The author is President, Swaraj India, and Member, Swaraj Abhiyan, and Jai Kisan Andolan. Views expressed are personal
Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav addresses during the ongoing farmers' agitation against Centre's farm reform laws, at Ghazipur in New Delhi.
Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav at Ghazipur border during the ongoing farmers' agitation against Centre's farm reform laws, in New Delhi. Crowds swelled at the Ghazipur borde...
Yogendra Yadav (L), Rakesh Tikait (2nd R) and other leaders of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha during a press conference regarding the violence in their Jan 26 tractor march, at Singhu border...
Yogendra Yadav (2nd L), Rakesh Tikait (2nd R) and other leaders of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha during a press conference regarding the violence in their Jan 26 tractor march, at Singhu bo...
Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav addresses media on the planned tractor rally on Republic Day 2021, during farmers' protest against Centre's farm reform laws at Singhu Border, ...
Swaraj India Chief Yogendra Yadav and All India Kisan Sabha President Ashok Dhawale during a protest against the new farm laws, in Kolkata.
Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav along with farmers' leaders addresses a press conference, at Singhu border in New Delhi.
Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav (L) and noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan (R) meet farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan at farmers' agitation site, at Singhu border in New Delhi. Th...
Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav (standing) interacts with farmer leaders at farmers' agitation site, at Singhu border in New Delhi.
Political activist Yogendra Yadav and farmer leaders during a press conference at Press Club in New Delhi.
Political activist Yogendra Yadav and farmer leaders during a press conference at Press Club in New Delhi.
Darshan Pal, President of Krantikari Kisan Union addresses a press conference as Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav (R) looks on during their 'Delhi Chalo' protest march against...
Political activist Yogendra Yadav (C) with farmer union leaders addresses media at Singhu border during their ongoing 'Delhi Chalo' protest against Centre's new farm laws, in New D...
Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav addresses media, condemning the action in recent months, by the state, the police, and by the judiciary to roll back rights of citizens in a d...
Swaraj India Chief Yogendra Yadav along with others being detained by police during a protest over the farm reform bills, in Sirsa district.
Swaraj India Chief Yogendra Yadav addresses farmers who were protesting against the new farm bills, in Sirsa district.
Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav addresses farmers at Garhi Mandi, in Hisar district.
AIKSCC Convenor VM Singh (2L), Swaraj India chief Yogender Yadav (L) and others during a press conference regarding important decisions and nation-wide action plan of AIKSCC agains...
Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav addresses various farmers' organisations during a protest against the recently passed farm bills 2020, in Sangrur district.
Swaraj India party leader Yogendra Yadav with BM Singh eating food from a roadside stall at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
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Yogendra Yadav in the Hindu
Here is a paradox about political participation in this election. On the one hand, the evidence on voter turnout suggests a mild decline in popular participation. The final data for the first phase indicates a one percentage point drop and the second phase a two percentage point drop compared to figures in the same areas for 2004. On the other hand, the final list of candidates released by the Election Commission shows a sharp jump compared to the previous elections.More here
Yogendra Yadav in the Hindu:
Pre-election polls, including the one conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) in January, showed that issues like the Indo-U.S. deal, Hindutva and reservations did not excite the people. These surveys showed that unemployment and price rise were overriding concerns with people cutting across classes.
The other possible election issue was national security. This has a wider appeal than the Congress was willing to initially grant.
..There is no nationwide overarching theme in this election. That does not mean there are no issues. As the principal arena of political contestation has shifted to the State level, so have the major issues. The unfolding human tragedy in Sri Lanka is the latest example of one that could have serious implications for this election, but only at the State level. The same could be said of a number of issues that have come up in various States.
More here
Yogendra Yadav in the Hindu
There are five very common beliefs about the political behaviour of Indian Muslims. First, they vote in large numbers and participate more in politics, much more than the rest of the electorate. Secondly, they vote ‘en bloc’ for one candidate or party. Thirdly, Muslim voters are more ‘strategic’ in their voting and tend to hold back their decisions until the last moment. Fourthly, they are less autonomous in their decision making and more likely to be influenced by clerics or traditional community leaders, guided more by pan-Islamic or community issues rather than by quotidian interests. Finally, they are less supportive of democracy than the rest of the population.
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Political scientist Yogendra Yadav examines six myths surrounding the Indian elections on BBC
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