Keyword : BJP

Govindacharya demands action against BJP over advertisements

Even as Delhi went to polls on Saturday, KN Govindacharya, convener of Save Democracy Front   and former ideologue of BJP, has sought postponement of the elections as the BJP has violated

New govt needs to breathe life into Yamuna and Delhi

A dead Yamuna, seen from the metro train crossing from New Delhi to Delhi, can explain what city has done to it in past few years. The river is still, not moving even at surface. Gre

Mamata and anti-BJP forces need not rejoice

Delhi has been different and will be different. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee should remember this. She called the AAP’s landslide win in the Delhi Assembly polls as a "turn

UP lessons for Bihar: Subversive politics may boomerang

Clever logic and smart sentences come naturally to smart alecs. If they happen to be lawyers-turned-politicians, their skills are often honed to perfection. Bihar governor Keshri Nath Tripathi easi

No surprises in byelections, huge win for ADMK in Jaya’s seat

As anticipated the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won the assembly by-election to the prestigious Srirangam constituency of Tamil Nadu, earlier held by the party chief J J

The Goliaths got it wrong in Delhi. They fell, and fell very hard

I am not going to repeat the biblical story here; I have used this word for two giants and powerful adversaries of the AAP. The two national parties, the BJP and Congress, with decades of political

Govt ready to talk and change on land bill

While the government keeps a brave face on land acquisition bill even as it tries to open a window of accommodation, the BJP has formed a committee to look into farmer`s concerns. Pa

Modi to witness BJP’s moment, Mufti’s swearing in ceremony in Jammu on Sunday

With a bear hug a deal of historic importance has been sealed. Patron of the Peoples Democratic Party Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was greeted with a hug by prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning

PDP-BJP alliance: Dealing with differences

As the saying goes, politics is the art of the possible. A political drama on the same lines is unfolding in Jammu and Kashmir where the foes, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Pa

Mufti’s Pak remark rebutted by BJP, Sajjad Lone plays safe

Seeking to take sting out of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed`s provocative statement crediting "people from across the border" for conduct of assembly polls, the BJ

AAP’s moment of reckoning

Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal share many characteristics. Cult politics is one of them. However, unlike the PM, the Delhi CM is fortunate in having people who can speak out and question him.

Politics of opportunism in ‘post-ideology phase’

In the mid-1990s when BSP chief Kanshi Ram was not diffident about making “opportunism” his political ideology, it was frowned upon by media and mainstream politicians. However, two dec

Opacity of politics

Political parties have a predictable attitude when it comes to transparency: that it is a very good thing and it must apply to everybody – other than us. It was of course a political party th

Sonia’s Congress in no mood to get well soon

Just as Congress president Sonia Gandhi was admitted to a hospital in the US in 2011, a bouquet with a get-well-soon message was delivered at her residence early one morning. Sonia’s illness

Is BJP MP aware of killer facts about tobacco consumption in India?

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dilip Gandhi has made a loaded statement that no Indian studies link tobacco to cancer. The MP in his capacity as chairman of the Lok Sabha’s committee of subo

People betrayed as Khemka is shunted out by BJP govt

If he thought that he could breathe easy under the new regime, he felt it wrong. And if the public had hoped to see change in the way governments function, this case is an example that they (govern

BJP’s army to fight for land bill as party begins national meet

The BJP is deploying over 15 lakh party workers, who would be trained to reach out to people and spread the message of good work being done by the Modi government. Another mass contact programme be

President okays re-promulgation of land ordinance

President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday signed an order to facilitate re-promulgation of the land acquisition ordinance, two days before the expiry of earlier ordinance. The Union Cabin

Tobacco controversy: PM Modi seeks report from health ministry

Signaling the rethink over the tobacco panel that suggested cessation of pictorial warning on tobacco products, prime minister Narendra Modi has asked health minister JP Nadda to appoint a high-lev

Tobacco controversy: PM Modi seeks report from health ministry

Signaling the rethink over the tobacco panel that suggested cessation of pictorial warning on tobacco products, prime minister Narendra Modi has asked health minister JP Nadda to appoint a high-lev

Trouble in the valley

This year the spring has come with a mixed bag for Kashmir – freak weather, non-seasonal snowfall, and a nascent government that has barely survived a collapse followed by sneak attacks by te

Secularism of festivities

Justice Kurian Joseph’s objection to the chief justice of India, HL Dattu, holding the chief justices conference on Good Friday and Easter is more than a tussle among the top judiciary on a s

Karnataka sends fresh request as CBI declines time-bound probe

Somebody has goofed up and somebody will pay for it. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday was forced to say that his government would send a fresh request to the centre for a probe by th

Govt has little time for important bills as parliament session resumes

Temperatures are going to rise both outside parliament and inside. Lok Sabha resumed its budget session after a break and Rajya Sabha sitting is from Aril 23. The debate over land bill is going to

This is govt of suit and boot, says Rahul and slams land ordinance

The land acquisition ordinance was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday by minister of state for parliamentary affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy. The ordinance was promulgated by President Pranab Mukherjee on

Rajasthan farmer commits suicide as Kejriwal holds rally

Politicians never learn especially Indian politicians about propriety.  A farmer committed suicide during AAP`s rally in Delhi against the controversial land acquisition bill and the political

Rahul to take out padayatra for farmers’ cause

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is on a maiden two-day visit to Telangana from Thursday that includes a 15-km `padayatra` in Adilabad district. Rahul`s visit is to highlight the

BJP may want Jayalalithaa in active politics

The political reality, in former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa disproportionate assets case, is pretty clear. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government wants Jayalalithaa to be saved.

Kejriwal out to spoil BJP’s anniversary party and it is not a wise strategy

The battle is political and should be fought in a sustained manner. However, the timing of Arvind Kejriwal’s belligerence on Delhi power sharing issue during the first anniversary celebration

Lalu opens his cards

Lalu Yadav never ceases to surprise his opponents, supporters, alliance partners and political analysts with his maverick political actions. When everyone took him for granted as a partner in Janat

Delhi garbage cleared but the stink will persist

The streets of Delhi may get cleared in the next few days but the mess of finances and administrative ambiguity will continue to emit foul smell as they are not going to be cleared anytime soon.

Lalit Modi episode is an Ashwathama moment of new BJP

Nineties were the times when the BJP coined a term “party with a difference” to distinguish itself from other political parties.  Apart from its pro-Hindu bias, the BJP leadership

Emergency bomb: Advani provides fodder to Modi & BJP foes

It is hard to believe that in the age of social media activism in India there is a possibility of emergency-like situation in the country. But BJP leader LK Advani did allude to such a scenario and

Public funds being used to build brand Kejriwal?

The Bharatiya Janata Party has termed the advertisement of the AAP-led Delhi government that is being broadcast on television channels as a "violation" of the supreme court`s order and th

Lalit Modi drops another name-bomb, tweets on Priyanka Gandhi

Lalit Modi’s tweets on the so called `accidental meeting` with Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra has triggered a fresh war between the BJP and the Congress while pushing Vasundhara Raje issue

Intense politics forces PMO to clarify on denial of Kejriwal’s date with PM

Even administrative matters are being political colour and the Prime minister`s office (PMO) is being dragged into these issues, which seems strange, and somewhat silly. The PMO has been forced to

Supreme court to have relook at hate speech law

While declining to stay case against BJP leader Subramanian Swamy the supreme court on Thursday agreed to examine the constitutional validity of penal provision for hate speeches. Ac

BJP bowls googly in Gondia and Shiv Sena is angry

The Bharatiya Janata Party will continue to grow and Shiv Sena will remain confined to one state or say to Mumbai. Apart from being a national party, there are other reasons; especially the art of

PM Modi and Rahul in political shootout

Today is the day of loaded political discourse that can also serve as lessons to politicians. While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi remained stuck to the rhetorical mud-slinging, prime minister Narend

Legislative business stalled by the tyranny of the minority Congress

Tyranny of the majority is a familiar concept in politics. It occurs when a majority takes action to thoroughly subjugate the minority. But what is happening in parliament or nothing is happening i

Morning briefing: Home ministry meeting today on ISIS threat, two Indian hostages free

Union home ministry is likely to hold a meeting with state police chiefs today (Saturday) to review the situation in the wake of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) threat. The meeting is being

Talking and taking a walk to Rashtrapati Bhavan will not help India

India woke up today to another day of uncertainty and ceaseless cacophony created by the politicians. Television screens screamed that today is last day of parliament`s monsoon session and no legis

PM Modi utters Emergency word while targeting Cong

The Rajya Sabha worked for just over nine hours of the 17-day session monsoon session of parliament, which ended today. Key legislation like the goods and services tax bill is pending in the RS.

Bihar finally gets polls special package

It was a big bang announcement for Bihar. Prime minister Narendra Modi announced a special package worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore, and an addition fund of Rs 40,000 crore for the poll-bound Bihar on Tues

Unknown persons run Indian political parties

While the country is observing a decade of information revolution under right to information act (RTI), the political parties continue to hide behind certain rules when it comes to disclosing party

Govt fears misuse of RTI and seeks to keep out political parties

Terming information commission’s ruling as ‘a very liberal interpretation’ and ‘erroneous conclusion that political parties are public authorities under the RTI Act’,

Bengaluru polls: Cong lost grace too?

In a democracy political parties lose elections and some are won. And in a century of its existence the Congress party has many humiliating defeats and unbelievable victories. However, the party do

Mulayam deals a hard blow to Nitish & Lalu, breaks Bihar alliance

Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party have plenty to rejoice. The Samajwadi Party on Thursday pulled out of the `grand alliance` in poll-bound Bihar, dealing a blow to Nitish Kumar. The SP also

Haryana sets minimum qualifications for panchayat poll candidates

Haryana become the second state after Rajasthan to fix educational and other qualifications for the candidates contesting panchayat elections. The state Assembly on Monday passed a bill, fixing the

Haryana to tweak land act for easy acquisition

With central law being abandoned, the BJP government in Haryana is looking to ease its land acquisition policy. It is proposing changes under which reluctant landowners, whose land is being taken,

5-phase Bihar polls from Oct 12, code of conduct imposed

Bihar Assembly elections will be held in five phases from October 12. Chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi announced the election schedule in New Delhi on Wednesday. Other voting dates are Octob

Narendra Modi brings back pride in Indians, his ratings take a leap

On his birthday there was a gift in numbers. Prime minister Narendra Modi`s favourability ratings have jumped to 87 per cent, according to a latest Pew survey released on Thursday. 

Morning briefing: WhatsApp, social media out of encryption policy

A day after witnessing huge protest against its Encryption Policy, the government has decided to exempt WhatsApp and social media sites from it. The proposed policy, issued by the department of ele

Stay on local body polls in Gujarat extended

The supreme court has extended stay on the Gujarat local body elections till the next hearing on November 24. The development further increased the possibility of administrator rule

Advantage BJP as Nepal is ready to make space for Madeshis

Nepal today registered ‘first amendment bill’ of the Constitution at Parliament Secretariat, which seeks to address the two major demands of Madhesis and indigenous communities.

Is BJP losing Bihar plot?

The contest in Bihar is very close and last minute switch by voters could go either way, for Nitish Kumar or the BJP alliance. Accordingly, the pre-poll surveys go from one end of the spectrum to t

Political discourse hits demonic bottom in Bihar

Our modern day politicians are not known for language skills or mastery over various issues and that lacuna is being reflected in the kind of political discourse Bihar is witnessing. The choice of

Sena now targets Maharashtra CM Fadnavis, calls him pro-Pakistan

Pakistan has generated havoc and bitterness in Indian polity without lifting a finger. In Maharashtra ruling alliance partner Shiv Sena has hit back at BJP leader and chief minister Devendra Fadnav

Barter for votes

In July 2013, the supreme court directed the election commission to frame guidelines on the contents of manifestos after noting that freebies announced by political parties shake “the root of

Bihar voting over, exit polls predict very close outcome

Voting in the five-phase Bihar Assembly Elections 2015 concluded this evening. The results of exit polls are out. Three exit polls have predicted a close fight between the BJP-led ND

Morning briefing: Consumers spending less this festive season

Diwali is likely to be a subdued affair this year as middle and lower income families cut their festive spends by 43%, a survey by industry body ASSOCHAM has said. The study has attributed this red

Morning briefing: 7th pay commission report today, staff observing protest day

The 7th pay commission will submit its report to the government at 7.30 pm today. The recommendations of the commission have to be implemented with effect from 1 January 2016 and are likely to furt

Morning briefing: 7th pay commission report today, staff observing protest day

The 7th pay commission will submit its report to the government at 7.30 pm today. The recommendations of the commission have to be implemented with effect from 1 January 2016 and are likely to furt

Morning briefing: Cong scores in rural Gujarat, BJP retains urban areas in civic polls

The Congress has made a comeback in the rural areas of Gujarat and won 21 of the 31 district panchayats, while the BJP retained its hold over urban pockets clinching all six municipal corporations

Delhi pollution: Curbs on vehicles gets 15 days test run

Public wrath is being expressed on the social media and the politicians have been gate-crashing on the issue of Delhi government`s move to curb movement of private vehicles in the capital due to ba

Morning briefing: Odd-even formula will continue till January 15, HC not to interfere

The Delhi high court has decided not to interfere with the Delhi government`s odd-even formula. The scheme will thus run till Friday (January 15). The court did ask the Delhi government to take car

Morning briefing: Odd-even formula will continue till January 15, HC not to interfere

The Delhi high court has decided not to interfere with the Delhi government`s odd-even formula. The scheme will thus run till Friday (January 15). The court did ask the Delhi government to take car

Modi quotes Rajiv, Somnath; should’ve also quoted Sushma, Jaitley

Prime minister Narendra Modi, replying to the debate after the president’s address, once again called on the opposition to cooperate in pushing ahead parliamentary business and pending legisl

BJP bets on Kerala, wants to chart Kashmir to Kanyakumari win

After coming to power in India’s only Muslim majority state of Jammu and Kashmir a year ago by becoming a partner of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] mandarins are n

Dramatic increase in income of five national parties: ADR

BJP, BSP, NCP, CPM and CPI have declared a total income of Rs 1,275.79 crore, collected from all over the country, during 2014-15. This is an increase of Rs 355.34 crore (or 39 percent) from the pr

BJP forges alliance with lesser known parties

National leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party are starting their campaign in Tamil Nadu Saturday onwards forging alliance with eight fringe parties, led with not so well-known candidates, for the

‘India on negative trajectory in terms of religious freedom’

There are many people who believe that after Anupam Kher’s spirited defence of the prime minister at a debate in Kolkata, it is proven that there has been no intolerance in India. But the US

At least 283 TN candidates have criminal cases

As many as 283 candidates in the electoral fray in Tamil Nadu have declared criminal cases against themselves, showed an analysis of self-sworn affidavits of 997 of the 1,107 candidates by Tamil Na

28% of Kerala candidates facing criminal cases

Even in God’s own country – Kerala - which is rated high for grass root democracy and political awareness, parties have fielded candidates who stand accused of serious crimes including

AAP to give tough fight to BJP, Congress in Delhi civic bypolls

Arvind Kejriwal led-Aam Aadmi Party [AAP], which is contesting the municipal elections for the first time, is all set to give a stiff challenge to the BJP and the Congress in the Delhi civic bypoll

AAP makes huge splash in MCD bypolls, bags 5 seats

Arvind Kejriwal led-Aam Aadmi Party [AAP],  which contested the municipal elections for the first time, has won five seats in the Delhi civic bypolls. Congress managed to grab four while BJP w

Congress suffers setback; BJP smiles in Assam

As the BJP celebrated its magnificent victory in Assam, the outcome of assembly elections in five states – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry – should make India&rsqu

When HRD minister entered in a nasty Twitter fight with Congress spokesperson

Political war that too on Twitter was a new low on Monday when HRD minister Smriti Irani entered in a Twitter spat with Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi. The nasty conversation started ove

High decibel celebration over two years of NaMo government

 The electoral victory in Assam has come just in time for the Narendra Modi government to celebrate its second anniversary with aplomb. “We used to dream of this [forming gover

Kejriwal attacks BJP, Congress over parliamentary secretaries row

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today attacked the Centre saying that when the BJP appointed parliamentary secretaries it was legal and constitutional, but when AAP does the same, it`s illegal

“Uttarakhand should be allowed to have more seats in the assembly”

Harish Rawat has seen more ups and downs in two months than many see in decades. He is back in power in Uttarakhand, but facing a CBI inquiry over the alleged horse-trading sting. Ahead of his

NITI Aayog pitches for mega coastal economic zones to create jobs

Ever since the Narendra Modi-led BJP has come to power at the Centre, it has been highlighting creation of jobs as one of its major objectives. In an action plan, the NITI Aayog has strongly pitche

Swamy spin on Modi narrative: ‘Core eco sectors are not performing’

With friends like this, Narendra Modi does not need enemies. Subramanian Swamy has tasted success and he is continuing his nation-building mission with all the more zeal.

Is Modi`s `snub` to Swamy too late, now that damage is done?

Is Modi`s `snub` to Swamy too late, now t

Accommodation is available in Kairana

Sir, I want to bring to your notice that neither my family had been harassed in Kandhla town, nor did we leave the place because of any fear. Some mean-minded people are conspiring to vitiate the a

Smriti Irani no more fire and brimstone

Smriti Zubin Irani’s fall from grace is dramatic. The minister who would regularly wade into nasty controversies had it coming all this while and one needn’t be taken aback.

A new poverty line being considered

The Narendra Modi led BJP government may soon come out with a new poverty line after various controversies surrounding the issue during the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.

Five things to know about the SC verdict on Arunachal Pradesh

In yet another jolt to the BJP, the supreme court has ordered the reinstatement of the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh, about four months after the party was ousted from power. Earlier in

In naming Dikshit, Congress tries to make a serious pitch

Sheila Dikshit, Congress veteran and former chief minister of the national capital, will be the chief ministerial candidate of the party for the Uttar Pradesh elections, scheduled for early next ye

BJP to feel the heat on NSG and Kashmir from Congress

A combative Congress will raise issues like the ongoing violence in Kashmir and the fiasco of India’s unsuccessful attempt to join the Nuclear Supplier’s Group [NSG] in the monsoon sess

A season of political surprises

This is no laughing matter. Navjot Singh Sidhu, a former Indian cricketer who guffaws throughout The Kapil Sharma Show on television, has quit the BJP and his Rajya Sabha seat and there is a distin

In Anandiben’s Gujarat, dalits are lining up to die

 At least a dozen youngsters from scheduled caste (SC) communities have attempted suicide this week in various small towns in Saurashtra region of Gujarat, protesting against the state governm

Health may become a fundamental right

Health, like education, job and information, will become a matter of right soon. A draft policy advocates a National Health Rights Act which will make “denial of health” an offence. It

BJP, Congress not in the clear as they slam AAP government advertisements

 Opposition is not necessarily enmity; it is merely misused and made an occasion for enmity, said          Sigmund Freud, one of 20th century’s most influential

Why Kashmir is angry again

When a small team of the Special Operations Group of the J&K police and troops of 19 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) was pumping the last bullet into Burhan Muzaffar Wani in his hideout at Bumdoora vil

Find lasting solution to Kashmir turmoil, PM tells leaders

“There has to be a dialogue,” Modi told the 21-member legislators group led by National Conference leader Omar Abdullah that came calling on him on Monday morning.  Modi ac

Jignesh Mevani on why the dalit movement cannot fail

When a group of upper-caste ‘cow protection’ vigilantes flogged four dalits for skinning a dead cow (and went on to even record a video clipping of the beating) in Mota Samadhiyala

SP has slight edge over BJP in UP, shows survey

While the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will fight a fierce battle in the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress will not be in contention, showed an opinion

We have plan for revival of MTNL: Manoj Sinha, MoS Telecom

Minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha, who doesn’t hesitate to call a spade a spade, has also taken charge of the telecom ministry, which is conducting the largest-ever spectrum auct

Few Indians approve of the way Modi is tackling Pakistan, says Pew report

“Just 22 percent of the public approves of Modi’s management of India’s volatile relationship with Pakistan. Half disapprove. This harsh judgment is relatively unchanged from 2015

Bangaru Laxman was ahead of times, he preferred dollars

Harshad Mehta The superhero stock-broker dropped a bomb in July 1993, when he told a press conference that he had paid prime minister PV Narasimha Rao a bribe of Rs

The Sitaram speech: Big crocodiles have survived and small fish have died

What Sitaram Yechury of CPM said during the demonetisation debate in the Rajya Sabha on November 16 (mildly edited and truncated for clarity):  [...] If you don’t

If you (really) want to fight black money, won’t Lokpal make more sense?

Remember the Lokpal? The one-point panacea for all corruption and black money. It is a law, on the statute book. And while the government has launched a surgical strike against black money that has

BJP’s a/c declaration is utterly non sequitur

Prime minister Narendra Modi has asked all MPs and MLAs of his party to come clean, and declare their bank transaction details to the party chief. Somewhat like demonetisation itself, it is pointle

What does Manoj Tiwari’s appointment as BJP state president mean for Delhi?

Ahead of the 2017 Delhi municipal elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party played the most crucial regional card by appointing actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari as the state president. The BJP&rsqu

Delhi BJP unit could be revamped: Manoj Tiwari

 Actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari intends to end the infighting within Delhi`s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) factions and strengthen the party unit ahead of the municipal elections in 2017.

Donations to BJP far more than to other parties: ADR

 The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) collected Rs 76.85 crores from 613 donations in the year 2015-16, which is the highest among all political parties. Indian National Congress (INC) party recei

We won’t shy away from taking difficult decisions: Modi

“This government will continue to follow sound and prudent economic policies, to ensure that India has a bright future in the long run. We will not take decisions for short term political poi

Will Modi go UP or down? Here’s why all eyes are on Uttar Pradesh polls

The dangal is on. The election commission has announced dates to the assembly elections to five states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur.  Chief election c

BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj gets poll panel notice

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sakshi Maharaj has been issued a show cause notice by the Election Commission of India for saying in Meerut: &ldquo

Troll charge on information highway

Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, is a great fan of Twitter and other social-media forums. As chief minister, this gave him a tech-savvy image, helping to connect with youngsters. As prim

Why next polls are not a referendum on demonetisation

The dangal is on. The biggest political slugfest of the central government’s term is on, with elections announced in the five states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. Al

Drug menace hangs heavy over Punjab polls

 It took some 330 odd days and over Rs 200 crore for the government of Punjab to create the 800 metre heritage street from Amritsar’s Town Hall to the Golden Temple. Inaugurated in Decem

Why any fight against black money is pointless unless it targets political parties

As much as 69 percent of the income of six national political parties and 51 regional parties has come from unknown sources, according to a long-term data analysis carried out by the Association fo

India’s richest civic body heads to polls

Elections to the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is the country’s richest civic body, will be held in February and political observers are expecting a split verdict. The reas

Sun, sand and slow pace of Goa polls

 Goa is all set to witness elections on February 4. I was travelling to the state for the first time with a group of friends a little more than week before the polling date. At first, we were

Convenient coalition vs. aspirational alliance

 It is that time when contesting parties take the road less travelled, woo their voters with dream schemes and swear by their promises. Each party attempts to gerrymander vote share and appeas

Reducing anonymous political donations a step forward: ASSOCHAM

The fine print of the electoral bond scheme for donations to the political parties by businesses and wealthy individuals should aim at maximising clean-up of the system and transparency in politica

Hungama over hamam humour

Prime minister Narendra Modi’s comment on his predecessor Manmohan Singh’s alleged practice of using a raincoat in the bathroom has been met with hostile reactions. It’s difficult

AIMIM to contest Pune civic polls for the first time

“Our corporator is missing,” reads a banner on a defunct lamppost in Shaniwar Peth – a densely populated area in Pune, the second largest city of Maharashtra after Mumbai. Many mo

At 55.28% BMC sees highest voter turnout in 25 years

Mumbai recorded its highest ever turnout in the civic elections on Tuesday with 55.28% voters exercising their franchise.

The Nirbhaya of Naliya: a gang-rape in Gujarat involving BJP leaders

  The “Forum of Concerned Citizens for Naliya Incident” sent a fact-finding team to Kutch on February 20. The members of the team were Dineshbhai Sanghvi, Meenaks

BMC polls throw up fractured mandate

 It’s a hung verdict in the elections to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, which is India’s richest civic body. Shiv Sena bagged 84 seats closely followed by BJP th

Shiv Sena may again ally with BJP

The civic election results could well have long term implications in Maharashtra’s politics, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) doing dramatically well and the Shiv Sena failing to get a

UP in the air

When Narendra Modi chose Varanasi, the Hindu holy city, as his constituency to run for prime minister in the 2014 general elections, the symbolism was not lost on anyone. As the city goes to the po

Nirbhaya of Naliya and a Beti Bachao campaign in Gujarat

The gang-rape and forcing into prostitution of a 19-year-old woman from Naliya, in western Kutch, by people with links to the ruling BJP (in the state as well as the centre) has once again

A bill that died many deaths

The inherent misogyny and patriarchy in the political class has prevented Indian women from getting a fair share in running the parliament and legislative assemblies in the largest democracy of the

Action sought on Naliya gang-rape as Modi addresses women sarpanches

  A 19-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped and forced into a sex racket by ruling-BJP members in Kutch district of Gujarat. The victim – being called the ‘Nirbhay

Modi`s magic intact; BJP can now take 2019 for granted

Bharatiya Janata Party’s spectacular show in the elections 2017 – especially, the victory in Uttar Pradesh, has put a stamp of invincibility on prime minister Narendra Modi’s pers

BJP celebrates UP, Uttarakhand victory

Supporters celebrate the landslide victory of BJP in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly elections outside the BJP office at Ashoka Road, New Delhi.  

Moneybags: 322 newly elected UP MLAs are crorepatis

  A staggering 80 percent of the newly elected MLAs in Uttar Pradesh are crorepatis, shows an analysis carried out by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) which also said tha

Ghachar Ghochar in Goa

  The supreme court on Tuesday allowed Manohar Parrikar to be sworn-in as chief minister of Goa, but he must take the trust vote on Thursday.   Parri

Trust deficit of EVMs? Blame it on BJP

The elections are over, votes are counted, victors are being sworn in – ok, in a couple of places the runners-up are being sworn in. And losers are blaming it on electronic voting mac

Excess of saffron isn’t good

Anxiety and headache are just two of the side effects of saffron. Some people are also allergic to it. Pray what were you thinking – That this is about BJP’s victory and Yogi Adityanath

Yogi Adityanath is the right choice. Here’s why

Did the choice of Yogi Adityanath as Uttar Pradesh chief minister surprise you? He faces numerous criminal cases for his alleged role in communal violence, but he says these are political c

The secret of Modi’s success

Here is a proposition: Narendra Modi is the top  thinker, the top intellectual of our times. Is that an exaggerated claim? Not altogether. Here’s why. After Brexit and aft

Hope Adityanath adjusts his public rhetoric to befit his new office: Expert

  Indian parties do not choose their politicians with a view to what the world might conclude, but there is no denying the signal Yogi Adityanath’s pick sends: with a huge

The magic of Moditva

The well-turned-out officials had reached the sachivalaya in Gandhinagar on time, believing it would be another routine meeting with the chief minister. As soon as they had settled in, the

Three years of BJP government and still no Lokpal

In a little over a month, the BJP government would be completing three years in office. Yet, there is no sign of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas who would have battled black money.

MCD elections: Delhi in decay

Work on the 1.6 km Rani Jhansi grade separator (road engineering jargon for a structure that allows traffic from different directions to flow without obstruction) began more than 19 years a

Arvind Kejriwal: A tornado loses force

On the sultry afternoon of April 1, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal rose to deliver his first campaign speech for the capital’s municipal corporation elections. The venue was Gau

Why BJP’s publicity blitzkrieg on Delhi civic polls is misleading

Bharatiya Janata Party’s publicity blitzkrieg in the run-up to the municipal elections in Delhi is a major psychological warfare against the Aam Admi Party (AAP), aimed at blurring th

For a cycle of change

Mansukh Mandviya is in his mid-40s and also looks young for a central minister, but he is not a novice in politics. When he first became MLA in Gujarat, in 2002, he was barely 30. An ABVP produ

Advani: a saga of missed chances to be PM

  Lal Krishna Advani, who twice missed becoming the prime minister, will now have to face the conspiracy charge in the Babri Masjid demolition case following the supreme court or

The irony of being Advani

For a man who changed the destiny of the nation – not to mention the fortunes of his party, it is ironical that luck has ultimately not favoured him. The ideology of Hindutva h

Loneliness of the high priest of political Hindutva

[This article was published in the October 1-15, 2013 edition, when LK Advani was of course in a different sort of predicament.] I will begin with a disclaimer. Any narrativ

Modi, Advani and mysterious symbolism of public gestures

(Editor`s note: This article, written in September 2013, soon after the BJP announced Narendra Modi as the party`s PM candidate, reflects on the "fragility of the Indian e

AAP’s uncertain future, irony of being Advani, and an author seeks freedom of speech

The Narendra Modi- Arvind Kejriwal antagonism has always been about two different kinds of populism. While it may not play out in a municipal election, the fact remains that a Kejriwal chastened

Will Delhi see the highest ever turnout in the upcoming civic polls?

Historically, voter turnout for local elections has lagged behind state assembly elections and general elections.    For example, a recent report by Jana

AAP in hot water following MCD poll debacle

The BJP’s clean sweep is not just a referendum on the Arvind Kejriwal government, but also could mark the beginning of the end of one of India’s youngest political parties, the Aam Aadm

Will make Delhi corruption free: Manoj Tiwari after BJP win

In an interview with Governance Now after BJP’s victory in all the three municipal corporations of Delhi, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said that the focus will be on sani

BJP wins Delhi MCD elections

After ruling the MCD for the last ten years, the Bharatiya Janata Party has retained all three municipal corporations in Delhi for the next five years. The great win resulted in the party to put up

BJP’s income highest among all national parties: ADR

The income of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during 2014-15 was highest among all national parties. The party had declared a total income of Rs 970.43 crore but is yet to submit its copy of incom

The rise and rise of muscular nationalism

 Narendra Modi is like Greek mythology’s King Midas: whatever he touches turns into gold. Most people in this country are left dazzled by his ability to make dramatic announcements with

Rajinikanth may be looking beyond Tamil Nadu

The political ambition of superstar Rajinikanth may not be restricted only to Tamil Nadu, say political experts. Rajinikanth, who is considered to be close to many national leaders, had m

Farmers deserve empathy, not bullets

The killing of six farmers in police firing in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district shows a breakdown in governance and complete lack of empathy towards agriculturists by the BJP that has bee

In defence of humble momos

Momos are cute little dumplings that are quite filling. So, why on earth would anybody want to banish momos from our plates? A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in Jammu and Kashmir

Year 2022 – and not 2019 - is India’s new milestone

The Narendra Modi government seems to have shifted its focus from 2019 and is now looking beyond it. Some of the initiatives are now aligned to be completed by 2022.  

Stone’s throw from Pakistan

In the 1990s in Kashmir, one could meet a militant (back then we didn’t call them terrorists) as easily as perhaps one’s neighbour. Hordes of them were returning from Pakistan, where th

Taslima Nasreen’s visa extented for one year

Acclaimed Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, who had to leave her home after Islamic hardliners issued her a death warrant and the government expelled her for her controversial book ‘Lajja

Kovind said BJP wants to shed upper caste party image: WikiLeaks

 Ram Nath Kovind, the presidential candidate of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), said in 2005 that his party is determined to help dalits and shed the image that it is only an &

Recalling a time when BJP opposed GST

The Bharatiya Janata Party is today going to town over the Goods and Services Tax (GST). But, there was a time in the recent past when the party opposed it tooth and nail, with the Gujarat govern

A Yogi in Politics

It’s a Saturday morning at the Gorakhnath temple, and there’s a hustle-bustle in the compound: the chief minister’s in absentia durbar is on. Callers phone in their complaints, an

‘In 100 days we achieved what Akhileshji did not in five years’

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya speaks to Governance now on how the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has fared so far:   You have come up with

What Kovind’s rise tells us about Modi’s leadership

Ram Nath Kovind is widely tipped to get elected as the 14th president of India. His elevation will not be without surprise. Prior to his nomination as the NDA’s candidate, few in the politi

‘What does a saint have to do with politics?’

Vinay Shankar Tiwari, one among handful of Brahmin MLAs from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the only non-BJP MLA in the nine constituencies of Gorakhpur, shared with Governance Now his idea

‘Not just Muslims, everyone is in fear and awe of Yogi Adityanath’

At 70, Dr Aziz Ahmad, a well-known homeopath and politician now with Congress, still has a busy practice in Abu Bazaar, in old Gorakhpur. During working hours, the lane in which he has a clinic

Nitish Kumar is back as Bihar CM – yet again

JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn-in as the chief minister of Bihar for the sixth time on Thursday after again striking an alliance with the BJP, barely hours after tendering his resignation a

Nitish’s challenge: keeping renewed Hindutva frenzy under check

How does one describe Nitish Kumar: an opportunist or a shrewd politician who loves to indulge in political brinkmanship or principled politician at least when it comes to corruption? Depending o

BJP gets to rule four states without having the numbers

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power in at least four states after striking alliances that may largely look untenable.   Jammu and Kashmir: PDP emerged as the

From Shah Bano to Shayara Bano: How Rajiv’s blunder undid secularism

History could have repeated itself as a farce, but in the triple talaq case today, there has been no replay. A historic blunder has been undone, though it has taken three decades. T

AAP retains Bawana seat, party celebrates after two years

Hundreds of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers broke into boisterous celebrations at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Monday after the party retained the Bawana seat.

Welcome to the new age of Indian politics

Political observers have consistently painted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s actions as being borne out of a dogmatic ideology. But the reshuffle-cum-expansion of the Union Cabinet on Sunday

Over 77% of total income of BJP, INC from ‘unknown sources’ in 2015-16

An analysis of the income and expenditure of the BJP and Congress in 2015-16 has been prepared by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).    Following are

Don’t jump to conclusions on Gauri Lankesh murder

 Journalist Gauri Lankesh`s murder in Bengaluru on Tuesday has quickly turned into a war of ideologies with intelligentsia and media jumping the gun to blame the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a

No end in sight to turbulence in TN politics

No party seems to be prepared to end the prolonged political crisis that Tamil Nadu has been  facing for the past nine months, feel analysts. The main opposition DMK is not adequatel

Mohan Bhagwat’s views on Hinduism not new: that’s old RSS position

In a candid conversation with diplomats from 50-odd countries recently, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is learnt to have drawn a distinction between Hinduism and Hindu-ness. Bhagwat`s considered view, acc

Stories you must not miss this weekend

Instant triple talaq – which the supreme court banned recently, while asking the government to legislate against the decadent practice – is something Muslim women had no doubt wanted to

The ascent of Nirmala Sitharaman

Today, Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s first woman full-time defence minister, may appear a picture of poise and confidence. But 11 years ago, she wasn’t even sure if she should join the Bh

Yashwant Sinha’s tirade is driven by personal agenda

Some people are born with silver spoon in their mouth. Some tend to acquire it. Former finance minister Yashwant Sinha is neither. He belongs to a unique genre of career bureaucrat-t

BJP stands to benefit with Purohit as TN governor: Experts

The appointment of senior BJP leader Banwari Lal Purohit as governor of Tamil Nadu is being seen by experts as a BJP strategy to retain an edge in the state politics. The state, which has

Democracy inside

When prime minister Narendra Modi laid emphasis on internal democracy within political parties during a Diwali Milan interaction with the media in Delhi, he was merely echoing the sentiments of Sya

Modi meeting Karunanidhi will help improve ties

 There is speculation about ties improving between the BJP and the DMK after prime minister Narendra Modi met DMK supremo Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence in Chennai on Monday. He also

Modi meeting Karunanidhi was astute political move and an old-world courtesy

M Karunanidhi alias Kalaignar dons the hat of an outstanding scriptwriter of Tamil cinema besides being a formidable politician and Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) chief. Yet he would have found it

Himachal Polls: Why battling mafias will be an uphill task for Modi

Campaigning in Himachal Pradesh early in November, prime minister Narendra Modi raised the pitch for good governance when he spoke about ridding the state of the five demons of mining mafia, forest

Gujarat in the times of another Vikas

In October, during yet another of his visits to Gujarat, prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a curious range of projects in Vadodara: a transport hub and multi-level parking facility as well a

In poll-bound Gujarat, what Rahul misses is Modi’s organisational strength

The assembly elections in Gujarat are expected by December, and the Elections Commission is touring the state on Monday to check the preparedness. It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home st

Rahul should stop flaunting lineage as asset

As terror mastermind Hafeez Saeed walked free in Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi tweeted to ridicule prime minister Narendra Modi’s diplomacy, and in response BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao called

Forgotten riot victims of Ahmedabad are indifferent to polls

In Ahmedabad, any mention of this locality elicits quite a reaction. “There’s no point in going there. It’s been 15 years now. It’s all developed!” And I’d be te

Ayodhya imbroglio could be heading for a resolution now

Former UP chief minister ND Tiwari had an interesting anecdote about the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri mosque issue. In 1989 when he was at the helm in Lucknow, the dispute peaked following the posturing a

Gujarat Elections: How disasters have redrawn the state’s political fault lines

A calamity in the times of intense politics, particularly just ahead of elections, is the worst reckoner of history. Luckily, the Cyclone Ockhi that hit the southern coast of Gujarat earlier this w

Gujarat Elections: Is BJP putting a new electoral strategy to test?

As the first phase of the Gujarat elections is on, one question that political pundits and common people alike are asking is: who is likely to win? Indeed, these elections are vital for the BJP, no

Gujarat polls: The news lows in politics

From ‘neech’ to ‘dadhi-topi’, the run-up to Gujarat assembly elections have seen politicians stooping to a new low to score brownie points over their adversaries.

Gujarat Elections: For BJP, voters show both pride and prejudice

Familiarity, it is said, breeds contempt. But a two-decade-long association of a political party with the electorate is bound to unleash demons of contempt, jealousy and disaffection. 

The fairy-tale thriller

Assembly elections in Gujarat, since 2002, have been like Churchill’s description of Russia – with a little twist: wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, but eventually a non-riddle.

BJP takes early lead in Gujarat, Himachal

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surged ahead in the first hour of vote count in both Gujarat as well as Himachal Pradesh.   The initial trends on Monday indicate that th

In Gujarat, all eyes on Ahmedabad

All eyes are on Gujarat as the vote count is on, but in the state all eyes might be on Ahmedabad. The chief city, and the early capital before the planned township of Gandhinagar cam

LIVE: Whatever the result, blame it on EVMs

9:13 am: Like failed political analysts, parties also look for an excuse to explain away their failures. Right from the word go, the opposition in Gujarat began with a bravado but

Could there be hung assemblies in Gujarat, Himachal?

An hour of vote count has showed that it is not going to be an easy win for the BJP in Gujarat as well as Himachal Pradesh, as had been predicted by the numerous exit polls. While th

Himachal Verdict 2017: Game of alternation

 The neck-to-neck run of the Congress and the BJP so far, as figures of leads come in from Himachal Pradesh, may sharpen the appetite of punters betting on an upsetting of the alternation game

What a possible jolt in Gujarat can mean for governance

As of writing, there are only leads, and the gap between the BJP and the Congress is somewhat increasing. Yet, it looks like a close battle – not what all the exit polls had forecast.

Trends: BJP coasts past halfway mark in Gujarat

There was a time during the vote count when the BJP election managers may well have chewed through their nails as the Congress put up a spirited fight in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. But, soon the

Rahul Gandhi’s rise comes at the right moment

In future, the Gujarat elections might as well be remembered for the arrival of Rahul Gandhi.   Going by the leads, the Congress is certainly not going to win, and few ha

Modi flashes V sign

Prime minister Narendra Modi flashed the victory sign before entering parliament, as trends indicated that the Bharatiya Janata Party was all set to retain Gujarat and win in Himachal Pradesh.

Jharkhand redux: Dhumal losing, BJP winning in Himachal

BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal was trailing in Himachal Pradesh’s Sujanpur constituency, while the party looked set to wrest the state from the Congress – rem

Twitter erupts in laughter with #GujaratVerdict

Going by the leads, the BJP is set to establish its stronghold in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Confident of his party’s victory, prime minister Narendra Modi even flashed a victory sign whil

Modi credits good governance for Gujarat, HP victories

Prime minister Narendra Modi has thanked voters of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh and credit good governance for his party’s victories in the state assemblies. “I bow to th

Majoritarianism rules!

Just the facts first. In the Gujarat assembly elections, the BJP did not field a single Muslim candidate. No one expected it to; and its leaders make no bones about ignoring the nine percent Muslim

The other Modi who won in Gujarat

Another Modi emerged triumphant in Gujarat on Monday. No, we are not talking about prime minister Narendra Modi who is credited with scripting the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh victories, but it is

A short and succinct history of Gujarat elections

1934 The first elections After the British law paved the way for representational assemblies, the first elections were held in 1934. Gujarat was then part o

Jo Jita Wohi Sikandar, yes, but the victor is PM, not BJP

More often, a colloquial proverb sums up a complex political situation more aptly than scholarly formulations. If one looks at the Gujarat verdict, nothing summarises it more perfectly than the ada

Development, religion, hindutva most discussed terms in #GujaratElection, says Twitter

Prime minister Narendra Modi emerged as the most mentioned personality, while Vijay Rupani emerged as the most mentioned candidate on Twitter, the social media giant said in a release.

Changing Gujarat CM now would make no sense

Speculation is over, as senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley announced in Gandhinagar Friday that Vijay Rupani will continue as chief minister of Gujarat, along with Nitin Patel as his deputy. The specul

Crime in Politics: The nexus

Prof Jagdeep Chhokar of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) points out a stark irony of crime in Indian politics. “There are more than 3.5 lakh undertrials languishing in Indian pris

Crime in Politics: The dirty game

Criminalisation of politics is the focus of public debate when discussion on electoral reforms takes place. This issue gets amplified when data highlights an increasing number of candidates with

The un-importance of being Pravin Togadia

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Pravin Togadia is in the news after a long time. This week, Togadia went `missing` for an entire day as the Gujarat and Rajasthan police were on the lo

Karat then, Yechury now; Left leadership remains clueless

Much before Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury got marginalised within the party’s central committee last week over the possibility of an alliance with the C

Let the youth help in governance

 India is the largest democracy and the second largest populated country in the world. One-third of its population belongs to the youth in the age group of 15-29. Youth is a transition period

What ‘Padmaavat’ episode says about Rajput leaders – of BJP

After prolonged controversy, the Hindi movie “Padmaavat” has finally been released and has been a roaring success in revenue terms (it is believed to have earned a whopping Rs 200 crore

Modi blames Congress for partition

The partition happened due to the wrong policies of the Congress party, said prime minister Narendra Modi who called for building a new India. In the reply to the Motion of Thanks to

Political parties used only a third of what they collected for electioneering

National and regional parties collected a total of Rs 1503.21 crore and incurred a total expenditure of Rs 494.36 crore towards the five state assembly elections held in 2017, observed the Associat

The case of the missing middle

The new year is barely a month old and, all of a sudden, it seemed the year 2019 was almost here. The end of December was the time of crucial state election results, and the beginning of February w

Budget: How Modi is shifting BJP’s social base

Political parties rarely survive on static social bases in a democracy. The BJP has been experimenting with shifting its social bases and coalescing them in a formidable vote bank in every round of

Bihar BJP leader accused of mowing down nine kids surrenders

After allegedly mowing down nine children in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, BJP leader Manoj Baitha has finally surrendered to police on February 28. An FIR has been registered against Baitha on the complaint

Exclusive Interview with Gujarat CM Rupani: `Modi magic is intact`

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani asserts that he is sure his party, BJP, will repeat the performance of 2014 Lok Sabha election in the 2019 national elections as the “Modi magic” is

Tripura results: How BJP brought down the Red Fort

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Agartala in December 2014 to dedicate the second unit of ONGC`s Palatana to the nation. People gathered in large numbers to listen to him. Invited to the ceremon

Akhilesh-Mayawati`s social coalition might not take wing

Political seismology is an inexact science. Underneath the social sea, tectonic shifts happen as silently and stealthily as you can get. Any effort to predict it often brings grief to Mr Know-All o

The right, the left and a Lenin’s statue

There is a social media storm over Lenin’s statue that was pulled down in Tripura’s Belonia town, soon after the BJP-IPFT won a huge victory in the assembly polls and ended 25 years of

Our freedoms are under attack: Sonia Gandhi

“Parliament is a forum for exchange of views. If you are not allowed to speak, then what is the point? We might as well shut down and go home,” said Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at the

BJP suffers from by-poll jinx ahead of 2019

It seems that the road ahead to 2019 elections is not going to be a smooth one for the BJP. In the past six months, the party has conclusively lost in every by-poll to Lok Sabha. Wednesday’s

Modiji is way ahead in every respect, says Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

In the post-Modi phase of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani is the first BJP leader to lead the party in assembly elections and seek a fresh mandate. The results in December were rather underwhelming as

What the by-poll verdict reveals: Modi is the only vote-catcher for BJP

The unambiguous message of the by-elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not only the biggest vote-catcher for the BJP, he is the only one. If

Peak performance

What is Narendra Modi’s biggest electoral success during the current term as prime minister? At first blush, most would say the Uttar Pradesh victory. That would be looking at the obvious (UP

Know more about no confidence motion

The Telugu Desam Party, a former ally of the BJP, wants to move a no confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government. What is a no confidence motion?

BJP IT cell chief tweets Karnataka poll dates before EC

In the age of ‘breaking news’, ‘breaking first’ and ‘super-exclusives’, authenticity of news and following basic journalistic norms is hardly given any importanc

Painting RSS as anti-dalit is prejudiced –and contrary to facts

Disparate attacks on dalits over the last three years read with the supreme court’s recent ruling switching off the automatic arrest of an accused in an Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Atroci

BJP emerges as richest national party, income up by 81.18%

The Bharatiya Janata Party`s total income has increased by 81.18% in one financial year. In 2015-16, the party`s income was Rs 570.86 crores and this went up to Rs 1,034.27 crores during 2016-17. T

Can Shiv Sena provide a new template for regional parties?

The bickering between the BJP and the Shiv Sena has now become a regular feature. The Sena is seen to be progressively distancing from the BJP following its announcement that it will not contest th

Kodnani’s acquittal raises doubts about criminal justice system

 Maya Kodnani, a BJP leader who was the MLA from Naroda when this locality on the outskirts of Ahmedabad witnessed one of the most gruesome episodes during the Gujarat riots of 2002, was acqui

Congress’s real agenda is Save Dynasty: Amit Shah

As the Congress leads a bunch of opposition parties in preparing to move an impeachment motion against the chief justice of India, Dipak Misra, BJP president has said its real agenda is not to save

Togadia, Sinha and anti-Modi prejudices masked by empty rhetoric

There is an uncanny similarity in the pathological opposition to prime minister Narendra Modi by two members of the right wing, Pravin Togadia and Yashwant Sinha. They come from a di

BJP lawmakers top the list in hate speech cases

Out of all MPs and MLAs in office, 58 have declared cases related to hate speech. This includes union minister for drinking water and sanitation Uma Bharti along with 14 other Lok Sabha MPs. The li

Expect Karnataka to thrash predictable political punditry

If political punditry is to be believed, the predictable outcome of the Karnataka election will invariably be a hung house. And this punditry is based on sound logic which is quite convincing for a

Some Sholay dialogues can help make sense of Karnataka polls

While driving down from Bengaluru to Mysuru, you come across a patch of hillocks near Ram Nagar, a place that provided the backdrop for the all-time hit Bollywood movie, Sholay. This was where vill

Voter, voter everywhere, but not a drop for them to drink…

One of the three big elections before the grand final next year is over. Predictably, there was mud-slinging and allegations, caste equations and mutt visits, histories and histrionics: With a pinc

Modi, banking on anti-incumbency, keeps win record intact

BJP is leading in Karnataka elections. This once again proves that prime minister Narendra Modi’s popularity is intact, despite many signals and arguments to the contrary. Karnataka is one of

Look who’s talking ethics in Karnataka?

 Just after the UP assembly election in 1996, I was among the scores of reporters waiting at Kalyan Singh’s residence, waiting to get the first inkling of the future course of the BJP. T

Crunch Time: Modi has to make the most of Bache Din

When it comes to Narendra Modi and, by extension, his four years at the helm so far, people tend to react sharply, putting objectivity aside. Yet, one objective statement that can be made as his go

Coming full circle: The ‘strong leader’ vs the gang-up

When numbers forced prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to demit office on the thirteenth day, he delivered a memorable speech in the Lok Sabha, ending on a trademark wave of his hand and saying th

Rahul Gandhi accuses Modi of ignoring sr BJP leaders

Recently, while addressing a rally in Mumbai, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a dig at prime minister, Narendra Modi. Gandhi called the PM as a “watchman of a handful of superrich”

The neighbour and the valley

The declaration communicated through the director general of military operations (DGMO) of Pakistan and India on May 29, 2018, to implement the ceasefire agreement of 2003 between the two countries

It’s time for the Bullshit Season

It was nearly midnight at a small ground in Aminabad of Lucknow, and an enthusiastic crowd was waiting for VP Singh. This was in 1988, after the Bofors scandal had blown up in the face of prime min

India mourns leader with exterior of a lotus but inner strength of Vajra

"Acche Vajpayee ka kya karoge (what will you do with a good Vajpayee)?" Atal Bihari Vajpayee once responded to the Opposition`s barb that he was "a good man in the wrong party"

Mahanayak: Vajpayee, the leader and his legacy

Defining moments of history often leave images that linger on in collective memory for generations. Among them, one category is the image of a leader walking in the street with a sense of sheer tri

The final journey

It was the hot afternoon of a humid day, between one spell of rains and another. That did not deter thousands of people from coming out to pay their final respects to a dear departed leader. Vajpay

Gaslighting: Decoding Rahul’s falsehoods against Modi & RSS

Demagoguery is elemental to politics. But the use of lies, rather patent lies, as an instrument of politics is a new trend. In the age of social media lies peddled with confidence acquire features

Modi raises battle cry with power packed slogans

In politics, the coining of slogans is nothing less than the work of literature. Like any good and creative piece of poetry or prose finds resonance with people, smart slogans set the political moo

Making sense of RSS: Consistent yet flexible

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), like prime minister Narendra Modi, remains “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma” for many. Analysts tend to interpret both accordin

Safety nets

Any mention of Rajasthan evokes many images: the ultimate princely state, the land of grandeur and valour, but also a place where life can be difficult.  The state is going to polls

CBI chief’s delusions of grandeur harmed the agency

Tumse pehle jo shakhs yahan takht-nashin tha Usko bhi apne khuda hone pe itna hi yakeen tha (The man who sat on this throne before you was equally convinced of b

The making of the Banana Republic

 In political discourse, the term ‘Banana Republic’ defines a state with a high degree of political instability, societal violence and oppressive inequality. American author O Henr

Why the bureaucracy needs to re-learn to work

“You will soon be talking to a new foreign secretary,” said prime minister Rajiv Gandhi announcing the sacking of the incumbent at a televised press conference in 1986. Foreign secret

MP assembly polls: Of frogs, scales and upper caste equations

Driving down from Indore to Bhopal, my driver Roop Singh gave me a lesson in sociology and politics when I asked him about the elections. The lesson I learnt from Roop Singh was quite instructive i

Raman Singh routed by Peter Principle

To describe the Chhattisgarh assembly election result as defeat for the BJP will be a euphemism. It is a total rout in every sense of the term. And if Raman Singh met this fate after three full ter

A limp loss, a paltry victory

The Rajasthan assembly election outcome has thrown up many curious surprises. It was a near-unanimous prognosis, both of poll pundits and pre-poll surveys, that ruling BJP under Vasundhara Raje w

Back to ‘lamppost politics’

The Indian electorate’s tryst with cyclical elections invented a phenomenon called ‘lamppost elections’. Implicit in this formulation was the notion that the people would elect a

Interview: Yogi Adityanath on how he’s changing the perception of UP

As my vehicle drove through the gates of Bungalow no 5 on Kalidas Marg, the official residence of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, I could discern a marked difference. Austerity wa

Modi’s reverse sweep reverses Mandal, counters opposition spin

In cricket, reverse sweep was an unconventional invention by some batsmen not only to neutralize the spin but score a big hit. Cricket analogies are often applied on Indian politics while analyzing

BJP receives staggering high donations in 2017-18

The total donations (above Rs 20,000) declared by the national parties was Rs 469.89 crore, from 4,201 donations, revealed a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The report gives the

Breaking down some key terms used in budget

The central government is set to present a complex and comprehensive report of its revenues and expenditures throughout the financial year in the budget address on February 1. Modi led NDA governme

Fernandes: a die-hard proponent of anti-Congressism – with shifting loyalties

It was some time in 2011. Lal Krishna Advani was in his chamber in the parliament complex waiting to receive George Fernandes, a long-time friend and political comrade-in-arms. Fernandes was ushere

Budget and Modi’s ‘neo middle class’ strategy for elections

Those who have gained the most from the latest budget are the ones who are going to have the most crucial impact on the Lok Sabha election results. Who are they? They are hiding in plain sight. The

PM flags off India’s first semi high-speed train

Indian Railways entered a new era as prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the country’s first semi high-speed train, Vande Bharat Express, from the New Delhi railway station.

When Ujjwala loses the shine

Near a deserted park in Salempur Jat village in Bulandshahar sit a few men discussing politics. Sipping their morning tea, the men are engaged in a heated conversation about upcoming elections, edu

Not enough for the kids

The nation is virtually in election mode, and political parties are busy thinking up campaign strategies. But have MPs been making a mark in their constituencies? A study of malnutrition indicators

Why AAP-Congress alliance could be a threat for BJP

The Congress party has unanimously supported Sheila Dikhshit`s decision to reject an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi. With the Congress shutting the prospect of alliance, the natio

The chronicles of a gradual fadeout

Few know that LK Advani was often accused by Sangh Parivar apparatchiks of exercising ‘unilateralism’. In the history of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its earlier incarnation, th

Did PM violate model code of conduct by announcing Mission Shakti`s success?

View The announcement is related to ‘national security’, hence it does not violate the model code of conduct. Mission Shakti is undoubtedly a big achievement fo

“We have delivered on 85% of our promises”

The BJP won the elections to the municipal corporations of Delhi in 2017 under the leadership of actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari. He is confident of repeating the victory in the upcoming L

Congress campaign: Perennially catching up?

The general elections of 2019 commence on April 11 and the last phase of campaigning in the 91 constituencies of 21 states is under way. Both prime minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rah

“Socialism is the most relevant ideology and will never wither away”

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is an archetypal Indian socialist, a Lohiaite whose tribe is practically extinct. In his personal life, he is extremely austere. In his political life, he is s

Missing the middle

Chandramouli Vashisht, 29, an engineer who lives in Madhu Vihar, in the middle-class Patparganj locality of east Delhi, says that during the last Lok Sabha election, he voted for the BJP, but the v

Campaign trail with BJP’s Manoj Kotak

Dressed in white shirt and pants, three time Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) corporator Manoj Kotak is now contesting from Mumbai north-east constituency. Kotak, representing BJP i

“I have a bigger reason and motivation to join politics”

Urmila Matondkar joined the Congress party and within just two months into politics, the actor is already surrounded by controversies – from being accused of making anti-Hindu comments to

Trafficking survivors’ votes don’t count

While the entire nation is agog with political grapevine, political parties are weighing on all options to lure voters by touching upon issues that impact their lives. Several parties, inc

“The people of Delhi will vote for change”

Senior Congress leader and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit is the Lok Sabha candidate of her party from the Northeast Delhi constituency. In a conversation with Deexa Khanduri, she s

A coastal wind of change

It’s early summer still in Odisha, but the state is already in the grip of an intense heat wave. In the last few weeks, many places have been regularly recording temperatures of 40 degrees Ce

In pictures: Phase 5 of Lok Sabha Elections begin

The fifth of the seven phases of general election 2019 is currently underway and a total of 51 seats across seven States have gone to polls.   Voting will take place in a

“Nationalism means performing your duty with due diligence”

Dr Harsh Vardhan, a union minister, is the genial face of the BJP old guard in Delhi. He is contesting again from the Chandni Chowk constituency, in the heart of the capital. He talked with Rah

“Sometimes we wonder if we are living in a democracy at all”

Sharad Pawar is the grand old man of Indian politics. He is among the last stalwarts from a generation that is fading out. He has served as chief minister of Maharashtra four times and held crucial

The real winner will be the FPTP system

The ongoing parliamentary elections are in the concluding phase/ stage. Eventually, the results will be out on May 23. A huge number of candidates are, as usual, in the fray. There are claims and c

The Elephant dances

The 2019 parliamentary election in India is a humungous affair: about 890 million voters, nearly thrice the population of the United States, many months of planning, over a month of actual voting a

"If someone has won today, it is the people, the democracy"

Making a clean sweep against the Indian National Congress (INC), the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is set to win about 300 of the 543 seats in parliament all by itself.   

NDA victory & Modi 2.0: The reforms agenda to be

The resounding and unprecedented mandate in favour of Narendra Modi in the 2019 general elections signals two very clear indicators: firstly, voters across India appreciate the Modi 1.0 governance,

The Evolution of Modi

Gujarat was passing through a turbulent phase in the 1980s. The decade began middle class agitations against new reservation policies, and the caste friction turned communal under the watch of chie

Sushma Swaraj’s spirited ‘secularism’ speech will be long remembered

During her long and enviable career in politics, Sushma Swaraj fashioned a one-of-a-kind place for herself: a spirited debater who could articulate the common man’s aspirations in the common

When Jaitley asked me to guess his age...

Sometime in 1999, I took Arun Jaitley out for meal for the column, “Lunch with Business Standard”. As is his wont, he chose his own place for lunch. It was at the Chambers at the Taj Ma

How not to criticize Modi

Jairam Ramesh and Shashi Tharoor have stirred the hornet’s nest in the Congress. They have argued that the party should not “demonise” prime minister Narendra Modi. The two leader

Ashish Shelar of BJP says, “We are very confident of victory”

Ashish Shelar, 47, was the president of the Mumbai city unit of the BJP, before he became the minister of school education, sports and youth welfare in the Maharashta government this year. He h

“If the oppn is weak you can’t blame the govt for that”

A three-term Rajya Sabha member, Sanjay Raut is the Shiv Sena spokesperson and its voice in parliament. He is also the executive editor of Marathi newspaper Samana, started by Shiv Sena founder

Modi wave, it seems, shows no signs of stopping

The voters’ trust in Brand Modi is not a short-term affair – if anything, it is only increasing, or so it seems going by the numbers exit polls have given after the Maharashtra and Hary

BJP wins Maharashtra, nearly there in Haryana

Banking on the continued Modi wave, the BJP, along with the ally Shiv Sena, won the Maharashtra assembly elections in Haryana, it ran out of steam and could not achieve the simple majority.

BJP-Sena alliance will go by pre-decided understanding: Fadnavis

Though the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena got fewer seats in the next Maharashtra assembly than what the exit polls had predicted, the alliance has retained its edge over the opp

Shiv Sena set to form government in Maharashtra

The BJP’s oldest ally Shiv Sena is once again parting ways, putting their alliance behind and preparing to form government in Maharashtra with the support of the NCP and Congress.

Power struggle, stalemate lead to president’s rule in Maharashtra

Maharashtra has been placed under the president’s rule after the leading contenders failed to make a head start in government formation amid tussle for power. Governor Bhagat S

Maharashtra set to get first Shiv Sainik CM

The conundrum in Maharashtra is moving towards resolution, as the Shiv Sena has secured the support of the ideological opponents, the Congress and the NCP, to form the government, after the BJP, th

Fadnavis is Maharashtra chief minister, after all

In the latest development in the unusual roller-coaster of events in Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis of BJP was sworn in as chief minister Saturday morning, with Ajit Pawar of the NCP as deputy chie

Supreme court verdict on Maharashtra on Tuesday

Amid the high drama in Maharashtra politics, the supreme court has reserved its judgment on Tuesday, even as the Shiv Sena and NCP wrote to the governor, claiming they had the number to prove major

Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar quit after supreme court order on floor test

Devendra Fadnavis of BJP resigned as Maharashtra chief minister Tuesday afternoon, three after he was sworn in. Earlier in the day, Ajit Pawar of NCP resigned as deputy chief minister. The dramatic

Maharashtra finally has a govt: now for the difficult part

Maharashtra finally has a government in place that has enough numbers, but its longevity may be tested time and again, given the differing ideological commitments of the three parties that make it

End of ideology, coalition politics and popular mandate?

On November 29, Uddhav Thackeray, the 19th chief minister of Maharashtra and the leader of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), won the vote of confidence in the 244-member Vidhan Sabha of Maharashtra. Wit

Why Delhi elections are more crucial than you think

The National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) goes to polls on February 8, amid debates and protests for and against the amended citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC

Electoral bonds emerge as preferred mode of political donation

Electoral bonds, introduced in January 2018 to bring in transparency in political funding, has emerged as the preferred route for making donations to parties, according to an analysis of the partie

In Delhi, 672 candidates, chasing 1.47 crore votes

The national capital territory of Delhi (NCTD) is going to assembly elections on February 8, and the results will be out on February 11. Now that the candidates have filed their nominations, here i

Delhi votes in a crucial election

Delhi is voting today in a high-stakes assembly elections that have virtually been projected as a referendum on the CAA-NRC debate, which from the BJP dominated the high-decibel campaign. The rulin

Kejriwal’s AAP creates history in capital – again

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal rewrote the political playbook of the country, by repeating the stunning performance of 2015, as it won 62 of the 70 seats in Delhi assembly, leavin

Delhi elections: accounting for intangibles away from banal nationalism and hyper nationalism

The party that came into existence on the intangible timeworn issue of corruption, transparency and increasing public investment through public savings is going on winning elections in Delh

Naveen looks at caste for consolidation, critics sceptical

The opposition in Odisha was taken by surprise at the alacrity with which the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government amended the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993. The resolution in

`Undeclared emergency`? Arun Jaitley`s answer recalls dark days

A New India: Selected Writings 2014-19 By Arun Jaitley, with a foreword by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Juggernaut Books, 384 pages, Rs 799 Arun Jaitley (

Mumbai metro site at Aarey forest to shift

In a web address, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackerey on Sunday announced that the controversial Aarey car shed for line 3 of Mumbai Metro (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) on the western suburbs will

Uddhav shoots back at governor’s sarcasm

As Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari went sarcastic and wrote to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, asking him if he had turned ‘secular’ – an epithet he hated, as the plac

Media not muzzled, maintains Nalin Kohli

India has a robust media and if that was not the case news channels and outlets would not be reporting against the government and the ruling parties, BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli has said.

Modi’s popularity intact, BJP emerges stronger

Though his government’s response to the Covid-19 crisis has often evoked sharp criticisms from many quarters, the result of latest round of elections – the all-crucial assembly election

Bihar results: Crime quotient goes up, gender gap widens

About 68 percent of the winners in the Bihar assembly elections have declared criminal cases against themselves – and 51 percent have declared serious criminal cases including cases related t

SC interim bail to Arnab proves MVA vendetta: Ashish Shelar

Ashish Shelar, chief whip, BJP, Maharashtra assembly, has said that the arrest of Republic TV managing director Arnab Goswami is an act of political vendetta by the state’s ruling Maha Vikas

Govt working towards resolving MSME issues through banking reforms: Patra

Acknowledging that much needs to be done in the banking sector, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra has said that the government was working on the nitty-gritties. “As far a

Judicial reforms must ensure speedy, timely justice: Gaurav Bhatia

Expressing regret over long trials of court cases in India and acknowledging that the justice delivery system in the country needs reforms, Gaurav Bhatia, BJP national spokesperson, has said that t

More Sundays than working days in Parliament: SP spokesperson

Coming down heavily on the NDA government for ignoring parliamentary processes, Ghanshyam Tiwari, national spokesperson, Samajwadi Party, has said that there have been more Sundays than working day

Story of an incredible political jugalbandi, with all colour and drama

Jugalbandi: The BJP Before Modi By Vinay Sitapati Penguin Random House, xiv+410 pages, Rs 799 The love and respect India has for the first pri

“Whoever has a smartphone and a social media account is a journalist today”

In a scathing attack on media, political analyst Shehzad Poonawala has said that the time of media is gone and anyone with a smartphone and a social media account  can be a journalist today.

Media under fear psychosis: Kumar Ketkar

The media is working under immense fear and compelled to align with the government failing which it is threatened by agencies like the enforcement directorate and income tax department, says Kumar

Nefarious design behind farmers’ agitation: Shazia Ilmi

BJP National spokesperson Shazia Ilmi has come down heavily on critics of prime minister Narendra Modi and said that a false narrative is being set to discredit the government, belittling the PM an

Govt better equipped to tackle second wave: Sudhanshu Trivedi

As many states face a huge resurge of Covid-19 cases, Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi, MP, Rajya Sabha, and national spokesperson, BJP, has said the government is better equipped to handle the second wave com

NCP will never ally with BJP: Nawab Malik

Ruling out reports of NCP and BJP coming together to form an alliance, Nawab Malik, Maharashtra cabinet minister and president of the Mumbai unit of NCP, has said BJP has always made such offers to

Probe agencies` credibility in doubt: Prithviraj Chavan

Raising concerns about the “leaks” of aspects of an ongoing investigation into incidents leading to political turmoil in Maharashtra, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Pr

“Not appropriate to postpone Class XII CBSE exams”

Criticizing the postponement of the CBSE Class XII exams in the wake of the second Covid -19 wave across the country, Nupur Sharma, BJP national spokesperson, has said the decision will jeopardize

Politicians trade charges as Covid breaks previous records in Maharashtra

A political war erupted between the centre and Maharashtra over supply of essentials including medicines and oxygen as the state struggles to control the raging Covid-19 amidst scarce health infras

"Maharashtra opposition interested in politics, not public welfare”

Refuting any political instability in the state, Jayant Patil, Maharashtra cabinet minister and state president of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has said the government is very stable and there

‘Mumbai cases down due to BMC commissioner’s good work’

RP Singh, national spokesperson, BJP, has praised Mumbai municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal for actively engaging with people and effectively handling Covid-19 and said that a good administr

“UP situation extremely bad, govt hiding data”

India is battling the second wave of Covid-19 and infections are spreading into the interiors of the country, says Dr Anurag Bhadouria, National Spokesperson, Samajwadi Party. It is precipitated by

Ruckus in Maharashtra assembly; 12 BJP MLAs suspended for `manhandling` Speaker

Twelve BJP MLAs were suspended from the Maharashtra assembly on Monday, allegedly after they abused, misbehaved and manhandled presiding officer, Shiv Sena MLA Bhaskar Jadhav, in the Deputy Speaker

We must take pride in Doordarshan and Akashvani: Shaina NC

Reiterating prime minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ `vocal for local`, `local for global and `make for world`, Shaina NC, BJP spokesperson and Prasar Bharti

Govt earned Rs 25 lakh crore from fuel hike: Mallikarjun Kharge

Slamming the Modi government on the issues of fuel price hike, inflation, economy and agriculture laws, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has alleged that the centre has

Government failed to manage second wave: Sanjay Jha

Attacking the Narendra Modi government for “mishandling” of Covid -19 and a large number of deaths, astronomically high fuel prices, rising inflation, and unemployment, political analys

BJP-RSS have never had elected presidents to date: Pawan Khera

In a scathing attack on the government, PawanKhera, national spokesperson of the Congress party, has said that the BJP is remote-controlled by RSS, an unregistered organisation that decides who the

Rupani completes five year as Gujarat CM

The BJP has ruled Gujarat for more than 25 years now. On Saturday, Vijay Rupani who was known as a soft-spoken politician has smartly completed five years as a chief minister in spite of many chall

Maharashtra starts online suburban railway pass distribution

After announcing further relaxations from August 15 onwards including offline e-pass facility for travel on suburban local trains for fully vaccinated citizens, the Maharashtra government has annou

Arrogance of Twitter didn’t work: Guru Prakash Paswan

BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan has said if people want to do business in the country, they have to follow the law of land. Speaking with reference to the US-based Twitter’s friction wit

Rane arrested for ‘tight slap’ remark against Thackeray

Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Narayan Rane’s remark on Monday, that he would have given a ‘tight slap’ to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for

Mumbai Coastal Road: BJP alleges fraud, BMC refutes allegation

Alleging financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 1,000 Crore in the construction of the Coastal Road in Mumbai, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ashish Shelar has demanded an investigation, but the Br

“Spending on penguins justified, they increased Mumbai zoo’s income”

Responding to the criticism from the opposition Congress and BJP for floating a tender of Rs 15 crore for the upkeep of seven penguins at the Byculla zoo, the the Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municip

Goa first state to provide 100% vaccination: Pramod Sawant

Goa, after becoming the first state in the country to complete 100% vaccination in the first round, will complete all its second doze vaccinations starting October 30, chief minister Pramod Sawant

Centre misusing probe agencies for political gains: Pawar

Hitting back at the central government in a strongly worded attack, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has said Bhartiya Janata Party is misusing central investigative agencies for

Maharashtra Congress to campaign against inflation

To protest against the rising fuel prices and inflation, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday announced a week-long awareness campaign, beginning on November 14, the birth

Why 40%? Priyanka should reserve 100% for women: Anila Singh

BJP spokesperson Anila Singh has ridiculed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary of All India Congress Committee in charge of Uttar Pradesh, for promising 40% reservation for women and said that

Judiciary encroaching on government space: Mahesh Jethmalani

The judiciary is encroaching on the government space and taking up matters of public policy which is the realm of the government, Mahesh Jethmalani, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha member, has said

Owaisi is not BJP’s team B; Owaisi is team A: Rakesh Tikait

Calling Asaduddin Owaisi, president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, a part of BJP, Rakesh Tikait, leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union, has said that he (Owaisi) is not BJP’s team B but

No irregularly in appointment of engineer: BMC counters BJP MLA

The BrihanMumbai municipal corporation (BMC) has rejected BJP MLA Ameet Satam’s demand in a letter to BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal to cancel the appointment of Sunil Rathod, deputy chief eng

If Rahul is in race to prove himself a better Hindu, our efforts have paid off: Ram Madhav

Ram Madhav, a member of the RSS National Executive, has said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi proudly proclaiming to be a better Hindu is a welcome step and the opposition’s newfound claim t

ED arrests Nawab Malik in money laundering case

In a dramatic turn of events, Maharashtra minorities affairs minister Nawab Malik was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Wednesday, becoming the second minister of the state’s MVA g

Dating the electorate, Valentine’s Day for political parties on March 10

A few days to go, when results of elections to five state assemblies will be announced on March 10th. At stake are 689 assembly seats, in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur. BJP ha

One word that influenced Verdict 2022 most: ‘Labharthi’

After the results of the five state assembly elections were announced on March 10th, there has been so much analysis from several perspectives. But if it is to be summed up in just one word, it is

Oppn giving publicity to ‘Kashmir Files’ by talking about it: Tehseen Poonawala

Responding to the popularity of the much-debated film ‘The Kashmir Files’, political analyst and social activist Tehseen Poonawala has asked the opposition, if it has no burning issues

Volcano has erupted with `The Kashmir Files`: Ashoke Pandit

Filmmaker and social activist Ashok Pandit has said that the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus was known to everyone for over 32 years, but political leaders, political parties and celebrities refused to

There should be rule of law, not law of rulers: Sanjay Hegde

Coming down heavily on Delhi’s Jahangirpuri demolition drive, senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde has said that in recent years many bulldozers have been used at various places includi

First ever Party Spokespersons 50 Rankings launched by exchange4media group

In a first-of-its-kind initiative launched by the exchange4medi

What’s the motive behind the US report that says religious freedom in India is diminishing?

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), in its 2022 Annual report, has recommended to the US State Department that India be designated a ‘Country of Particul

Centre not releasing states` slice of Rs 26,000 crore GST: Arvind Sawant

Lok Sabha MP and Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant has said that prime minister Narendra Modi is passing the buck and not fulfilling his responsibility of governance towards the states.

The Indian Muslim faces a conundrum. Here are the possible solutions

Unmasking Indian Secularism: Why We Need a New Hindu

Chintan Shivir 2022: Will Congress regain its lost mojo?

The Congress is scheduled to hold a Chintan Shivir (meaning, ‘introspection camp’) from May 13th to 15th in Udaipur and it has identified six specific areas for introspection. These are

Places of Worship Act: Time for a second look?

A videography survey in the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi this month, along with a similar survey in the mosque in Mathura permitted by a court, has brought the Places of Worship Act under focus afte

Uddhav Thackeray resigns as chief minister of Maharashtra

Minutes after the Supreme Court ordered a floor test on Wednesday night, Uddhav Thackeray in a televised address resigned as the chief minister of Maharashtra and also as a member of legislative co

Metro 3 car shed to stay at Aarey, say new CM Shinde

Former Maharashtra chief minister Davendra Fadnavis stunned all at a press conference Thursday and named Eknath Shinde, the rebel MLA from Shiv Sena, as the next chief minister. Though Fadnavis sai

NCP’s Ajit Pawar is LoP in Maharashtra assembly

After the Bharatiya Janta Party orchestrated rebellion in the Shiv Sena partly led by Eknath Shinde who took away with him a majority of MLAs, the Eknath Shinde-BJP government proved majority in th

Everything you wanted to know about Gujarat elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, Gujarat, goes to polls in December. The Election Commission on Thursday announced the polling schedule, according to which the voting will take plac

“World headed towards stagflation; India must take care of the poor”

As the post-pandemic fallout and geopolitical uncertainty slows down global economies and sanctions against some nations, energy crisis and inflation are adding to the troubles, India is projected

With Modi wave, BJP breaks Gujarat record

The BJP has been in power in Gujarat since 1998, and the state proved to be its springboard for the national sweep in 2014. Yet, it never came even close to the highest tally of 149 seats (out of t

Dust settles: In new Gujarat assembly, 22% members have criminal cases

As many as 40 – or 22% – of the 182 members of the new Gujarat assembly have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Refor

Uddhav joins hands with Prakash Ambedkar ahead of BMC polls

Ahead of the Mumbai civic polls, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday announced an alliance with Prakash Ambedkar`s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). Addressing a

Mumbai drains to be de-silted this month, BMC assures

As Mumbai prepares for monsoon, work is on to remove 9,79,882 metric tonnes of silt, and 7,68,362 metric tonnes (78.41%) of it has already been removed, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

Karnataka: More than half the winners have declared criminal background

As many as 122 winners of the Karnataka assembly elections, that is to say, more than half of the 224 MLAs, have declared criminal background, according to an analysis by the Association for Democr

Ajit Pawar splits NCP, is Maharashtra deputy CM for fourth time

In a huge blow to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), party supremo Sharad Pawar’s nephew, Ajit Pawar, Sunday switched loyalties once again, joined the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) alli

"I am NCP president," says Sharad Pawar as Ajit stakes claim to party

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar-led group on Thursday passed a resolution against the rebel faction led by his nephew Ajit Pawar during the National Executive meeting held

Dy CM Ajit Pawar gets finance & planning in Maharashtra cabinet expansion

Nearly a fortnight after being sworn in as Maharashtra deputy chief minister, in a major cabinet expansion on Friday, Ajit Pawar was given the coveted finance and planning portfolios, while Dilip W

No country for women? Derek O`Brien asks

Who Cares About Parliament: Speaking Up to Protect India’s Great Institution By Derek O’Brien Rupa / 224 pages / Rs 395

Govt has saddled the country with Rs 200 lakh crore debt: Kharge

Hitting out at prime minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that it has saddled the country with a debt of Rs 200 lakh crore and atrocities against Dalits have increased

Brave New Diplomacy in an Uncertain World

Bharat Rising: Dharma, Democracy, Diplomacy By Utpal Kumar BluOne Ink, 268 pages

Large part of national parties’ income from ‘unknown sources’

Between FY 2004-05 and 2022-23, the national political parties collected Rs 19,083.08 crore from unknown sources, according to an analysis made by the Association for Democratic Reforms.

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now


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