For example, @ShoaibDaniyal gave us deep insights into what was actually going on in West Bengal, like explaining why the BJP ran a largely non-polarising campaign in West Bengal...
And @psychia90 explained how, after Assam’s small ethnic groups dumped BJP over CAA, the party wooed them back – not just for elections scroll.in/article/990118…
.@sruthisagar reported on the quota for the Vanniyar community, that led to counter-mobilisation against them and the ruling ADMK:
Most charitable reading of the vaccine policy is that the government thinks letting the rich get vaccines through the 50% private channel over next two months will lead to a faster rollout – but doesn't want to say so? Then post-July do the non-rich 18-45?
"Undoubtedly, the private and corporate sector route will empower a large number of people to get themselves quickly vaccinated outside the government route. Those who can afford to get them at the private and corporate sector rates shall go ahead." facebook.com/25262813155268…
"Arguably, what made Ahmed Patel so important in the Congress scheme of things was the fact that he was never ambitious for himself – unlike, say, a Pranab Mukherjee. He revelled in the proverbial backroom." thewire.in/politics/ahmed…
"While Mr. Patel’s stature grew nationally, the Congress in Gujarat shrunk over the years and many blamed his ‘towering presence’ as the reason why no local leader could grow in the State." thehindu.com/news/national/…
"Theatrics were played out at Congress’ 24 Akbar Road headquarters & decisions were formalised at 10 Janpath, but the realpolitik and operations happened at Patel’s 23 Mother Teresa Marg residence, where action and phone calls went on till the wee hours." economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-…
It's a subject we keep coming back to on the newsletter and especially in interviews on the Political Fix Q&A (which you can get in your inbox every week here: thepoliticalfix.substack.com).
Below, a few of the fascinating conversations we've had on the subject.
*India's 'distinctive' but not 'diminshed' form of federalism
*New research indicating an economic reason for centralised federalism
*How the Modi-era has upended conventional wisdom about regionalisation of politics scroll.in/article/978931…
India moved very early to lockdown, even though Covid-19 numbers were low.
While this may have helped reduce transmission, it made the decision to emerge from a lockdown much harder, because India has no sense of when its peak will be. scroll.in/article/959016…
We wrote about this two weeks ago on the Political Fix, my weekly newsletter on Indian politics and policy (subscribe here: thepoliticalfix.substack.com).
The "early" lockdown gave states and Centre a disincentive to open up, despite the cost to the economy scroll.in/article/959016…
Many other countries moved towards an exit plan after new case numbers had "peaked".
For India, estimating that peak is much harder, so it was always going to be the case that numbers would still be growing even 5 weeks into lockdown: scroll.in/article/959016…
India's migrant labour question is quite complex but the way we discuss it tends to miss one crucial thing:
Labourers are citizens and humans, not resources. Policymakers need to acknowledge that they have aspirations and desires. scroll.in/article/959377… via @scroll_in