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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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 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
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.
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
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
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’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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
Terming information commission’s ruling as ‘a very liberal interpretation’ and ‘erroneous conclusion that political parties are public authorities under the RTI Act’,
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
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 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
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,
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
On its second anniversary, how do you rat
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
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
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
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
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 t
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 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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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, 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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
“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
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
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sakshi Maharaj has been issued a show cause notice by the Election Commission of India for saying in Meerut: &ldquo
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
Mumbai recorded its highest ever turnout in the civic elections on Tuesday with 55.28% voters exercising their franchise.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Supporters celebrate the landslide victory of BJP in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly elections outside the BJP office at Ashoka Road, New Delhi.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
[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
(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
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
Historically, voter turnout for local elections has lagged behind state assembly elections and general elections. For example, a recent report by Jana
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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 &
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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?
In the age of ‘breaking news’, ‘breaking first’ and ‘super-exclusives’, authenticity of news and following basic journalistic norms is hardly given any importanc
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Can the JD(S)-Congress combine give s
Four years ago my article,
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
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
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 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 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
"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"
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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 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
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.
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,
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
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
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
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, 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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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, 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
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 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
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
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
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
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 (
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
In a first-of-its-kind initiative launched by the exchange4medi
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
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.
Unmasking Indian Secularism: Why We Need a New Hindu
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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
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
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
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
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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
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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.
The Supreme Court declared the Electoral Bonds (EB) scheme unconstitutional on February 15 and ordered the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide the names of individuals and business entiti
The Hindutva Paradigm: Integral Humanism and the Quest for a Non-Western Worldview By Ram Madhav Rupa Publications, Rs 395, 440 pages
In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra with 48 Lok Sabha seats is of crucial importance for the final outcome. In the 2019 election, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance won 42 seats including six s
Sarbeswara Samal, 66, a retired Odisha government employee residing in Bhubaneswar, has never forgotten to cast his vote in his village under the Patkura Assembly constituency which is a part of th
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was cruising comfortably ahead to form the government for the third time, though the Congress-led INDI Alliance made surprising gains to change the ongoing
As the votes are being counted Tuesday evening and the BJP-led NDA was set comfortably to form the next government, prime minister Narendra Modi termed the emerging verdict as people’s reposi
Prime minister Narendra Modi met president Droupadi Murmu and tendered his resignation along with that of his council of ministers on Wednesday, a day after the vote was counted in the General Elec
Narendra Modi was Friday appointed the prime minister for a historic third time, as president Droupadi Murmu invited him to form the next government. The swearing-in ceremony for the new council of
Narendra Modi made history Sunday evening as he was sworn in by president Droupadi Murmu for a third successive term. Modi thus becomes the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehr
The people of the country have given the BJP-led NDA a chance for the third time, and with this, “our responsibility increases threefold", prime minister Narendra Modi said ahead of the
Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday resigned as Delhi chief minister, even as the party supported Atishi to take over that position. Kejriwal, facing corruption
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the Mahayuti government has reached a consensus for 80% seats to be contested in the upcoming assembly elections and discussions fo
A metropolitan magistrate court in Mumbai Thursday sentenced Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and editor of party mouthpiece, ‘Saamna’, to 15 days imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2
The vote counting on Tuesday after the assembly elections of Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana has been mostly on predictable lines, except for a twist: in J&K, as expected, the National Conferen
The BJP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti has won the Maharashtra assembly elections with a comfortable margin, while the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has emerged clearly victorious in Jharkhand.
Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister of Maharashtra Thursday evening, ending days of uncertainty. Alliance partner and former CM Eknath Shinde, who had kept everyone guessing till the l
