Synopsis: Join The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent.
The world’s most populous nation began voting on April 19 in a seven-phase election in which nearly one billion people are eligible to vote, with ballots set to be counted on June 4.
In this episode, Ravi speaks with the political scientist Associate Professor Iqbal Singh Sevea, director of the Institute of South Asian Studies, a think-tank under the National University of Singapore.
They discuss the ongoing Indian election marked by a dip in voter turnout, the competing narratives, the improving national profile of Mr Rahul Gandhi, chances of a decisive victory for Mr Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
They also look at the need to heal wounds the election has opened in the national fabric.
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:10 Continuity vs high unemployment and inflation
8:09 Singapore’s stakes in the Indian election
15:01 Why it is not a ‘wave’ election this time
16:08 A new Rahul Gandhi?
20:38 Why women voters are key
24:01 Could polls spring a surprise?
27:25 Can India heal its wounds after the polls
Produced by: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg) and Fa’izah Sani
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month here:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Ravi Velloor’s columns: https://str.sg/3xRP
Ravi Velloor on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor
Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7
The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX
---
ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2
Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn
Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore’s War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa
---
Get The Straits Times’ app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB
Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX
