Remembering Arun Jaitley, the ‘Delhi Insider’ Who Was Ultimate Chanakya of Indian Politics
Bhupendra Chaubey Executive editor of CNN-News 18 How do you remember Arun Jaitley? The quintessential “Delhi insider” who knew something about anyone who was some one? From corporate tycoons to journalists to cricketers to artistes to jurists (little surprise there), Jaitley’s circle was so large that it was difficult to figure out exactly where you fit in. But as I sat in the studios today, speaking to his party colleagues and a range of people whose lives he has touched, I couldn’t help but conclude that there was a politician who had the unique ability to make multiple people feel special, all at the same time. You only…
‘Howdy, Modi!’ Saw the Prime Minister Write a New Language of Diplomacy and Politics
Bhupendra Chaubey Executive editor of CNN-News 18 What’s the big deal about the PMOI and POTUS coming together on one stage? Who achieves what through this gig? These were the crucial questions CNN-News18 posed to a range of individuals inside and outside the giant NRG Stadium in Houston. Turns out, they weren’t all that crucial. Because ‘Howdy, Modi!’ wasn’t just about rich Gujarati NRIs managing to get their favourite son on their Texan soil. It was about Narendra Modi writing a new language on the Indian diplomacy and political front. You had to be inside the stadium to feel the electricity of the massive change Modi is bringing…
What After Ayodhya Verdict? As Countdown Begins, RSS Prepares Blueprint to Reset India’s Social Narrative
Bhupendra Chaubey Executive editor of CNN-News 18 The judgment in the Ayodhya case is set to be delivered any time. Already, from the prime minister to RSS boss Mohan Bhagwat, sense has been conveyed that there should be no display of triumphalism from the Sangh Parivar. In the midst of anticipation amongst BJP and RSS workers, the Sangh, it seems, is working on a blueprint to realign the entire social narrative in India. News18 spoke to a senior RSS leader involved in several meetings over the last one week to figure out the contours of this blueprint. For one, the RSS wants to use this judgment as a…