Grand Tamasha

Political experts analyze the outcomes of the 2024 Indian general elections, focusing on BJP's unexpected victories and Congress' performance. The discussion covers the BJP's strategies in different states, potential alliances, and post-election scenarios for NDA government. Insights on evolving Indian politics and challenges faced by parties in the aftermath of the elections.

Guest Christophe Jaffrelot discusses Modi's leadership in Gujarat, including the evolution of his political strategies, the deinstitutionalization of the rule of law, the influence of the 'deeper state' in politics, and the dynamics between Modi and the RSS. The podcast offers insights into the impact of Modi's governance on society and the political landscape of India.

Economists Karthik Muralidharan, Paul Niehaus, and Sandip Sukhtankar discuss strategies to improve India's public services, focusing on state capacity, data-driven governance, and rethinking government expenditure. They emphasize the importance of quality over quantity in public spending and the pivotal role of champions in government for impactful reforms.

Episode notes:1. Rahul Bhattacharya, “Rahul Gandhi is on the march. But where is he heading?” 1843 Magazine, May 2, 2024.2. Samanth Subramanian, “multi-storied,” Substack newsletter.3. Bhagi Siva and Samanth Subramanian, “What it takes to live near an elephant herd,” Washington Post, January 21, 2024.4. Samanth Subramanian, “When the Hindu Right Came for Bollywood,” New Yorker, October 10, 2022.5. Samanth Subramanian, “How Hindu supremacists are tearing India apart,” Guardian, February 20, 2020.

Expert on poverty and inequality in India, Maitreesh Ghatak, dives into the complexities of poverty decline in India, analyzing government consumption survey data transparency issues, the unique path to poverty reduction, and the intricate relationship between inequality, poverty, and growth in the country.

Economists Mohamed El-Erian, Michael Spence, and Pranjul Bhandari discuss India's economy, covering topics like inflation dynamics, RBI strategies, budget analysis, FDI decline, services vs. manufacturing debate, and fiscal deficit challenges. Insights on GDP growth rates, global dynamics, and economic outlook for India provided.

1. “What’s Happening to India’s Rohingya Refugees? (with Priyali Sur and Daniel Sullivan),” Grand Tamasha, May 24, 2023.2. Mohsin Alam Bhat and Aashish Yadav, “CAA will not help persecuted Hindus, Sikhs from neighbouring countries,” Indian Express, March 19, 2024.3. “The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019,” PRS Legislative Research.4. Madhav Khosla and Milan Vaishnav, “The Three Faces of the Indian State,” Journal of Democracy 32, no. 1 (2021): 111-125.5. Mohsin Alam Bhat, “The Constitutional Case Against the Citizenship Amendment Bill,” Economic and Political Weekly 54, no.3 (2019): 12-14.6. Mohsin Alam Bhat, “‘The Irregular’ and the Unmaking of Minority Citizenship: The Rules of Law in Majoritarian India,” Queen Mary Law Research Paper No. 395/2022.7. Niraja Gopal Jayal, “Faith-based Citizenship,” The India Forum, October 31, 2019.

Devesh Kapur, Chandra Bhan Prasad, Lant Pritchett, and D. Shyam Babu, “Rethinking Inequality: Dalits in Uttar Pradesh in the Market Reform Era,” Economic and Political Weekly 45, no. 35 (August 28-September 3, 2010): 39-49. Devesh Kapur, Chandra Bhan Prasad, and D. Shyam Babu, Defying the Odds: The Rise of Dalit Entrepreneurs (New Delhi: Vintage, 2014). D. Shyam Babu, “From empowerment to disenfranchisement: Lower caste mobilisation appears to have run its course,” Times of India, August 28, 2019. Chandra Bhan Prasad, “Fellow Dalits, open your own bank: If no one else, Dalit middle class can fund Dalit capitalism to produce Dalit billionaires,” Times of India, November 25, 2019. Devesh Kapur, “Fraternity in the making of the Indian nation,” Seminar 701 (2017).

Milan Vaishnav, “On electoral bonds, a short-lived celebration,” Hindustan Times, February 17, 2024. “Crime and Politics with Milan Vaishnav,” The DAKSH Podcast, September 2022. Devesh Kapur and Milan Vaishnav, eds., Costs of Democracy: Political Finance in India (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2018). Milan Vaishnav, When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017).

Constantino Xavier and Riya Sinha, “How India Budgets to Become a Leading Power,” Centre for Social and Economic Progress, February 8, 2023. Constantino Xavier, “India: Looking to Help Frame a New Global Balance,” in Regional Security Outlook 2023 (Canberra: Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, 2022). Constantino Xavier and Amitendu Palit, eds., Connectivity and Cooperation in the Bay of Bengal Region (New Delhi: Centre for Social and Economic Progress, 2023). Constantino Xavier and Jabin Jacob, eds., How China Engages South Asia: Themes, Partners and Tools(New Delhi: Centre for Social and Economic Progress, 2023). Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Remarks on India and the United States: A Vision for the 21st Century,” Chennai, India, July 20, 2011.