News for 'National Election Watch'

BJP will have to treat Nitish with kid gloves

BJP will have to treat Nitish with kid gloves

Rediff.com17 Nov 2020

Nitish Kumar will be the chief minister only till the time the BJP wishes, points out Ramesh Menon.

The life and legacy of Lee Kuan Yew

The life and legacy of Lee Kuan Yew

Rediff.com23 Mar 2015

Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's founding father and first prime minister, passed away on Monday at the age of 91.

Nikki Haley invokes her Indian roots, says America is not racist

Nikki Haley invokes her Indian roots, says America is not racist

Rediff.com25 Aug 2020

Haley warned Americans that a Biden-Harris administration would lead the country on the path of socialism, which has failed everywhere in the world.

What Modi may do in 2020

What Modi may do in 2020

Rediff.com1 Jan 2020

'The brutal violence of the UP government's first response to the anti-CAA protests suggests that the BJP will test drive the NPR/NRC in UP, where it has both a massive majority in the assembly and a chief minister whose instinct for Hindutva extremism and whose appetite for punitive policing allows a prime minister as darkly majoritarian as Modi to appear statesman-like,' notes Mukul Kesavan.

How will Modi deal with 'Dravidian' Stalin?

How will Modi deal with 'Dravidian' Stalin?

Rediff.com16 Jun 2021

Indications are that Modi will have words of encouragement for Stalin, and the meeting is likely to be much less acrimonious than critics of either would want it to be. notes N Sathiya Moorthy.

AAP took great care of Hindu voter sentiments

AAP took great care of Hindu voter sentiments

Rediff.com11 Feb 2020

'Kejriwal took political steps and micro level care at every level not to allow the consolidation of Hindu votes behind the BJP,' observes Sheela Bhatt, the distinguished political commentator.

TV had a good year in 2018

TV had a good year in 2018

Rediff.com29 Dec 2018

'Through the year, we heard many talk about the increasing time spent on digital. But 93% of all video consumption happens on TV,' points out Partho Dasgupta, CEO, BARC India.

EXPLAINED: Gujarat Phase I polls in 5 graphs

EXPLAINED: Gujarat Phase I polls in 5 graphs

Rediff.com7 Dec 2017

The high-octane campaign for the first phase of the crucial Gujarat elections, viewed as a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a litmus test for the leadership of soon-to-be Congress president Rahul Gandhi, will come to an end on Thursday. Here's everything you need to know about the polls -- from candidates to the constituencies.

'Modi is the political product of the Ayodhya agitation'

'Modi is the political product of the Ayodhya agitation'

Rediff.com8 Dec 2021

'Although Narendra Modi had no direct participation in the Ayodhya agitation, he would not have been in the dominant position he is now had it not been for the Ram Janambhoomi agitation.'

Women voters in Bihar are no longer a silent force

Women voters in Bihar are no longer a silent force

Rediff.com24 Nov 2020

This was the first major election in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Obviously, the women of Bihar were not intimidated by the pandemic and came out in large numbers to vote.

Rupee snaps 3-day fall; share gains help

Rupee snaps 3-day fall; share gains help

Rediff.com17 Apr 2014

Foreign funds sold Indian shares worth 446.9 million rupees ($7.4 million) on Wednesday, provisional exchange data showed, marking the third consecutive session of outflows.

AAP registers historic win in Delhi, BJP trounced

AAP registers historic win in Delhi, BJP trounced

Rediff.com12 Feb 2020

The AAP won in 62 with a total vote share of 53.58 per cent. The BJP recorded victory in eight seats, receiving 38.49 per cent of the total votes. The Congress could not even manage a single seat and ended with 4.27 per cent vote share.

Reading this book is a little like eating at Barbeque Nation

Reading this book is a little like eating at Barbeque Nation

Rediff.com15 May 2014

Shekhar Gupta's anthology is a valuable addition to our understanding of the seeming muddle that is India... The experience of reading his columns is more like a chat with a friend in the afterglow of an enjoyable drink, but never frivolous, says Shreekant Sambrani.

China has driven India into America's arms

China has driven India into America's arms

Rediff.com2 Nov 2020

Henry Kissinger once said, 'It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal.' India will have to wait and see, observes Rajeev Srinivasan.

'Modi sees himself as a man of destiny'

'Modi sees himself as a man of destiny'

Rediff.com11 Dec 2019

'Modi wants to go down in history not necessarily as India's first overtly Hindu RSS pracharak prime minister, but as a world statesman who built the idea of India as a great nation.'

'Xi Jinping has tied his feet too tightly to walk'

'Xi Jinping has tied his feet too tightly to walk'

Rediff.com6 Nov 2020

'Having tied himself in knots, he just might take a decision which is dangerous, one that could take his nation to war.'

'We gave BJP 20 seats though they wanted more'

'We gave BJP 20 seats though they wanted more'

Rediff.com12 Mar 2021

'Your strike rate is very important when it comes to seat-sharing.'

AAP declares candidates for 6 seats in Delhi, no alliance with Congress

AAP declares candidates for 6 seats in Delhi, no alliance with Congress

Rediff.com2 Mar 2019

Atishi will contest from East Delhi, Guggan Singh from North-West Delhi, Raghav Chadha from South, Dilip Pandey from North-East, Pankaj Gupta from Chandni Chowk and Brijesh Goyal will contest from New Delhi seats.

Voters approve of Modi's vision of Ram Rajya

Voters approve of Modi's vision of Ram Rajya

Rediff.com23 Nov 2020

This is something that Modi's critics are reluctant to accept: He is the most popular leader that India has seen since Indira Gandhi, says Vir Sanghvi.

Perarivalan's Release Explained

Perarivalan's Release Explained

Rediff.com19 May 2022

The Rajiv Gandhi assassination, investigation and trial were all jinxed in parts, recalls N Sathiya Moorthy.

Congress-mukht Bharat is a question of when, not if

Congress-mukht Bharat is a question of when, not if

Rediff.com26 Apr 2016

It seems the Congress just does not have the energy and vitality to break through even in the states where it has a ground presence and the wind of anti-incumbency on its back, says Aakar Patel.

'Mood toward China has changed in Washington'

'Mood toward China has changed in Washington'

Rediff.com25 Nov 2020

'There is little appetite in the Democratic foreign policy establishment to pick a fight with India.'

Old times back in Sri Lanka: What are India's choices?

Old times back in Sri Lanka: What are India's choices?

Rediff.com6 Sep 2020

Whatever its apprehensions and concerns about the regime of the Rajapaksa clan, India must be ready with unconditional assistance when Colombo asks for it. Because it will, observes Aditi Phadnis.

PM seeks votes for 'air strike men', EC takes cognizance

PM seeks votes for 'air strike men', EC takes cognizance

Rediff.com9 Apr 2019

The PM treaded sensitive ground by asking first-time voters to dedicate their first vote to those who carried out air strike in Balakot.

Just who is Deep Sidhu of Red Fort fame?

Just who is Deep Sidhu of Red Fort fame?

Rediff.com4 Feb 2021

Most of India knows Deep Sidhu as the man who planted the Sikh religious flag on Red Fort.

7 reasons why Kejriwal won Delhi

7 reasons why Kejriwal won Delhi

Rediff.com11 Feb 2020

As the Aam Aadmi Party heads for a resounding win in Delhi, Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf lists the reasons behind Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's triumph.

Pawar has delivered a body blow to Modi-Shah

Pawar has delivered a body blow to Modi-Shah

Rediff.com27 Nov 2019

'For Modi and Shah, the humiliating setback is bigger than the electoral defeats in New Delhi and in Bihar in 2015.'

'In 2019, we will see how to defeat the BJP'

'In 2019, we will see how to defeat the BJP'

Rediff.com15 Apr 2017

'The Congress will never change its ideology, but to fight this new kind of propaganda politics, we have to prepare ourselves.'

2020 will be the year of the economy, but...

2020 will be the year of the economy, but...

Rediff.com3 Jan 2020

'Neither Modi nor the BJP have lost control over the minds and votes of their original supporters due to their tremendous political ability to play upon baser communal instincts.' 'But this buoyant support will melt away if the economic scenario remains depressing.' 'That makes 2020 an interesting year to watch out for,' notes Sheela Bhatt.

The man who will replace Amit Shah in 6 months

The man who will replace Amit Shah in 6 months

Rediff.com6 Jul 2019

J P Nadda is a man to watch in the BJP.

How will Biden deal with China?

How will Biden deal with China?

Rediff.com24 Aug 2020

It is premature to make the assumption that Biden's policy toward China will not be a break with Trump, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

To My Biden-Supporting Friends

To My Biden-Supporting Friends

Rediff.com25 Nov 2020

'On Saturday, I drove my wife over to Beverly Hills for sushi.' 'Two blocks before Rodeo, we turned the car around, because we saw hundreds driving pickup trucks and marching down sidewalks, yelling, donning MAGA gear, and waving huge Trump flags.' I tell you... It was scary.' 'And this didn't look like a defeated throng.' 'These folks looked like they knew something we didn't,' notes Rajiv Satyal, the Los Angeles-based comedian and host.

Why the dove has become a hawk

Why the dove has become a hawk

Rediff.com18 Jan 2021

Strident Hindutva has not been the Shivraj Singh Chouhan's hallmark in his long tenure as chief minister. What has changed?

'MPs' letter was given to Congress leadership 10 days ago'

'MPs' letter was given to Congress leadership 10 days ago'

Rediff.com19 Aug 2020

'This letter assumes significance as it is for the first time that a letter has been documented and collectively agreed upon.'

Experts caution govt on trade deals with US

Experts caution govt on trade deals with US

Rediff.com29 Jul 2020

Existing trade deals, especially the 2009 pact with the Asean bloc, have been panned by the Centre for not boosting exports but flooding the domestic market with cheap imports. Subsequently, New Delhi has called for reviewing FTAs with Japan and South Korea. Going by that, a trade deal with the US is unlikely to be beneficial, say experts.

There may not be a second Covid peak in India: Experts

There may not be a second Covid peak in India: Experts

Rediff.com19 Dec 2020

The comments come as the country's COVID-19 caseload surpassed the one crore mark, though the number of daily cases and daily fatalities have been continuously coming down.

Why Modi should be worried about this data

Why Modi should be worried about this data

Rediff.com18 Jan 2021

At some stage this fall in the quality of life will begin to hurt anybody's popularity, observes Shekhar Gupta.

Advani's political yatra comes to an end

Advani's political yatra comes to an end

Rediff.com22 Mar 2019

Syed Firdaus Ashraf traces the trajectory of Lal Kishan Advani from the highs of the 1990s to the present, when he may have to watch the elections from the sidelines.

'You are lying': Anurag Thakur on 'goli maro' chants

'You are lying': Anurag Thakur on 'goli maro' chants

Rediff.com1 Mar 2020

"If you have questions on the economy, you should ask those..," he said when media persons kept fielding questions about his alleged hate speech.

Do Modi-Shah understand Punjab politics?

Do Modi-Shah understand Punjab politics?

Rediff.com10 Dec 2020

The Sikhs love a good fight, and that's what the Modi government has given them.