The rise of Narendra Modi has heralded one of the most exciting and contentious periods in Indian politics. From the day he was sworn in as prime minister in May 2014, Mr. Modi has dominated the news cycle, attracting admirers and critics in equal measure. Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition too have slowly begun to find their voice even as the country is conflicted between a billion aspirations and rising mutinies. Who will win the big battle for 2019 as the Indian Political League enters the final stretch? What defines the Modi persona? How will the deep divisions in society be bridged? What are the challenges ahead of a ‘new’ India? And what of the lingering credibility crisis confronting the Indian media? As one of the country’s leading journalists with a ringside view to Indian politics, Rajdeep Sardesai’s incisive analysis of contemporary events decodes the key questions of our times.

Contents

The Rise and Rise of Narendra Modi
Right Man, Right Place, Right Time
Narendra Modi Must Shun Adversarial Pollitics
Modi's Fine Words Must Be Followed by Firm Action
Modi Versus Sonia : Nation above Individuals
PM Modi and the TINA Factor
DeMo: Has Modi Done an Indira ?
Modi 24-7, 365 Days
Modi's Pak Policy: Time Sure Are Changing
The Chowkidar against Corruption?
The Modi Challenge : Aspiration Versus Mutinies

IPL : Indian Political League
Rahul Gandhi : Missing in Action
The Election That Changed Delhi
A Yogi Becomes a CM : When 'Fringe'
Becomes Mainstream
Lalu-Nitish Jodi : Twist in a Bihar Tale
Bengal, Kerala : The BJP's Last Frontiers
Gujarat Gives Congress Oxygen,
But Revival Is STill a Challenge
Will 220 Be the New 272?
Modi Versus all
From Raj Dharma to Chanakya Neeti:
Is BJP a Party with a Difference?
Karnataka to Kairana : A Template for 2019
A New Congress : From Arrogance to Accommodation

Being 'Anti-national' in a Divided Nation
Yes, I am Anti-national
Good Governance Day Sends
Wrong Message on Xmas
The Silence of Mumbai
What Bollywood Could Learn from South Cinema
Caste on Campus
Gau Rakshaks Are Anti-Dalit
Cow Politics : Mahatma's India Versus
Bhagwar's Hindu Rashtra
Asaduddin Owaisi and the Muslim 'Vote Bank'
Law above Faith : The triple Talaq test for
Secular Liberals
Selective Justice and Inconvenient Truths
Terror and Politics
Stop the Marketing of Surgical Strikes
Jammu 'Versus ' Kashmir : A Doomed Alliance

Challenges Before a New India
Where Really is 'New India ?
Lalit Modi Row to Vyapam Scam :
Of Corruption and Cronyism
Netas and the Love for Land
IPL Is the Soft Target for Water Crisis
A Tale of Two 'Events
Nehru, Ambedkar's Legacies Shadowed by
Political Partisanship
Ruling the Roost in Raj Bhavan :
Do we Really Need Governaors ?
Two Cheers for Judicial 'Revolt'


Media in a Tele-democracy

Box Office Hit : How Modi 'Managed' the Media
Dear Politicians, Stop this Malicious
Anti-media Campaign
Divided Media Cannot Provide Justice to
Gauri Lankesh
TN Floods and the Tyranny of Distance

Burhan Wani and Patriot Games
Silence Please, We ARe in Power !
Decoding the Fake News Debate

Also available as an e-book.