Subodh Ghildiyal
‘More the katenge batenge language, worse the fallout for Mahayuti…Delay in deciding nominees impacted us a bit…’
Credited with scripting Congress’s spectacular showing in Lok Sabha polls, its state president Nana Patole is confident of MVA winning the Maharashtra legislative polls. Talking to Subodh Ghildiyal, he says MVA’s emphasising to voters that BJP will back “even a Dawood link” to win, that every section of society is angry with Mahayuti govt and that BJP’s victory in Haryana will make no difference because of Maharashtra’s unique culture and politics
Valley diary: Kashmiris are like us, with a twist
Like rest of India, joblessness is youth’s key worry, made worse by fears of stepping out of J&K
‘Omar’s frustration is showing…wait for results, expect big change…poll outcome will make Delhi listen to Kashmir’
In conversation with Sheikh Abdul Rashid aka Engineer Rashid, who defeated Omar Abdullah to win Baramulla LS seat from behind bars in Delhi’s Tihar jail. He is currently out on bail
"NC’s worst will be 35 seats…Budgam locals wanted Omar to contest…For us this poll is about sending a message on Article 370"
Srinagar MP and well-regarded Shia cleric Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who is a star campaigner for National Conference – from South Kashmir to Srinagar suburbs – tells Subodh Ghildiyal that NC will get close to the majority mark in the ongoing assembly polls to the 90-seat UT legislature, and that the future J&K govt will not agree with the abrogation of Article 370
‘We are likely to have a split verdict… Governor’s rule will be dangerous…Parties should try hard to form a secular govt’
Representing the third generation of PDP founder Mufti Mohd Sayeed’s family, Iltija Mufti took the electoral plunge from Bijbehara during the first phase of J&K elections yesterday. She spoke to Subodh Ghildiyal about the challenge PDP faces this time and how she intends to be different
‘Haryana is in a mood to defeat BJP’
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal explains why the party is confident about its chances in the upcoming assembly polls
Dalit politics, sliced & diced
In LS elections, bulk of UP’s Dalit-MBC vote went to ‘OBC’ party SP, wiping out BSP. Subquotas bring new spin to Dalit politics — Mayawati finding new cause, Akhilesh looking to grow bahujan base
How this SC order has made caste census inevitable
In its order on Thursday, the Supreme Court said sub-classification of Scheduled Castes is permissible and should be based on a survey for empirical data on representation of different castes in public services.
‘No reason why INDIA can’t win the next Bihar assembly elections, even if advanced…Our vote share has shot up’
Days after LS results, parties in Bihar are already preparing for 2025 assembly polls. State party CPI-ML has returned to Parliament after 35 years with two MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha. In a stunning comeback in 2020 Bihar polls, the radical Left party won 12 seats.
‘Religion, caste and reservations are issues where people don’t spare those who disturb the balance’
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on what worked well for the party and the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the 2024 general election
‘From Day 1, Cong said it won’t touch AAP. Our stance has been vindicated’
Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa explains why an alliance with AAP was never going to work
How Rahul finally got it right in his fight against Modi
He has been at the forefront of a ‘guarantees’ based welfare policy and caste outreach, repeatedly arguing this was the only way to take on a no-holds-barred campaign of polarisation by BJP
‘Congress manifesto is talking point on ground…Defections have made no dent on our party...BJP is desperate’
Rajya Sabha member and Congress minority affairs chief, 36-year-old poet and party spokesperson Imran Pratapgarhi tells TOI that campaign language matters, how Congress pulled back the campaign to issues, and that ‘polarising’ speech has run its course. Edited excerpts:
‘INDIA rally in Delhi was a big show, momentum will continue…BJP-JJP have split to cut votes’
The BJP’s move to replace the replace the CM in Haryana is a ploy to divert people’s attention, says Congress leader Bhupinder Hooda
What 2 Rajya Sabha upsets tell us about BJP’s Mission 370
With shock results in Himachal and UP, the BJP has revealed its hunger for winning at any cost, and exposed Opposition’s weakness just before LS polls
How Congress' winter hopes left it facing a summer of discontent
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the party’s grappling with defections and snubs from allies, the result of staking all on last December's assembly polls
Will Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Nyay Yatra bring poll benefits for Congress in 2024?
Bharat Nyay Yatra by Rahul Gandhi aims at justice; covers 6,200 km in 14 states before 2024 Lok Sabha elections
- Subodh GhildiyalRumu Banerjee
- Times Network
Where does INDIA go from here?
As opposition bloc preps to begin talks after Congress’s poll defeats in north, it must first sort out seat-sharing negotiations in multi-party states
'Four members of KCR’s family control 60% of the state budget...'
Manikrao Thakre, AICC incharge for Telangana, says the state's revenue was used for KCR’s family, the party and its promotion in the state and outside