February 10, 2024

Good morning. Every Saturday, we publish the results of polls from feature stories that were published the past week. We also give a brief overview of the topics that were discussed.

🗳️ POLL RESULTS – Week 161

🗓️ THE WEEK THAT WAS

Will Nitish Kumar’s return help the BJP in Bihar?

Daily | 5 February 2024

In a surprising turn of events, Nitish Kumar quit the INDIA bloc. He rejoined the BJP to form a new government in Bihar. The state, with its 40 Lok Sabha seats, is seen as crucial. Has the move bolstered the BJP’s prospects in the state and for the election overall? Read more on this here.

Is Perplexity a worthy competitor to Google Search?

Daily | 6 February 2024

There’s no denying Google’s dominance in the search engine business. Can that dominance be taken on? Perplexity could be the one. This AI-powered search engine has been touted as one that could topple Google as the preferred search engine. Now, that sounds, at the very least, ambitious, but the company has plans for the future with a decent amount of money and some big-name backers. We discuss it here.

Will actor Vijay’s entry shake up Tamil Nadu politics?

Daily | 7 February 2024

Over the decades, especially in South India, movie stars have dipped their toes into the political arena. Tamil Nadu is arguably the biggest and most notable arena for this. The latest entrant is ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay and his party – Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). The 49-year-old has now pledged to work for the people of Tamil Nadu. In a state dominated by Dravidian politics and parties, can Vijay and his TVK shake things up in any meaningful way? We unpack this here.

Do Paytm’s woes spell trouble for the BNPL sector?

Daily | 8 February 2024

It seems some of Paytm’s practices have caught up to it. Indian startups have long been criticised for lack of governance, compliance, and transparency. It’s a culture that was bound to come back and bite them. It’s what Paytm is dealing with now. Its own existential threat. The question is, what does this mean for the sector as a whole? Find the debate here.

Will the Anti-Cheating Bill be effective?

Daily | 9 February 2024

To ensure things like paper leaks don’t happen, the Lok Sabha recently passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill. There is a list of provisions, but the main focus is to punish people or groups that deliberately leak question papers or answer keys. That includes a hefty fine and jail time. The question is, will this piece of legislation actually prevent leakages? More on this story here.