Everyone knows who will win the election to succed Sonia Gandhi as Congress president. But who would YOU prefer?
The all powerful prime minister's office has selected the chief guest who will grace Republic Day 2022.
Glimpses of what some of our leaders were up to on Monday, September 26, 2022.
'Now Mr Modi has been offered a more real but different kind of war, which he has likened to the Mahabharat,' notes T N Ninan.
'While other parties generally need support directly from their central leadership to get influencers or celebrities to endorse their party, the work of identifying and contacting such influencers has been decentralised to state and district level IT cells to get more engagement in the BJP.'
'Modi's speech was like one of our sour food preparations; Rahul's was sweet.'
'He has divine power... For our future, safety is in the hands of Modi.'
The Howdy Modi put a dagger into the heart of the 'bipartisan consensus' in the US regarding the relations with (Modi's) India, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'The consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya has demoralised them.' 'And, now it is reflecting in their individual reactions as they are losing hope to take on the BJP in 2024.'
Dominic Xavier offers his take on the issue and wonders why the government wants everyone to tow their line.
On Friday, an attempt by the banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed to carry out a suicide attack ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's visit was foiled after two suspected Pakistani terrorists were killed in Jammu in an encounter in which a Central Industrial Security Force officer also died.
'It is creditable that the BJP builds the organisation set-up and then looks for leaders.' 'The Congress on the other hand has to care for the leaders more than the organisation.'
Will Modi and his government begin the battle against the second surge in the pandemic, which is now seeing cases mounting in BJP-ruled states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, only after May 2, when the election results are declared asks Dominic Xavier.
'Has any prime minister spent so much time in one state holding election rally after rally?'
Rajinikanth was welcomed home by his family after he returned from hospital, where he had been admitted for about four days.
'Victims of terrorism do not sit together with its perpetrators to discuss terrorism.'
India celebrates December 16 as Vijay Diwas to commemorate the military victory over Pakistan in 1971.
On Monday night, when President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Padma awards at a civil investiture ceremony in the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the loudest applause was reserved for Swami Sivananda, the 125-year-old yoga guru who walked barefoot to receive the Padma Shri -- after prostrating before Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi and President Kovind.
'They are happy for the Hindu community as Ram Lalla is consecrated in Ayodhya.'
Modi's critics will say that he has put up cement and steel structures, but weakened the institutions of governance whereas Nehru strengthened them, observes T N Ninan.
'This government is feeling uneasy because IT cell narratives are being demolished by cartoons.' 'If narratives are so weak to be demolished by cartoons, then they must be fake ones.'
There is buzz that the PM, confident of an election victory, will introduce 25 new ministers.
What is foreign policy worth if it stands disconnected from domestic realities? Make no mistake, the horrifying visuals of the human suffering in metropolitan India is only the tip of the iceberg. The vast swathes of the hinterland are heaving with untold sorrows, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The prime minister's insistence that his voice cannot be suppressed left me both puzzled and amused. He has at his call, the government's official news dissemination/publicity channels, the pliant newspapers and television channels that were eager to prostrate themselves before a powerful government and yet, the dominant voice thinks it is in competition with other voices! exclaims Shyam G Menon.
'We don't trust the prime minister's words on repealing the laws because he had promised us that he will implement the Swaminathan Commission report, but he never did.'
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan felicitates Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi.
The BJP's top leadership will drop its MPs found to be facing anti-incumbency, according to its internal surveys -- a pivotal tactic to ensure the party achieves its target of winning 370 seats.
'My protest was in the interest of the nation.' 'I am just doing my duty as a citizen of this country.'
After an official meeting with their respective officials in attendance, Kamala and Narendra then moved to the balcony of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building where the leaders had an animated chat.
Kishida Fumio, who served as Japan's foreign minister from 2012 to 2017, visited India multiple times in that role and interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi both in New Delhi and in Tokyo, and with Dr Manmohan Singh, when the then prime minister, visited Japan in 2013.
'When Priyankaji's candidature wasn't announced, where is the question of her backing out?'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf lists 10 ways in his life has improved under the first Modi Sarkar.
Dominic Xavier wonders why politicians always seem to have a problem with the way our women dress
'In India, the establishment not only endorses, but many a times instigates anti-Muslim hatred.'
'A unified Hindu votebank -- the creation of the largest and most reliable votebank in Indian politics, ever,' says Mihir S Sharma.
From handling the party organisation, finalising candidates, shooting the breeze with the media to pow-wows with diplomats and liaising with the PMO -- Arun Jaitley is the BJP's chief backroom manager in this election, reports R Rajagopalan.
'Rama is Lord God of maryada. Today's maryada is the Constitution.'
'Whatever we are today, if playback singers are here even today, and that includes me, it is because of Didi.'
Right now there are five Hindus occupying the top job in the world. Rishi Sunak will be the sixth.
Droupadi Murmu, India's 15th President, will be the youngest (she is only 64) and India's first President to be born after Independence.
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