ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

Pankaj Chaudhary is the Union Minister of State for Finance, the Uttar Pradesh BJP President and a seven-time MP from Maharajganj.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he discusses the BJP’s strategy for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Yogi Adityanath’s leadership and Akhilesh Yadav’s PDA formula.He responds to questions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Election Commission’s credibility, Muslim voters, the RSS’s role in elections and growing dissatisfaction among young voters.*Timestamps*00:00 - Introduction00:59 - Inflation & Unemployment06:46 - SIR Controversy10:57 - Deletions from Electoral Rolls14:36 - BJP Losing Young Voters?17:07 - Upper Castes & UGC Rules18:20 - CJP Protests and Congress19:51 - BJP’s 2024 UP Setback24:04 - BJP Workers Being Rewarded?27:19 - Akhilesh’s PDA Formula29:06 - Third Front in UP Politics?29:51 - AI Videos and Personal Attacks31:30 - Mayawati’s Declining Influence32:38 - Why Did BJP Lose Ayodhya?33:43 - Yogi vs Akhilesh in Ayodhya?34:36 - Ram Mandir Donation Theft35:31 - Election Freebies36:52 - BJP–RSS Relations38:15 - Rahul Gandhi’s Attacks on RSS39:35 - BJP’s Ticket Distribution44:40 - Entry into Politics48:43 - Gorakhpur’s Deputy Mayor Battle57:31 - First Lok Sabha Election01:00:35 - Muslim Voters & Owaisi01:05:05 - UP’s Bureaucracy01:05:52 - Firing Outside His Home01:10:05 - Defending Party Workers01:12:44 - How Modi and Shah Plan Elections01:16:50 - When PM Modi Walked to His Gorakhpur Home01:20:07 - Managing Stress and Family Time01:21:15 - Closing Remarks

Bhupender Yadav is the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and a senior BJP leader. In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Bhupender Yadav discusses the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, questions over the Election Commission’s credibility and concerns about genuine voters’ names being deleted. He responds to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of vote theft, questions about the CJP protests and allegations of foreign funding.*Timestamps*0:00 - Introduction2:01 - SIR Process Transparency9:15 - Deletion of Genuine Voters’ Names11:36 - Foreign Nationals in Bihar13:52 - Bengal’s Voter Deletions18:02 - Cong 89 Lakh Complaints in Bihar21:18 - Changes to Form 624:58 - Pilibhit’s Muslim Voter Controversy27:12 - EC Not Addressing Media30:31 - Supreme Court on Form 632:08 - Dissent Within the EC35:10 - Why BJP Defends EC38:10 - Was SIR Rushed?39:57 - SIR “NRC in Disguise”?40:45 - “Regime Change” Charge42:16 - Foreign Funding Allegations45:22 - Election Boycott by Opposition46:20 - Annamalai on Foreign Forces Narrative49:40 - Young Protesters Jailed52:56 - Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation Demand55:57 - BJP Becoming Arrogant?57:21 - Protests at Govt Buildings1:00:18 - Detention of Protesters & Journalists1:02:37 - Rahul Gandhi’s Conduct1:05:40 - Democratic Dissent vs Anarchy1:07:01 - Political Pressure on India’s Institutions1:08:10 - Closing Remarks

Meera Shankar is India's former Ambassador to the United States and Germany. She has decades of diplomatic experience and a deep understanding of India's relations with major world powers.Dr Zorawar Daulet Singh is a foreign policy analyst, historian and author whose work focuses on India's foreign policy, the balance of power in Asia and the changing world order.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Meera Shankar and Zorawar Daulet Singh discuss India-US relations, Trump's foreign policy, trade tensions and allegations of American interference in Indian politics. They also talk about the Iran war, India's relations with China and Russia, the H-1B visa debate and the challenges India faces in making its own foreign policy decisions in a changing world.*Timestamps*0:00 – Introduction2:11 – How Does America See India?8:19 – Why Trump Targets India11:20 – US Pressure on India’s Politics17:49 – India’s Dependence on the US20:57 – Elon Musk, Ambani, Polymarket22:54 – India–US Trade Deal24:53 – America During the Obama Years25:44 – Trump & American Diplomacy26:44 – India’s Brain Drain30:40 – H-1B Crackdown33:01 – West Asia Security Outlook37:41 – China’s Confrontation with the US42:00 – How Iran Surprised the World48:36 – India’s Strategic Autonomy52:27 – Jaishankar on India–China Tensions55:33 – Future India–China Ties1:02:21 – Europe’s Energy Crisis1:04:15 – Can BRICS Challenge the US-Led Order?1:06:31 – Dollar, Sanctions & Financial Systems1:11:44 – Marco Rubio’s India Visit1:16:21 – India’s Leverage over American Tech Giants1:21:08 – India’s Own Digital Infrastructure1:23:01 – Future of India–US Ties1:26:34 – India’s Global Leverage1:29:27 – Indian Foreign Policy1:32:22 – Trade Corridors & Regional Connectivity1:32:55 – New World Order1:35:11 – Closing Remarks

M. Farook Sait is an attorney at law who moved to America from India in 1963, at the age of 23. He served as Special Counsel to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1972 to 2012. Over the past six decades, he has witnessed some of the most defining moments in American history.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Farook Sait discusses his early years in America, his experiences with racism, and the realities of the American Dream. He also talks about the H-1B visa debate and how life in America has changed for the Indian diaspora.For more information on PILOT's initiatives to support girls' education, visit https://impilot.org/00:00 – Introduction 01:02 – Moving to the U.S. in 1963 04:04 – Discrimination in America 08:42 – Studying in Alabama 15:04 – Life in Segregated American South 18:54 – Love Story with Yvette 33:24 – Elvis Presley Fan 39:14 – John F. Kennedy’s Assassination 48:11 – The Watergate Scandal 50:22 – The 9/11 Attacks 54:05 – H-1B Visas 58:29 – Indian American Community 1:01:51 – ANI Documentary on ‘Indian Muslims Abroad’ 1:06:32 – Indian Diaspora’s Challenges Abroad 1:14:18 – Memories of Bangalore 1:17:18 – India’s Progress Over the Decades 1:23:07 – A Childhood Story from 1947

In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, senior journalists Neerja Chowdhury, Rasheed Kidwai and Nistula Hebbar discuss the BJP’s strategy, the CJP protest, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach, the SIR controversy and the challenges facing the NDA government.They also examine whether the opposition can turn public anger into votes and what the road ahead looks like for the BJP.*Timestamps*00:00 – Introduction01:40 – BJP on Protests06:36 – NEET vs SIR Protests12:26 – BJP Losing the Plot?16:56 – SIR Controversy19:49 – Indira Gandhi and Protests22:32 – BJP’s Political Response23:06 – SIR vs Mandal25:59 – BJP’s Protest Strategy29:24 – What Should CEC Do?30:58 – INDIA Bloc’s Strategy35:10 – Rahul Gandhi’s Spies Claim40:34 – Social Media’s Power42:51 – Rahul Gandhi’s Impact44:47 – Is BJP Scared?46:00 – Vote Bank Politics48:01 – SIR in UP50:49 – Akhilesh vs Congress54:30 – Social Media and Voting55:48 – New Blood in Congress1:03:34 – Mamata’s National Ambitions1:09:15 – Owaisi’s Vote Strategy1:12:21 – Goa Politics1:14:34 – Punjab Polls 20271:17:20 – BJP’s Punjab Strategy1:24:13 – Rahul Ignoring State Polls?1:26:29 – BJP Nervous About UP?1:31:08 – BJP’s Biggest Challenge1:33:50 – Reshuffle and Modi’s Successor1:37:16 – Amit Shah as Deputy PM?