If anything has become clear during this campaign, it is this: Mr Modi can bat on almost any wicket and hit the ball over the ropes, points out T N Ninan.

'The Budget will have to be substantially re-cast as soon as a new government takes charge after the elections.' 'Both revenue and expenditure numbers will have to be trimmed -- and then may better reflect the deceleration of economic activity caused by slowing consumption trends,' points out T N Ninan.

'The digital economy will generate 60 to 65 million jobs by 2025, 20 million more than the 40 to 45 million existing jobs that are in danger of disappearing or getting automated,' points out T N Ninan.

'If an election promise has to be credible, silence on practical questions doesn't help matters,' notes T N Ninan.

'A major political party has come down on the side of Constitutional freedoms and internationally recognised human rights,' says T N Ninan.

'Once we are past this electoral season, during which all promises are presented as free lunches, could we bring such non-populist issues into focus?' 'Like fixing the problems of the public sector?' points out T N Ninan.

'Though the prime minister has talked somewhat needlessly of pilot projects and the real stuff to come, India cannot be sure of a clean victory in any full-fledged conflict -- even if there is reason to engage in such,' points out T N Ninan.

Who is to take their place? Will a new generation of entrepreneurs start up with better business sense, or at least better luck? But the so-called unicorns are mostly copy-cat entrepreneurs whose cash flow is funded by overseas (including Chinese) money, notes T N Ninan.

'Should you give a man fish, or teach him how to fish?' 'Lurking hidden in the new bout of welfarism seems to be an admission that the State can't deliver for the poor anything other than cash,' notes T N Ninan.

Niti Aayog's plan to create a 'New India' in less than four years should invite scepticism, argues T N Ninan.

'Persisting with the inequalities, indeed seeing them get worse, is no one's prescription for national unity,' notes T N Ninan.

'Will Mr Jaitley listen, or is that expecting too much in pre-election season?' asks T N Ninan.

'No matter how many government schemes there are for the poor, the system works more for the privileged, less for the little guy,' notes T N Ninan.

'Course correction today would be good politics and also good economics,' notes T N Ninan.

'You look with hope at a politician who comes along and promises to change all that: 10 million new jobs every year, no need to touch someone's feet to get an introduction to an employer. And fix the corrupt guys who have made the system what it is.' 'But five years later, the reality has changed little or not at all,' says T N Ninan.

Whatever the claims about the new GDP numbers being technically superior to earlier estimates, their public credibility depends on their passing some reality checks, argues T N Ninan.

'Even if the Congress bags two of the three heartland states in the assembly round, the BJP may still get the majority of Lok Sabha seats in these states,' predicts T N Ninan.

'If the RBI board forces the management's hand on all the key issues, it should be prepared for resignations by the governor and the key deputy governor, Viral Acharya,' warns T N Ninan.

'Unless cash has ceased to be king, the issue is the same in the aviation, telecom and ecommerce sectors: Sustainability,' notes T N Ninan.

'The rupee has lost value against all other major Asian currencies, including that of Bangladesh and, of course, China.' 'Why should this be the case when the Indian economy has been growing faster than these economies, other than China?'