BUSINESS
The elections may not be the last word on government formation in Maharashtra
At the regional level, the fight is about which faction of the Shiv Sena will carry on Balasaheb’s legacy
BUSINESS
BJP stands taller after Haryana poll showing, disunity hurts Opposition
The BJP may get back its mojo after the Haryana elections, giving it a perception edge as Maharashtra and Jharkhand head for elections. While the National Conference and Congress scored a win in J&K, there is much for the Congress to learn from BJP's execution skills
BUSINESS
Haryana assembly polls: small state, big implications
Whichever party wins Haryana—whether BJP or Congress-- will have an edge in the battle of perceptions in the very crucial Maharashtra assembly elections too
BUSINESS
J&K Assembly elections: tough challenge for BJP
If the BJP, with NDA partners like the Apni Party and People’s Conference, can form the government in J&K, that will be seen as a mandate in favour of the revocation of Article 370
BUSINESS
Public outrage at the Kolkata hospital rape and murder throws a challenge to Mamata Banerjee
The obvious question that comes after this outpouring of non-political protests is: have the women of Bengal lost confidence in Didi, the only female chief minister of the country?
TRENDS
Quota Judgement: Reforming reservation will not be an easy task
After the judgement, states have the ability to use empirical data to sub-divide quotas to reflect socio-economic disparities. The main implementation challenge lies in the political risks involved in undertaking such a redistribution exercise
BUSINESS
The UP byelections will be a litmus test for Yogi Adityanath
A power struggle has emerged within the BJP in Uttar Pradesh which has far-reaching implications in the arena of national politics
BUSINESS
Is Bengali sub-nationalism Mamata Banerjee's new political weapon?
With the BJP gaining ground in West Bengal's urban areas, Mamata Banerjee is trying to shore up her popularity by attacking corruption within her party and sending a subtle message of Bengali sub-nationalism
POLITICS
Is India moving towards a two-alliance political system?
The voting trends in elections suggest that Indian politics is moving towards the formation of two big blocs, and the share of parties that do not join either of these alliances has come down sharply
LOK-SABHA-ELECTION
The opposition is back with a bang
It can be said clearly from the election result that Hindutva cannot be an alternative to unemployment or livelihood issues
ELECTION
How the scrapping of the OBC list led to further polarisation in West Bengal
The Calcutta High Court ruling changed overnight the campaign narratives of the two major parties in West Bengal, the BJP and the TMC. It resulted in a further polarization along religious lines of the ongoing electoral battle
LOK-SABHA-ELECTION
Lok Sabha elections: Who will win the battle for Bengal?
The best and worst scenario for both the BJP and the TMC is plus/minus four seats compared to their 2019 tally
POLITICS
Local, regional factors take centre-stage in waveless election
Unlike the last two general elections which were like referenda, this time it’s very different
BUSINESS
Indians are giving elections a miss in a hot summer
The change of election period to the summer months of April and May could be a key reason why voter turnout is becoming a sore point for the election commission
BUSINESS
Congress manifesto offers alternative ideology, can the party take it to the masses?
The political implication of calling its manifesto a ‘'Nyaya Patra'’ is that the masses have been denied justice under BJP rule and Congress will correct that if it is voted to power, through the policies outlined in the manifesto
POLITICS
CAA is no longer an election weapon for BJP
In West Bengal, fear about the Citizenship Amendment Act has increased as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has warned them that it is the first step of the NRC (National Register for Citizens), and like Assam, the NRC will exclude many names. In Assam’s NRC list, nearly 16 lakh applicants’ names were excluded, out of which seven lakhs were Hindus
BUSINESS
Simultaneous polls: Some questions need answers
The current system of individual elections for the centre and state governments may have its flaws but a common system should not lead to undesirable consequences
POLITICS
TMC quits INDIA bloc, limits its fight against BJP
The message is that the TMC is neither with the Congress nor does it want to extend its fight against the BJP beyond Bengal
BUSINESS
Cross Voting: A calculated jolt to demoralise the Opposition
The cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections has exposed how fragile the opposition is
BUSINESS
How badly will Sandeshkhali hurt Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming elections?
The Sandeshkhali incidents are a big blow to the Trinamool Congress, which is already on the back foot because of allegations of widespread corruption
BUSINESS
Will the farmers' protests affect the BJP's prospects in the Hindi heartland?
The three specific reasons why the BJP is more confident this time are: the Ram mandir effect; Jat leader Jayant Chaudhary-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) joining hands with the saffron party; and the conferring of Bharat Ratna to Charan Singh, the late Jat patriarch of Western Uttar Pradesh
TRENDS
Aaya Nitish, gaya Nitish
It is high time to discard the old "Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’’ phrase to describe political turncoats and replace it by "Aaya Nitish, Gaya Nitish", in view of the Bihar chief minister’s proven expertise in the field
POLITICS
Will the consecration of the Ram Mandir shrink the opposition space further?
The consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya marks the culmination of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement that led to an enormous expansion of the BJP and swept the party to power. Will it cripple the opposition even further?
BUSINESS
The mass suspension of opposition MPs sends the wrong signals
During an impasse in Parliament when Vajpayee was leader of the Opposition, he wrote to Somnath Chatterjee, then the Speaker, that “…legislature’s proceedings can be smooth and constructive only if the presiding officer (speaker) is able to inspire as much confidence in the Opposition as he is able to do in the ruling parties. The stark reality is that this situation is totally absent in our House”
