Manish Chandra Pandey is a Lucknow-based Senior Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times’ political bureau in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Along with political reporting, he loves to write offbeat/human interest stories that people connect with. Manish also covers departments. He feels he has a lot to learn not just from veterans, but also from newcomers who make him realise that there is so much to unlearn.
Articles by Manish Chandra Pandey
Political messaging at play as Nitish Kumar plans UP rallies
Kumar’s rallies are due in places like Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gorakhpur, the bastion of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who after being a five-term Lok Sabha MP is now a party MLA from the region, Azamgarh, Prayagraj and many other places across east and central UP with a sizeable presence of most backwards.
Updated on Dec 08, 2023 08:40 AM IST
BJP on firm ground as assembly poll losses in Hindi belt expose Opposition faultlines
Despite the Congress’s win in southern Telangana, all eyes now would be on whether key players like Samajwadi Party turn up at the New Delhi meet of the opposition bloc on December 6.
Updated on Dec 04, 2023 05:22 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Post assembly poll results: Buzz on U.P. cabinet expansion, seat-sharing likely to grow
Once the results come in, many expect the Yogi Adityanath government to undertake the much-expected expansion of the state cabinet, an exercise through which BJP would look to ramp up its caste connect.
Updated on Dec 03, 2023 06:28 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Cheers! Diwali sparkle ushers in ‘happy hour’ in Uttar Pradesh
In 10 days since November 1, liquor consumption touches ₹1400 crore in state, a 15% increase over the same period last year
Updated on Nov 12, 2023 07:36 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Ayodhya’s transformative journey: Team Yogi paves road to 2024 with bus ride, temple run
The cabinet meeting that Yogi held in Ayodhya on Thursday was only the second one outside Lucknow. It came two days ahead of Deepotsav on November 11 and about 72 days before the grand inauguration of the Ram temple on January 22
Published on Nov 09, 2023 08:27 PM IST
Yogi-Shah meet sparks cabinet rejig speculation
The BJP has summoned OBC leaders from across the country to Delhi to discuss the issue of caste-based census demand, over which nearly the entire opposition as well as some from within the BJP too are unanimous
Updated on Nov 02, 2023 06:34 AM IST
Mission 2024: Congress bats for Azam as it looks to woo Muslims back
The development, part of Congress’s effort to reconnect with Muslims, would see it raise the issue of alleged ‘injustice’ under the BJP rule to the most vocal and numerically dominant among all minority groups, which backed it till 1989, when Congress last ruled UP.
Updated on Oct 24, 2023 09:20 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Gift packs, name change call precede Smriti Irani’s Amethi temple run
She covered all prominent temples of goddesses across all five assembly segments of Amethi from where she is set to challenge the Congress yet again in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, now about six months away.
Updated on Oct 23, 2023 08:04 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Navratri: Festive hues with shades of women empowerment in Uttar Pradesh
Sponsored by the Yogi Adityanath government, the initiative is timed to specially cater to women, more so in rural areas, where religion acts as a bridge past issues of caste and becomes a great unifying force of sorts.
Published on Oct 18, 2023 11:25 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Dalit outreach: Yogi raises dropping of Kanshi Ram’s name from universities by SP
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the BJP's drive to connect with Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, criticizing the Samajwadi Party government for dropping the name of BSP founder Kanshi Ram from universities. He also inaugurated 102 schemes worth ₹136 crore. Adityanath referred to his political opponents as 'Kalanemi' and highlighted the government's efforts to grant land ownership rights to Dalit families. He also mentioned the upcoming Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar International Centre and invoked other Dalit icons. Adityanath's remarks come as the SP and BSP compete for Dalit voters.
Updated on Oct 18, 2023 10:55 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Mission 2024:Maya in denial mode again even as top Oppn leader says doors not closed on anyone
On Wednesday, BSP chief Mayawati again denied a fresh buzz, driven by a section of the media which was centred around Samajwadi Party (SP) chief general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav’s reported efforts to broker an arrangement for Maya’s entry into the opposition alliance. She also questioned SP’s silence on the buzz.
Updated on Oct 12, 2023 06:44 AM IST
WOMEN’S RESERVATION: Over 1 lakh Muslim women from Uttar Pradesh to send “thank you” letters to Modi
The drive is part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s efforts to galvanise the community’s women to thank the PM for steps like Women’s Reservation and a host of other measures, including making triple talaq, the instant divorce practice, punishable under law.
Updated on Oct 08, 2023 08:18 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Bihar government move on caste census puts spotlight on Uttar Pradesh
These BJP allies from east Uttar Pradesh are unanimous that only a caste count could establish the numerical strength of each caste.
Published on Oct 03, 2023 05:00 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
UP conundrum: Smaller BJP allies rally behind caste survey
Political experts felt that the BJP could rely on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, its most charismatic leader
Updated on Oct 03, 2023 08:00 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Suspense builds over ministerial berth for Chauhan, Rajbhar
A section of party leaders, who were skeptical of their re-entry, now feel that these leaders have outlived their utility.
Published on Sep 28, 2023 05:11 PM IST
Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, RSS set to step up mass-connect campaigns in U.P.
Within the RSS, the focus on enlisting ideologically aligned youths who, so far, have known the organisation from afar– a key point that emerged during Bhagwat’s meetings–is set to gain traction from October.
Updated on Sep 27, 2023 08:50 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
We want to take everyone along, even critics: Bhagwat
The RSS chief or “sarsanghchalak’”, as he is referred to by the Sangh cadres, said this while interacting with professionals and intellectuals – something that he often does at the end of his visits
Published on Sep 26, 2023 12:20 AM IST
RSS to step up campaign against religious conversions, focus on social harmony
It has also been decided that the RSS would press the accelerator on its campaign to enlist ideologically inclined youths. The process would gain momentum in the coming months
Published on Sep 24, 2023 11:15 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
The enduring enigma called Azam Khan
In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls too, SP will use Azam and his son to campaign for the party, SP leaders indicated
Published on Sep 15, 2023 03:01 PM IST
Ghosi result set to rekindle loyalists vs turncoats debate
BJP candidate Dara Singh Chauhan and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar were the two principal characters whose performance was on test in this bypoll. Both are OBC leaders and known turncoats.
Published on Sep 09, 2023 11:14 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Our leadership takes care of loyalists, says Dinesh Sharma
I’ve been campaigning for the cause of the party and our ideology; we also raised slogans against the Congress while campaigning for our party since childhood, says BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP
Published on Sep 09, 2023 12:27 AM IST
BJP fortifies east Uttar Pradesh, faces challenges on western front on road to 2024 Lok Sabha polls
The challenges in western Uttar Pradesh, which has a sizeable Muslim population, are unlike those in east U.P, where the BJP’s campaign has been boosted by the homecoming of OBC leaders like Dara Singh Chauhan
Updated on Sep 05, 2023 12:30 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
No one untouchable…in politics, all possibilities are possible, says UP BJP chief
In an interview with HT, Uttar Pradesh BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary reflects on his one year in office.
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 07:05 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Ghosi bypoll: Mini political contest high on symbolism
BJP candidate Dara Singh Chauhan filed his nomination papers for the bypoll to Ghosi Assembly seat. In 2022 UP polls, he had won the seat on Samajwadi Party symbol
Updated on Aug 16, 2023 11:15 PM IST
Last I-Day before 2024 polls: Large dose of nationalism on offer
The I-Day campaign, the last ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, is focused at connecting with the masses on the emotive issue, which is also in sync with BJP’s larger push centering around ‘rashtrawaad’ (nationalism). Over the next three days, the BJP and its allies would be part of this outreach that would manifest itself through ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ - which basically means a Tricolour fluttering at each house,
Updated on Aug 14, 2023 12:26 AM IST
Amethi, Rae Bareli on Congress, BJP's mind after SC relief to Rahul Gandhi
A delegation of Congress leaders is expected to meet Gandhi after the monsoon session of Parliament.
Updated on Aug 07, 2023 05:48 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Rohini Commission report on OBC subcategorisation stirs fresh interest in run-up to 2024 Lok Sabha polls
Since 2002, the issue of sub-categorisation of OBCs based on their numerical strength within the larger caste grouping has kept cropping up nearer to the elections, only to fizzle out post polls
Updated on Aug 03, 2023 12:10 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
BJP’s national team: U.P. gets lion’s share, ex-AMU VC appointed party vice-president
The BJP’s new team has eight members from Uttar Pradesh in the main body, two more than the last team declared on September 26, 2020, showcasing the party’s focus on the state ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which are less then a year away.
Updated on Jul 30, 2023 03:22 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Tariq Mansoor’s elevation likely to aid BJP’s Pasmanda Muslim outreach
The BJP leaders said that through Mansoor, the party plans to increase engagement with educated Muslims, Pasmandas (backward class Muslims) in particular, to woo the influential minority vote bank.
Updated on Jul 30, 2023 03:17 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Coffee with HT: SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar stresses on joint cadre-connect programme
After a fresh pact with the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Rajbhar has sought time from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a big joint rally in Azamgarh in October
Updated on Jul 20, 2023 11:30 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
