Firstpost Editor's Picks: Congress and BJP battle in Bastar, Barcelona's victory, Modi biopic win-win for Vivek Oberoi; today's must-read stories

**Lok Sabha election 2019: In Naxal-affected Bastar, Congress and BJP wage last-minute battle** Development, undergirded by the Indian State, continues with bumptiousness, and so does the war against the State, by implacable tribals who see it as blustery. The tribals have for long considered ‘development in Bastar’ an unwelcome attempt by the Indian State to mainstream them. What will work for the voters – the development work done by the previous BJP government and the Narendra Modi factor or the promises made by the present Congress government like loan waivers to farmers? **Lok Sabha election 2019: As Western UP goes to poll, everybody wants a piece of Charan Singh; why? Who is he?** Bitter and contentious as the campaigning was for this phase, there was one common theme: All the four parties in Uttar Pradesh — BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party-BSP — invoked the name of Charan Singh and claimed they were the legitimate successors of his legacy. Historically, even Chaudhary Charan Singh, a hard-core Arya Samajist, was particularly never enamoured of the brand of secularism espoused by the Congress. These faultlines have only deepened as his progenies are desperately fighting to protect even the vestiges of Chaudhary’s political legacy. Is India being unfairly targeted internationally on non-transparency of its official statistics? The club of economists questioning the transparency of economic growth numbers released by the government is growing. The world doubting India’s growth numbers could be even more damaging for the Indian economy than facing criticism on failing to bring back growth momentum. India’s data credibility has come under attack on two fronts — on growth numbers and on employment figures. Also, there are allegations that the government is either delaying or hiding the critical job data fearing backlash on rising unemployment. Champions League: Barcelona cruise to victory in second gear as Manchester United fail to reproduce PSG heroics It was perhaps a little ironic that Luis Suarez’s goal stood after the video technology confirmed the validity of the Uruguayan’s strike in the 13th minute. That’s how little time Barcelona needed to dismantle Solskjaer’s 5-3-2 formation and dispel Manchester United’s simmering dreams of silverware in the European Cup. The slight delay in the VAR decision and the mundane arc of Suarez’s header across the face of David de Gea’s goal rendered the moment somewhat quotidian. It is finally acche din for Vivek Oberoi: Why EC stalling Modi biopic is a win-win situation for the actor If Vivek Oberoi’s Modi bio-pic had caught fire at the box office before the elections, he could have preened in its afterglow. He could have even claimed, humbly of course, that his “little” film did its bit to create the second Modi wave. A Padma award, at least, was guaranteed. But now that the Election Commission has decided to delay its release till after the polls, he can go around donning the mantle of victimhood.