Ajay Singh
The enigma of Modi phenomenon: How he is in a category of his own
His efforts at rebuilding and future-proofing the BJP reveal a man ahead of his time at every step
The first sightings of an organiser: How Modi surprised Advani with his organisational skills
The overwhelming response to the Gujarat leg of the yatra was a surprise for LK Advani. Pramod Mahajan, who had to lead the yatra’s next leg through his own state, told Advani: ‘Don’t expect this kind of response in Maharashtra’
Silence of India's Muslim leaders plays into Imran Khan's outrageous claims, efforts to spread bigoted propaganda
The deathly silence of the Indian Muslim leadership in the face of Pakistan's irrational rants and its naked attempts to rouse the sentiments of Muslims, not just in Kashmir, but all of India, is surprising
Arun Jaitley once stumped me with the poser: 'Can you guess my age?' Now I want to tell him, 'Sir, you are 66 and it's no age to go'
Arun Jaitley would borrow from the best traditions and debates in the British Parliament and elevate the discussion to a sublime level where personal prejudices or rancour would give way to richness of content
Imran Khan's rants against RSS, Savarkar tell us a lot about impact of Narendra Modi's inversion of Kashmir policy
An unintended consequence of the inversion of Article 370 and the division of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories is the curious revival of Pakistan’s interest in Indian history and sociology
Article 370, triple talaq, appointing CDS, population control: Narendra Modi conveys resolve to usher in radical reforms in 94-minute I-Day speech
Contrast the first Independence Day speech by Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister in 2014 with his Thursday's speech as his first from the rampart of the Red fort in his second stint as the country's top executive, you will know the difference. His first speech was less about future and much about the basic needs like Swachch Bharat (clean India). His speech today set the agenda for an aspirational India for the next five years.
Arif Mohammad Khan visits Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi as govt works to free ancient temple from clutches of religious orthodoxy
What is particularly significant is the complete liberation of the Kashi Vishwanath temple from the clutches of religious orthodoxy
Revoking Article 370 fundamentally alters structure of Kashmir problem, decision exemplifies Modi's resolve
It would be naïve to assume that Narendra Modi became aware of revoking Article 370 and Article 35A and reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir as means to resolve the festering crisis once for all only in his second term
Sushma Swaraj was pivotal in making public life an option for ordinary women and not just the privileged elites
Sushma Swaraj was a pioneer in changing the perception of public life for women: With her as a conduit, public life ceased to be the preserve of women from elite backgrounds and also became a viable career option for the average woman-next-door.
What after Narendra Modi? Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani offers a glimpse of an answer
Who after Narendra Modi? In the Gujarat of 2014, that appeared to be the most obvious question to ask when Modi took over as Prime Minister of India and left Gujarat to his successors — Anandiben Patel and later Vijay Rupani.
Karnataka political crisis: Only option left for BJP, Congress-JD(S) rebel MLAs is no-trust motion against Speaker Ramesh
The political drama in Karnataka will resume today after the weekend break. The widespread expectation is that KR Ramesh, Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly, will have written a brand new script to avoid voting in the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Narendra Modi's vision for a $5 trillion economy will see the poor play as big a role as the rich
In Modi’s new India, the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid will have as much role in the ambitious march to a $5 trillion economy as the top.
Mann Ki Baat: Narendra Modi invokes Indira's Emergency of 1975 to underscore his own devotion for Constitution of India
Modi said that when Emergency was imposed, "there was an outrage in the conscience of one and all. The collective torment on the loss of democracy was evident."
Mayawati and the death of a Dalit dream: Anointing family ‘heirs’ to Kanshi Ram’s BSP is last nail on his national mission
In the sultry heat of June 1995, the front row of the VIP gallery of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly was occupied by two illustrious political personalities — Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Kanshi Ram. The star attraction that day was not Vajpayee but Kanshi Ram whose understudy, Mayawati, took the floor as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a first for a Dalit woman.
Bureaucrats beware: Narendra Modi 2.0 gives bureaucracy a taste of what working for a strong govt is going to be like
After a long gap, the bureaucracy has been unambiguously told to align itself with the government’s agenda and do what is expected. But it may take a little longer for Indian bureaucrats to shake off their tone-deafness accumulated over decades and recognise the real message
Om Birla is LS Speaker: Initially frowned upon, Modi's political experiments changing course of Indian polity
Modi carried on that non-conventionalism while narrowing down on a name for the post of the country’s president. Ram Nath Kovind was as much a surprise for political veterans as members of the Sangh Parivar.
Prashant Kanojia vs Yogi Adityanath: What's the Pulitzer-kind of journalism we are defending in name of press freedom here?
If, after what he has one, Prashant Kanojia is to be the face of India’s press freedom, there is a serious problem with the way the media has internalised that freedom.
Modi govt 'sacking' 12-odd senior officials incremental step towards reorienting bureaucracy to align with Centre's agenda
Narendra Modi-led government's message is loud and clear — lead, follow or get out of the way. The purge of deadwoods that was long overdue from the gargantuan but ramshackle structure of the government has begun in right earnest.
From Firstpost Print: Tracking Narendra Modi's political yatra from Gujarat to Delhi
Over the years Modi has turned conventional wisdom on its head, while retaining the all-important winning habit
Narendra Modi scripts remarkable victory for NDA in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, places BJP in a unique political space
As trends indicate, he is set to romp home with a decisive mandate. If the BJP allies are taken along, the NDA’s victory is stunningly comprehensive.