Best of BS Opinion: Modi's third bid for power, Covid-19 crisis & more

Here are the best of BS Opinions of the day

Assessing Narendra Modi’s seven years as prime minister, T N Ninan points out that his reputation for getting things done has taken a beating in the face of the bungling over his handling the second Covid-19 wave. Recovering his reputation demands that he takes control again rather than issuing advice from afar. Read it here. Shekhar Gupta, meanwhile, examines whether the opposition can take advantage of this diminution in Modi’s popularity and make his third bid for power more challenging – especially if the Congress fails to rise to the challenge. Read it here

Here are the other views this weekend:

Devangshu Datta explains why the death rate from the second Covid-19 wave could be four or five times the official count. Read it here
 

The government recently floated an international tender for a broadcasting outfit to push India’s point of view abroad. T C A Srinivasa-Raghavan explores why this government has been inept at communication unlike its predecessor, the United Progressive Alliance. Read it here
 

The arguments over IP waivers for global vaccines reflects an age-old controversy over the flow of propriety technology and information through history, says Arundhuti Dasgupta. Read it here 

QUOTE OF THE DAY
 

‘When people aren’t even able to breathe, what will they do with a new parliament?’

Son of a critical Covid-19 patient on the Central Vista project