Firstpost Editor's Picks: Congress in trouble, Louis CK's bullying, KL Rahul's selection for Sydney; today's must-read stories

Sabarimala row lands Congress in trouble in Kerala as 'BJP vs CPM' contest emerges from political polarisation Completely lost out in the game by not taking either a socially progressive or constitutionally right position is the Congress, that too just ahead of the 2019 elections. In the process, the BJP has edged it out from its traditional antagonist role vis-a-vis the CPM. If the political equations get skewed further or even stay as they are, the Congress is going to be in trouble because on Sabarimala, it’s on the same side of the BJP. India’s reaction to Donald Trump’s ‘library’ jibe indicates New Delhi's deeper anxiety over US' shifting Afghan policy It is not inconceivable that American withdrawal will eventually increase Pakistan’s leverage over Afghanistan and its terrorist proxies will get a freer hand. This anxiety may have prompted India to underline its role in ensuring stability in Afghanistan. In a White House bereft of adults, however, it is anybody’s guess what America’s next move will be. One suspects even Trump has very little idea. Louis CK, Kevin Spacey are bullying their way back into limelight with awful 'comedy'   There’s nothing more embarrassing — and morbidly fascinating — as a has-been clinging to his celebrity, while he’s making the people around him uncomfortable with his bitterness. Kevin Spacey, or House of Cards’ Frank Underwood, the lionised Netflix villain we’ve come to identify him with in recent times, dropped a Christmas video on YouTube that was so breathtakingly cocky, self-absorbed, and remorseless that it would be funny if it wasn’t so vile. KL Rahul's selection for Sydney Test does him no favours; he'd be better served stepping away from game In his last 26 innings in 15 Tests, Rahul passed the half-century mark only three times. Five ducks headline the string of 13 innings in which he has been dismissed for less than 10 runs. He is a pale shadow of the batsman who walked tall a little over a year ago. Not even the 149 at the Oval when he, along with Rishab Pant, raised visions of an improbable Indian win, refuelled his confidence. **Centre's move to provide constitutional safeguards in Assam sets electoral narrative by reviving old discourse** The recent move to provide constitutional safeguards is seen as an attempt to make good the losses the BJP incurred due to the proposal of the citizenship bill. Soon after the Cabinet decision, the Assam BJP unveiled its campaign portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a true well-wisher of the indigenous people. A post by the Assam BJP on its Facebook page also said no earlier government made an attempt to provide a constitutional safeguard to the indigenous people of Assam.