I was working for a wire service when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. A few months later, I received a call from my editors in New Delhi: the Amethi seat was up for a by-election and Sonia Gandhi had decided she wanted to give it to Amitabh Bachchan. Her children were too young, she was not into politics (then) and she would rather it stayed with “family”. Read more

I have said all I wanted to say about my reservations about the women’s reservation bill in my column anandan on Wednesday this week.

Like I said in the column, I am agnostic about the bill – I neither believe in it nor do I knock it. I simply doubt that it will help at all (help the common woman, that is). Read more

Rajiv Gandhi was not sure what he must do. Of course, he did not have to sing for his supper but Sunil Dutt was urging him on. “Please come up on to the stage,’’ said Dutt. “Sing along with us.’’

Rajiv’s trademark shy, dimpled smile came out rather hesitantly and he half got up from his plush chair. “Come, come. Please come up,’’ went on Dutt sa’ab. Read more

There are many Congress leaders from Delhi who wonder why no one in Maharashtra seems able to take Sharad Pawar on.

To them I have always stated the Hindi adage : paani mein rehekar magarmachh se bair nahin (you can’t take on the crocodile in his own waters). Read more

I have always been ambivalent about the clamour for a 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament that has been the subject of so much fire and opposition for years. It is my view that such reservations will help only the wives/mothers/daughters/sisters/aunts/nieces/daughters-in-law et al of men in power or even powerful men out of, well, power and wishing to keep it all in the family. Read more