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
Love, legends and Ayodhya’s Jagmag dharamshala
Amidst the whispers of Amaniganj, the Jagmag ‘dharmshala’ emerges as a living testament to a love story that transcends the shackles of pre-independence times.
Published on Jan 19, 2024 08:55 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Ayodhya
Five-yr-old Ram Lalla, made in Karnataka, picked for temple in Ayodhya
A 51-inch-tall stone idol of Hindu god Ram, depicting him as a five-year-old child, has been selected to be installed in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Updated on Jan 16, 2024 12:45 AM IST
Ram temple to be open for devotees from January 23
Entry of cadres of VHP, RSS and other members of like-minded organisations will start from January 26, says Champat Rai
Updated on Jan 16, 2024 01:29 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Ayodhya
After turning down consecration invite, Cong leaders take holy dip in Ayodhya’s Saryu river
They also visited the temple of Ram Lalla (Lord Ram is worshipped as a baby here), and soon after, the religious visit gave way to politics with Rai’s sharp take that “no one has a copyright on Lord Ram.”
Published on Jan 15, 2024 08:39 PM IST
Journey through Ayodhya: From slumber to stirring, a moment in time
The once serene temple town, which slumbered in history, has undergone a metamorphosis since the Supreme Court set the stage for the construction of Ram Temple.
Updated on Jan 16, 2024 05:08 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Ayodhya
BJP to roll out ‘gaon chalo’ campaign in U.P. from Feb
BJP’s national general secretary Vinod Tawde gave details of the party’s ‘village connect’ drive at the Lucknow meeting in which both deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak were also present.
Updated on Jan 12, 2024 07:48 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
After Ram temple in Ayodhya, Sufi Circuit plan on cards? What ex-AMU VC said
PM Narendra Modi has evinced interest in a plan mooted by a Muslim delegation to develop a ‘Sufi Circuit’ across the country.
Updated on Jan 12, 2024 04:08 AM IST
Ahead of polls, BJP ramps up ‘biggest’ doorstep delivery of welfare schemes
“Nearly two dozen stalls of different departments with government officials are there at the place where the yatras arrive.”
Published on Jan 10, 2024 04:53 PM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Two Ayodhyas: Ancient aura, modern marvel
An array of transformation unfolds, with 37 government departments orchestrating 178 projects, totaling ₹30,508.11 crore.
Updated on Jan 08, 2024 08:45 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Ayodhya
Ahead of Ram temple opening, symbolism, subtle messaging from Ayodhya palpable
Such symbolism is likely to get a further boost after the temple launch as Modi could travel to Prayagraj to unveil the statue of Lord Ram hugging Nishadraj.
Updated on Jan 08, 2024 04:45 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Pilgrim travel, booklet & community feasts: BJP lines up activities in Ayodhya
Tapping temple appeal, the party plans 10,000 pilgrim visits from each Lok Sabha constituency to Ayodhya
Updated on Jan 04, 2024 08:58 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
After JD (U) rider, Cong-BSP pact buzz appears to fizzle out in Uttar Pradesh
Reacting to UP Congress chief Ajay Rai’s appeal to BSP chief Mayawati to join the Congress-led opposition alliance and its subsequent endorsement by a BSP lawmaker, JD (U) veteran KC Tyagi said no deal was possible without Congress taking Samajwadi Party into confidence
Updated on Jan 03, 2024 09:30 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
VHP’s ‘rice’ initiative gathers steam, BJP looks to cash in on temple appeal
Pujit Akshat Utsav is RSS affiliate Vishva Hindu Parishad’s latest community outreach on the Ram Mandir construction
Updated on Jan 03, 2024 05:10 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey/Pawan Dixit, Lucknow
Rival camps in Uttar Pradesh to aim at ‘additional seats’ in Rajya Sabha, Council polls
After BJP, only SP will be in a position to make an impression in these elections likely to be held before Lok Sabha polls
Published on Dec 25, 2023 09:44 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Beyond politics: Lucknow’s Atal connection lives on
Back in 2004, when Vajpayee contested his last election from Lucknow, prominent poets of the country, including Bashir Badr, came to Lucknow to associate with Atal Fan Club and campaign for him.
Published on Dec 25, 2023 09:09 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
BJP making fresh overtures to Jats in western UP?
The RLD has sought to counter the BJP’s outreach by writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, for Charan Singh
Updated on Dec 22, 2023 05:32 AM IST
Purchased beer? Now, you’re ‘permitted’ to sip it at the vend
Liquor shop sale timings would also be extended by an hour, till 11pm on Christmas eve (December 24) as well as New Year’s eve (December 31)
Updated on Dec 20, 2023 05:02 AM IST
Should SP be worried over BJP’s Yadav CM pick in Madhya Pradesh?
Having given a second Yadav chief minister to Madhya Pradesh (the first was Babu Lal Gaur, a Yadav from UP’s Pratapgarh), the BJP think tank now looks to engage Yadavs ahead of 2024 LS polls
Updated on Dec 14, 2023 05:22 AM IST
Sultanpur family elated at ‘damaadji’ Mohan’s elevation as MP CM
Hours after the announcement, the locality burst into joy for their “damaadji mukhyamantri (son-in-law as chief minister).”
Updated on Dec 12, 2023 09:18 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
Impact of BJP’s Yadav CM pick in Madhya Pradesh likely to be felt in UP, Bihar
Madhya Pradesh chief minister-designate Mohan Yadav’s wife is from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh and his father-in-law lives there
Updated on Dec 12, 2023 07:36 AM IST
Manish Chandra Pandey, Lucknow
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