S1E30: Singapore’s stakes in India’s election: Will polls bring a surprise?

Hear from our guest expert on Singapore’s stakes in seeing a stable government rule the world’s fifth biggest economy. Synopsis: Join The Straits Times' senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent. The world’s most populous nation began voting on April 19 in a seven-phase election in which nearly one billion people are eligible to vote, with ballots set to be counted on June 4. In this episode, Ravi speaks with the political scientist Associate Professor Iqbal Singh Sevea, director of the Institute of South Asian Studies, a think-tank under the National University of Singapore. They discuss the ongoing Indian election marked by a dip in voter turnout, the competing narratives, the improving national profile of Mr Rahul Gandhi, chances of a decisive victory for Mr Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. They also look at the need to heal wounds the election has opened in the national fabric. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:10 Continuity vs high unemployment and inflation 8:09 Singapore’s stakes in the Indian election 15:01 Why it is not a ‘wave’ election this time 16:08 A new Rahul Gandhi? 20:38 Why women voters are key 24:01 Could polls spring a surprise? 27:25 Can India heal its wounds after the polls Produced by: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]) and Fa’izah Sani Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected] Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Ravi Velloor on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u  In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt  COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE  Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7  Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN  Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf  Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m  Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE  #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad  Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX  --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa  --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2  Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn  Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB  Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa  --- Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.