Your simple guide to Elections to five Indian states in 2026: Elections to Kerala, TN, WB, Assam and Puducherry Explained

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In 2026, we have an interesting election season with four states and one Union Territory heading to the polls. It has been quite some time since we discussed national-level politics. That is why we are here to remove your confusion regarding these elections in the national picture.  Before you proceed with the topic, do read our previous article for a better understanding! West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry are going to elect their respective governments. The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced dates for assembly polls.  In Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, polls will be held in a single phase on April 9. Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23. In West Bengal, polls will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29. The counting across all the states will be held on May 4. Nationwide significance of these elections  All the states mentioned here, besides Assam, are opposition-ruled states with a marginal presence of...
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Sports and Politics- Convergences and Divergences- A Podcast

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Greetings to all listeners and readers!!

Sports have always been an exciting topic for everyone to talk about. It doesn't merely represent entertainment; rather, it has transcended beyond external influences and power politics. Countries, governments, corporations, etc., aim to use it primarily as a lucrative avenue and a means to project power. Furthermore, while sports have historically had a Eurocentric origin, they have evolved into more than just a pastime for many, including countries in the Global South. Beyond being a source of entertainment and a lifestyle choice, sports have emerged as a significant career option. Undoubtedly, it has the transformative power to shape and change people's lives. This podcast episode will dive into all these topics directly from the expert on all these topics. 

About The Guest 

Alan Bince is a Neuroscience PhD candidate working at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. Growing up in the UAE, his passion for sports started at a very young age, watching the Indian Cricket Team and Manchester United. During his time as an engineering student, he worked part-time for various independent news outlets covering spectator sports. Through this journey, he made significant contributions to a sports aggregator page on X named United Journal. His drive to learn more about the history and political movements involved in the evolution of sports helped him to visit important sporting institutions in England as he was completing his Master's degree at UCL. You can follow him on X and Instagram. 

Read the Newscapsule of the Month 

Summary of the podcast 

Generally, these topics aren’t much available in the mainstream media, because they are believed hard to crack and don't address the basics. But, through our podcast, we disprove this misconception that these cannot be understood by common people. We explain in simple terms various subtopics under this vast topic in the form of conversational and discussion styles. Everything is easy to follow and understandable in the episode. 

For talking about sports and politics, we need to dissect the topics into multiple strands and discuss them separately. Hence, overall, this podcast episode is an issue-based discussion on several contemporary issues. Moderator Jairam introduced the topic of the day followed by the Guest Alan Bince who did his self-introduction and explained how he developed his interest in sports. The main topical discussion started with the premise of whether sports and politics have a correlation or not. The next of the list discussed the Eurocentric nature of sports, where the role of Western countries in the origin and propagation of sports across the world. The main takeaway here was also the role of colonial powers in popularising sports as we know it today. 

The discussion went on to the politics in FIFA, UEFA, and how clubs were in the hands of oligarchs. In continuation, the panellist talked elaborately about the Russia-Ukraine war and its impact on European Football, the Russian Olympic team, and beyond. In World Cups and Premier leagues, controversies regarding Qatar 2022, the Saudi PL, etc., were talked about. Lastly, the podcast ended with a discussion on the future of the EU and European politics. Followed by which, Cricket primarily Indian Cricket, IPL, BCCI etc. was the centre of conversation. Lastly, the discussion ended with the burning issue of protests by Indian Wrestlers. The guest talked about important sources that would be helpful for the audience's reference. This is just a tiny glimpse; please listen to get the full picture and how the discussion went. 

We cover in detail the following topics-

1. Introduction to the topic and panellist By Jairam (Give a brief intro of yours to the listeners)
2. Connections between Sports and Politics 
3. Eurocentric Nature of Sports 
4. Football- Qatar WC, Saudi PL, Russia-Ukraine War
5. Cricket- BCCI, IPL, Tickets, WC, Media partners, Sponsorship, etc. 
6. Major sports scandals across the world 
7. Materials, references, and resources for the audience 
8. Closing remarks and conclusion
9. Give your personalized feedback on my podcast. 

Where can you find the podcast?

If you are a regular consumer of a podcast, you will be very well aware of the various platforms used to hear them. Some platforms allow you to listen without logging in, while others require compulsory logging in. 

As you know, the most popular app is Spotify. Here is the Spotify frame. 

Also, feel free to listen to previous episodes and follow us there as well.

If you have a preference for where to listen to the podcast, then choose any platform from those given below and listen at your convenience. 

Resources 

Want to get more Knowledge? Install the Kuku FM app, and get assured discounts with a ton of knowledge. Download it through the link here. 

Choose to opt for resources to enhance the knowledge on the topic- Book1|Book2|Book3

Your Feedback 


This summary is just a small glimpse of the podcast, do listen to the full podcast from your favourite platform, at your convenient speed and space. Also, feel free to listen to previous episodes and follow us there as well.

DM on our FB, Insta page or comment down for collaborations. 

Do follow us on all social media and podcast streaming platforms. Do check out our articles on Medium.


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