Sanjay Kumar

‘Thanda’ election: Notes from Hindi heartland

There is no clear wave in favour of any party, but the BJP’s organisational dominance may have undermined the challenge from the Opposition

**EDS: IMAGE VIA PM MODI WEBSITE** Barabanki: BJP supporters during a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Lok Sabha elections, in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, Friday, May 17, 2024. (PTI Photo)(PTI05_17_2024_000071B)(PTI)

Opinion

Updated on May 19, 2024 12:18 AM IST

ByShashank Chaturvedi, David N Gellner, Sanjay Kumar Pandey

Invest in schools to help India’s children

It is imperative that we invest in our children in a manner that makes them engaged learners and responsible citizens.

The National Education Policy provides a much-needed direction by making universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) in primary schools by 2025 the goal.(Pixabay)

Published on Jun 16, 2023 10:09 PM IST

What’s behind BJP’s huge win? Mostly Brand Modi

Modi’s campaign blitz was crucial to the scale of the victory. The Prime Minister led the campaign from the front, addressing dozens of rallies and doing close to a hundred kilometres in roadshows

Modi paid numerous visits to his home state in the last six months, beginning the day after the party won an unprecedented victory in Uttar Pradesh. (PTI)

Published on Dec 08, 2022 11:16 PM IST

Welfare to governance: What worked for the BJP

Various welfare schemes run by both state and central governments seemed to benefit a large number of people, especially the poor, which resulted in significant shifts among the voters from lower income groups in all states

The benefits of welfare schemes seemed to have paid rich dividends for the BJP. We found a large number of voters saying “Modi ka namak khaya hai, namak harami nahi karenge (We have eaten Modi’s salt, won’t betray him)”. (ANI)

Updated on Mar 12, 2022 08:24 AM IST

Can Akhilesh respond to the BJP’s poll strategy of Mandal, Mandir, Market?

This election season, the SP is aware that the BJP has demolished the Opposition in the last three elections in UP. So, how can it respond to the BJP’s “all-encompassing” strategy?

Maintaining a balance between his secular credentials and responding to the Hindutva juggernaut will be the toughest nut to crack. (PTI)

Updated on Mar 01, 2022 07:19 PM IST

ByShashank Chaturvedi, Sanjay Kumar Pandey and David N Gellner

In UP, why defections are a significant factor this election season

The ground realities of UP — India’s most-populous state with 80 Lok Sabha seats and 403 assembly seats — are not the same as Bengal

Over the past few weeks, senior BJP minister Swami Prasad Maurya and 13 other lawmakers have defected to the SP and its allies. (ANI)

Published on Jan 24, 2022 08:50 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar, Chandrachur Singh

OBCs: The key to the BJP’s electoral strategy in UP

The BJP slogan of sabka sath, sabka vikas (development for all) will undoubtedly continue to be the overarching theme alongside the caste calculations

Almost all observers agree that in preparations for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh (UP) elections, the BJP is far ahead of its challengers. (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

Updated on Nov 17, 2021 08:06 PM IST

ByShashank Chaturvedi, Sanjay Kumar Pandey, David N Gellner

The shifting nature of political alliances in the Bihar elections | Analysis

Will people of Bihar have the government of the collation which they will be voting for, or will alliances, which aren’t even visible at the moment, rule the roost?

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) under Chirag Paswan remains in the NDA at the Centr,e but outside it in the state. He has made it clear that his only interest is defeating the JD(U).(PTI)

Updated on Oct 19, 2020 07:26 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar and Chandrachur Singh

For his vision and actions, Bihar trusts Nitish Kumar | Opinion

He has transformed Bihar’s development map for the better, empowered people, revived the image of the state

Nitish Kumar is not just a visionary, but an energetic doer. A product of socialist and youth movements, his politics and policies are guided by principles of equality, justice, social welfare and progress. He stands out among the select group of politicians who have been in public life for over four decades(PTI)

Updated on Aug 19, 2020 07:12 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar Jha

Sushma Swaraj’s death marks an end of an era in Delhi politics

After she resigned in December 1998, losing elections to the Congress, Sheila Dikshit took over the reigns and continued to rule the city for three consecutive terms.

(From left) Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Farooq Abdullah, Kalyan Singh, LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj.(Girish Srivastav/ HT Archives)

cities

Updated on Aug 08, 2019 04:04 AM IST

New Delhi | BySanjay Kumar

The failure of the BSP-SP alliance is not about vote transfers

It’s not their inability to transfer votes that resulted in their poor performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections; the two, in fact, did manage to transfer their votes to each other though the degree varied. The reasons for the alliance’s dismal performance lie somewhere else

The reason for the break up of the BSP-SP alliance ((ANI)

Published on Jun 12, 2019 07:59 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar

Delhi elections: Gifting the advantage to the adversary

An AAP-Congress pact would have meant the consolidation of the anti-BJP votes in the alliance’s favour, making it difficult for the BJP in all the seven Lok Sabha seats of Delhi

A triangular contest in Delhi between the BJP, the Congress and the AAP might result in the repeat of 2014 Lok Sabha results(Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)

Updated on May 11, 2019 09:43 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar

Why the Modi wave is missing so far in the polls

So far this election has not seen either a pro- or anti-Modi wave. While it might change in the round of elections, it can go either way.

The electoral wave seemed to be missing in the first three round, partly, because of the nature of the electoral contest in these rounds.(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

Updated on May 06, 2020 08:59 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar

Assembly elections 2017: How the Opposition lost to Modi across India

The verdict of the recent round of assembly elections in five states is an indication of the endorsement of the feeling of nationalism that the BJP has been able to arouse amongst large sections of Indians

Prime minister Narendra Modi during Mahila Sarpanch sammelan at Mahatma mandir in Gandhinagar in Gujarat, on March 8.(Siddharaj Solanki/ HT Photo)

elections

Updated on Mar 13, 2017 10:42 AM IST

BySanjay Kumar

Assembly elections 2017: How the Opposition lost to Modi across India

The verdict of the recent round of assembly elections in five states is an indication of the endorsement of the feeling of nationalism that the BJP has been able to arouse amongst large sections of Indians

The massive victory of the BJP in UP and Uttarakhand puts a stamp on the popularity of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister and BJP’s undisputed and most popular leader(Siddharaj Solanki/ Hindustan Times)

editorials

Updated on Mar 14, 2017 11:26 AM IST

BySanjay Kumar

Budget 2017: Revamp FRBM Act to balance the budget

FRBM Act was brought in 2003 and was implemented since 2004, with the primary goal to manage the fiscal deficit, as fiscal deficits were considered major factors affecting the economic growth by contributing to inflation and increasing the debt burden.

budget

Updated on Jan 30, 2017 07:45 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar

What the railways can do about climate change

The Indian Railways should have a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Solar PV on rooftop of Katra Railway Station of Northern Railway

Updated on May 10, 2016 02:28 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar

How the BJP stole Congress' thunder

The impressive victory of the BJP, not only the party’s best performance but an overwhelming mandate, should bring to an end the long debate on whether there was a Modi wave.

BJP-supporters-paint-the-town-red-with-their-celebrations-almost-literally-Raj-K-Raj-HT-Photo

Updated on May 17, 2014 03:45 PM IST

BySanjay Kumar, New Delhi

Numbers show it: it's a challenge to oust Modi in Gujarat

The BJP has not only won four Gujarat assembly elections in a row since 1995 it did so with a lead of over 10% against the Congress. The Congress will need to perform exceptionally well to win the 2012 elections, writes Sanjay Kumar.

A-file-photo-of-Congress-workers-in-Mumbai-protesting-against-Narendra-Modi-for-his-comments-on-Sonia-Gandhi-PTI

Updated on Oct 22, 2012 08:59 PM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar

Himachal hit by temple tragedy, drop in tourism

Tragedy unfolded with 147 people dying in a temple stampede in Himachal Pradesh which witnessed some tense moments this year due to spirited protests by Tibetan exiles.

Updated on Dec 31, 2008 09:59 AM IST

PTI | BySanjay Kumar Sinha, Shimla

Survey puts Cong, Akalis on even keel

It is hard to say from the exit poll who will form next Govt in Punjab, write S Kumar, R Karandikar and Y Yadav.

cities

Updated on Feb 28, 2007 12:31 PM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar, Rajeeva Karandikar & Yogendra Yadav, New Delhi

BJP set to take Uttarakhand

It is a vote of no-confidence against the ruling Congress government.

Published on Feb 22, 2007 03:03 AM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar, Rajeeva Karandikar and Yogendra Yadav, New Delhi

Survey puts Cong, Akalis on even keel

It is hard to say from the exit poll who will form next Govt in Punjab, write S Kumar, R Karandikar and Y Yadav.

Published on Feb 14, 2007 10:12 AM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar, Rajeeva Karandikar & Yogendra Yadav, New Delhi

The middle order matters

This class includes anyone in this country; caste does not matter here, report Sanjay Kumar & Yogendra Yadav.

Published on Jan 29, 2007 03:12 AM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar & Yogendra Yadav, New Delhi

Consumerist with a heart

We are somewhere in the middle of the society, above the starving millions but below the rich and the powerful rulers of the country, reports Sanjay Kumar and Yogendra Yadav.

Published on Jan 27, 2007 01:49 AM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar and Yogendra Yadav

Reforms, what is that about?

Only 3% Indians had a fair idea what reforms all about, write Sanjay Kumar and Yogendra Yadav.

Updated on Jan 26, 2007 03:33 AM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar and Yogendra Yadav, New Delhi

93 per cent Indians believe in God

A survey by HT-CNN IBN finds that urban, educated Indians are more religious than their rural counterparts.

Updated on Jan 25, 2007 12:26 PM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar and Yogendra Yadav, New Delhi

Survey puts UPA, Sonia on top

A survey by HT-CNN-IBN sees the UPA getting 300 seats if Lok Sabha elections had been held in January. See Graphics

Updated on Jan 24, 2007 11:09 AM IST

None | BySanjay Kumar, Rajeeva Karandikar and Yogendra Yadav, New Delhi

Reservation will divide country: Ratan

Tata Sons Chairman made it clear that merit should be the only criterion for securing jobs, reports Sanjay Kumar. Is the Govt move a step in right direction?