The best-case scenario is that the BJP will top out at around 50 seats in UP -- a drop of 12 from the 62 it had won in 2019. Taken in tandem with Maharashtra and Karnataka, this is what is likely to put paid to the BJP's ambitions of a third term for Modi, argues Prem Panicker.
'Are we so ready to believe that in this country whose virtues we constantly shout from the rooftops, there is no single person -- other than Modi -- in a minimum of 272 elected MPs with the talent and ability to lead this country?' asks Prem Panicker.
In Phase 6, indications are that the BJP, which is defending 40 seats, will lose in double digits and gain in single digits. Not good, if you are the ruling party scrambling to earn a working majority, with just one phase left to go, argues Prem Panicker.
While people voted in a fifth round that will set the tone as this election rounds into the straight, and while Modi on the stump chews the cud of personal grievances and hackneyed promises that have long since passed their use-by date, there is a rogue wave rising -- what damage it will do, we will know 16 days from today, observes Prem Panicker.
This time Modi has no emotive message to take to the stump. Muscular nationalism doesn't work against the backdrop of China's successive inroads into Indian territory. Rising prices is a sore point that cuts across class and caste barriers; unprecedented levels of unemployment has the youth in a ferment. This has reduced the BJP campaign to a laundry list of recycled grievances and thinly veiled communal appeals, neither of which are working as well as they have in the past, argues Prem Panicker.
2019 was the Bharatiya Janata Party's breakout year, when it stretched the boundaries of what was thought possible and ended up with 303 seats on its own steam. Now it is forced to play defence, on a pitch queered by too many variables, asserts Prem Panicker.
To understand Modi, listen to what he does not say -- vide NRC, suggests Prem Panicker.
Prem Panicker, on the Rediff chat, delves on what went wrong for Team India and what to expect from Sunday's trans-Tasman World Cup final.
As part of a series of weekly chats on cricket, Prem Panicker appeared on the rediff Chat at 1300 EDT/1000 PDT on December 8.
As part of a series of weekly chats on cricket, Prem Panicker appeared on the rediff Chat at 1300 EDT/1000 PDT on December 15.
Transcript of Prem Panicker's cricket chat.
Farhan and Javed Akhtar discuss the new and the classic Don.
Transcripts of Prem Panicker's chat on Thursday.
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Salopek is on an intercontinental journey of 24,000 miles, tracing humankind's movement out of Africa right down to South America.
Bouyed by the vociferous crowd at the WACA, India thrashed UAE by 9 wickets.
There's wisdom to be found in an unfairly treated man's short and sweet concluding words -- a nation is only as great as our appreciation of the people who make it great, notes Sukanya Verma.
Former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz has accused the ICC of favoring the Indian team.
Author Rajni Bakshi discusses with Editorial Director Prem Panicker how her latest book Bazaars, Conversations and Markets came about.
On a roll after three successive wins in the ongoing cricket World Cup following today's nine-wicket spanking of minnows UAE, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said his "complete unit" has been doing well with consistent performances in all departments of the game.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
In the days since September 14, have you heard of one 'common man' or common woman even, getting his or her truss in a knot over Tharoor's remark? No, because the common man/woman/person has much larger issues to worry about -- unlike some of our elected representatives, says Prem Panicker.
'The liberalisation of the Indian economy has triggered a growing belief in education, because they believe they can be a part of the economic bandwagon and benefit from it.'
It was one of the most tantalising days in Indian Parliament. Parties debated for and against the nuclear deal. MPs crossed swords, armed with allegations and statistics. As the nation kept glued to the happenings, rediff.com's Prem Panicker gave its readers a blow-by-blow account of what happened. Here is the transcript:
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Statistical highlights of the pool B match between India and UAE.
Ramnaresh Sarwan's unbeaten 98 lifted the West Indies from a precarious position in the second ODI.
The West Indies pulled off a sensational victory in the second ODI and ended India's chasing streak of 17 wins.
The Indian captain said the team could have probably spared themselves and the fans the heart-stopping moments towards the end.
India's captain scored a fine 105 as India beat the West Indies by five wickets, off the second last ball, in the first ODI.
India restricted the West Indies to 251 for 6 despite the opening batsman hitting 123 off 132 balls in the first ODI.
England scored 200 for 5 before rain and bad light restricted play to just 14.3 overs on day 2 in the second Test between England and India.
MS Dhoni or Sachin A Billion Dreams? Dangal or Mary Kom?
Check out on-field umpires for the ICC Cricket World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand on Sunday in Melbourne.
Australia skipper Michael Clarke was stumped by a question which appeared to be about his sex life.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Irish captain William Porterfield not getting pressured by the daring batting of De Villiers
After criticising Misbah-ul-haq severely in the recent past, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar took a U-turn.
Left-handers Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne struck fluent centuries to help Sri Lanka outplay a hapless England by nine wickets in a Pool A match of the ICC World Cup.
Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin has been slammed on social media for sledging a couple of New Zealand batsmen while sending them back to the pavilion following their dismissal during their World Cup win over Brendon McCullum's men on Sunday.
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