The North News
New Delhi, November 15
Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai has warned that the Congress leadership must learn to “connect with the naya zamana (new era)” in the wake of the NDA’s sweeping victory in Bihar, arguing that Indian politics today demands an almost unbroken engagement with the public. In an exclusive conversation with The North News, Sardesai said Rahul Gandhi now confronts a defining test. “He has to connect with the new India, or allow someone else to do so. There is no private life for a politician, no holidays. A real leader must understand people at the ground level,” he said. “Politics is ruthless, relentless and remorseless,” he added.
Sardesai, reflecting on a personal episode, recalled a phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his battle with cancer. “He didn’t have to call. He spoke to me for half an hour and offered advice. In politics, you have to take everyone along,” he said. Modi, he added, remained a “mass leader” because of his ability to communicate directly with voters.
Asked whether Bihar’s outcome could influence Punjab, Sardesai said it was “too early” to draw conclusions. “In politics anything can happen. Who knows, the BJP and SAD might even return to an alliance — it could be a compulsion for both if they want power,” he said.
But Sardesai also voiced unease over the wider electoral environment, arguing that contests in India are far from even. “Elections are not free and fair. Those in power can use every resource available to secure victory,” he said. Women voters, he noted, had played a decisive role in Bihar’s result, with turnout reaching historic levels. The NDA’s move of depositing ₹10,000 into women’s accounts, he said, had resonated strongly, while Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s personal image and the development narrative of both state and central governments helped consolidate support. Even so, caste remained “a dominant factor”, shaping political choices despite claims of a development-first mandate.
Sardesai criticised the deepening media polarisation in the country, saying outlets were now explicitly labelled as pro- or anti-government. “This is not a healthy sign,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the spread of misinformation, citing the recent false reports of actor Dharmendra’s death. “There should be a protocol: news of a death should come from the hospital. Fake news spread because conflicting updates were issued by the actor’s own team. Journalists should not be blamed,” he said.
On the structural barriers to contesting elections, Sardesai said money and muscle power continued to distort the democratic process. It’s not easy for an ordinary person to contest elections. Those with money or muscle power dominate the process,” he said.
He added that Enforcement Directorate raids had become a tool to pressure political opponents. “I know a leader in Maharashtra who joined the ruling party out of fear of the ED,” he claimed.
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