Will Indian democracy benefit from the potential that Shashi Tharoor stores in his mind, spirit and intellect? Or will it be the saga of another leader who promised much but delivered too little, asks Dr Sudhir Bisht.
Under pressure from the rank and file, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi may directly take on Gujarat chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's campaign chief Narendra Modi at a rare media interaction early next month, reports Anita Katyal.
'The BJP does not offer any credible alternative to the Congress. The Congress is the lesser evil if you had to choose,' says Thomas Macaulay biographer Zareer Masani.
'Mamata wanted the Congress in alliance with the BJP in Bengal against the Left Front government.' 'Pranab Mukherjee opposed it, stating it would amount to compromising on secularism.' 'In 2021, Mamata defeats the BJP and becomes a champion of secularism.'
Taking the cue from Mulayam Singh Yadav are his sworn rivals in the Bhartiya Janata Party, whose leaders could never tire of flaying not only him but also the Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi clan for promoting their respective families in UP.
The real effect of the so-called 'weak-allegations' against Robert Vadra is that the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is shaken to its core, even if temporarily, says Sheela Bhatt.
'We are not fighting against any individual, but the BJP's policies which are dictated by the RSS,' says Congress veteran Mohsina Kidwai.
Rediff.com brings you some of the biggies who the law caught up with, eventually.
The BJP on Saturday said the elevation of Rahul Gandhi to the number two position in Congress poses no challenges to it.
It is for the Congress to ensure that the revelations do not eat into its vote bank in the crucial assembly elections. And it can do that by one, instituting a transparent and credible inquiry into the allegations; two, by taking action where it is due; and three, by disassociating itself from Vadra, says Seema Mustafa.
TIME also named freedom fighter Amrit Kaur as 'Women of the Year' for 1947
Corruption, Anna Hazare's campaign and lack of grassroot support have led to the party's downfall, say analysts. Faisal Kidwai reports from Lucknow
Upholding principles was a luxury when there were charismatic leaders capable of winning elections without stooping low to indulge in identity politics, observes Virendra Kapoor.
India Against Corruption (IAC) on Friday claimed that a man who threw a shoe at Arvind Kejriwal two days ago is close to Gandhi family.
'In any ministry headed by Rahul, we will see a lot of talk of accountability, meritocracy and efficiency. But all these things will impact Indian politics in a positive way if they are a means to an end, and do not become an end in themselves as it has with the revamp of the IYC and the NSUI,' Aarthi Ramachandran tells Sheela Bhatt
The most significant aspect of the elections to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly the results for which were announced on March 6, was not even the rout of the Congress Party, but the humiliation suffered by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in what has been described as their pocket boroughs of Rae Bareli and Amethi, says B Raman
A list of those with low attendance in the Lok Sabha throws up some big names, reports Vicky Nanjappa
'If Rahul Gandhi disappears, Modi has to talk about his own policies and why they failed'
Why should the Congress party be hitched to the Nehru-Gandhi family like train compartments to the engine was how the late P V Narasimha Rao reacted to the suggestion that Sonia Gandhi be made the Congress chief after the assassination of her husband Rajiv Gandhi in May, 1991.
Caught in the middle of a maelstrom of controversies, the Planning Commission has been accused of being disconnected from ground realities. Its 12th Plan hopes to fix that.
Under attack over the controversial Rs 685-crore Dalit memorial, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Friday hit out at Congress saying it had no right to criticise when it has raised so many memorials for the Nehru-Gandhi family across the Yamuna bank in Delhi.
Sources said Rahul and the King share a "special relationship" and had promised to attend his wedding celebrations.
Given the prevailing state of flux in the polity, it is early days yet to predict a presidential polarisation of the Modi versus Rahul variety. But it cannot be ruled out, Neerja Chowdhury
Congress is the only other horse in the race for national power, never mind how distant. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah know better than to take the Congress lightly, observes Shekhar Gupta.
Jayanthi Natarajan, the only prominent woman leader from Tamil Nadu in the Congress and a known loyalist of the Nehru-Gandhi family, makes a comeback to the Union Council of Ministers after a gap of nearly 13 years. Natarajan, 57, has an arduous task ahead since she steps into the shoes of high profile and activist minister Jairam Ramesh, who had given considerable teeth to the environment ministry.
Priyanka Gandhi asked what was stopping the human resources development minister from setting up an IIT here.
'At the end of 2011, everyone had forgotten the so-called India Story and double-digit growth. Outside the members of the official economist clique, led by the prime minister's sidekick Montek Singh Ahluwalia, no economist predicts that GDP will grow at nine-plus percent. The last quarter saw growth slip alarmingly. At this rate, instead of Ahluwalia's 9% we will soon be back to the Hindu rate of growth of 3.5%,' notes Virendra Kapoor.
With just one move, the highly anticipated shift of power to the next generation of the Nehru-Gandhi family has come about, albeit silently, explains Sheela Bhatt
Shah's rally and other events will be attended by party workers from neighbouring constituencies, including Amethi.
If a creed has to work, it must carry the weight of conviction, not just the frippery of an electoral tactic. Is Rahul Gandhi indulging in ritual appeasement, or is he seeding the climate for economic policies that he will implement when he becomes prime minister? asks M J Akbar.
Rahul Gandhi succeeds his mother Sonia Gandhi, who remained in the post for 19 years.
The long-standing Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal-United alliance stood the test of time again with the combine scoring a landslide victory in the Bihar assembly polls on the development plank.
The move is aimed at reflecting the diversity of India and highlighting the contribution of prominent personalities.
A wise politician would disarm his critics, try to take them along, co-opt them, or, at least, take the criticism in his stride. Developing a thick skin ought to be an essential part of any politician's toolkit, notes Virendra Kapoor.
Several leaders, including many MPs, wrote to Sonia Gandhi, either calling for her to continue or urging Rahul Gandhi to take charge.
Former Union minister and controversial Bharatiya Janata Party MP Anantkumar Hegde has once again stoked a row by calling the freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi a "drama". However, this is not the first time a leader from the ruling party has insulted the Father of the Nation. Here are other instances when BJP leaders took a swipe at Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
After following Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the party's official Twitter handle, he began following senior leaders P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot, Ajay Maken, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot and CP Joshi from this month.
The government wants to introduce a nationwide goods and services tax to revive its stalled reform programme.
Shah said, "Rahul baba cannot see development as he sports Italian spectacles."
Congress on Friday termed as "disgusting" and "petty-minded" the way the Narendra Modi government marked the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi while the ruling BJP wondered if that party prefers to see history through the "perspective" of Nehru-Gandhi family.
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