A full majority might be difficult, but Mayawati is in a commanding position this time.
"You take any section of society be it Dalits, weavers or Brahmins, everybody has been exploited. The administration of Yogi Adityanath ji is working completely against the 'vichaar' (thoughts) of Guru Gorakhnath," she said at a rally, taking a swipe at the BJP leader who is also the head of the prominent Mutt in Gorakhpur named after Saint Gorakhnath.
'There is dissatisfaction and disaffection for the BJP, but there is no anti-incumbency against the government in UP.'
Milan Talkies cannot decide what kind of a movie it wants to be, feels Sukanya Verma.
The BJP ignored the principle of the Cabinet's joint responsibility and the adage of the buck stopping at the top, observes Amulya Ganguli.
'I was so nervous and embarrassed that I hid behind a pillar, just watching my son quietly.' 'I could see him very quiet, not communicating with anybody.'' 'I thought he was not interested. But when he gave his first shot, he was perfect!'
The byelections are scheduled to be held on March 11.
'(Upper caste) leaders talk against the Constitution, reservations and the nation and still get away.'
The Congress is on a search spree these days. To choose the next President. And, a new spokesperson for the party. All this, and more, in this week's Dilli Gupshup.
Yogi Adityanath's aura is no longer limited to Uttar Pradesh. At the age of 49, his journey to the higher echelons in the BJP has well and truly begun, predicts Sudhir Bisht.
The induction of Shiv Pratap Shukla, a Brahmin face in the BJP, is being seen as a well-calculated move to keep the upper caste in good humour.
Chandrakant Sompura has either planned, designed, built or renovated over a hundred temples in India and abroad.
On possible alliances for the upcoming state polls, the SP president said, "Doors of our party are open for all small parties. Many smaller parties are already with us. More will come with us."
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had last week announced the scheme, and said many priests were reeling under financial crisis and her government was doling out sops to support them. "The Cabinet has given its nod to the 'Rajya Purohit Kalyan Prokolpo' which the chief minister had announced a few days ago," state home secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said at the secretariat.
Pandey, a daring IPS officer known for his rustic mannerisms, had sought voluntary retirement in 2009 amid speculation that he wanted to contest the Lok Sabha election from Buxar.
This time round, even 'petrol coupons' were reportedly distributed for those attending campaign rallies, especially those addressed by top leaders, cutting across party lines. If this owed to the rising cost of petrol and diesel -- which is a poll issue this time -- there were the customary coupons for 'quarter' (liquor bottle size) and non-vegetarian biryani. Some media reports claimed that some of these 'crowds' attended more than one political rally on the same day in the last week, and at times for rival political parties in adjoining constituencies or districts, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The couple had prayed that police or Mishra should not disturb them in their peaceful living as they were adult and had got marriage in free will.
Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath to 10 cabinet ministers and 14 ministers of state, including five ministers of state with independent charge.
The Mumbai Police on Monday registered a case of criminal intimidation against unidentified persons who allegedly questioned a 24-year-old man in a menacing way on suspicion that his bag was made from cow skin.
This is one fashionable couple you should take style inspiration from for your big day!
Mayawati thinks she has a winner if a candidate can bring in votes from his own caste to go with her Schedule Caste vote bank.
'UP has shown India and the world how caste and religion can be manipulated to the maximum cynical extent.'
Those who know Alapan Bandyopadhyay describe him as measured, tactical and extremely focused on achieving what he sets out to do. To many it came as a surprise that he would cut short a meeting with the prime minister.
BJP leader Ram Madhav's rant about Vice President Hamid Ansari's absence at the International Yoga Day celebrations goes deeper, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf, deep into their brain.
Among the ministers in the new cabinet are 8 Lingayats, 7 Vokkaligas, 7 OBCs, 3 SCs, 2 Brahmins, 1 ST and 1 Reddy, and a woman.
Amidst indications that Samajwadi Party leader and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is warming up to the idea of an alliance with Congress, UP PCC President Raj Babbar on Monday said his party will contest alone in the state and described such talks as "hypothetical".
As India all set to welcome Ganapati Bappa, we bring you snapshots of the many forms of the elephant-headed deity.
Relationship problems? Let Love Guru help.
With the Tamil Nadu electorate having given him an unprecedented mandate that had eluded his father the late M Karunanidhi, Stalin has to prove his worth, ensuring at the same time that the Dravidian drag on the AIADMK's side does not open up space for the BJP to make inroads in the state, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The family of Viswanatha Gurukkal, who was attacked by a group of youngsters, blames some political parties for taking up anti-Brahminism as their poll plank. Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com reports.
'The Maratha versus OBC friction will increase. A huge chunk of the Shiv Sena's social base consists of OBCs.' Dhaval Kulkarni reports.
'The pressure was very high because I am not a Saroj Khan or a Vaibhavi Merchant.' 'I am someone from a reality show.' 'I was a nobody who was given an opportunity to express myself in the best way I could.'
Chief Minister MK Stalin has shown that he is cut from a different cloth when it comes to embracing what is current, modern and absolutely necessary. Thus, even while retaining the spirit and content of the pan-Tamil, Dravidian socio-political and socio-economic ideology to the 't', his government has also acknowledged the need to accepting scientifically-proven facts in operational matters, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
In the course of his various tenures, Yediyurappa made many adversaries. Bommai, by contrast, knows the Opposition well and has many friends, cutting across parties -- he is, after all, only a 2008 BJP entrant.
Petitioner Atul Ramjibhai Makwana had approached the high court against the Junagadh district judge who, according to him, was favouring only Brahmins for posts of class III and class IV staff in his office. Justice R R Tripathi dismissed the petition by Makwana's lawyer A M Chauhan and observed, "This court has come across such argument for the first time from a learned advocate after it assumed office as judge of this court."
'Bommai was a minister in my cabinet. It is not ethically correct.'
'I remember bitter people in the chawl. I can imagine some NRI writers observing the chawl boys laughing or playing cricket and saying, 'the spirit of Bombay' or some shit like that. That is all rubbish,' says novelist Manu Joseph.
Despite being hailed as one of India's most progressive and most developed states, it is witnessing the fallout of lopsided progress.
Director Raj Nair's debut Malayalam feature film with Prithviraj and Samvrutha has the right concept but poor execution.
