Firstpost Editor's Picks: Modi, Mamata's war of words, Jet Airways saga, Sadhvi Pragya and BJP's Hindutva core; today's must-read stories

Mamata Banerjee vs Narendra Modi: As Lok Sabha election kicks into full swing, war of words escalates

Modi has a formula when it comes to electioneering. He believes in carpet bombing and, whenever possible, he takes his audience along. And then he goes on to say that the presence of the huge crowd sends out a signal that Didi's days are numbered. Didi and her acolytes leave no stones unturned — from blocking roads to refusing to let choppers land at the venue — to prevent BJP leaders from reaching their rally venues. Often, BJP supporters have to cross several hurdles just to reach the rally grounds.

BJP fielding Sadhvi Pragya Singh from Bhopal is clear evidence that party's hardline fringe has become its mainstream Hindutva core

Thakur's nomination indicates the BJP's unwillingness to wait for the due process of law to be completed. It also enables the party to feed on Hindu victimhood by showcasing her years in detention as an example of the extent to which "anti-nationals" can go to "put down Hindu interests" and the "nation". Her nomination is similar to Amit Shah's appointment as party president in 2014 although charges were pending against him in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. In both instances, the party's verdict has been given priority over that of the judiciary.

Jet Airways saga: Aviation is in Naresh Goyal's blood; he will return to the sector, says former senior vice-president

Goyal was keen on making Jet Airways a premier airline. He wanted American technology, German engineering, Swiss precision, Asian service and Indian hospitality. This was Goyal’s mental construct. Indian aviation was largely limited to domestic skies until Naresh Goyal entered the aviation front. To reach the pinnacle of success and then be thrown off it is very disheartening. However, his strength is his emotional connect with people whom he met. Aviation is in his blood.

Champions League: Tottenham expose Manchester City's defensive foibles with supreme opportunism in seven-goal thriller

At the Etihad Stadium, there were multiple matches packed into one. City won and City lost, thanks to the peculiarities of two-legged football that bloomed under the spring sky. Phases of play without a goal were like exercises in self-denial, so easy did goal-scoring seem at one point. In other moments, City overran Spurs and a tennis score seemed likely. But Tottenham kept finding the cracks within the host and breached them with supreme opportunism.

Homecoming review: Netflix Coachella documentary reinforces Beyoncé's power and cultural control

Does the documentary unravel the mystique of Beyoncé or only add to it? There is a strange sense of detachment you feel from the artist when she is FaceTime-ing her husband or meeting her kids backstage. No matter how candid a portrayal of the singer the documentary might be, will we ever really know what Beyoncé is like when she's not surrounded by her inner circle? Perhaps not, because she decides the rules. So, is the documentary really just an ode to black culture and excellence? The carefully peppered quotes and speeches by black visionaries in the footage would have us believe so.