Mamata Banerjee changed her stand on the presidential election because the Congress and Pranab Mukheree, at different levels, worked hard to make her understand that the 'Vote for Pranab' is a win-win situation, reports Sheela Bhatt
At Law Minister Salman Khurshid's party, there was a lavish spread of sweet mangoes and spicy gossip. Sheela Bhatt shares some notes from the soiree
Not only the variety of corporate interests are putting the pressure on every little detail regarding the 2G auction process, but even Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is lobbying for it openly, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Commerce, Connectivity, Consular and Community -- External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has urged Indian ambassadors in Central Asia to find ways to explore the massive potential that the strategically-important region offers. Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who travelled to Tajikistan with the foreign minister, reports.
Afghanistan was the focus of the high-level talks held between India and Tajikistan, says Sheela Bhatt.
Krishna's official visit to Dushnabe is being seen as part of attempts by New Delhi to re-engage the strategically-located Central Asian country, which shares borders with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China.
Nitish Kumar's sneak attack on Narendra Modi is an attempt to wean away the Muslim vote from his state political rival Lalu Yadav as also a move to project himself as a PM candidate if the situation turns out favourable after the 2014 general election, says Sheela Bhatt.
The CM also said all papers and files in his office have been gutted.
Wednesday's shock and awe of regional leaders gave Congress leaders such a jolt that they had no choice but to quickly decide on the man who would be least opposed by its allies and adversaries, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Asks a senior Congressman: "When his position on home ground is weak, when his most senior colleague is expected to leave the Cabinet on being selected for the President's post, and when within the party too his handling of economy is being questioned, why should he go abroad for so long?"
We can sort out certain sensitive issues with the Left, we can put aside certain economic reforms, but there will not be day-to-day skirmishes with them, a senior Congress leader tells Sheela Bhatt
BSP supremo Mayawati may have used her plan to nominate a Dalit candidate for the post of President as a bargaining tool with the Congress, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Once the tremors of Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav's political shock dies down, they will return for fresh negotiations with the Congress, notes Sheela Bhatt.
By asking Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to move the resolution authorising the Congress president to select the party's presidential nominee, Sonia Gandhi has strengthened her political position. Sheela Bhatt analyses
'Modi has to lead the BJP. There is no alternative,' a senior BJP leader tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
'Modi has to lead the BJP. There is no alternative,' a senior BJP leader tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Petitioner in disproportionate assets case against Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family blames the CBI for it double standards. Sheela Bhatt reports.
Purshottam Rupala, a confidante of Modi, gave the Gujarat chief minister's resignation letter to BJP president Nitin Gadkari at the agenda meeting of the national executive in Mumbai on Thursday.
The Naresh Chandra report is the result of the first-ever focused exercise since the Kargil Review Committee, headed by the late K Subrahmanyam, of 10 years ago after which no such holistic review of all aspects of national security was taken up, reports Sheela Bhatt
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