Politics

The politics of ridicule

From cartoons and songs to viral memes, ridicule can become a potent political weapon, damaging reputations in ways that carefully crafted campaigns often cannot

Shehzad Poonawalla quits BJP, cites 'pressing' financial, personal issues

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday said he has resigned from all positions and primary membership of the party. Poonawalla said he has submitted his resignation letter to BJP national president Nitin Nabin, requesting him to accept it. He also posted his resignation letter on X, which stated that he had written to Nabin, offering "to resign unconditionally" from all positions and primary membership of the BJP on July 30 due to "pressing financial and personal circumstances." In his letter to Nabin, Poonawalla expressed how moved he was by the party's reluctance to accept his resignation promptly, as they requested him to reconsider his decision. "But after long and hard contemplation, I have arrived at a final decision that I would like to press for relieving me from my role as National Spokesperson and active primary membership of the BJP. The events of the last few days, courtesy certain individuals about whom I have told you in great detail, have forced me to

Andy Burnham becomes UK PM: Can Britain's 'King of the North' end a decade of political turmoil?

Andy Burnham is Britain's newest prime minister, becoming the country's seventh leader in just a decade. But who is he, how did he rise to the top

Burnham takes over as UK Prime Minister, promises to end instability

Andy Burnham said politicians had failed to bring the stability needed to raise living standards, something he said he would change with immediate policies, a longer term plan to be drawn up later

Biju Janata Dal's big gamble: Can Sujata rewrite Pandian narrative?

Sujata Rout Karthikeyan's entry into the BJD signals the party's bid for renewal but also revives questions over V K Pandian's influence and its post-2024 strategy

Inside the mind of the RSS sevak: A rare glimpse into Sangh's inner world

Julia Eckert's outstanding study on the Shiv Sena explores how the organisation grew via arbitrage in areas that the state could not/did not reach

AI reshaping diplomacy: Can technology replace human understanding?

As global tensions rise, governments are turning to AI to analyse data, model negotiation outcomes and identify compromise options, reshaping modern diplomacy

Out of power, in existential crisis? TMC struggles to contain a split

TMC's split after its poll defeat has weakened Bengal's Opposition, potentially giving the BJP greater political space and a freer hand to push its agenda

How new faces and new phases define the 5 Assembly election results

From Bengal to Tamil Nadu, shifting political equations signal turbulence ahead, with opposition battles, new leadership tests, and economic challenges shaping state agendas

“I give guarantee no injustice will be done to any state": PM Modi on Delimitation Bill 2026"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sought to calm concerns over the upcoming delimitation exercise, assuring the Lok Sabha that “no injustice” will be done to any state.

What is delimitation & how can it change India's politics? | Lok Sabha seats |Delimitation bill 2026

Delimitation is back in focus as the Union government meets for a special Parliament session. But what does delimitation actually mean, and why is it triggering a North vs South political debate?

Welfare politics and procedural issues pose risks to fiscal discipline

Are the new or revised schemes costed properly? If not, what will it do to the Budget figures?

A corporate model goes political: Twenty20 may disrupt Kerala politics

Kitex-backed Twenty20 enters Kerala's Assembly polls with NDA, pitching its Kizhakkambalam model as a disruptor in the state's bipolar political landscape

‘There's no full stop in politics’: PM Modi bids farewell to 59 Rajya Sabha MPs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday praised the contributions of retiring Rajya Sabha members, saying their experience and participation strengthened parliamentary traditions.

From rapper to Nepal's likely PM: All you need to know about Balendra Shah

From rapper and civil engineer to Kathmandu mayor and now prime minister-in-waiting, Balendra 'Balen' Shah has emerged as the face of Nepal's youth-driven political shift

Crosscurrents in 'Keralam': Are vote shares signalling flux in politics?

Civic poll results have complicated the state's binary politics and narrowed the Left's margin for error. Are vote shares signalling flux?

As 16th FC boosts southern share, delimitation may face fewer hurdles

More than three weeks after the 16th FC's recommendations became public, the southern states are no longer complaining about an unfair deal in the way central taxes are distributed among them

A Flag to Live and Die For: Navtej Sarna's rich study of freedom, identity

Navtej Sarna's book is utterly fascinating for the insights it provides into the politics of the freedom movement, personal freedom and the flag

Leverage, time, and the long game: India and Europe find common cause

This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they'd seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe

Pappu Yadav gets bail in forgery case, to stay in jail for separate case

The MP/MLA court here on Tuesday granted bail to independent MP Pappu Yadav in a three-decade-old forgery case. Yadav was arrested on Friday evening at his residence by Patna Police after a warrant was issued against him by the court in connection with a 1995 case lodged under Section 467 (forgery of documents) of the IPC. He was admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) due to illness the next morning. Advocate Shivnandan Bharti, who appeared for the MP, told reporters: "Pappu Yadav has been granted bail in the 1995 case. However, he will remain in custody, as another case was filed on the same day at the Buddha Colony police station for allegedly obstructing police work." He claimed that the police "conspired" to file a case accusing him of obstructing their work while he had "offered himself for arrest after seeing the warrant". The advocate said that the MP himself raised certain questions before the court during the hearing. An ACJM court on Saturday ordered that