PM Modi announced the repealing of the farm laws in a televised address this morning. Is this a capitulation as the legion of this government’s supporters are lamenting or is Modi stooping to conquer the upcoming UP assembly elections? What’s the political calculus behind the prime minister himself fronting up for the failure, and will this surrender to street power scupper other reform measures of this government.

TR Vivek is in conversation on these issues with Poornima Joshi, the BusinessLine's political editor and Delhi chief of bureau.