Syed Firdaus Ashraf covers national politics, and sometimes movies too -- a truly wide arc! You can e-mail the author at firdausa@rediff.co.in
Aam Aadmi Party calls Bhagwant Mann its people's choice for CM candidate in Punjab. Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com traces what makes Mann so indispensable for his party.
'The Covid situation is like demonetisation.' 'People were upset with the government initially, but eventually they voted for the BJP again.'
'Congress and BSP are in the fray, but not in the contest.'
'The PM of India was 20 km away from the Pakistan border and he is one of the persons under extreme threat from that country and they put his life in danger.'
'The second Covid wave spread due to the irresponsibility of the Election Commission of India and now they are committing the same mistake.'
'People of my constituency told me they will continue loving me, but will not vote for me if I am with the BJP.'
'People are questioning these highways and expressways in UP because ultimately, they want to get bread and butter first.'
'Today in Uttar Pradesh all big parties like Samajwadi Party, BJP or even Bahujan Samaj Party are out to woo smaller parties as they know the Hindu votes are getting divided.'
'The PM says he believes in discussion and debate, then why are discussions and debates not being allowed in Parliament?'
'Today, we being the majority pass a law and if the Opposition parties do not like it, they throw files at the Chair, and beat up women marshals.'
'There is a famous saying here that 'the way to Delhi passes through Lucknow'.' 'If the BJP loses UP in 2022, Modi's premiership in 2024 will be in doldrums.'
'We feel that till the time statehood is not restored power sector should not be touched in J-K.'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com tracks Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's project-launching spree with just about three months to go for the assembly election in India's most populous state.
'Look at the aggressive way in which a campaign against Friday namaz is going on in North Indian cities.' 'Even the Union home minister is part of this vicious campaign.'
'Although Narendra Modi had no direct participation in the Ayodhya agitation, he would not have been in the dominant position he is now had it not been for the Ram Janambhoomi agitation.'
'Second-class citizenship would have been meaningless to a Hindu in the Mughal empire.'
'If there is effective prosecution, only then we will get justice, but first let them (NIA) run the case honestly in court.'
'Two years ago I told Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi that we have traitors in the Congress.'
'Mamata Didi is the only politician who can take on the might of Modi.'
'A country cannot be run on lines that everyone should be in agreement and those who disagree should be silenced.' 'If this is how they look at democracy, then I can only wish good luck to the future of parliamentary democracy in India.'
© 2025 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances