Smriti covers an intersection of politics and governance. Having spent over a decade in journalism, she combines old fashioned leg work with modern story telling tools.
Articles by Smriti Kak Ramachandran
Nadda slams Rahul Gandhi for ‘derogatory’ reference to OBC community
A court in Gujarat’s Surat held the Congress lawmaker guilty of criminal defamation for a remark ahead of the 2019 national polls about the Modi surname
Published on Mar 24, 2023 11:15 AM IST
BJP announces reshuffle in four states
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced new state unit chiefs in Delhi, Bihar, Odisha and Rajasthan with an eye on strengthening the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections
Published on Mar 24, 2023 12:35 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
BJP names new state presidents for Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan and Bihar
Former minister in the Odisha government, Manmohan Samal will be the new state unit president in Odisha where the BJP is looking to increase its footprint
Published on Mar 23, 2023 12:33 PM IST
BJP plans ‘Nanni Modi’ outreach drive in Kerala
On Wednesday, Union minister V Muraleedharan and senior leader and BJP Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar accused the Pinarayi Vijayan government of corruption which led to the absence of a waste-management plan and a consequent fire at a landfill in Kochi.
Updated on Mar 23, 2023 05:52 AM IST
‘Guillotine’ on anvil as House logjam persists
All-party meetings scheduled by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday failed to break an ongoing deadlock between the government and Opposition that has jammed Parliament, hinting that the second half of the budget session might be headed towards a complete washout
Updated on Mar 22, 2023 02:56 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji, Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Opposition parties protest inside Parliament amid Adani row, demand JPC probe
Members of 17 parties including the Congress, Shiva Sena, DMK, TMC, BRS and Left congregated outside the State Bank of India (SBI) branch located on the first floor and raised slogans
Published on Mar 21, 2023 12:44 PM IST
BJP, Congress chiefs lock horns over Rahul Gandhi's democracy remarks
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda and the Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge crossed swords on Friday, with the former, in a statement questioning Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s motives in raising questions about India’s democracy on foreign soil.
Updated on Mar 18, 2023 04:01 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran and Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
BJP questions Rahul Gandhi’s intent behind questioning India’s democracy abroad
BJP president JP Nadda said to seek interference in India’s internal matters by another country is an attack on India’s sovereignty
Published on Mar 17, 2023 10:57 AM IST
‘Anti-India forces speak same language’: Rijiju attacks Rahul Gandhi
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has sought an apology from Gandhi for “defaming” the country and its democratic institutions through his comments during his visit to the UK, where he said there is no freedom of speech in India.
Updated on Mar 17, 2023 01:20 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
BJP top brass asks leaders to refrain from making provocative speeches
New Delhi The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) central leadership has asked leaders to refrain from making provocative and inflammatory statements and speaking out of line after taking note of the disquiet brewing in certain state units over some leaders deviating from the party’s stance on issues
Published on Mar 17, 2023 12:12 AM IST
‘Anti-India forces’ speak same language, Rijiju slams Rahul Gandhi
The government has sought an apology from Gandhi for “defaming” the country and its democratic institutions through his comments during his visit to the United Kingdom
Published on Mar 16, 2023 10:49 AM IST
RSS to set up new outfit for narrative building
The RSS is set to launch a new outfit, Vimarsh, ahead of its centenary celebrations that begin next year to focus on narrative building, people aware of the details said on Wednesday.
Published on Mar 16, 2023 01:09 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Centre plans to highlight its achievements to mark 9th anniversary
Over the course of the next few weeks, the Union government will roll out a publicity blitzkrieg with a focus on the achievements of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ninth year in power at the Centre, people familiar with the details said on Wednesday.
Published on Mar 16, 2023 01:09 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Budget session: Parliament logjam likely to stay; Opposition, govt remain at odds
Disruptions and protests washed out a second day of proceedings in Parliament on Tuesday as the government and the Opposition stuck to their demands, indicating that there was little possibility of an early resolution to the impasse jamming the second half of the Budget session.
Published on Mar 14, 2023 11:58 PM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Saubhadra Chatterji, New Delhi
RSS appoints Shailendra as new prant pracharak in Uttarakhand
The announcement of the new appointment was made at the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha that concluded in Samalkha on Tuesday.
Updated on Mar 14, 2023 08:42 PM IST
Stormy start to Parliament over Adani, Rahul remarks
Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day amid protests from both sides.
Published on Mar 14, 2023 12:12 AM IST
BJP treads cautiously with AIADMK ahead of ’24 polls
BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu, who spoke to HT on condition of anonymity, said they are expecting the central leadership to step in with an olive branch to iron out the differences between the two partners that could wreck the party’s electoral plans for the 2024 general elections.
Updated on Mar 13, 2023 03:20 PM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Parliament to resume today, V-P holds all-party meeting
Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar held a meeting with various floor leaders on Sunday, a day before the Budget session of Parliament was set to resume, and discussed several issues, including how disruptions can be curbed, even as Opposition members signalled they will keep raising issues to confront the government
Published on Mar 13, 2023 12:19 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji and Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Why central leadership’s intervention is key in reviving BJP-AIADMK ties in TN
BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu, who spoke to HT on condition of anonymity, said they are expecting the central leadership to step in with an olive branch to iron out the differences between the two partners
Updated on Mar 10, 2023 01:09 PM IST
BJP intensifies Lok Sabha poll outreach with focus on 160 seats
Sunil Bansal, national general secretary, has been included in the committee that oversees the work related to the 160 Lok Sabha constituencies where the BJP either lost by a thin margin in the 2019 polls or has never won
Published on Mar 06, 2023 01:25 AM IST
BJP, allies retain power after tough battle in N-E states
The three incumbent governments in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya returned to power in results that bode well for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prospects in the region in next year’s national elections, ask questions of the Congress’s ability to be the core of an anti-BJP alliance, and point to the limitations of the Trinamool Congress in extending its sway beyond West Bengal
Published on Mar 03, 2023 12:14 AM IST
Utpal Parashar and Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Guwahati/new Delhi
Assembly election results: BJP says it’s a vote for PM Modi’s development agenda
The BJP retained power in Tripura, a former Communist bastion, by winning 32 seats and in Nagaland, the BJP- NDPP alliance won 37 seats
Updated on Mar 02, 2023 07:32 PM IST
BJP begins outreach plans in Punjab
The BJP’s outreach comes amidst fears that separatism could rear its head again in the border state where traditional political heavyweights Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress have been decimated and replaced by the Aam Aadmi Party
Updated on Mar 01, 2023 09:15 AM IST
BJP draws up plans for 2024 electoral contests in Odisha
In Odisha, where the BJP has set its sights on increasing its tally and vote share in the 2024 assembly as well as Lok Sabha polls, the party has set in motion an electoral plan that includes organisational changes and activities to take on the ruling BJD, in what it claims will be a straight-out electoral contest.
Updated on Feb 27, 2023 04:28 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
BJP sets about redrawing narrative in MP
The party leadership is also working on ironing out intraparty differences that was identified as a major reason for the 2018 debacle when the BJP lost the polls.
Updated on Feb 22, 2023 04:53 AM IST
Refrain from making comments on religion, culture: Nadda to BJP MPs
Nadda on Friday held a virtual interaction with BJP lawmakers and underlined the need to refrain from fostering narratives that could be perceived as polarising, said a party functionary.
Published on Feb 18, 2023 01:16 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Ladakh groups protest in Delhi, seek statehood
A section of leaders, students and citizens from Ladakh on Wednesday staged a protest in the national capital, demanding statehood with a legislature and the implementation of Schedule VI in the region
Updated on Feb 16, 2023 08:50 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Parliament: First part of Budget session ends amid ruckus, to resume in March
The session will resume on March 13 after a month-long break to allow the standing committees to scrutinise the Budget proposals of the respective ministries.
Updated on Feb 14, 2023 02:36 AM IST
Saubhadra Chatterji and Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
12 states, one UT get new governors in major rejig
The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday announced the appointments of governors to 12 states and the lieutenant governor of the Union territory of Ladakh, in a major gubernatorial rejig that has come ahead of assembly elections in some states and the general elections next year
Updated on Feb 13, 2023 05:48 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Prez accepts Koshyari’s resignation, announces 13 gubernatorial appointments
Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, whose term since 2019 has been marred by controversies, last month announced that he wants to step down
Updated on Feb 12, 2023 12:47 PM IST
