Sheela Bhatt And Nikhil Lakshman

Stories by Sheela Bhatt And Nikhil Lakshman

Desire for early poll may be behind Mamata's shocker

Desire for early poll may be behind Mamata's shocker

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2012

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.

Sonia's weight increases, Pranab's chances diminish

Sonia's weight increases, Pranab's chances diminish

Rediff.com   4 Jun 2012

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

Exclusive: Modi may contest LS poll from Gujarat, UP

Exclusive: Modi may contest LS poll from Gujarat, UP

Rediff.com   31 May 2012

'Modi has to lead the BJP. There is no alternative,' a senior BJP leader tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.

Exclusive: Modi may contest LS poll from Gujarat, UP

Exclusive: Modi may contest LS poll from Gujarat, UP

Rediff.com   31 May 2012

'Modi has to lead the BJP. There is no alternative,' a senior BJP leader tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.

Why it is important for Dimple Yadav to win from Kannauj

Why it is important for Dimple Yadav to win from Kannauj

Rediff.com   28 May 2012

Petitioner in disproportionate assets case against Mulayam Singh Yadav and his family blames the CBI for it double standards. Sheela Bhatt reports.

Modi threatened to quit if Joshi didn't step down

Modi threatened to quit if Joshi didn't step down

Rediff.com   24 May 2012

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.

All eyes on Naresh Chandra report on natl security today

All eyes on Naresh Chandra report on natl security today

Rediff.com   23 May 2012

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

Mulayam roots for Prez with political background

Mulayam roots for Prez with political background

Rediff.com   23 May 2012

On the event of the third anniversary of UPA II Samajwadi party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav told the media that he would not support any former bureaucrat for the post of the President. He said that he wanted a person with a political background to hold the top post

How political New Delhi's cancer causes India pain

How political New Delhi's cancer causes India pain

Rediff.com   22 May 2012

The UPA has failed over the last three years because it is in denial mode, refusing to accept that so much is rotten inside the government and the party, says Sheela Bhatt.

What happened at the Wankhede: An eyewitness account

What happened at the Wankhede: An eyewitness account

Rediff.com   18 May 2012

'Will the MCA brutes have the gumption to say how Shah Rukh Khan was abused and provoked into reacting and the kind of language they used to start the fracas?' Sukhminder Lamba asked. 'The abuses used by them, if ever revealed, will have hell breaking loose.'

Aamir Khan's Satyameva Jayate played it safe

Aamir Khan's Satyameva Jayate played it safe

Rediff.com   8 May 2012

Fine packaging is not desirable when the stuff inside is about the real India, says Sheela Bhatt of Aamir Khan's television debut.

Prez poll: Sushma queers BJP pitch, helps Cong powerplay

Prez poll: Sushma queers BJP pitch, helps Cong powerplay

Rediff.com   2 May 2012

If Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Karunanidhi and the Left parties endorse the Congress's game-plan, it is difficult to see how Sonia Gandhi's choice will fail to become President, reports Sheela Bhatt

Industrialist Anu Agha joins the league of Sachin, Rekha

Industrialist Anu Agha joins the league of Sachin, Rekha

Rediff.com   26 Apr 2012

God of Cricket Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and ever-sensual actress Rekha are not the only celebrities nominated to the Rajya Sabha this time. The feat has also been achieved by Pune-based industrialist and social worker Anu Agha.

Economic downgrade due to lack of PMO's authority: Jailtey

Economic downgrade due to lack of PMO's authority: Jailtey

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2012

India's economic condition is just a notch above that of Greece. The next phase could be of a "sovereign default" similar to Greece, said Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

Former IB chief: Maoists won't hurt collector

Former IB chief: Maoists won't hurt collector

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2012

'Menon's kidnappers are unlikely to behave like the radical Islamists who have a tendency to displease their own people and community. The Maoists are shrewd and will bargain hard, but not behave recklessly. Young Christians are their primary constituency and they bank heavily on them in the jungles.'

'Agni-5 has put India in the elite club'

'Agni-5 has put India in the elite club'

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2012

The Indian army will have to wait four to five years to acquire Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Agni-5, which was successfully tested on 19 April by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. Sheela Bhatt reports

Gen Singh may have scotched military's chances at MoD

Gen Singh may have scotched military's chances at MoD

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2012

Army chief General V K Singh's aggressive stance over various issues in the last few months is likely to go against the interest of the army.

Special: 'Rahul should project himself as a Gujarati'

Special: 'Rahul should project himself as a Gujarati'

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2012

Achyut Yagnik, co-author of The Shaping of Modern Gujarat: Plurality, Hindutva and Beyond, says, "I am surprised to read that Rahul claims that he is a Brahmin. His grandfather (Feroze Gandhi, husband of former prime minister Indira Gandhi) hails from Gujarat and Parsis are Gujaratis."

Rahul and Bilawal chatted a lot at lunch...

Rahul and Bilawal chatted a lot at lunch...

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2012

A guest present at Dr Singh's lunch for President Zardari tells Sheela Bhatt what happened during the meal.

India, Pak decide to move step by step, issue by issue

India, Pak decide to move step by step, issue by issue

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2012

What Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari really discussed at their meeting. Sheela Bhatt reports