Uday Chandra
Will Dravidian Still Be Goliath?
Vijay’s rise will likely fundamentally change TN politics, by adding new demands to the old model of social justice. Under-45 voters want upward mobility & cleaner govts, and that will require retooling the system nurtured for decades
Message Beyond Elections
Kerala & TN, to Assam & Bengal, each of the four big states where voting has concluded is a perfect example – via language, culture, politics – of India’s innate ability to live with differences
Goodies From Uncle Assam
Himanta’s electorally formidable mama avatar is built on efficiently managed cash transfers, blended with language of kinship. He’s the benevolent but stern family head. He selects who’s kin & who’s not. But avuncularity has its limits
The Young Women Vote
Median voter in all states, they are aspirational & the swing factor keeping parties guessing
The Art Of Winning Without A Wave
What delivered the election to NDA was the median voter, who doesn’t express political opinions loudly.
Bihar’s Chanakya 2.0
Nitish appears to be turning anti-incumbency into leverage by absorbing and redirecting it. His incrementalist approach may again position him as the best bet in case of another fractured mandate
If It’s Small & It Swings, It’s Big
Voters who switch loyalties & tiny parties that cut votes may decide the outcome
Bihar Polls: Niyat & Networks
The state’s politics is neither backward nor parochial. Its electoral democracy rests more on local connections & grounded assessments of leaders than on money & media blitz
Kishor Puzzle For Nitish, Tejashwi
Prashant Kishor is making Bihar polls even more interesting than usual. Right now, he looks likely to make a bigger dent in NDA’s vote share. But he can poach INDIA votes too. BJP’s state leadership is weak. And in opposition alliance, Congress is a weak link
It’s Not Yes SIR, No SIR
EC’s revision of voter rolls in Bihar shows not just that allegations of both BJP & opposition are overblown but also that ordinary citizens are not passive actors. People can successfully negotiate with state
Bihar: Kings & Kingmakers
It’s likely to be another close poll. Neither NDA nor INDIA, partly because their playbooks are similar in some ways, has a winning formula yet. Smaller parties will look to cash in
Bihar 2025: Old Game, New Rules
BJP doesn’t need JDU to win Bihar * Voters will be watching Maharashtra & Delhi to see if BJP keeps its promises * And all eyes are on Nitish’s political moves
The Very Pragmatic Middle Class Poor
Key takeaway from AAP’s Delhi disaster: Low-income, non-poor groups are ideology-free when voting
Lalu & Pawar Are Right. It’s Gotta Be Modi vs Didi
With the best head-to-head record against BJP in polls and support of several INDIA veterans, Mamata would be the right candidate to lead oppn alliance. Cong could don role of sutradhar in the bloc
Why Maha CM Call Is Delayed
Who finally will be Maharashtra’s CM will likely not defy the electoral logic of BJP’s big seat haul. The time taken to announce the name is more about coalition management than real dilemma
First Zimmedari, Then Gaddi
Haryana, J&K’s message to parties is that nothing can be taken for granted. Personality-centric politics is giving way to politics that must take voters’ demands & fears seriously
Maha Games: Kaun banega CM
Mahayuti’s big 3, each aspiring to be CM, are experimenting with post-poll ‘top-ups’ to schemes. In MVA, Uddhav’s bid for CMship meets silence from allies. All parties benefit from the delay in polls
Election’s caste of characters
Hindutva umbrella may bring together Brahmins & Rajputs with Dalits or Adivasis. Or, cleavages among OBCs & SCs may strengthen politics on the other side. Both trends may run simultaneously
Didigiri in a Bengal divided by class
Trinamool has fostered a strong regionalism that equates Bengaliness with bhadralok high culture. But other Bengalis, like marginalised Matuas, are drawn towards BJP’s Hindu canopy
Less hawa, more haq in Bihar
Bihar has been a bellwether state. Voters aren’t getting swayed by one strong sentiment. Contests appear more evenly matched than assumed earlier. It’s NDA’s Modi plus welfare versus Tejaswi’s ‘new socialism’