All stories by Sandeep Kumar
OBC survey demand puts Shivraj Chouhan back in reckoning in MP
Rediff.com16 Nov 2023According to BJP sources, the party propped up Chouhan in its election campaign when the Congress plank of promising to conduct a caste census started finding resonance with the OBCs.
'Scindia's influence is going to be reduced'
Rediff.com31 Jul 2023'You don't have any options within the BJP. You only have to follow the orders of the top leadership.'
Why rich Indians are heading for greener pastures
Rediff.com24 Jul 2023More Indians renounced their citizenship and took citizenship in other countries in 2022 than ever before, according to data. Answering multiple questions in Parliament - the last on March 31 this year - Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan told the Lok Sabha that more than 200,000 Indians gave up Indian citizenship in 2022. The question was asked by Congress Members of Parliament Kodikunnil Suresh and M K Raghavan, and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
BJP, Congress In Freebies Race In MP
Rediff.com6 Jun 2023'Elections in Madhya Pradesh have so far largely avoided freebies.' 'But this time both the Congress and BJP are making such announcements.'
BJP Woos Tribal Voters In Madhya Pradesh
Rediff.com11 Apr 2023The tribal vote in Madhya Pradesh is crucial in any election. The BJP's loss in the 2018 assembly election has prompted it to take remedial action.
In power or out, Kamal Nath shows he is Congress boss in MP
Rediff.com23 Mar 2022It is clear that Kamal Nath is gearing up for the 2023 assembly polls, reports Sandeep Kumar.
Why BJP is making a big play for tribal votes in MP
Rediff.com7 Dec 2021In the 2018 assembly polls, the Congress shocked the BJP by securing 30 of the 47 ST seats, proving that this vote bank has drifted away from the ruling party over some time. Sandeep Kumar reports.
How Scindia has emerged as a stronger leader in BJP
Rediff.com22 Jul 2021'Scindia did not just come to a new party, it was an ideological shift for him. In the past one and a half years, Scindia never lost communication with RSS leaders in the state. He left no stone unturned to ensure his acceptability in the party'
Why BJP's Bengal debacle was good news for Shivraj Chouhan
Rediff.com27 May 2021A BJP victory in the high-octane West Bengal election could have turned the fortunes in rival Kailash Vijayvargiya favour, reports Sandeep Kumar.
MP bypolls: Cong needs to win all seats, BJP only 9
Rediff.com2 Nov 2020The road ahead is not smooth for the 25 Congress defectors to the BJP. They are seeking re-election on the BJP ticket, which they campaigned against less than two years ago, and are finding it difficult to explain to the voters why they "betrayed" their parent party. If political analysts are to be believed, the results may surprise many of them, reports Sandeep Kumar.
'If a farmer wants to sell to a company, what is the harm?'
Rediff.com20 Oct 2020'If a company contracts to buy its produce after three or four months, is there any loss in it?'
Turncoats or loyalists? Chouhan in for a tough choice
Rediff.com23 Jun 2020After two and a half months of taking oath, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has many challenges before him. The first is to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected more than 10,000 people in the state. But The political challenges are even more daunting, reports Sandeep Kumar.
Chouhan faces big challenges in fourth term as CM
Rediff.com8 Apr 2020The COVID-19 pandemic, weak economic conditions, and a few political considerations are some of the challenges he faces.
The royal and political privileges of the Scindias
Rediff.com25 Mar 2020People close to the erstwhile royal family underline that Jyotiraditya Scindia is neither as accessible nor as unpretentious as his father.
In Madhya Pradesh, the real battle for BJP begins now
Rediff.com23 Mar 2020The 22 rebel Congress MLAs (who now have joined the BJP) will have to win the by-elections, which won't be easy as Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath will leave no stone unturned to secure those seats.
MP Congress in trouble as Scindia drifts further away
Rediff.com3 Mar 2020Will he leave the party? Will he float a new one? Or join an existing one? As speculation is rife over Jyotiraditya Scindia's next move, the Madhya Pradesh Congress unit appears to be divided on the rift between him and Chief Minister Kamal Nath, reports Sandeep Kumar.
'No MP should boast about victory, it's Modi magic'
Rediff.com17 Jun 2019'People incapable of becoming a sarpanch and councillor are MPs now, all because of the Modi magic.'
In MP, RSS internal report warns of unhappiness at ground level
Rediff.com13 Nov 2018Despite his ministers on shaky ground, Chouhan -- at the helm for three consecutive terms -- is holding the fort. He is being aided by a capable team for public relations and the RSS, which has deployed its workers to bolster the BJP's campaign, reports Sandeep Kumar.
'The real farmer doesn't go out to agitate'
Rediff.com3 Oct 2018'Most of the agitations are staged by the Opposition to disturb the peace of the state.'