MS Shanker The idea that Joseph Vijay can simply ride charisma into stable governance needs a reality check. Electoral momentum is one thing; managing a fractured mandate in Tamil Nadu’s deeply entrenched political ecosystem is quite another. Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay has undeniably altered the state’s political landscape. For a political debutant to emerge as the…
MS Shanker Exit polls have once again done what they do best—generate heat without much light. A few projections suggesting a narrow escape route for Mamata Banerjee have been seized upon by her supporters as proof of resilience. But scratch beneath the surface, and the political behaviour of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) tells…
The din has finally settled. The rallies are over, the slogans have faded, and the relentless trading of accusations has come to a halt. What remains is the only voice that truly matters in a democracy—the voter. As Tamil Nadu heads into a single-phase election for all 234 seats and West Bengal continues its staggered…
As Tamil Nadu heads into a single-phase showdown and West Bengal advances through a crucial first phase, the spotlight has sharply turned to women voters—now being actively courted through competing narratives around the Women’s Reservation framework. While the legislation itself was passed in 2023, its delayed implementation—linked to the Census and delimitation—has been weaponised politically….
MS Shanker As West Bengal inches closer to a decisive electoral moment, the political temperature is rising—and so is the sense of inevitability around the outcome. With the first phase of polling fast approaching, the contours of this high-stakes battle are becoming clearer: what once appeared to be a formidable fortress of the ruling All…
Thiruvananthapuram: Pollsters in Kerala remain divided over the likely outcome of the upcoming Assembly elections, with projections split between a return of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and an advantage for the United Democratic Front (UDF). Among the surveys, Mathrubhoomi’s Mathrubhumi-Core poll stands out for projecting a clear edge for the LDF. It estimates the…
Guwahati: The BJP-led NDA is set to steamroll Congress in the upcoming Assam elections and may retain power with a stronger mandate than in 2021, according to the latest Vote Tracker opinion poll by VoteVibe. BJP set to win 87-97 of the 126 in the state assembly. Congress may get just 26-36 seats. In 2021,…
Chennai: A private poll strategist, JVC, on Wednesday released findings from a statewide survey in Tamil Nadu, projecting an electoral advantage for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) amid what it describes as growing anti-incumbency against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). In a social media statement, JVC claimed confidence in its projections, noting that its…
With the announcement of the election schedule for five states, the political spotlight has sharply turned towards the South—particularly Tamil Nadu and Kerala—where entrenched political equations are facing an unusually volatile test. What makes this electoral cycle different is not merely anti-incumbency or alliance arithmetic, but the emergence of disruptive forces and a perceptible churn…
For nearly four decades, every government in undivided Andhra Pradesh and later Telangana has spoken about cleaning and rejuvenating the Musi River. Yet, despite grand announcements and ambitious proposals, the river that once symbolized the lifeline of Hyderabad continues to flow like an open drain through the city. The latest announcement by A. Revanth Reddy…
