'Vajpayee would not have approved either of the way the BJP now functions or of the thoughts that it entertains in its mind,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'The BJP and Congress are like those Bollywood lovers who are kept apart by their families where it is a generational problem of different values: The older ones think differently from the younger ones,' argues T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'In economic matters governments should not take sides based on religion and caste,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'A gig economy is more suited for superior economic outcomes.' 'You try to create an environment where people can earn more.' 'This is what should happen in India. Indeed it is already happening,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
As cricketing ability goes, there is no comparison between Sanjay Manjrekar and Sachin Tendulkar. But while the former has produced a wonderful autobiography, the latter's book is deadly dull. In batting, they were the exact opposite: Manjrekar was a bore and Sachin an absolute marvel, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'It will take the Opposition by surprise and catch it in total disarray.' 'By waiting for a year Mr Modi will only give it time to unite,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'Unlike in Gujarat, where he could ask for votes based on delivery, in 2019 he will have to appeal to his core Hindutva ideology, by firing over someone else's shoulders,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'The Gujarat model was never an economic model; it was essentially a governance model.'
'Mr Modi identified what would help him win votes and got it done, like 24x7 power in three phases, better roads, more water, etc.'
'Good economic governance at state level is quite different from good governance at national level,' points out T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
For a bunch that fancies itself so greatly and does not hesitate to express an opinion on everything, this is very odd behaviour, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'He is 47 years old and not married. Since his son or daughter can contest for Parliament only 25 years after being born, the earliest, if he marries in December, would be 2043.' 'So this, pretty much, is the end of the road for dynastic rule in the party,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'Differences will almost certainly arise over how the minorities are to be viewed and how educational institutions are to be treated.'
'These issues would be non-negotiable for Mr Modi's BJP.' 'So he may well refuse to lead a government in which his freedom of action is constrained by others in the coalition,' feels T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'It is entirely possible that Sonia Gandhi wants her son to be prime minister.' 'If so, it is game, set and match to the BJP,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
When the Indian economy tanked in 1991, it did so because it ran out of foreign exchange. Today, it is tanking because it has run out of rupees even as the foreign exchange granary is overflowing, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'In the three years since 2014 social tyranny has become a very real problem.' 'The government has denounced this tyranny -- once in a while.'
'But its supporters in North India bash on regardless,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
How many times can you read the same book? Instead, T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan turns to different books by same writers for comfort.
The views are stunning, the skies are blue, the forests are lush and, wonder of wonders, thanks to the discipline of the tea estate, even man isn't vile, discover Renu Bahal Wadhwa and T C A Srinivasa Raghavan after a trip to Kerala's breathtakingly beautiful hill retreat.
Modi is not being consistent with his past record of caution.' 'Has something changed in the way Modi does things?'
'His record will be clouded by the same negative factors as of Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao, namely, their politics and therefore social policies,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
His finest years came when he served as deputy governor under C Rangarajan.
Contrary to the popular belief that the IAS cadres manage the country - they are actually required to manage politicians, most of whom do not pass any sort of muster, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'After living in a country with hazy skies and a billion people, it is breathtaking when the sky is blue, the air crisply clean and there is drinking water in the taps. And, joy of joys, hardly any people.'
When size matters. Just as scotch bottles have become bigger, novels have also become fatter.
Over the years India's governments have turned several public goods into private ones, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'Bollywood's 'no prisoners taken' honesty comes as a big surprise.' 'I cannot think of a single judge, politician, sportsperson or bureaucrat being so forthright in their opinion of their contemporaries,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
'If anything, he is a fiscal hawk.' 'He has avoided fiscal profligacy completely for the past four years.' 'The fiscal deficits since 2014 are clear proof of this.' 'The point is not that it is not 3 per cent yet; it is that it is not 6, 7 or 8 per cent, which it could easily have been.' 'For this he needs to be congratulated.' 'He has recognised it no longer pays to spend other people's money to win elections,' points out T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
It would be a miracle if demonetisation doesn't extract a political price from the BJP and Modi, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
Narendra Modi promised to be A B de Villiers but has batted like a Geoff Boycott, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan
Maybe the new methods of measuring GDP helped us get an accurate picture.
Economists who get too close to prime ministers eventually come to grief after their boss is defeated
T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan on what's so fascinating about politics that books by journalists about it sell so well.
Don't waste the money on politically motivated social programmes.
Donald Trump has forced the sophisticated to reveal their real selves, which are as vicious as that of any status quoist in the world, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
Though Narendra Modi doesn't know it, he is a victim of this deep-rooted infection.
The Reserve Bank of India is not a free agent. It never has been, nor should it ever be.
The purposeful Narendra Modi who won the election has been replaced by a prime minister who looks quite lost, says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan
Erstwhile RBI governors, including Raghuram Rajan never had cordial relations with the government.
GST will make it easier for governments to spend more, says T C A Srinivasa Raghavan.
'The Congress has a great programme, but a suspect leader. The BJP has a great leader, but a suspect programme.'
'From where prime ministers sit, it makes no difference at all who occupies the governor's post.' 'Literally anyone with a decent education or work experience can be appointed to the job, which is basically a managerial one with little room for manoeuvre,' says T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan.
The days of 365-days-a-year, eight-hours-a-day employment are pretty much over, especially as an attractive political promise.
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