of understanding Indian languages, regional dialects and cultural nuance, particularly as AI-driven news formats gain traction.
The launch positions India Today Group among the first major Indian media houses to deploy an AI anchor backed by home-grown technology, underscoring a growing convergence between journalism, public policy and sovereign AI infrastructure.
