Biswarup Gooptu

Huge congratulations to my @NDTV colleagues @Vasudha156 & @Tarini28 on the announcement of their upcoming book on @ActorVijay! From field to newsroom, both saw the 'Vijay Wave' coming. Congratulations also to @SwatiChopra1 who was my editor in the #IndiasMostFearless series!

Awesome news @Vasudha156 Big ups and looking forward to an absolutely riveting read

@SandipGhose @somnath1978 @DattaDamayanti Vivekananda Park. Burn Vardaan Market down.

@somnath1978 @DattaDamayanti You can always go to Vardan Market - the current popular destination 😀

Yes, Sir. Can you think of some?

Disappointed that so early in their lifecycle @just_snabbit has started to discriminate against poor Muslims. There is no place for such companies that is trying to solve blue collar labour problems in India. I tried to reach out to the founder but he doesn't care to even respond. So posting it here. It's pathetic really.

Cricket commentary in general has been in terminal decline for years now (exceptions like Ian Bishop prove the rule) - and yet, Sunil Gavaskar manages to be the ABSOLUTE WORST of the lot, even as the overall standards keep dropping. Unsure what's more incredible -

Our aim now is to create Indian games for local use and global exports: Krafton CEO Kim economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media…

Oscar 😍

My takeaways on TN polls as I leave from Chennai. More in the coming days TN’s urban nature is in focus, cities driving politics, shaping voter mood and making inequality more visible, the real battleground this time While most experts break TN into North, West, Delta and South, the biggest and most decisive region is urban TN. 
Out of roughly 100 urban seats with over 1 lakh population, the DMK alliance holds 82, and nearly 70% of its strength comes from these areas, so defending urban TN is key to holding power. Candidates reaching deeper into families. Split in families visible. Party workers seen specifically appealing to younger members in households, even humouring kids in door to door campaigns. Welfare matters but doesn’t bind voters, people are grateful but want more and are willing to question and change govts 
AIADMK’s focus on strongholds looks smart, but it’s unclear if that alone can capture the full anti incumbency vote. Clever of EPS to spend the last week in Kongu to consolidate his seats. 
A sizeable segment of voters is not loyal to either DMK or AIADMK. Performance of parties like VCK and NTK will be specifically interesting to see if they are able to hold on to their voters. Safety and police behaviour matter to everyday voters. Whichever party comes, pls address the drug problem in youth. Almost every mother I met in Chennai spoke about it. Chennai region’s 35 seats will be a key test, DMK holds 32 while TVK has pushed hard in many of them. Trichy, which DMK swept last time, is another big test. TVK campaign went beyond speeches, reel style clips, music, robots, slow motion videos, visuals grabbing attention. Designed specifically for today’s society. And it’s not only youngsters who love reels. Money, liquor, biriyani flowed in roadshows and rallies. One could easily see what is a mobilised crowd and what is not. But crowds don’t always decided outcomes. DMK knows anti incumbency exists, so pushed an aggressive campaign around welfare, manifesto and M. K. Stalin’s image, making this the most crucial battle for the party.  If TN votes for change, it follows a familiar script; if DMK returns, it rewrites it but the X factor is Vijay, whose votes could decide whether this election simply turns the page or changes TN for good

Free bus rides have changed daily life for many women in Chennai. Making travel easier, saving money, and opening up work and training opportunities. But behind that relief is a clear message: rising living costs, the problem of drugs, safety, jobs, and education still weigh heavily. So is this real relief, or just one part of a much larger expectation? And how will that shape the vote…

TVK Chief Vijay doing Amar Akbar Anthony in one day

My report from Thiruvikanagar: Porkodi Armstrong’s campaign has sparked sympathy. Contesting on the Two Leaves symbol, she seeks justice for her slain husband, a BSP leader, and promises change. Her fight also shines a light on civic neglect, drug abuse, poor sanitation, and the lack of drinking water….

My attempt to understand the Kerala elections begins with a visit to Kannur, a district with an outsized political influence, a history of fierce political battles, and a place that often sets the tone for the rest of the state. Report soon on @ndtv

At least, Wallace had himself a happier ending this time round

Good call! And well done Indian Govt and all those who raised concerns!

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, the BBC understands bbc.in/3OQ7BmL

Pakistan should’ve stuck to boycotting this match #INDvsPAK @TheRealPCB

As alliances firm up in Tamil Nadu, all eyes are on Vijay and TVK. The big question is whether he will join the NDA under EPS, explore some other negotiated arrangement, or stay out altogether. If he chooses not to align, he will have to fight it out independently and prove he has the organisation and stamina to take on both major coalitions. Voters tend to like decisive leadership. Star power and popularity can open doors, but beyond a point it’s electoral arithmetic, sentiment, alliances, and hard ground-level work that decide outcomes……

From helping script the BJP’s win in Chhattisgarh to mobilising Jeevika didi networks in Bihar, colleagues describe Nitin Nabin as a hardworking organiser who understands the leadership’s vision and reflects the party’s generational shift….. ndtv.com/india-news/har…

The day in Parliament was dominated by Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech on Vande Mataram and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s intervention on election reforms. Amit Shah delivered a structured defence of the debate, responding to Priyanka Gandhi’s question on its timing. He argued that the need to discuss Vande Mataram existed when it was written, when India became free, today and would remain even in 2047. He invoked the example of Lord Ram returning after conquering Lanka to underline that Ma and Mathrubhumi are central to Indian civilisation. Culture, not shifting boundaries, defined India, he said, and Vande Mataram embodied that culture. Citing Aurobindo, Subramania Bharati and Sarala Devi Chowdhurani, he blamed Jawaharlal Nehru for splitting the song into two parts, calling it appeasement that led to Partition. Rahul Gandhi used his speech to press the government with three questions on electoral reforms. He alleged that the government removed the Chief Justice of India from the panel selecting the Chief Election Commissioner, changed laws to grant what he called impunity to election commissioners and allowed for booth-level footage to be destroyed after 75 days. He described vote chori as the biggest anti-national act, referred to Gandhi’s assassination by Godse and accused the RSS of capturing institutions. Manish Tewari and Akhilesh Yadav reiterated the demand to shift from EVMs to paper ballots. Congress MP S Jothimani said the government was implementing NRC, not SIR. AAP’s Sanjay Singh challenged BJP to name four RSS workers jailed for chanting Vande Mataram, arguing that the organisation had no role in the freedom struggle. Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal defended SIR, saying equality and the principle of one person, one vote, one value were at its core. The Vande Mataram debate also saw strong interventions from AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi and Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, both stressing that the Constitution is the true marker of citizenship and patriotism lies in sacrifice for the nation, not in the ability to sing a song.

Absolutely damning indictment of Indigo’s operations and policies by the Civil Aviation ministry. Glad to see some strong action being taken against this repeat offender by the government.