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.
'The message they want to send to the country is that they can do anything by hook or crook'
The entire campaign in Lucknow is based on Narendra Modi -- there is little mention of the BJP candidate, a certain Rajnath Singh. Some locals wonder, 'Rajnathji is not coming to campaign in Lucknow. How will he take care of this city after he wins?' Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com reports from Lucknow.
She could not believe how much India had changed since the last time she experienced it first hand.
'We cannot afford to be complacent about our food security needs.'
'Putin has set aside all the rules and now he is deciding the rules.'
'The decision to supply free food grains is not an economically sound decision because the government will find it very difficult in future to charge anything for food grains.'
'When the Babri Masjid was demolished, we didn't take permission from anyone.'
'One cannot avoid speculating whether there was something else at play that led to the uncovering of this saga.'
Why 'anti-Romeo'? Why not 'anti-loafer' squad? Or 'anti-Majnu' squad?' wonders Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
'When the Congress is put against someone like Narendra Modi, they do not have anything new to offer to the people of India.'
With Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stoking a controversy by saying that the Hindu population was falling while minorities are flourishing, Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf studied the 2001 and 2011 census data to track the demographic changes in the northeast.
'The Naxals started firing indiscriminately.' 'The whole jungle echoed with the sound of bullets.' 'The only thing I heard from that side was 'Chhodna kisi ko nahi (don't let anyone escape)'.'
'Israel has received an extremely hard and rude reminder that it cannot go ahead and talk of normalisation of relations with other Arab countries without addressing the issues pertaining to Palestine.'
'In politics, not everything is spoken and there are a lot of messaging done very discreetly.'
'These atheist people wanted to finish the progress of Sabrimala temple devotees and now they are using this (the Supreme Court verdict) as a weapon to destroy the believers.'
'They want to wind up Osho's Pune operation, take the money and move out of India.'
'The mindset of people needs to change.' 'We still believe in accepting cash when we can do business with digital money as well.'
'If you want proof, visit any bank in Mumbai and you will find the poor standing in bank queues.' 'They are queuing up from midnight outside the banks.'
Hours after the government banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, Indians are facing an acute shortage of change.
'The second Covid wave spread due to the irresponsibility of the Election Commission of India and now they are committing the same mistake.'
'They were certainly not practising Hinduism in the Harappan culture (which includes Mohenjo Daro and other sites).' 'There was no notion of Hinduism then.'
'A political party taking the law into its hands is objectionable, especially in the context of the 2002 incidents in Gujarat.'
'Military operations demand the highest degree of secrecy.' 'Those who are demanding transparency in military operations must understand what military operations are all about.'
'The Congress today has lost contact with the Hindu clergy.' 'They go to to Hindu clergy only during the time of elections.'
'There is a famous saying here that 'the way to Delhi passes through Lucknow'.' 'If the BJP loses UP in 2022, Modi's premiership in 2024 will be in doldrums.'
Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf and Hitesh Harisinghani speak to millennials to find out if the ease of ride-sharing apps like Ola and Uber was a reason for them not buying a car.
'Government must take into consideration the human cost of the NRC exercise'
'The message the BJP is sending is that they are in no way responsible for Uddhav's downfall and it was only Shinde who is to be blamed.'
Why Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manjinder S Sirsa is furious with the director and actor of Sacred Games 2.
'The BJP will be wiped out from all over India.'
'I wrote to the PMO to know who has written the slogan. but did not get an answer.'
When Syed Firdaus Ashraf received messages last weekend, asking him to boycott Chinese goods, he laughed.
'I have learnt from Guru Nanakji that we all must live in harmony and brotherhood and have concern for others.'
If you thought Vajubhai Vala's invitation to BSY was a one-off, think again :))
'I support Udta Punjab because we must show the reality of Punjab.' 'If there is a problem, it should be highlighted, not hidden.' 'The truth must come out and people must know the harmful effects of drugs.'
Shyel Trehan, an alumna of the 2000 batch of the National Law School, was one of the organisers who managed this near impossible achievement.
The fictional characters in the movie knew that water was of utmost importance. This is something that the BCCI continues to ignore as they insist that IPL matches, be played in the drought-hit state, writes Rediff com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
'Prime Minister Narendra Modiji must personally intervene in the matter to make it clear to his officials and the rank-and-file that communal abuse should now stop'
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