A good friend of mine, who has watched Indian politics from the inner circles of more than one political party, once told me, “The nature of the people in this country is such that they never endorse anyone who openly expresses the desire to become the Prime Minister of India. Read more

Sometimes, I despair for the Shiv Sena after Bal Thackeray. Many of the party’s leaders have learnt well from the Sena supremo but I believe it is high time those who have inherited Bal Thackeray’s party unlearn all that the Sena tiger taught them and chart thir own course, for that is the only road to survival. Read more

“You used to be such a good girl! What’s happened to you in the last month or so?” Bal Thackeray once asked me sometime in the mid-1990s. Read more

Yashwant Sinha had called the day a defining moment in Indian history. Read more

Nagpur, Maharashtra’s winter capital, was ever a season of intrigues. Governments have been rather wary of holding the winter session of the legislature in Nagpur (which has just concluded this season) because more often than not it leads to a shake-up of some sort or the other, fells governments or at least puts one or the other chief minister in the dock. Read more

Bal Thackeray, as I have said before, often reminds me of the good Queen in Alice in Wonderland who was wont to say, “Off with his head!” at the slightest pretext. Read more

I may or may not agree with the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on Ayodhya but one thing I am very thankful for: the will power of governments both at the Centre and in the States this time round who made it clear that the verdict must be accepted with grace and that no violence or triumphalism by any side will be tolerated even for a minute. Read more

The colour saffron is one of my favourites. So is the colour green. Predictably, then, in my earlier years when I was starting out as a political correspondent, most of my clothes reflected these colours, in one hue or the other. Read more

Over the years, I must say, I have come to the conclusion that Bal Thackeray is consistent about just one thing – his inconsistency.

In my first interview with the Sena tiger in the Nineties, I was pretty impressed when Balasaheb told me in no uncertain terms, “I am afraid of no one. Read more

Now that the Liberhan Commission report is about to be tabled in Parliament, I am curious to know what it says about Bal Thackeray and his role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Read more