Bhavdeep Kang is a freelance writer and author of Gurus: Stories of India's Leading Babas and Just Transferred: the Untold Story of Ashok Khemka. A journalist since 1986, she has written extensively on national politics.
The year 2022 was replete with political drama: sudden shifts in power, theatrical campaigns and stunning electoral outcomes
The mind-boggling majority in Gujarat (87 per cent) has overshadowed the BJP’s worse-than-expected performance in Himachal Pradesh, where it failed to buck the trend of alternating governments
If the former Congress president wants to take a leaf out of the BJP’s playbook, he would do better to focus on the ‘vikas’ plank because as of now, the BJP owns the Hindu nationalism theme, and no amount of paying obeisance at temples will change that
Although the health of the NCR’s children is at stake, no political party has shown the courage to tackle the issue head-on
The upcoming elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat will be the first test of Mallikarjun Kharge’s mettle. If he can pull it off, his job would be well begun, and half-done
While we are getting to see a much more engaging side of Rahul Gandhi, we also need to hear him, to understand what’s on the table in terms of his idea of India
The former Congress chief's desire to reshape the Grand Old Party is commendable, but corporate-style talent-spotting and grooming have not yielded results
Rahul Gandhi is reputed to be less forgiving of criticism than his mother, so Ghulam Nabi Azad may well have burnt his boats with the grand old party. Given the circumstances, he had nothing to lose; Congress will be the biggest loser
Narendra Modi presented a vivid picture of a dynamic nation emerging from a long period of somnolence to take a great leap forward into true freedom for all — from economic hardships, discrimination, outdated social mores and the colonial mindset
In the absence of a counter-story, the Opposition will need to make a mammoth effort to come together, by sinking personal egos and crafting a common agenda
The Opposition’s role is to hold the government accountable by highlighting its errors and by resorting to disruptions, they do themselves and their constituents a disservice
In seeing Droupadi Murmu, we are forced to see where she came from. Therein lies the resounding triumph of democracy
As the Sangrur bypoll results suggest, if the AAP fails to address the state’s developmental discontents and usher in a ‘nawa Punjab’, anti-national forces will exploit the angst-ridden and frustrated youth
Yogi is now the BJP’s most powerful chief minister but it is too early to ask if Yogi will be pitched as Modi’s successor.
Even our famously superstitious politicians who hare off to a godman before an election for a good luck charm, a special puja or a horoscope reading, know where to draw the line.