There are indications that the elevation of the man considered Hindutva's hardline hero to deputy prime ministership is more than cosmetic. By no means has Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee retired but it would seem that more day-to-day political decisions are being referred to L.K. Advani. He has always enjoyed a special status within the BJP. Now he has almost acquired the role of a CEO to Vajpayee's chairman of the board. A look at Advani's role in decision-making. PLUS an exclusive interview.

 

The battle over the creation of new zones is not about more jobs or investment but over the vesting of discretionary powers.

The Left Front's crackdown on Naxalites in the state smacks more of a political vendetta than of administrative concern.
 

The forensic report on the Godhra massacre in Gujarat has come in handy for rival politicians.

Vaiko's arrest may be part of Jayalalithaa's ploy to divert focus from her Government's poor performance.

The Government privatises power distribution but is unable to stave off the worst crisis in recent years.

Mayawati's Government reopens scores of corruption cases against rival politicians in Uttar Pradesh.

The steepest ever cut in airfares won't last long unless attempts are made to reduce exorbitant taxes.

India's first DNA bank, set up recently by CFSL, will ease identification of criminals
in court.

For centuries, astrology has been fun
and work for men in this village of
Tamil Nadu.

Combining meditation with rave parties, a breed of young spiritual seekers has turned Buddhism into a New Age shoppers' stop.

The row over who inherits the riches
of Hyderabad's last Nizam ends out
of court.

Dhirubhai's contribution is best described in relation to two other greats, the men behind the Tata and Birla empires.

Hair colour becomes an unexpected bestseller. Now brands vie with each other to cash in.

Displays in prominent museums and galleries in the US take contemporary Indian art to a new level of acceptance.

The Muslim Law Board discovers that a 73-year-old law on child marriage is against
the Shariat.

Chaudhuri memorialises his childhood with the intensity of displacement and the poignancy of a perfectionist.

Anu Malik, Pinky & Preeti, Roxanne Smith, Manisha Koirala