A journalist of over 35 years standing, Ramesh Vinayak is Executive Editor of Hindustan Times at Chandigarh He specialises in covering the north Indian territory of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, besides the Punjabi diaspora.
Articles by Ramesh Vinayak
Masterstroke or a hit wicket? The jury is still out on Navjot Sidhu’s move to resign
The ruling Congress in Punjab has lately been busy in scoring self-goals as high command upstaged its regional satrap Amarinder Singh, installing Charanjit Singh Channi as his surprise successor
Published on Sep 29, 2021 02:50 AM IST
Navneet Sharma and Ramesh Vinayak, Chandigarh
How Punjab CM Channi’s assertion in power politics riled Navjot Sidhu
Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s assertion led to Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu’s resignation, plunging the ruling party into a deeper turmoil
Published on Sep 29, 2021 02:37 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak, Chandigarh
Cabinet contention to Channi’s assertion: Why Sidhu resigned
What came as the last straw was Channi exercising the high command-mandated leeway and ignoring Sidhu’s push for the appointment of Siddhartha Chattopadhayaya as director general of police and DS Patwalia as advocate general.
Updated on Sep 29, 2021 02:06 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak, Chandigarh
Five possible reasons why Navjot Singh Sidhu may have quit
A series of behind-the-scenes events from differences over portfolio allocation to key appointments of DGP and AG led to Sidhu’s exit as Punjab Congress chief in less than five weeks of his taking charge
Updated on Sep 28, 2021 04:39 PM IST
Infighting to polls: Channi faces tall task
The aftereffects of a bitter showdown between Amarinder and Navjot Singh Sidhu are already casting a shadow on Channi’s tenure. He takes the onerous charge when incessant infighting – unlikely to ebb in the days to come – has sapped the party’s morale, making a rebound tougher
Published on Sep 20, 2021 01:20 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak and Navneet Sharma
Infighting to polls: Channi faces tall task
The aftereffects of a bitter showdown between Amarinder and Navjot Singh Sidhu are already casting a shadow on Channi’s tenure.
Published on Sep 20, 2021 12:42 AM IST
How Punjab crisis snowballed despite enough warning signs
Confident and in control, he appeared to be master of all he surveyed: a firm grip on the state legislature party with no potential challengers from within, a strong equity with a whittled-down party high command and a dispirited Opposition.
Published on Sep 19, 2021 12:31 AM IST
HT interview: Mistrust between Capt, Sidhu must end soon, says Punjab Cong affairs in-charge Harish Rawat
The party’s graph was good till one or two months ago, but now people have started criticising us, says the AICC general secretary, adding that party leaders should take this as a warning bell. Rawat says he expects Congress leaders to resolve their differences and issues within the party and not go public
Updated on Sep 03, 2021 01:52 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak and Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
‘I pray to Waheguru daily that the mistrust ends’: Harish Rawat
"I pray to Waheguru with folded hands daily that mistrust between the two should end. You have to deal with psychology of human beings. The CM has his own experience and Sidhu has his own style."
Updated on Sep 03, 2021 04:26 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak and Navneet Sharma
Punjab: As Congress factionalism persists, Opposition smells an opportunity
A little over a fortnight since Navjot Singh Sidhu’s anointment, the Punjab Congress remains a divided house. Adding to a palpable sense of disquiet and drift in the rank and file is a battle of wits playing out between Captain Amarinder Singh and Sidhu, who are now seen as rival centres of power
Updated on Aug 09, 2021 06:30 PM IST
Ramesh Vinayak and Navneet Sharma
HT interview: Political thought process behind farmers’ agitation, says INLD supremo OP Chautala
The BJP-JJP alliance symbolises politics of opportunism, says Chaulata, adding that it will collapse the day it fails to serve the self-interests of the two allies
Updated on Jul 29, 2021 01:54 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak and Hitender Rao, Chandigarh
‘Capt Amarinder is not the Congress... he lies every day’: Navjot Singh Sidhu
Navjot Singh Sidhu talks to Hindustan Times on his expectations and his growing rift with chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh
Updated on Jun 21, 2021 08:46 AM IST
‘Modi will have to take the initiative to resolve farm stir’, says Sukhbir Badal
In an interview to Hindustan Times, the Shiromani Akali Dal chief says Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to take the initiative to resolve farm agitation
Updated on Jun 18, 2021 07:46 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak, Chandigarh
HC verdict a wake-up call for Cong govt, says Sunil Jakhar
Nine months before Punjab goes to assembly polls early next year, the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government finds itself in a corner over the emotive sacrilege issue following the Punjab and Haryana high court order, quashing the special investigation team (SIT) report in the 2015 Kotkapura firing case
Updated on Apr 24, 2021 02:31 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak and Navneet Sharma, Mohali
‘Non-conventional energy, tourism to boost economy’: Ladakh L-G
In his first sit-down interview at a makeshift Raj Bhawan in Leh, Ladakh’s first lieutenant governor, Radha Krishna Mathur, speaks to Hindustan Times about his road map and priorities, and the challenges he faces in helming the region.
Published on Apr 11, 2021 03:33 AM IST
Interview: Illegal intrusions in state not acceptable, says Anil Vij
Haryana home minister says there are about 1,500 Rohingya Muslim migrants putting up in Nuh who are being financially supported by Delhi-based NGOs
Updated on Apr 03, 2021 11:19 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak and Hitender Rao
‘Ceasefire need of the hour... desirable for both India, Pak’: Lt-Gen BS Raju
Lt-Gen BS Raju said a quiet LoC will allow us to address the challenge of terrorism in a focused manner.
Updated on Mar 04, 2021 08:43 AM IST
Ramesh Vinayak, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh
Interview| ‘Did not block any welfare scheme, ensured transparency’: Kiran Bedi
"The perception is that you have been eased out ahead of the assembly elections to blunt the Congress government tirade that you didn’t let it perform at the behest of the BJP," said Bedi.
Updated on Feb 21, 2021 01:09 PM IST
Ramesh Vinayak, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Farmer leaders ready for talks with Centre but without any condition
In an exclusive interview, Rakesh Tikait and Balbir Singh Rajewal have dropped a conciliatory signal for the resumption of talks with the Centre as the farm agitation gathered pace over the last week
Updated on Feb 06, 2021 10:40 AM IST
HT interview: Tikait, Rajewal say Centre should give up insistence on no-repeal
Tikait, 52, a former cop-turned-farmer leader, and Rajewal, 73, a veteran Bharatiya Kisan Union leader from Punjab, have emerged as the pre-eminent faces of the protest that has laid siege to Delhi’s key entry points and garnered international attention.
Updated on Feb 06, 2021 12:00 PM IST
Farm union leaders backtracked under pressure of radicals: Central minister
Union minister of state for commerce Som Parkash says farm union leaders should have taken moral responsibility for whatever happened at Red Fort on Republic Day and suspended their agitation
Updated on Jan 31, 2021 11:53 AM IST
‘Did not let the pandemic delay or derail our government’s initiatives’: Jai Ram Thakur
Jai Ram Thakur, 55, faces the uphill task of keeping a bevy of poll promises, made tougher by an unrelenting Covid-19 rampage that has battered the state’s economy, already weighed down by a surging debt burden of ₹55,000 crore.
Updated on Dec 22, 2020 05:23 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | Ramesh Vinayak
Didn’t let development derail despite economic stress, virus under control: Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur
In an exclusive in-person interview with Executive Editor Ramesh Vinayak in Shimla, Thakur exuded an air of quiet confidence on dealing with the challenges ahead while answering a range of questions.
Updated on Dec 21, 2020 10:50 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Shimla | Ramesh Vinayak
‘Gupkar can canvass freely’: J&K Governor Manoj Sinha
In an exclusive interview, Manoj Sinha, 61, laid out the political road map for the UT and detailed security arrangements for the district development council (DDC) elections, which begins on Saturday where six million electors across 20 districts will choose 280 representatives — 140 each in Jammu and Kashmir.
Updated on Nov 26, 2020 01:12 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Jammu | Ramesh Vinayak
Freedom for politics, not anti-national activities: J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha
In an exclusive interview at the Raj Bhawan in Jammu, Sinha spoke on a range of issues, including the security dynamics, the Gupkar alliance, the Roshni land scam, and a road map on economic revival
Updated on Nov 26, 2020 07:31 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Ramesh Vinayak
Farm laws violate federalism, will fight them out legally: Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh
Speaking of the farmers’ protests, the Punjab Chief Minister says he doesn’t have to tell people to go out and agitate. When somebody doesn’t have food to feed his children, he will be protesting on his own.
Updated on Oct 04, 2020 08:08 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | Ramesh Vinayak
Amarinder okay with Sidhu back as power minister, not Punjab Congress chief
Responding to the party high command’s fresh overtures to mollify a sulking Navjot Singh Sidhu and speculation of his appointment as state Congress chief in place of Sunil Jakhar, he said: “Why should somebody who joined the Congress three years ago become the president in place of Jakhar who has spent his life in the party?”
Updated on Oct 03, 2020 10:23 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | Ramesh Vinayak
Akalis quit NDA over farm bills
All leaders at the SAD’s emergency core committee meet late on Saturday were unanimous in deciding that the party can no longer be part of the NDA, its president Sukhbir Singh Badal said.
Updated on Sep 27, 2020 01:50 AM IST
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Ramesh Vinayak and Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Chandigarh/new Delhi
Snapping over two-decades-long ties, SAD pulls out of NDA over farm bills
The decision was taken at a late-night emergency meeting of the party core committee, the apex decision-making body of the SAD, presided over by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Updated on Sep 27, 2020 12:10 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | Ramesh Vinayak | Edited by Sparshita Saxena
Kashmir poised for a saffron surge
The state-of-the-art Spice Park at Dusoo in the saffron hub of Pulwama will put the flowers through a cold chain for scientific drying, processing and grading before helping farmers e-trade their GI-tagged produce this season
Updated on Sep 10, 2020 02:20 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Pampore | Mir Ehsan and Ramesh Vinayak, Pampore