Pratul Sharma

1 week ago | theweek.in | Pratul Sharma

As the campaigning for five seats across four states— Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Kerala — came to an end it signalled the importance political parties are laying on them. These bypolls may appear limited in scope, but they carry political consequences as the results would be interpreted as referendums on ruling parties. In Punjab’s Ludhiana (West), the stakes are running high for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

1 week ago | theweek.in | Pratul Sharma

As Bihar inches towards the next round of assembly polls, the main opposition party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has appointed Mangani Lal Mandal as the new state president, a move replete with caste calculations in mind. For one, Mandal, replaces 80-year-old Jagadanand Singh, a veteran forward caste leader. Mandal comes from the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), which constitutes 36 per cent of the state’s population.

2 weeks ago | theweek.in | Pratul Sharma

The crash of the London-bound Air India aircraft in Ahmedabad has brought renewed focus on aviation safety and regulatory oversight. A parliamentary standing committee in its March 2025 report had raised similar concerns. The panel, in its review of the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s demands for grants, flagged serious concerns about skewed fund allocation, understaffing, and modest investment in security and accident investigation infrastructure.

2 weeks ago | theweek.in | Pratul Sharma

As the BJP-led government in Odisha completes its first year in office, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has said that his government has fulfilled half of the 21 promises made ahead of last year’s elections. Keen to showcase its performance, the BJP is emphasising its achievements, having formed a government in the state for the first time. What adds to the pressure is the party’s effort to create a distinct identity, moving away from the long shadow of the Naveen Patnaik era.

2 weeks ago | theweek.in | Pratul Sharma

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may finally have its new national president within the next few weeks. Party sources have confirmed that new state party chiefs in some major states will be appointed within the coming week, paving the way for the election of the national president. The term of the current party chief, JP Nadda, has already ended, and he is currently serving on an extension. His successor is expected to be chosen through consensus.