AN IIT professor-turned-politician, Sandeep Pathak first shot into the limelight when he was credited with guiding the AAP to its spectacular victory in Punjab in 2022. He usually keeps a low profile and works behind the scenes. But, Pathak spoke to THE WEEK about the challenges his party is facing, including the situation in Punjab, and its expansion plans. Excerpts:
Q/ Last year was good for the AAP. What does 2023 look like, especially since it has not started on a positive note for you?
A/ We made a deep impact in 2022. We formed our government in Punjab. In Gujarat, we fought the BJP head-on and the result was encouraging. Yes, 2023 has not begun on a positive note. We are ordinary people. I have not seen a police station in my life. And perhaps these leaders (Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain) had also not seen a police station before. But, we knew it was not going to be easy. We are taking on a party which is ruthless and does not believe in ethics.
I will tell you the other side of the story. Had we not been important, they would not have bothered doing all this. The BJP feels threatened. They know only Kejriwal can take them head-on. They know how to deal with Rahul Gandhi and the Congress. They do not know how to deal with us. They thought they will restrict us in Delhi. They tried to restrict us in Punjab. They hoped our downfall would begin in Gujarat. But the support we got there gave a clear message that we are here to fight. So, they have become even more ruthless. But, we have made a resolution that we will focus even more on governance and expansion.
This story is from the April 09, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 09, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus
RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
