Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt analyses the Congress's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Italian marines Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone have got a deal similar to that of the gangster Abu Salem, which ensures that they won't get the death penalty. Sheela Bhatt reports on how a diplomatic stand-off was averted.
Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who is travelling around Gujarat, lists the factors that will help Chief Minister Narendra Modi likely win the state election.
BSP supremo Mayawati may have used her plan to nominate a Dalit candidate for the post of President as a bargaining tool with the Congress, reports Sheela Bhatt.
'Modi has to lead the BJP. There is no alternative,' a senior BJP leader tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Jagdish Bhagwati keeps the debate with the Nobel Laureate raging in this interview with Sheela Bhatt.
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
The talks between S M Krishna and Hillary Clinton covered important bilateral issues like Afghanistan, nuclear waiver, defence purchases, terrorism, cyber security and US demands for market access, particularly in insurance and retail trading. Sheela Bhatt reports.
'The Aam Aadmi Party will cut into our votes, but it won't affect our final tally in Uttar Pradesh,' a senior BJP strategist tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt in this brilliant report on the coming electoral wars in UP.
Fine packaging is not desirable when the stuff inside is about the real India, says Sheela Bhatt of Aamir Khan's television debut.
BJP leaders in Gujarat feel that though Narendra Modi and the party will fight the allegations politically, there is no denying that the legal fight will have some political price attached to it. Sheela Bhatt reports
Since Pakistan is in the middle of an intense regional and internal issue, the Rao-Bashir talks are not the "major attraction" in Islamabad, reports Sheela Bhatt from the Pakistani capital
A guest present at Dr Singh's lunch for President Zardari tells Sheela Bhatt what happened during the meal.
What Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari really discussed at their meeting. Sheela Bhatt reports
A recommendation to appoint officers from the defence forces at the level of director in the ministry of defence is being ferociously challenged, reports Sheela Bhatt.
These decisions were unavoidable because India was at real risk of 'downgrading of its sovereign ratings.' That would have meant more stringent terms and conditions of borrowings, investments and international bargains in projects and trade.
Sheela Bhatt speaks to BJP insiders and those privy to Modi's thinking to piece together the Gujarat's strongman plan/journey that aims for the biggest prize in Indian politics.
Will the dithering government buckle under pressure from Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to save itself from sinking into oblivion? Sheela Bhatt examines
By nominating Madhusudan Mistry, Digvijaya Singh, Kumari Selja as the party's Rajya Sabha candidates, and roping in Sanjay Singh, the Congress vice-president has failed to walk the talk, argues Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Sheela Bhatt analyzes how Sonia Gandhi's leadership has failed her party, and how India has suffered
Sheela Bhatt spends a bleak, rainy, winter day at the Aam Aadmi Party's dharna outside the Union home ministry in New Delhi and speaks exclusively to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal about his motivations.
In an exclusive interview with rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, Telo Tulku Rinpoche, who heads the biggest Russian monastery in Kalmykia and is the president of Buddhist Union of Kalmykia, says while in New Delhi, they want to attract Putin's attention to an urgent need of visa to the Dalai Lama, despite China's reservations.
Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi's remarks after presenting the rail budget make it clear that he knew all along that he was on his way out. Sheela Bhatt reports.
What does the high voters' turnout of 68 per cent in first phase of Gujarat election mean? Sheela Bhatt tries to find out.
As another murky saga of betting in cricket surfaces, Sheela Bhatt raises some frequently asked questions on the subject and provides answers.
"The Congress is in the hands of a few people. Rahul Gandhi, C P Joshi, Mohan Prakash, Ahmed Patel, Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia have decided on all the 182 seats. Once again, our leaders are plotting to defeat each other. They have made a mess of the Congress's improving fortunes. Like 2007, the Congress will lose both the election and prestige."
"The Congress is in the hands of a few people. Rahul Gandhi, C P Joshi, Mohan Prakash, Ahmed Patel, Shaktisinh Gohil and Arjun Modhwadia have decided on all the 182 seats. Once again, our leaders are plotting to defeat each other. They have made a mess of the Congress's improving fortunes. Like 2007, the Congress will lose both the election and prestige."
'The biggest damage is inflicted not during the riots, but after the riots. The curfews and inactivity brings misery to survivors of the riots. In every riot, some 3,000 Muslim families slip below the poverty line. Nobody talks about them.' Zafar Yunus Sareshwala, who speaks in Narendra Modi's favour and has initiated the dialogue between Modi and Gujarati Muslims, tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Activists, experts and scientists across the country have come together to challenge Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's dream project to double the nuclear energy-based power generation in the country, reports Sheela Bhatt.
'Naveen Patnaik's simplicity makes him look like an innocent fellow. But he is not like that. You can go to Odisha's mining areas and you can understand what is going on under his nose. A colossal loss to the national exchequer has taken place in Odisha,' Union Minister Srikant Jena tells Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt.
Captain Jainarayan Prasad Nishad, a member of the Lok Sabha from Bihar, has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar against a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India. In the letter to the Speaker, Captain Nishad has expressed his 'determination' to initiate impeachment proceeding against the judge.
Contrary to what Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told the media, Sheela Bhatt discovers that the decision to execute the Pakistani terrorist was a carefully calibrated move taken by the nation's top governmental and political leadership.
CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, who wants a debate in Parliament on FDI in retail, says that the way political parties are poised in Parliament they won't be able to win the motion of no-confidence. Sheela Bhatt reports
'So far as FDI is concerned, there are some things one says -- particularly if one is in election mode -- that may or may not be truly reflective of what is eventually going to happen,' says economist Bibek Debroy.
But it's nice to see the CBI telling the truth overtly and exposing the government that it serves covertly, says Sheela Bhatt.
Congressmen allege Verma has ignored loyal Congressmen and given tickets to his cronies for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh election on Wednesday.
The prime minister's advisor offers proof that the government of working -- behind the scenes.
While it is almost certain that Gadkari won't get a second term as BJP president, the RSS wants to ease him out without diminishing its own clout within the saffron pariwar. Sheela Bhatt analyses the situation.
By all accounts Digvijaya Singh is serving Rahul Gandhi's purpose of pushing himself into orbit over Narendra Modi, but he is also pushing his own case by his brazen tweets and bold assertions in the social media and in public acrimonies. But there is a limit to all games, writes Sheela Bhatt.
'It is very difficult to be an honest politician in a country where the system is absolutely corrupt. Jaipal Reddy is one up even on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is considered clean and honest. Reddy has gone a step ahead by playing an active role in stopping corruption. He has put things on record; he has walked the extra mile to ensure that public money is valued highly. One must recognise Reddy's efforts, and make it an example for India's younger generation.'
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