Firstpost Editors' Picks: Opposition's alliance efforts, Cyclone Fani survivors, middle income trap; today's must-read stories

At fag end of polling, Opposition steps up alliance efforts after Ram Madhav cast doubts over BJP's ability to get majority BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav recently admitted that this year it will fall short of winning an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and will have to turn to allies to form the government if voted to power. Following his statement, Rahul Gandhi and N Chandrababu Naidu discussed post-poll strategy, which will be key to deciding whether all anti-BJP can set aside their differences to come together at the Centre. Opposition parties also plan to meet President of India Ram Nath Kovind to urge him not to invite the single-largest party to form the government in case the Lok Sabha election throws up a split verdict Cyclone Fani survivors: As Bhubaneswar struggles to rise to its feet, water and power scarcity levels rich-poor divide Rich and poor are equally battling for water post-Cyclone Fani. Since 3 May, the daytime temperature has risen considerably and has been hovering around 40 degrees Celsius but what has made the situation worse is the rising level of humidity. Generators have been much in demand in the city since Fani took out several electricity poles last week. But these machines are available at a premium and locals need to queue up if they want to rent one. Overworked generator workers are not, however, entirely happy with the hours but those who can afford are not taking any chances and renting the machines. **Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council member predicts 'middle income trap' in economy: How will you be impacted?** In a broader sense, middle income trap is a scenario where middle-income groups, which have been shouldering the domestic consumption, gradually stop doing so on account of loss of confidence or fear of income loss. The problem with this economy is that exports have never been a key factor for India’s growth story all these years . It is a mix of government spending and the domestic consumption that have always played the role of growth-drivers, especially since the 90s. Now, government spending is unlikely to pick up at least in the next one year on account of fiscal constraints and burden of populist spending political parties have committed to with regard their voters. **After stop-start career, triple jumper Arpinder Singh finding speed and momentum under Antony Yaich** In the next few days, four athletes including Arpinder, triple jumper Chitravel and sprinter Dhanalaxmi will accompany French athletics coach Antony Yaich for a camp in Paris. The plan is to stay there for five weeks where the four Indian athletes could participate in two to four national competitions. For Arpinder, this will mean a chance to put his new routine into action. For Yaich, this means the opportunity to turn Arpinder slowly but surely into what he calls a ‘17m jumper’. **_Maharshi_ movie review: Mahesh Babu's conviction holds this partly underwritten film together** Maharshi is a well-intentioned drama and has some beautifully written sequences; however, it holds back on a lot of things it wants to say for so long that it makes you feel restless at times. It’s treated like a biopic of a fictional character, who goes back to his roots to mend some fences and in the process, his life undergoes a major transformation. And the film too gets better as its lead character progresses towards realising his true sense of purpose.