'Chamling's legacy is toxic.' '7 out of 10 teenagers in Sikkim abuse drugs.' 'The youth are dying and the future looks bleak.'

'Both the governor and the President enjoy an enormous array of 'grey' powers.' 'All parties criticise these when in the Opposition. But why does no government dismantle them when these parties come to power?' asks Aditi Phadnis.

'This coming general election is not going to be about manifestoes.'

The public feels there is a mismatch between what the prime minister says and what happens on the ground, but Narendra Modi continues to enjoy public support.

Can Baichung Bhutia's Hamro Sikkim party pose a challenge to Pawan Chamling who has not lost an election in 24 years?

He said the country has witnessed a journey from indecisiveness to clarity and decisiveness.

Rahul Gandhi deliberately kept himself in the background, because he knew he is yet to achieve the stature to talk to a politician as senior as Deve Gowda.

The constituency comprises nearly 60,000 Kurubas -- a community which the CM belongs to -- and a Muslim population of at least 20,000. With their unified backing, there is no overt danger to the CM, reports Aditi Phadnis.

The best option to reduce farm distress in the state is that when the rains fail, the state -- the central and the state government -- provide a financial cushion for the farmer

Controversy at the Pejawar Mutt -- an integral part of the VHP and the Ram temple movement -- forces PM to stay away.

'He is seeking to harness the power of Indian Diasporas to national (support for India in global capitals) and political (enhance the Bharatiya Janata Party's support base) ends.'

The economic muscle in the Mangalore region is generally sympathetic to the BJP, says Aditi Phadnis.

Interestingly, so far Deve Gowda's JD-S is not the target of the attack by the BJP. Come mid-May, he hopes he will once again play the role he has played before.

'She really doesn't care if she is called heartless.' 'For her, the job needs to be done. That's all that matters.'

Javadekar, along with Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan, is among the few ministers who have party as well as ministerial responsibilities.

'Sirisena will keep both Rajapaksa and Wickremesinghe on tenterhooks till the next general election due in 2020,' says Aditi Phadnis.

'But Russia is well aware of Pakistan's nuisance power on its border.'

'With this success (of access to water) the women are convinced that their rights go beyond law books -- and the law is indeed powerful.' 'The women are now not afraid to file a police complaint or file a case in court.'

Bharatvani, when it is complete, will revive languages in India that are on the verge of extinction.

'Kamal Haasan always appeared to be quick to strike, but afraid to wound.' 'What he is offering the people of Tamil Nadu is not clear, but whatever it is, it will be a fresh element in the state's politics,' says Aditi Phadnis.