Rajdeep Sardesai is senior journalist, author and TV news presenter. His book 2014: The election that changed India is a national best seller that has been translated into half a dozen languages. He tweets as @sardesairajdeep
Articles by Rajdeep Sardesai
A post-dated Bill of rights ahead of polls
Nari shakti sloganeering across the political spectrum over the women’s quota is hollow posturing, and a cynical attempt to woo the woman voter
Published on Sep 21, 2023 10:23 PM IST
Why is govt backing simultaneous polls?
The idea can help paper over the BJP’s weakness in some state polls. But a genuine democratic ethos cannot be cultivated by a single fanciful idea
Published on Sep 07, 2023 10:12 PM IST
Can BJP’s 3-pronged attack win in 2024?
PM Modi hinted dynastic politics, corruption and appeasement will be his 3 weapons for 2024. But after nine years, will they work as well as they did in 2014?
Published on Aug 24, 2023 09:33 PM IST
Ten lessons from no-confidence motion debate
The motion sounded the bugle for the 2024 general elections. It showed us that the Opposition needs to up its game to match the government’s narrative
Updated on Aug 11, 2023 11:21 PM IST
End the whataboutery around Manipur crisis
A viral video has sparked a political war; parallels are being drawn with other states. But Manipur needs accountability instead
Published on Jul 27, 2023 09:54 PM IST
In Maharashtra battle, Pawar is down but not out, yet
The crisis faced by Pawar is a consequence of the larger political dynamics. The 2024 polls will offer one final opportunity to reclaim his position
Published on Jul 14, 2023 09:39 PM IST
Manipur requires an urgent healing touch
The violence-hit state needs a genuine attempt at reconciling differences on the ground
Published on Jun 29, 2023 06:37 PM IST
Country above IPL: What BCCI must do to help Indian cricket
After the WTC loss, India need a long-term vision. And as guardians of the sport, BCCI needs to be accountable to the final stakeholder: the fans
Published on Jun 16, 2023 11:42 AM IST
Break the silence on the wrestlers’ protest
Since 2010, India’s women athletes are shining across sports. But on-field triumphs demand greater respect off it
Updated on Jun 01, 2023 07:00 PM IST
The K’taka verdict can worry the BJP
The results showed that a one-size-fits-all plan that doesn’t address local sensitivities is likely to flounder in states with robust cultural identities
Updated on May 18, 2023 09:42 PM IST
Will the double-engine rhetoric work in Karnataka?
BJP’s strategy will have to overcome allegations of corruption and anti-incumbency. The import of a double-engine promise will have ramifications
Published on May 04, 2023 07:36 PM IST
Decoding UP’s nexus of crime and politics
The killing of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf put the spotlight on the intersection of caste, community and politics in UP. Tackle the roots of the problem
Published on Apr 20, 2023 06:44 PM IST
Who will take on Modi in the 2024 elections?
Will the Opposition script a clear vision that counters the PM’s narrative? Or will a single leader emerge to take on BJP’s juggernaut?
Updated on Apr 06, 2023 07:23 PM IST
The controversy roiling Parliament is contrived
The insistence of BJP leaders that Rahul Gandhi must apologise for questioning India on foreign soil brings back memories of Indira Gandhi’s ‘foreign hand’ conspiracy theory during the Emergency. This reflects poorly on India as it aims to be a vishwaguru
Published on Mar 23, 2023 08:00 PM IST
Indian cricket faces a moment of truth
The row over doctored pitches suggests an attempt to subvert the true spirit of the game by playing fast and loose with the conditions. And be it in cricket or politics, a lesson to learn is not to sacrifice the means at the altar of the ends
Updated on Mar 09, 2023 07:58 PM IST
Why the BJP is reaching out to Christians in the Northeast
Its strategy has been of stark dualism: Pursue hardline Hindutva in the heartland and adjust to local sensitivities in the periphery. Therefore, its Christian push in N-E hints that it hopes to be seen as an inclusive force.
Updated on Feb 23, 2023 07:01 PM IST
Adani row may have limited political impact
VP Singh successfully used the Bofors scam to corner Rajiv Gandhi. However, to topple Modi’s popularity, Rahul Gandhi can’t just throw a few punches. He will need a knockout blow
Updated on Feb 10, 2023 09:08 AM IST
A new war of narratives in India’s political arena
Narendra Modi is seen as an astute world figure and mass leader. Rahul Gandhi is projecting himself as an ascetic on a mission. This contrast may inject a new dimension in politics.
Updated on Jan 27, 2023 12:52 AM IST
Governors must act as neutral umpires
The tussle between the L-G and the CM in Delhi is part of a pattern of confrontation between elected governments and Raj Bhavans. To fix this, respect the separation of powers as spelt out in the Constitution
Updated on Jan 12, 2023 08:04 PM IST
As we bid goodbye to 2022, a prayer for India
Where Parliament sessions are not consigned to being a mere ritual, where the Opposition doesn’t disrupt, and the government doesn’t dictate, but both sides learn to talk to rather than at each other
Updated on Dec 29, 2022 08:31 PM IST
The Morocco miracle in a World Cup of migrants
Football has embraced true multiculturalism as is evident across nations. Morocco’s triumph is a hallmark of this embrace
Published on Dec 15, 2022 08:10 PM IST
An unusual third factor in Gujarat’s poll battle
Fuelled by an Opposition vacuum, the AAP’s gambit in the state is to emerge as a challenger, not just to the Congress in the Opposition space, but to the BJP as an option for voters seeking change
Published on Dec 01, 2022 07:32 PM IST
How Gujarat became synonymous with Modi
Modi’s embodiment of Gujarati asmita since his first shot at power in the state has dwarfed all else, forming two conflicting narratives, old and new, with the victories and tragedies that define them
Published on Nov 17, 2022 07:13 PM IST
A deficit of governance, morality in polity today
Several issues today are a pointer to a deeper moral and political crisis that engulfs our democratic set-up.
Published on Nov 03, 2022 07:33 PM IST
Congress must address the elephant in the room
Kharge may be at the helm, but Rahul Gandhi’s role — of wielding power without responsibility — must be acknowledged. This will help bring in structural changes that can revive its fortunes
Published on Oct 20, 2022 07:45 PM IST
The contrasting styles of leadership in BJP and Congress
The internal politics of the BJP may be tightly controlled, but it conveys an impression of change. Such coherence is absent in the Congress, as was seen in the recent chaos over its presidential poll
Published on Oct 06, 2022 06:38 PM IST
The ‘Gujarat factor’ in the development project
The Vedanta-Foxconn deal has sparked claims of favouritism, reviving old rivalries. In the spirit of federalism and fair competition, the Centre should nurture a level playing field for all states
Published on Sep 22, 2022 07:01 PM IST
A way out of Congress’s gravest existential crisis
As the Bharat Jodo Yatra takes off, the Congress has to focus sharply on messaging, leadership, and, most critically, its mass connect. Only then can it take on the BJP
Updated on Sep 08, 2022 08:22 PM IST
The silence in the Bilkis Bano case is deafening
From political leadership and the media to citizens, the release of the gang rapists and murderers in this case has not shaken our collective conscience
Published on Aug 26, 2022 10:02 AM IST
What Nitish’s move says about Modi-Shah’s BJP
His predicament was a consequence of a distinct power shift in the BJP of Modi-Shah, compared to the Advani-Vajpayee era, where alliances with once powerful regional satraps are becoming almost inconsequential
Published on Aug 11, 2022 08:35 PM IST
