All stories by Sharat Pradhan
Babri Masjid demolition: 'I was there'
Rediff.com6 Dec 2017A generation has passed and the demolition appears to be a story of an era gone by, says Sharat Pradhan, who shares his experience as a witness in court in the Babri Masjid demolition case. On the 25th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, we republish this 2011 special.
Mulayam shows who's boss, but will Akhilesh relent?
Rediff.com28 Dec 2016The Samajwadi Party is headed for yet another father-son showdown.
Yadav dominance in UP police stations to end?
Rediff.com27 Sep 2016The Election Commission gets cracking on caste, money and muscle power well ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections.
Rahul sounds poll bugle in UP, attacks rivals
Rediff.com29 Jul 2016Rahul asserted that Sheila Dikshit was "highly experienced" to change UP's face.
Congress to hold grand meet in Lucknow ahead of UP polls
Rediff.com28 Jul 2016This is going to be the first such exercise of its kind in the 27 years that Congress has been out of power in the state, which it had earlier ruled for four long decades.
'He wanted an amicable solution to Ayodhya dispute'
Rediff.com21 Jul 2016Hashim Ansari's son says the long-drawn court battle had left his father disillusioned.
Babbar, Dikshit breathe life into the Congress in UP
Rediff.com18 Jul 2016Newly-appointed chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit and state chief Raj Babbar came out all guns blazing against the SP, BSP and BJP.
Women leaders concerned over rising forced pregnancies
Rediff.com19 May 2016All the speakers agreed that the issue of early marriage and adolescent health on account of unintended pregnancies required urgent attention in South Asian countries, particularly India, where the problem was on the rise despite tough laws against it.
Gates foundation will invest $80 million to fight gender discrimination
Rediff.com17 May 2016To end gender discrimination across the globe, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will allocate $80 million to create a gender data revolution.
This statue on Copenhagen streets highlights horror of human trafficking
Rediff.com17 May 2016However, the voice of the poor victims of prostitution got drowned in the loud and flashy discourses on other mundane gender issues like child marriage, maternal health, water and sanitation, economic empowerment.
BJP's great gamble: Party opts for OBC Maurya in UP, Yeddyruppa in Karnataka
Rediff.com9 Apr 2016The Bharatiya Janata Party announced a major organisational reshuffle in the party, appointing Hindu hardliner Keshav Maurya and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa as state party presidents in Uttar Pradesh and Karntaka respectively.
SP supremo's 'chhoti bahu' to contest 2017 UP assembly polls
Rediff.com27 Mar 2016The Samajwadi Party on Sunday declared that party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's youngest daughter-in-law, Aparna Yadav, will contest the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. S
UP bypoll: Mixed bag for BJP, SP, Cong
Rediff.com16 Feb 2016Notwithstanding the claims and counterclaims of different political parties about riding the crest of a populatiry wave in Uttar Pradesh, Tuesday's results of the three bypolls out of the 403 state assembly seats have sprung surprises for all key political players.
Azam Khan is at it again; claims PM Modi met Dawood in Sharif's house
Rediff.com6 Feb 2016Known for making controversial remarks, senior Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan outdid himself when he alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met wanted underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Lahore at the residence of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif last December. Sharat Pradhan/ Rediff.com reports from Lucknow.
PHOTOS: When PM Modi was heckled
Rediff.com22 Jan 2016Protesters raised slogans whilst attempting to disrupt the prime minister's address at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow.
Maya lights up subdued 60th birthday with Mulayam fireworks
Rediff.com15 Jan 2016Her tone and tenor was clear and unflinching as she vowed to storm back to power in 2017,
Rahman's concert, 76-kg cake: Mulayam's mega birthday bash
Rediff.com20 Nov 2015The idea is to reinforce Mulayam's 'dhartiputra' or son-of-the-soil image, say party sources.
Azam Khan rejects rumours of his resignation from SP
Rediff.com11 Nov 2015Rumours about senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's resignation from the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet kept doing rounds here Tuesday afternoon, soon after his abrupt departure from SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's residence.
UP government cancels VHP condolence meet in Ayodhya
Rediff.com2 Nov 2015Sensing the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's attempts to rekindle Ayodhya sentiments, the Akhilesh Yadav-led government in Uttar Pradesh has banned a meeting to mark the 25th death anniversary of brothers, Ram and Sharad Kothari, who fell to police bullets while performing the symbolic kar sewa on November 2, 1990 -- two years before the Babri Masjid was brought down.
Akhilesh inducts 12 new faces in ministry; ex-Akali leader's entry baffles all
Rediff.com31 Oct 2015Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, whom Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav earlier gave a berth in the Rajya Sabha, was the surprise entry even for senior ministers who were seen asking each other about the background of the man from Punjab.