o

'Rahul could become a desirable leader'

'I feel Rahul Gandhi's emerging influence may do good to the Congress.' Political analyst Cho Ramaswamy on the post-election scenario.




o

'Mamata's win has nothing to do with the Tatas'

'It has everything to do with the West Bengal government's policies. They were too much in a hurry. They should not have hurried through with the land acquisition,' feels RSP leader T J Chandrachoodan.




o

'Rahul should thank his mother for letting him go alone'

'She did not push him nor did she push the party in his direction. If she had declared him a leader, that would have been her biggest mistake. She did not do that,' says political thinker Sanjay Kumar.




o

'Youth have to be taken on board'

'The demographics is that the majority of our voters and the majority of the population are youth, so we must make serious efforts,' says Biju Janata Dal MP 'Jay' Panda.




o

'An event of such magnitude never seen in the world'

Election Commissioner S Y Quarishi on Election 2009 and the challenges many the Election Commission faced.




o

'The BJP's base is shifting to the countryside'

In a no-holds-barred conversation, Chandan Mitra, editor and managing director of The Pioneer, member of the Rajya Sabha and BJP supporter, tells Savera R Someshwar that the blame for the failure lies squarely at the party's door.




o

Therese Tucker: From The Farm to Silicon Valley

Therese Tucker, founder and chief executive of BlackLine Inc., tells WSJ's Veronica Dagher how she got her big idea and advanced in the technology industry, and what she's learned about wealth.




o

In Greece, a Radical Triangular House Brings the Outdoors Inside

Greek architect Tilemachos Andrianopoulos provides a tour of his design: a triangular home that blurs the line between inside and the olive grove outside. "Even for a completely new structure, there is always something that already exists there," he says. Photo: Rob Alcaraz/The Wall Street Journal




o

Inside Adobe’s Colorful, Redesigned Headquarters

Adobe’s headquarters in San Jose might not be what you expect from the outside–shades of gray granite. Inside, however, Gensler redesigned the space to reflect Adobe’s colorful brand, complete with a floor dedicated to Photoshop. Photo: Adobe




o

Why Big Tech Is Getting Into Finance

In 2019, many large tech firms announced plans to offer financial products and services. WSJ’s Liz Hoffman explains why Google, Apple, and others are offering products that might someday replace your wallet.




o

WSJ’s House of the Year: A Contemporary Home With Hawaiian Spirit

A modern, 7,500 square-foot home connects owner Elizabeth Grossman to the nature and ‘spiritual vortex’ that drew her to Lanikai, a neighborhood on Oahu. She gives us a tour, and explains why it’s time to sell. Photo: Adam Falk/The Wall Street Journal




o

Trump Administration Supports Plan to Send Checks to Americans

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the Trump administration supports a plan to send checks to Americans, likely within the next two weeks, to mitigate household and business interruptions caused by the spread of the new coronavirus. Photo: Evan Vucci/Associated Press




o

What the Federal Reserve Can Do to Fight Recession

The coronavirus pandemic is disrupting the global economy. WSJ’s Greg Ip explains what the Federal Reserve can do to stem the damage. Illustration: Carlos Waters/WSJ




o

March Jobs Report Doesn't Tell the Full Story; Here's Why

U.S. employers shed 701,000 jobs in March, in the worst month for job losses since the 2007-2009 recession. But these losses still don't show the pandemic's full impact on the labor market. WSJ's Eric Morath explains. Photo: JOHN MINCHILLO/ASSOCIATED PRESS




o

Class of 2020 Job Seekers May Be ‘Walking Into a Hurricane’

At the beginning of the year, college seniors were preparing to enter the strongest job market in decades. Now, as more than 25 million people have filed for unemployment, they face a newly competitive search. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images




o

So you want to vote


ABC of Voting is a no-frills publication that demystifies the voter enrollment and elections process in India.




o

Public verification of electoral rolls


A workshop on Citizen’s Participation in the Electoral Processes in Rajasthan culminates in an order by the Election Commission on short-term measures for electoral roll revisions.




o

Seven lakh voter entries corrected


In the run-up to the Rajasthan state elections, public audits of electoral rolls are beginning to payoff remarkably, says Nikhil Dey.




o

Voting : Frequently asked questions


Two sections for voters all over the country and one section for Karnataka voters, prepared by the Karnataka Election Watch Committee.




o

A children's manifesto


With elections just weeks away, Child Relief and You asks that political parties to focus on issues that affect children.




o

Why this election is different


As India's massive election exercise begins, citizens watch committees have teamed up to help voters assess and make sense of the candidates' disclosures.




o

Not so stunning a verdict


Jayaprakash Narayan on the famous verdict of May 2004 that saw the BJP-led NDA evicted from power. This feature includes a brief interview.




o

Elections : the Kerala story


'God's own country' was at the polls earlier this month on May 10. A report based on the Kerala Election Watch committee's analysis of candidate affidavits and subsequent results.




o

More reforms, says Election Commission


In July the Chief of the Central Election Commission wrote to the Prime Minister outlining several proposals for further reforms in the electoral arena. Rasika Dhavse reports.




o

Telangana by-election hits tobacco warning


At least one controversial issue raging in the Karimnagar by-election race in A.P. has taken its toll. Union Minister Oscar Fernandes has assured the region's beedi workers of modifying a controversial New Delhi order that has mandated a skull-denoted warning on beedi packets. Kondal Rao reports.




o

Women of U.P., unite!


With a population of 170 million and with 403 Legislative Assembly seats up for grabs, political parties are baiting the the masses in U.P. Of course, masses do not include the approximately 78 million women of the state, reports Tarannum.




o

A forgotten Bengali hero


He designed the general elections, India’s greatest gift to itself. It is time the Bengali mathematician-turned-civil servant got his due, writes Ramachandra Guha.




o

Towards positive change


The the machinery and conduct of elections, is robust and intact. But the 'software' of democracy, the processes by which we are governed in-between elections, is corrupt and corroded, writes Ramachandra Guha.




o

SC keeps door open on negative voting


A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court has referred the question of whether voters should have the option to declare their lack of confidence in all the candidates on a ballot to a Constitution bench. Kannan Kasturi reports.




o

Big money seeks common man's blessing


It was once hoped that curbing election expenses would keep the process fairer. Today, the opposite is true, and neither the UPA nor the NDA wants to disturb this comfortable arrangement. Kannan Kasturi reports.




o

Stagnant waters: Party manifestos offer little


Water is a big local concern, but at the national level, it does not seem to figure very high up in the considerations of major parties, at least as seen in their pre-election promises. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.




o

Where are tribal women in Indian politics?


Underneath the gloss of the UPA victory on 16 May lies a sober reality. Around the country, adivasi women are known for their leadership qualities, and yet, they do not get equal opportunities to contest elections, finds Manipadma Jena.




o

Elections 2009: A grand success


The current national elections have set high standards in management, organization, transparency and fair selection of people's representatives. Now, the chosen representatives must understand that people have voted for governance, writes Arvind Verma.




o

The importance of Hyderabad


The best of India must stop running independent side-shows, and bring their energy and vision to well-constructed political spaces, and let this be their contribution to changing India, writes Surendra Srivastava.




o

Acts of choice


Voting is an important duty. But giving the state coercive power ostensibly in the name of saving the people from themselves is undemocratic paternalism, writes Pratap B Mehta.




o

Resignation drama could be a self-goal for BJP


The entire episode of BJP leader Lalkrishna Advani's resignation from the party and its subsequent meek withdrawal not only breaks the myth of his capacity for brinkmanship, but may also prove to be a spoiler for the party in the run up to the Lok Sabha, says B.S. Nagaraj.




o

Third front romance not as smooth as it seems


The aggressive stance of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in exiting the NDA is not really a big surprise, but whether that can lead to the formation of a viable government by an United Third Front at the Centre leaves room for scepticism, says B.S. Nagaraj.




o

Of Hyderabad’s ‘Sansad Ratna’ and his peers


Did you know that Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has been among the topmost performers in the Lok Sabha and has been honoured with the Sansad Ratna 2014 award? Arpana H S compiles a quick snapshot of MPs from Hyderabad and adjoining urban constituencies.




o

Not just one party or the other!


Mainstream media may play up the parliamentary contest as a battle of Goliaths, but statistical analysis reveals the true diversity in the Indian party system and the inevitability of coalitions. Srinivasan Ramani brings us the real picture.




o

Rating our MPs: A few ground truths


What should be the yardstick of performance for our leaders in the Lok Sabha? Should they be held accountable for issues of governance in their local constituencies, or their legislative record in parliament? Kishore Mandyam explains his stance.




o

Could Modi be a development disaster?


If the cost of ecological damage and social deprivation are accounted for, Narendra Modi will only be half as tall as he is made out to be, says Ashish Kothari, issuing a grave warning.




o

Who will spare a thought for the environment?


With the manifestos of all major national parties finally released, Himanshu Thakkar presents a comparative reading with a lens on environment and natural resource management.




o

Women MPs: At par, but rare still


Mainstream political parties do not give sufficient opportunity to women so that their representation has remained poor. Voters, however, view them as equal performers, as a recent survey has shown. Prabhu Mallikarjunan presents some interesting findings on the issue.




o

Chennai voters wary of disappearing acts


They make an appearance before every election with a basket of promises and some patchwork to impress the electorate, only to disappear later. Chennai residents tell Lavanya Donthamshetty how tired they are of such politicians, wishing for a leader with vision and the commitment to turn it into reality.




o

What sways the urban voter?


Gujarat bucks the urban trend when it comes to identity voting, while cities in the prosperous northern states place high emphasis on choice of MP candidates. Srinivasan Ramani discovers several interesting facts on urban choice, through GIS mapping of data obtained from a voter perception survey.




o

India’s “third gender” enters poll fray with new hope


In a first, the Lok Sabha Election this year has at least four candidates from the traditionally under-represented transgender community. Prabhu Mallikarjunan looks at their participation, as well as the challenges that lie ahead.




o

How an MLA hopeful lost the race even before he could contest


Atum Welly, a former Congress minister in Arunachal Pradesh who switched to the BJP, alleges that a fraudulent move threw him out of the election process, as the Election Commission of India accepted a forged letter of withdrawal. What’s more, he is not alone! Ramesh Menon reports.




o

Voices Modi and Kejriwal must listen to, beyond the noise


Days before the much-hyped showdown between Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal in Varanasi, Prabhu Mallikarjunan pays a visit to the holy city to know more about the loyalties and concerns of people on the ground.




o

The rich and famous funding elections - why not?


Any election campaign and process needs money, and as long as the exercise of money power is well-regulated, it can never thwart the power of the people, feels P V Rajeev.




o

The message from voters in 2014


Combining provisional voter turnout data and the perceptions of MP performance based on the Daksh-ADR survey, Srinivasan Ramani attempts to make reasonable assessments about what could be behind the high turnouts in this Lok Sabha elections.