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
Reading continuity in a fractured verdict
In the third term, the NDA government will have to engage with multiple governance challenges and an energised Opposition
Published on Jun 27, 2024 08:48 PM IST
Mandate shows limits of strongman politics
The key to the next political act lies not so much with the BJP’s allies, but with the Opposition that has been hugely boosted by the mandate
Updated on Jun 13, 2024 09:23 PM IST
Ten key takeaways from the elections
The campaign suggests that electoral democracy is alive in India even if constitutional democracy appears weakened
Published on May 30, 2024 11:01 PM IST
M factor in the polls is the mahila voter
This general elections is likely to be won and lost by the biggest vote bank of them all, women, who constitute nearly half of the electorate
Published on May 16, 2024 10:08 PM IST
Low polling carries message for parties
The mismatch between political rhetoric and the humdrum existence of daily life has left many voters feeling unsettled and indifferent to the election process
Published on May 03, 2024 01:15 AM IST
A referendum on Modi’s leadership
The 2024 general elections is fought in the name of the Prime Minister, for or against
Published on Apr 18, 2024 10:00 PM IST
Limits of Opposition’s ‘save democracy’ plank
2024 is not 1977: ‘Democracy in danger’ slogan is unlikely to help INDIA bloc challenge the dominance of the BJP
Published on Apr 04, 2024 10:00 PM IST
Elections 2024 is a match of unequals
The Opposition is in disarray. However, it deserves the benefit of a level playing field at the time of elections
Published on Mar 21, 2024 10:00 PM IST
BJP’s push to bridge the North-South gap
A breakthrough for the party in South India requires a commitment to federalism and politics that acknowledge linguistic diversity and inter-faith harmony
Published on Mar 07, 2024 10:03 PM IST
Congress-mukt Bharat to Congress-yukt BJP
The belief that the Gandhis are the only glue that holds the Congress together has been shaken by high-profile departures in the last decade
Updated on Feb 22, 2024 08:37 PM IST
A Chandigarh window on Indian democracy
The mayoral polls hold a mirror to debasement of politics characterised by falling ethical standards and an ends-justify-means amoral credo
Published on Feb 08, 2024 10:00 PM IST
The Mandir moment as the Modi moment
After Ayodhya, the Prime Minister has a legacy to build on. Delivering on promises made after the consecration ceremony can be a beginning
Published on Jan 25, 2024 09:08 PM IST
Navigating the fault line of Ram Mandir politics
The self-appointed guardians of secularism and those who claim to be protectors of Hindutva nationalism have fed off each other for decades
Published on Jan 11, 2024 09:54 PM IST
Chronicles foretold of our exciting times
Lessons learned from the turbulence of 2023, to engage with a no less chaotic 2024
Published on Dec 28, 2023 10:13 PM IST
With no level-playing field, elections are a mismatch
The elections are a mismatch, a bit like an India versus Bangladesh cricket game, where more often than not there will be only one winner.
Published on Dec 14, 2023 10:00 PM IST
Cricket to politics, a nation in awe of idols
Unwillingness to accept defeat with poise is the direct consequence of an idolatry culture that celebrates heroes but doesn’t embrace the spirit of sport
Published on Nov 30, 2023 10:34 PM IST
Reversal of roles for BJP, Congress in MP
If high command loomed large in the BJP campaign, state leadership was the focus of Congress outreach
Published on Nov 16, 2023 10:54 PM IST
Maratha quota stir is a sign of a state in decline
Maharashtra is paying the price for a broken development model where a deepening agrarian crisis and brazen cash-and-carry politics have created frustration
Published on Nov 02, 2023 10:35 PM IST
Avoid grandstanding on the war in Gaza
Propagandists may seek to create a black and white universe of villains and heroes but India’s approach to the Israel-Hamas war stems from a complicated history
Published on Oct 19, 2023 10:17 PM IST
How they took away the spirit of my game
For a genuine cricket romantic, the toxic atmosphere in an India-Pakistan match has robbed the sport of its purity
Published on Oct 05, 2023 09:56 PM IST
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