All
Politics
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Celebrities
Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay has been taking pride in providing a corruption free govt in the short while that his party — the TVK — has been in office. At the same time, he has also vociferously been attacking the DMK for its corruption legacy. It seems Vijay’s political theme of a “corruption free govt” has made no impact at least on its post poll ally — the Congress– which switched sides after the TVK came to power. In fact, the Congress with 5 MLAs and 2 ministers in the TVK government, has been quite an embarrassment– in the manner in which its leaders were found conducting themselves. It is being said that conduct of Congress MP Manickam Tagore has been particularly worrisome — the way he raised funds to organise a grand welcome for Rahul Gandhi in Chennai early this month. It was Rahul’s first visit after the TVK had come to power. Congress leaders used their proximity to government to collect funds. CM Vijay didn’t know how to put a stop to the way the Congress was going about its “collection” drive to organise “Chatron ki goonj” or interaction with students. In his one-to-one meeting with CM Vijay, Rahul had apparently warned Vijay about PM Modi. On his part, Vijay wisely followed protocol and did what was in the best interest of the state. Striking the right notes with PM Modi helped Vijay sort out pending issues. Soon he was off to Vijaywada for a meeting with Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu where he discussed Krishna-Godavari river linking issue and also investment plans for the state.
It seems Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is perhaps the only leader who can dare speak a few home truths to Rahul Gandhi. That’s precisely what he did given his stature and age. During a recent casual discussion at the Congress headquarters in Indira Bhawan, Gandhi as the LoP in the Lok Sabha was taking pot shots at Cong leaders who had quit the party and praised those who stayed back to take on the BJP and the RSS. Rahul said he had always believed that party workers were Babbar Sher (lions)who were not afraid of political pressure or cases. He said those who had remained with the Cong had continued to fight the BJP and RSS rather than give in to intimidation. Taking a swipe at those who had left, Gandhi described them as “cowards” and “greedy”, suggesting that some had quit under pressure or in pursuit of personal interests. He cited the exits of leaders including Jyotiraditya Scindia, RPN Singh and Jitin Prasada. Kharge did not keep quiet; he reportedly remarked that all those who had quit to join the BJP were all Rahul’s friends–“your friends”. They were all Doon School elites just as Rahul was. Scindia left the party in 2020 and joined the BJP. So did RPN Singh and Jitin Prasada switching to the BJP. The political significance of Kharge’s remark lay in its timing: Gandhi was drawing a contrast between those who had left and those who had continued to stand by the Congress, while the party president reminded him of the personal associations some of the departing leaders had once shared with him.
While the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray is fighting in the Supreme Court to regain its name and symbol, a soft launch of another Thackeray scion appears to be gaining traction unobtrusively. The youngest member of the Thackeray clan, Tejas (31), has so far maintained a low profile, standing behind elder brother Aaditya. But that phase appears to be getting over. The Thackeray family’s love for birds and exotic fish is quite known. Tejas too has inherited it. The Thackeray Wildlife Foundation led by Tejas has begun his public posturing by writing a letter to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav to urge immediate intervention to prevent the rampant poaching and illegal selling of the endemic Borna Snakehead (𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘶𝘴) fish found in the Chel river in West Bengal. The Foundation has discovered several rare fish species, many of them from India and Nepal. A student of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim in Mumbai, Tejas is seen off and on publicly. His latest appearance was a few days ago with Aaditya leading a protest demonstration against the Modi government at Dadar. Thus, both Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, as well their sons are now in active politics. It is said that his mother Rashmi was keen for the entry of Tejas in politics since the health of Uddhav has remained indifferent for some time. Tejas himself is known for his reticence. Hence, some statement from him is awaited eagerly.
For every chief minister a hospital project is a highly coveted aspiration. This is because it delivers immense electoral returns, visual proof of development and a powerful emotional connect with voters. But one cannot say that of Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. He could not capitalise on the hospital project being set up in his state as it was agreement between two private parties. The Rs 9129-crore Fortis Healthcare has tied-up with Bhubaneswar-based real estate and infrastructure developer Dion Group to establish a 300-bed greenfield multi-speciality hospital in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar corridor. There was no splash in the newspapers – full page ad – with CM lighting the lamp etc and in his speech asking other health care players to invest in Odisha. It was a quiet affair since it was an asset light expansion strategy instead of buyout. However Odisha-based Ad guru says “effective communication pitch at the right time is the glue”. However, some people say Odisha CM could still have released ads in the local and mainstream media welcoming Fortis entry and asking other healthcare players to invest in Odisha even if it was a private investment. Maybe a missed PR opportunity!
Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay had politically a significant week –back-to-back visits by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and PM Narendra Modi. Communicating in fluent English with Rahul Gandhi (who would not even “posture” in a Tamil identity), then pleasing the PM in both English and Tamil. The PM at least attempts to please the crowd…Vanakkam Tamizh Nadu, and by now the oft-rehearsed reference to Thiruvalluvar and the Kural. So, what is Vijay’s return gift? Vijay proved that he could be just as comfortable addressing the crowd in English as his Tamil fluency …an attempt to reiterate subtly that TN is firm on its two-language policy, no Hindi agenda. P Chidambaram was all praise for Vijay’s skill in addressing in English, “His fluent English speech on the states two language policy impressed me. His clear pronunciation of English words made me very happy”. Vijay, the Brown Saab has already learnt leverage. Tamilians are particular that their children learn to converse in the colonial Lingua Franca…they may not be polyglots but in Public if they struggle to converse in English, it is a blow to their self-esteem. Any wonder that Shashi Tharoor is admired as an English walkie- talkie and his esoteric words often send people scurrying for a dictionary? Has the CM Vijay passed the first test of the Congress? Keep the pressure on the BJP that any attempt to impose Hindi is not welcome in TN. But then the BJP uses ingenious ways to bring Hindi and make people learn basics …many a public sector bank’s branch has Biharis, Madhya Pradeshis and UPites in authority. They communicate only in Hindi and the staff are “forced” to learn basics of Hindi.
The RSS Bengali weekly Swastika has cautioned the BJP against inducting former Trinamool Congress (TMC) members in West Bengal, alleging that some new entrants are damaging the party’s image. In its October 12 issue, the magazine urged the BJP to remove what it described as “garbage” from its ranks. The warning comes amid allegations of extortion and anti-party activities involving some BJP workers. The magazine alleged that unruly elements from the TMC were joining the BJP and tarnishing its reputation. The article mentions BJP as a party of “bhadraloks” (gentlemen), which has dislodged thieves from office clearly implying TMC. However, there is a concerted effort to break that image of BJP, the article claimed. Cautioning senior BJP leadership against the entry of “rowdies”, Swastika claimed these elements were exploiting the restraint shown by party leaders and workers to undermine the organisation’s standing. Concerns have also been raised over whether chief minister Suvendu Adhikari’s government is taking adequate measures to promote its developmental work, amid Opposition parties allegedly spreading propaganda against it. The magazine had issued a similar warning in August, cautioning that the BJP risked losing voter support if people began viewing it as another version of the TMC. It was then claimed that even if 2% voters feel that the present BJP is a replica of the Trinamool thugs who governed the state for 15 years, 90% voters will shift from BJP. The article urged the BJP to remove the five per cent of “thugs” who had allegedly entered its ranks. The warnings indicate that the RSS is closely monitoring the BJP’s functioning. The organisation played a pivotal role in spreading Hindutva ideology across the state through its shakhas.
In a major push to consolidate its political footprint across West Bengal, the BJP has set in motion an ambitious infrastructure expansion drive, focusing primarily on its newly carved strongholds in the southern districts. To accommodate its growing cadre base following recent gains in the state Assembly elections, senior leaders launched foundational bhoomi pujan ceremonies across seven organizational districts. The organisational push is strategically aligned with the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, where the party views West Bengal as vital to securing a fourth term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Party state president Samik Bhattacharya and Bengal observer Sunil Bansal presided over foundation ceremonies in Howrah Rural and Asansol, respectively. Simultaneously, State General Secretary (Organisation) Amitava Chakraborty led the rituals in Hooghly’s Chinsurah. Similar events were conducted by Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar in Barrackpore, Rajya Sabha MP Rahul Sinha in Kolkata North Suburban, State General Secretary Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato in Jhargram, and Vice-President Ramapada Das in Behrampore. Confirming the initiative, Bhattacharya stated that plots acquired years ago are finally being developed after election-related delays. Emphasizing the party’s rapid growth since assuming power in the state, he revealed that all 43 organizational districts would soon feature upgraded premises. Party insiders noted that while district units currently operate out of existing spaces, these have proven inadequate for scaled-up political operations since the BJP’s breakthrough performance in the 2019 parliamentary polls. Each proposed district headquarters will feature a modern five-storey complex complete with state-of-the-art amenities, expansive conference halls, dedicated spaces for affiliate wings, and private quarters for visiting leadership. The infrastructural scaling comes amid heightened political ambitions. Both Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Bhattacharya...
Five months after West Bengal’s political change, silence has descended on several artists, writers and intellectuals who once stood firmly behind Mamata Banerjee. From Kabir Suman and Jogen Chowdhury to Abul Bashar, many familiar faces from her political platforms have largely disappeared from public view. Artist Shuvaprasanna has stayed largely out of the public eye since May. A pivotal figure during the 2006–07 Singur-Nandigram movements, he hosted strategy meets at his Salt Lake residence—attended by Kabir Suman, Joy Goswami, Jogen Chowdhury, Shaoli Mitra and Bibhas Chakraborty. After halting in 2011 upon Trinamool’s rise, these gatherings resumed in 2018 with the BJP’s emergence. Shuvaprasanna taught Mamata painting, coordinated her exhibitions, held railway and Heritage Commission posts, received the Bangabibhushan award, and vigorously defended her 2022 Bangla Akademi award. However, on September 20, he inaugurated an exhibition alongside BJP minister Dilip Ghosh and leader Bishwapriya Roy, a month after BJP minister Agnimitra Paul attended his wife Shipra Bhattacharya’s exhibition. Nationally-acclaimed painter and former Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Jogen Chowdhury (88) has also receded from public life. Singer Kabir Suman (78), who experienced a volatile relationship with Mamata—once predicting a temple in her honour before distancing himself and considering backing a compassionate Left party—refused direct comment. Yet, an October video showed him thanking local BJP MLA Papiya Adhikari for civic improvements in local infrastructure, water, and power. Author Abul Bashar, who once declared that leaders like Mamata are born only once in a while, deferred his remarks. Meanwhile, poet Joy Goswami—who once lauded Mamata’s humanity but later sparked debate by exiting an RSS-linked event over Taslima Nasrin’s presence—remains the sole voice expressing sorrow over her plight.
After a gap of 45 months, a Ranji Trophy match returned to the historic Brabourne Stadium. Railways—which has probably given more women cricketers to the national team—has chosen the famous venue on Dinshaw Vachha Road, Churchgate, to play three of its ‘home’ matches of the 2026-2027 Ranji Trophy Elite League at the Cricket Club of India ground, which last played host to the prestigious tournament between Maharashtra and Mumbai in January 2023. The Brabourne has hosted 94 Ranji Trophy matches, and Bombay has won the final at the venue seven times from 1941-42 to 1963-64, defeating Mysore, Baroda, Holkar, Bengal and Rajasthan. The Brabourne was Bombay’s home ground until the early 1970s, when the Bombay (Mumbai) Cricket Association built its own ground at “D” Road, Churchgate, and began playing matches there. The Railways will play two more matches at the Brabourne against the 42-time winner Mumbai in November and Haryana in January 2027. The Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi is the home ground of the Railways, which owns many grounds in India, but it opted to give its team the joy and experience of playing the multi-day match at a venue which has played host to 18 Test matches. The Brabourne has hosted IPL and WPL matches, as well as many other BCCI tournaments. It also hosted the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, which Australia won. The late Rajsingh Dungarpur and the Club’s President for many years believed that the CCI was always meant for cricket and its development, and no one should forget this. Past Australian teams loved to practice at the venue; it was here that the Sachin Tendulkar-led Mumbai team thrashed Shane Warne and Australia in a warm-up game before the 2001 home series. The Brabourne has its own class!
Batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar was somewhat crestfallen that he never got an opportunity to forge a partnership with Garry Sobers in the Australia versus World XI five-match series played in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide in the 1971-72 season. Gavaskar opened the innings with South African Hylton Ackerman, and the first two matches did not create a situation in which he could have made his dream come true. With Sobers slotted at No 6 after Rohan Kanhai, Zaheer Abbas and Clive Lloyd at Brisbane, and at No 7 after Kanhai, Abbas, Lloyd and Tony Greig—opening with Farokh Engineer—Gavaskar’s chances of pairing up with his idol Sobers in the middle probably had 100/1 odds. But it did happen in the first innings of the third match at the MCG Bowl, when Gavaskar was in good nick, and his partners in Ackerman, Abbas and Lloyd all gone. Gavaskar, who rose to fame with a phenomenal 774 runs in four Tests in his debut series in the West Indies in 1971, was cock a hoop with the great West Indian all-rounder coming to bat at No 5! But the Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee became a killjoy for Gavaskar, sending back Sobers first ball and the Gavaskar-Sobers partnership became a non-starter. But in the second innings, Sobers played the innings of his life, 254, described by Sir Don Bradman as the greatest ever, and Gavaskar was thrilled because the majestic Barbadian was wearing the Indian’s oversized sweater, from the time he called for a sweater when he was in the thick of action in the middle. “Have a look at the sweater Sobers is wearing,” Gavaskar told the audience at the Bombay Gymkhana on Monday (Oct 12) evening at an event around Sir Garfield Sobers. The film was screened, after which Gavaskar and Ian Bishop paid glowing tributes to the legendary West Indian all-rounder.
While the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray is fighting in the Supreme Court to regain its name and symbol, a soft launch of another Thackeray scion appears to be gaining traction unobtrusively. The youngest member of the Thackeray clan, Tejas (31), has so far maintained a low profile, standing behind elder brother Aaditya. But that phase appears to be getting over. The Thackeray family’s love for birds and exotic fish is quite known. Tejas too has inherited it. The Thackeray Wildlife Foundation led by Tejas has begun his public posturing by writing a letter to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav to urge immediate intervention to prevent the rampant poaching and illegal selling of the endemic Borna Snakehead (𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘶𝘴) fish found in the Chel river in West Bengal. The Foundation has discovered several rare fish species, many of them from India and Nepal. A student of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim in Mumbai, Tejas is seen off and on publicly. His latest appearance was a few days ago with Aaditya leading a protest demonstration against the Modi government at Dadar. Thus, both Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, as well their sons are now in active politics. It is said that his mother Rashmi was keen for the entry of Tejas in politics since the health of Uddhav has remained indifferent for some time. Tejas himself is known for his reticence. Hence, some statement from him is awaited eagerly.
Famous Marathi play ‘Natsamrat’ (Greatest Performer) has earned a niche position in the history of Marathi stage. Written by Dnyanpeeth awardee litterateur Kusumagraj over five decades ago, the play is revered for its plot, dialogues and message. The central character of a stage artiste counting his final days is a challenge for any actor who performs the role. Nana Patekar was one of them. The play was so popular that a Marathi movie based on it earned over Rs 150 crore. Some of the soliloquies of the main character are so long and need so much strength to deliver that they were most tiring for an actor, Nana had disclosed in one speech. He recalled how towering thespians like Dr Shreeram Lagoo, Datta Bhat, Chandrakant Gokhale and Yashwant Dutt who had depicted the unfortunate personality had died of heart attacks. It is ironical that Nana, appearing perfectly fit physically, should fall prey to a suspected heart condition. Several such unknown facets of Nana’s life are coming out through the respects paid to his memory by his co-workers and admirers. It makes one shudder to know that Nana was related to dreaded gangster Manya Surve, whose police encounter had become a sensation in the early 1980’s. Nana’s mother, fearing that he might be influenced by Manya, had sent her son to their Konkan village to avert the possibility. Fortunately, Nana did not choose a wrong path after returning to Mumbai some years later and started acting in experimental stage.
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar’s grandson-in-law has been allotted 1200 acres of land by the Maharashtra government on lease in Ahilyanagar’s district of western Maharashtra. The plot in Haregaon village has been entrusted to Vishwaraj Renewables Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based company owned by Sarang Lakhani, son-in-law of Supriya Sule, daughter of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo. As soon as the government’s decision came under fire, Supriya Sule maintained that her son-in-law’s business and professional activities were entirely his personal matter. She refused to say anything beyond that. Interestingly, Sarang is the son of BJP MLC Arun Lakhani, an ardent RSS volunteer from Nagpur. Arun is considered close to various bigwigs of the saffron organisation. The land held by the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation has been leased to the Lakhani company for 49 years, according to an order issued on October 5. The allotment comes within two weeks of the government allotting on lease 1500 acres of land to another private firm, Nibe Group, in the same cluster. The state government has also allotted 1500 acres to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Social activist Anjali Damania has questioned the allotment decision, taken without following a tender process. Damania claimed that the government had decided to develop a green energy park on the land through “Maha Urja” but just three months later, the same 1200 acres was allotted directly to a single private company in September. Revenue minister Chandrakant Bawankule has defended the decision, ruling out likelihood of any further fireworks.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe’s squads have seized of tonnes of unsafe and adulterated food items across the state, valued at over Rs 67 crore. Since taking over in May 2026, Mundhe has shaken up India’s food sector and is firmly supported by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The judiciary, too, has stood by him except for ordering nesa few corrections. The most drastic action by him was a Thane raid in which the FDA impounded 28,955 kg (nearly 29 tonnes) of raw ingredients and solid foods such as chips, farsan, chivda, flours and wafers as well as stocks of palm oil. In a three-day drive from September 28–30, the FDA suspended 31 licenses and impounded over 3900 kg of substandard sweets, cheese, paneer and oils, including 617 litres of milk. So far, the FDA has conducted over 12,000 inspections, issued over 5200 improvement notices, suspended 603 licenses and recorded 875 arrests. Outlets of some major global fast food chains have faced temporary closures or license suspensions due to pest infestations and poor sanitation. The campaign has hit quick-commerce dark stores, too, and subjected them to temporary shut downs due to hygiene breaches. It has not spared some government canteens also. Mundhe became famous following the implementation of a statewide ban on analogue paneer. The other major action was to ban the common occurrence of street vendors wrapping hot food like vada paav in newspapers due to ink toxicity. A frequently transferred officer, Mundhe’s continuation as FDA chief has become a matter of discussion.
BJP MLA Narendra Mehta has sparked off one more controversy, only to perform another volte face within hours following a huge backlash from almost all quarters. As soon as Mehta described the religious and cultural identity of Mira-Bhayandar, which is on the outskirts of Mumbai, as a “Jain city” and “Mini Rajasthan,” verbal attacks against the claim began. He immediately apologised but the embers of the offensive statement are still felt. In support of his claim, Mehta maintained that the township has more than 33 Jain temples, has nine Jain corporators and the mayor, too, is a Jain. It was just a few days ago that an advisory was issued by Seven Square Academy in Mira Road, a school founded by Mehta, asking students not to bring onion, garlic, potato, beetroot and other leafy vegetables or non-vegetarian food during the Jain Paryushan period. The suggestion was withdrawn following all-out opposition. Mira-Bhayandar is a BJP stronghold for a long time and Mehta is its face. His political enmity with the Shiv Sena (Shinde) is well known and he does not shy expressing it publicly time and again. Realising that his latest claim can become a huge headache for the BJP, Mehta has withdrawn it and emphasised that the city belongs to the Agri-Koli community, the original residents for centuries. He also has lauded Maharashtra and Marathi community, saying, “I am fully aware that Marathi people have elected me as their MLA. I apologise for my statement.” But the after effects of his audacious utterance will be felt for some time, at least.
India’s culture of political defections has been deplored by Sweden’s MP Nila Vikhe Patil while castigating her uncle Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, a senior minister in Maharashtra. After spending her childhood at Loni in Ahilyanagar district of north Maharashtra, 41-year old Nila returned to Sweden where she has been recently elected to its Parliament. A staunch worker of the Green Party, Nila has expressed chagrin over the attempts by Sujay, son of Radhakrishna, to show closeness to her and claim some credit in her political achievement. Radhakrishna Vikhe and his son Sujay are with the BJP. Sujay was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019 but lost five years later. Nila is the daughter of Radhakrishna’s elder brother and educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil. The brothers Vikhe are not on good terms. After Nila’s electoral victory, Sujay spoke with news channels. Nila, however, erupted when she saw one of the video clips in which Sujay was seen saying that although he was defeated in the Lok Sabha election, another member was elected in Sweden. Nila expressed angrily that she had no contact with either Radhakrishna or Sujay in over a decade. She burst out, “I will never change my party. They have.” She was referring to Vikhe’s changing caps, from the Congress to the Shiv Sena (Unified) and now with the BJP. All through, he has remained an influential cabinet minister, belonging to the powerful Maratha caste and seen as a confidant of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Another chapter of suspense will open in Maharashtra’s politics as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted an invite from veteran leader Sharad Pawar to visit Baramati on 24 October. The camaraderie between the two dates back to many decades and is a bone of contention between the Gandhi family and the erstwhile Congress strongman. Another sore point is industrialist Gautam Adani, who is close to Pawar since his fledging days while Rahul Gandhi does not miss a single opportunity to attack him. In Baramati, Modi will inaugurate ‘Preranasthal’ (Place of Inspiration) where a memorial for Lord Gautam Buddha is being developed. Always curious about state-of-the-art technology, Pawar has established an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute at the Baramati campus to benefit rural students. His penchant was seen when a Robot greeted him on Thursday (Sept 24). Pawar had gone there to see a presentation regarding the preparation for the PM’s visit. Of late, Pawar is appearing rather active despite his advancing years. For instance, he wrote a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadanvis to declare a drought in Maharashtra, given the paucity of rainfall and the privations suffered by a huge number of cattle and farmers. Fadnavis immediately responded and undertook tours of the affected areas. A substantial assistance package for the farming community is expected to be announced by him any moment, given the gravity of the situation. Thus, he has sent a tacit message that he has shown adequate respect towards Pawar. The Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are pushed to the sidelines once again in affairs of the state.
Union Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s lament that he feels ashamed for incompletion of the crucial Mumbai-Konkan-Goa highway even after 17 years has assumed another dark hue since it has come to light that the expenditure for the strategic link has almost doubled over the years. RTI activist Jitendra Ghadge has been informed by the ministry headed by Gadkari that the projected expenditure for four-laning of the highway will be around Rs 16909 crore. Earlier, it was tagged at Rs 11409 crore. Thus, the rise amounts to 48%. So far, Rs 11577 crore has been spent on the project. This amount exceeds the original estimate. Despite the delay and so much expenditure, many large tracts of the highway NH-66 are still incomplete. The result is harassment for the road users, especially during festival occasions. While it was announced in the past that the distance of 460 km between Mumbai and the Maharashtra-Goa border would be crossed within seven to eight hours due to the expansion of the highway, the common experience is that it is impossible to guess how long it can take to drive down to the destination. This is owing to the pitiable condition of the road. This delay is compared with the 700-km Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway, which was completed within seven years from the day the work started. Exasperated, Gadkari has announced that he will not remain present for the inauguration of the link as he felt ashamed for the inability to complete the project.
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has admonished three top Bollywood actors over their appearance in a surrogate advertisement for a Pan Masala brand. Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff are thus violators of the law in the eyes of the FDA, Munde has thundered in a TV channel interview. The controversial advertisement is of Vimal Elaichi mouth freshner. In the frank questions-answer session, Mundhe has made it abundantly clear that for law, no celebrity status matters neither does it accord protection from legal proceedings. Hence, the three actors are treated as advertisers in this legal context. The FSSA of India Act requires endorsers to observe due diligence regarding the products they promote. Accordingly, Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff received official show-cause notices from the Maharashtra FDA. The notices said the Vimal Elaichi campaign acts as a surrogate promotion for Vimal Pan Masala, which is banned in Maharashtra. The FDA directed the actors to stop the campaign and delete promotional content from social media. Munde revealed that while two actors have responded to the notice, one is yet to do so. He pleaded inability to name the individuals concerned, saying that the file for the case was with one of his subordinates. Munde has been hitting the headlines ever since he took over as FDA chief. Significantly, the state government has desisted from making any comment about his campaign, which has rubbed many in high places the wrong way.
Pune, the seat of the vast Maratha empire, continues to hit headlines, mostly for wrong reasons. However, an observation by the Bombay High Court on Friday (Sept 11) has somehow restored Pune’s pride and pleased its tippler community immensely. The bench has castigated the Pune district administration for imposing an arbitrary liquor sales ban for the duration of the Ganesh festival. Already, the administration has banned the use of DJ sound systems and laser beams during the famous public celebration of the festival, ending September 26. That restriction has been welcomed all around. However, the liquor ban was immediately challenged by the wine shop owners while those enjoying a swig or two were waiting patiently for divine intervention. It has come from the HC, which said that the ban is an arbitrary decision. The bench has queried why only Pune has been singled out. It noted that Mumbai and other areas have no such restrictions. The court observed the ban unfairly portrays Pune residents as troublemakers after drinking. The judges remarked that stopping alcohol for 10 days could cause medical issues and flood hospitals with habitual drinkers. The Bench was headed by newly appointed Chief Justice M C Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna. The Petitioners are hotel and wine shop owner associations, who unitedly rose to challenge the Pune district collector’s order. The HC has asked the authorities to withdraw the ban or face direct judicial intervention.
After his spectacular performance in Pune, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is making plans to storm Nagpur, the birthplace of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The likely visit has raised mixed feelings since the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the RSS are considered two sides of the same coin. Rahul was in Nasik in north Maharashtra on Wednesday (Sep 2). There he interacted with some prominent Congress leaders from Maharashtra. At the meeting, the Nagpur plan was discussed. Although no date of Rahul’s visit has been fixed, it is indicated that it will be by the end of September. The engagement will be an interactive outreach with youth and students. It will be a replica of the recently held ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Pune. The programme’s objective is to give a fillip to the Congress efforts to liaise with students and young voters and rejuvenating grassroots activities across Vidarbha region, once upon a time a Congress stronghold, which is now under control of the BJP. The visit will be a message to the Hindutva camp to prepare for a serious challenge in the days to come. Rahul was in Nasik to conclude a 10-day camp organised for the Congress cadres in Maharashtra. A highlight of the meeting was Rahul’s interaction with tribal students from Nasik, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and from Vidarbha region. The discussion is considered a trigger for a decision to hold a meet in Nagpur.
Pune is justly called the cradle of social reforms in India. It was in Pune that the first ever girls’ school started almost 180 years ago. The movement to encourage widow marriages was launched in Pune. The 10-day Ganesh Festival was incepted in Pune by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak over 130 years ago to unite people against injustice. It is now celebrated all over the world. Hence, there is no wonder that a demand to ban the use of deafening loudspeakers and DJ music systems should originate from Pune. Vidyanand Bapat and Sharad Kelkar are two common Pune residents who are spearheading the agitation to seek ban on very loud music at all hours during festivals and public celebrations, irrespective of the religion to which the celebrants belong. The campaign took an ugly turn on Thursday (Sept 3) when Bapat was assaulted by a youth for demanding the control over noise intensity during Ganapati celebrations. The attacker has been arrested and Bapat is provided police protection. Kelkar has moved the National Human Rights Commission to urge it to direct Maharashtra Pollution Control Board authorities to implement the noise level decibel regulations. Incidentally, it was many years ago that an activist, Yashwant Oke, had moved the Supreme Court to frame rules for noise limitations in public places. The campaign has received a boost since veteran leader Sharad Pawar has endorsed the stand taken by Bapat. Indications are that a procession planned for Sunday to demand enforcement of the noise regulations will receive massive support. Thus, Pune will once again show the nation how to curb a public menace through statutory means.
The great alacrity shown by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in reassuring and actually helping the pilgrims who were stranded in Nepal after the deluge there is universally lauded. The latest example is the safe return to Kathmandu of 37 pilgrims from the state who were caught up in Saga, Tibet, after completing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, thanks to his initiative. The 37 pilgrims are from Thane, Pune, Alibaug, Raigad, and Dombivli areas. They got stranded in Saga during their return journey. As their India flight from Kathmandu is at 2 pm on 29 August, they were desperate to come back to Kathmandu on time. They and their kin contacted CMO and Fadnavis alerted the Union government immediately. This prompt action made their safe return to Kathmandu possible. Earlier, Fadnavis arranged the travel of 106 Nagpur pilgrims from Kathmandu for Danapur in Bihar soon after disaster struck. Following the CM’s phone call, Nepal MP Sandeep Rana arranged four mini-buses for their trip to Bihar, from where their return journey by train was also arranged. Not to be left behind, state deputy CM Eknath Shinde, too, swung into action. He video called Shiv Sena leader Megha Chorge and her colleagues, who were stranded in Pokhara near Kathmandu. Shinde reassured them that all possible assistance will be rushed to them. Sena’s disaster management cell, too, was activated for relief work. Sena activist Rahul Kanal, along with a team of Shiv Sainiks, left for Nepal to offer help. At present, round the clock communication is maintained to trace the missing Maharashtra pilgrims, whose return is awaited anxiously.
Rattled by the response generated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with young girls in Pune earlier this month, Maharashtra BJP has decided to counter the impact by holding a meeting of its prominent workers from across the state in Pune on Monday (Aug 31). Although Pune has been a stronghold of the BJP for a long time, Rahul’s selection of the historic town took BJP strategists by surprise. Moreover, as the meeting was well attended, it boosted the Congress party morale. The BJP meeting will be thus important, from another perspective as well. Newly appointed Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan will get an opportunity to interact with rank and file since this will be the first major meeting under his leadership. Of course, the focus of the conclave will remain chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, whose consummate handling of the political and administrative challenges has given rise to the speculation that he will be shifted to New Delhi soon. Fadnavis has time and again declared that he will be happy to remain in Maharashtra but his admirers and detractors, alike, keep on repeating the prediction. As there is no major election in the state for the next two or three years, Fadnavis has ample opportunity to consolidate his position and propel the state in the race to attract more and more FDI, besides concentrating on increasing the state’s agricultural productivity. All these issues will be on the agenda for the Monday meeting.
Actor Shweta Tiwari has raised serious questions about the culture of Maharashtra following the abuse showered on her in filthy language. A lifelong Mumbaikar, her missive to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray over the alleged online abuse by social media users has gone viral within minutes. Tiwari has shared a series of posts on Instagram, taking exception to the abusive language used against women. She is disturbed by the comments, especially those coming from the people appearing to belong to respectable families. Tiwari is currently seen in the second season of the reality show ‘The Traitors.’ She became famous after her role in ‘Kasautii Zindagii Kay.’ In one post, Tiwari wondered that such abuse can come from people of different ages, professions and backgrounds. Tiwari also shared a screenshot of the Instagram profile of one of the abusers. She said that the man is a doctor and has pictures of his wife and child on his social media account. Questioning how someone could speak about another woman in such a way while having women in his own family, Tiwari also referred to the person’s alleged support for Raj Thackeray and MNS. Tiwari then spoke about her own connection with Maharashtra, saying that she was born and brought up in Mumbai and has lived in the state all her life. She asked Raj Thackeray if such behaviour was acceptable from the people who support him or MNS.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan is inviting derision following his so-called ‘disclosures’ over the past weeks. A Congress leader who could not save his own assembly seat in 2024, Chavan is blamed for the defeat of the then Congress-NCP government headed by him in the 2014 election. Nowadays, he has been repeatedly claiming that he was instrumental in installing the 2019 Maha Vikas Aghadi combine in power under Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray. According to Chavan’s latest assertion, an MVA formula could have come into existence in 2014 itself, but he had rejected such an idea out of hand. However, he explained that it was he who had advocated formation of MVA in 2019 since then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had weakened the opposition considerably. “Such erosion of the Congress party in Maharashtra was not acceptable. Hence I advised the high command to form a government with Uddhav and Sharad Pawar,” according to Chavan’s latest claim. It is not taken seriously since Chavan was hardly in a position in 2019 to play any significant political role. For the NCP, moreover, his name was anathema since it held Chavan responsible for the 2014 rout in the assembly election. Leaders like Supriya Sule have cryptically said that only Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi will be able to throw light on the comment. Incidentally, Chavan was among the 23 senior Congress leaders who had expressed dissatisfaction over the way the party was proceeding and had later mended his ways to stay over in the principal opposition party.
A press conference held a couple of days ago by a group of entrepreneurs in Chakan industrial estate near Pune has become a trigger for a clash between Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and veteran leader Sharad Pawar. The industrialists grieved that they would be forced to shift base to adjacent Satara district owing to the pitiable condition of the infrastructure like power supply and roads in Chakan. Pawar said that the companies employed more than 2000 workers and urged the state government to protect jobs and industries in Maharashtra. In a swift rejoinder, Fadnavis has pointed out that Maharashtra continued to top the list of industrialises states in the country. He assured Pawar that the state will continue to be a prime location for industrial activity. Pawar’s observation is based on the data cited in parliament, which said that over 36000 companies in the state had closed down. Fadanvis pointed out that the figures had been presented without the wider context and that around 76% of them were “defunct” entities that had never commenced operations. Fadanvis has also advised Pawar to peruse the official data concerning the subject. He has assured the NCP leader that urgent steps are being taken to resolve the woe of the Chakan industrial belt. Pawar is among the leaders who have a soft corner for industry. Hence, Fadnavis has ensured that his response to Pawar is seen in a correct perspective.
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal’s wife Harsimrat has posted an emotion-filled ‘X’ message to salute Inspector Santosh Vaijnath Kendre of the Maharashtra Police’s Special Protection Unit for showing heroic courage in saving Badal’s life in Nanded on Thursday (Aug 13). She says, “Santosh, you stood like a human shield between Sukhbir ji and the attacker, putting your own life at risk to protect his. In doing so, you reminded us of what it truly means to wear the uniform — to put duty before self and courage before fear. The Badal family bows to you with deepest gratitude. Your bravery will never be forgotten. May Waheguru bless you with a speedy recovery. Also, a special mention for the doctors and the entire staff at the Yashosai Hospital for their relentless service in comforting us.” Reports from Nanded say that Badal was spared of a second attack, thanks to the bravery of Kendre, who sustained a serious injury in the process. According to eye witness accounts that have gone viral, the attacker, Jaspal Singh, had already attacked Badal once and was attempting to stab him again when Kendre leapt between the two. He caught hold of Jaspal’s hand and stood as a wall in a way that shielded Badal from the second swipe of the kirpan. Then Jaspal attacked Kendre in the gruesome incident at Nanded Gurudwara. Immediately after the attack, Badal was taken to Yashosai Hospital where he received a few stitches and was declared out of danger. Nanded SP Neelabh Rohan said there was no breach in Badal’s security. Police have found that the accused is a Pune resident and had practised as a lawyer there. Jaspal’s Pune house was raided by the police as part of investigation.
Bankipur MLA and political strategist Prashant Kishor’s unannounced meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar Thursday (Aug 6) night has once again highlighted the internecine unrest within the organisation. Ever since the demise of then deputy CM Ajit Pawar in an air crash in Baramati, the party is witnessing one jolt after another. Soon after the six-hour meeting with Kishor was over, reports began surfacing that Kishor had advised her to replace state NCP president Sunil Tatkare, a staunch loyalist of the late leader. Hurriedly, NCP spokesman Suraj Chavan clarified that there was no truth in the whispers about Tatkare. However, Sunetra’s son Parth, Rajya Sabha member, is said to be dead against Tatkare and another party heavyweight Praful Patel. Incidentally, Parth was present at the meeting with Kishor, who has advised Sunetra not to give importance to criticism against her, especially to remarks like ‘Goongi Gudiya’ and to concentrate on rebuilding the party organisation as well as focus on her governmental work. Kishor has been in touch with Sunetra after Ajit Pawar’s death. This is their second meeting in two months. There was a gap in meetings since Kishor was busy with electioneering at Bankipur, Bihar. At the Thursday meet, Kishor told Sunetra that he will undertake a survey across the state to assess the NCP’s potential and submit his recommendations, based on its findings. Their next meeting will take place soon, according to a party leader.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reassurance to the six MPs who have defected from the Shiv Sena (UBT) to the ruling NDA that “not to worry, I am with you” has boosted their morale to another level. After meeting NDA MPs today in New Delhi, Modi made it a point to meet the half dozen former Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha members separately. This came as a pleasant surprise for them as it is interpreted as a guarantee for their political course. Modi told them, “You are now part and parcel of the NDA.” Modi hosted over 40 new and first-time NDA Lok Sabha members, inviting those MPs, which included the members who have left the Trinamool Congress as well. The six Maharashtra MPs have joined the faction led by state deputy CM Eknath Shinde. Besides the promise to ‘to take care’ of them, Modi also asserted on good governance. The Prime Minister advised the ‘new’ members on public outreach, parliamentary conduct and effective implementation of government schemes in their constituencies. Of late, the political scene in Maharashtra is witnessing various permutations and combinations, giving rise to speculation that major changes in the government and the organisation of each constituent of the ruling triumvirate is likely very soon. Frequent and unscheduled trips by CM Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde have been adding fodder to the gristmill. Against this backdrop, Modi’s direct communication with the breakaway Sena (UBT) MPs is considered significant.
Hotel Ritz Carlton in Pune was witness to a high-profile political gathering on July 29. It once again endorsed Maharashtra’s culture in which personal and political factors are kept apart. The occasion was the betrothal of deputy CM Sunetra Pawar’s son Parth with Kainaat Dara. As announced earlier, the wedding will take place on 27 February next year. The prominent among those present were Nationalist Congress Party patriarch Sharad Pawar with wife Pratibha, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde, NCP bigwigs Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare as well as a score of VIPs. The occasion had heightened political suspense since contrasting reports have been emanating from both NCP factions about their possible merger. While Pawar himself has discounted any such development, certain leaders are said to be hopeful even now. The engagement ceremony was fraught with emotion with memories of Parth’s late father Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash in Baramati. The probe in the mishap is still on. The atmosphere was silent for a minute as Parth broke down while bowing to his father’s portrait. Care was taken to ensure that nothing was left to chance. For instance, a NCP leader had called on Karveer Peeth Shankaracharya a couple of months ago to seek clearance about holding the ceremony since certain quarters believe that a sacred event should be celebrated in a family which is in bereavement within one year or only after three years. All eyes now will be on the day of the wedding.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Abhijeet Dipke is the focus of anti-BJP parties in Maharashtra. Even former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has sought his time and invited him to Matoshree when the young agitator visits Mumbai. On his part, Abhijeet has started lobbing one political missile after another against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Besides threatening another mass agitation if the demands of the fledgling outfit are not honoured, Abhijeet has taken a cautious stand by declaring that CJP does not support violence. His modest apartment in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in Marathwada is the new place of attraction. Senior minister Sanjay Shirsat from the Shiv Sena (Shinde) was among the first to call on Abhijeet. Both families have a long-time relationship, it was stated. Shirsat has demanded police protection for Abhijeet. Soon thereafter, Sena (UBT) leader Chandrakant Khaire reached the residence of the new youth icon and made a call to Uddhav. Both conversed for a little while and Uddhav invited Abhijeet to Matoshree. He is said to have replied in the affirmative. Unfazed by the spotlight on him, Abhijeet has reiterated all his charges against Modi and Shah. Meanwhile, the subject of curiosity about Abhijeet is the young girl who was seen with him after the Delhi agitation was called off.
Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have decided to hold a demonstration in Mumbai on Sunday (July 26) in support of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) on-going protest in Delhi and elsewhere. This comes on the heels of a ‘bandh’ organised by Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar. Of course, his effort to paralyse Mumbai went almost unnoticed but is viewed as a fresh injection of energising the Opposition, which had failed to nail the Fadnavis government in the just concluded legislature session. Ever since the CJP launched its stir, one Opposition party after another and a large number of their leaders are warning the Union government and PM Narendra Modi of serious consequences despite their meagre strength in the state and Mumbai. Seizing on the situation, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray have announced that their two parties will hold a joint protest in Mumbai on 26 July. This will be to condemn the police action against students protesting in various places. The march will begin from Shivaji Park and conclude at Siddhivinayak Temple, a short distance. On the other hand, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sakpal, legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and former speaker Nana Patole have kept on attacking the BJP and Modi. Strangely, the three have not addressed a joint press conference so far. Fringe parties like the Communists are seen towing the line of the Congress or the Sena (UBT) while the Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) appears totally confused on how to proceed, especially following Sharad Pawar’s call on Modi.
Another high-profile wedding in Maharashtra is the talk of the town since the bridegroom is none other than the son of deputy chief minister, Sunetra Pawar. The scion, Rajya Sabha member Parth Pawar, will be betrothed to Kainaat Dara (also referred to as Dhara) in Pune on 29 July. They are scheduled to wed in Baramati on 27 February 2027. The engagement ceremony will be the first happy occasion for the family after the plane crash demise of then deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Just as a meeting between veteran leader Sharad Pawar and PM Narendra Modi two days ago has generated new speculation about the fate of the two factions of the NCP, both camps are feeling uneasy since none can predict which way Pawar will tilt. Pawar’s detractors recall that his granddaughter (Supriya Sule’s daughter) Revati married Sarang Lakhani just a few weeks ago in Nagpur. His father Arun Lakhani became a BJP MLC within days. Since then, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are feeling miffed about how to react to the marital alliance. To add to the suspense, Pawar visited the Cockroach Janta Party agitation in Delhi in the morning and called on Modi the same evening. The schedule for Parth’s nuptial has thus only added spice to the guess game.
BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde’s sudden stay in Maharashtra and his meetings with some influential Opposition leaders have heightened the already thick suspense in the state’s politics. Once again, veteran Sharad Pawar continues to be the focus of the intrigue while a couple of senior BJP leaders from Maharashtra are reported to be spending sleepless nights, not knowing what turn their fate is going to take. Tawde self-invited him to the residence of his former mentor Eknath Khadse, who is now with the NCP led by Pawar. Incidentally, Khadse’s daughter-in-law Raksha is Union minister of state while the other daughter-in-law is with Pawar’s party. Tawde’s ‘courtesy’ call on Khadse holds potential to shake north Maharashtra scenario. Tawde also called on Pawar’s trusted lieutenant Jayant Patil, who is tipped to be joining the NDA fold, albeit with Pawar’s tacit blessings. Patil’s name is being mentioned for the post of Maharashtra finance minister. It was earlier held by the late deputy CM Ajit Pawar. One of Pawar’s close associates is learnt to have been entrusted with the task of liaising with the party legislators and parliament members. The NCP’s onslaught against the BJP is somewhat softer over the past few days. Thus, if the pieces fall in place, Pawar’s 10 Lok Sabha members will be a great gift for the BJP. Moreover, it will be a demoralising blow for the Congress in particular and the INDIA Bloc in general.
It seems there is no respite for Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray from the continuous shocks administered by the ruling Mahayuti since whispers about another split taking place in his ramshackle party are only growing. Thackeray’s bete noire Eknath Shinde is said to be behind such moves since chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has declared in unequivocal terms that the doors of the BJP are closed for newcomers. True that it is a political announcement and can be used the way the leaders wish, Shinde has been going ahead unobstructed. The latest entrant into the game is former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who has publicly stated that half a dozen Lok Sabha members of Sharad Pawar’s party are feeling ‘uneasy’ in the present situation. This means that they can desert the NCP(SP) any time to join the NDA. All these developments are going to weaken the Opposition in Maharashtra even if such defections do not happen forthwith. The casualty will be the Shiv Sena of Uddhav since he was projected as the main Opposition leader and face of the INDIA Bloc after its fabulous victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Sadly for him, the graph of his party is only sliding. Not content with eyeing Uddhav’s legislative win, Shinde is said to be exploring the potential of poaching the Sena’s civic wing. As over 60 corporators under Uddhav were elected to the Mumbai municipal corporation, the hopes of his followers were rekindled. However, the contrary is happening. As a result, Uddhav is an embattled leader right now, with no immediate prospect seen to revive his prospects.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray’s declaration to revert to Hindutva has come at a time when his party is constantly assaulted by his arch enemy and one-time disciple, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. While half a dozen Lok Sabha members of the Sena defected to the NDA camp, Uddhav and son Aaditya remained content on just criticising the rival Sena, led by Shinde. With great fanfare, announcements were made that the ‘betrayers’ will be taught a lesson. However, barring a couple of protests, nothing much happened. Since 2022, ever since the unified Sena suffered a vertical split, Uddhav has been seen taking differing stands on certain issues. To the discomfiture of the Congress party, he proclaims his loyalty to Veer Savarkar, the Hindutva icon. Similarly, Uddhav Sena’s insistence on the issue of Marathi Manoos and Marathi language has not wavered. This is not to the liking of the other two partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which had installed Uddhav as chief minister. Seeming to be befuddled by the current exodus from his side, Uddhav has now announced that a “Ram Raksha” agitation will be launched at Dadar in Mumbai on Sunday by him. Ram Raksha is among the most sacred Marathi scriptures, paying tributes to Lord Ram. It is chanted in chorus, generally. Uddhav’s fresh move has created some suspense since it is seen as a signal by some to the BJP under Hindutva veneer. However, the rival Sena’s leaders have ridiculed Uddhav for forgetting his embrace of the Congress party since 2022 and taken the coming event lightly.
The debate surrounding the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) has once again moved to the forefront of public discourse with the Maharashtra government initiating steps towards drafting and implementing a common civil law framework for all citizens. The recent decision of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to appoint a committee headed by a retired High Court judge to prepare a draft UCC marks a significant development in Maharashtra’s legal and social landscape. The move reflects a growing recognition that personal laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption and succession should be guided by the constitutional principles of equality and justice rather than differing religious traditions. For decades, Goa has operated under a common civil code inherited from the Portuguese legal system. More recently, Uttarakhand became the first state in independent India to enact and implement a modern UCC. Some other states, too, are contemplating implementation of UCC. The momentum is growing across India. In March 2026, the Gujarat Assembly passed a Uniform Civil Code Bill, becoming the second state to legislate in this direction. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh has announced its intention to introduce similar legislation. Against this backdrop, Maharashtra’s initiative is considered timely and necessary. Maharashtra is India’s second-most populous state and one of its most socially diverse regions. It has long been a leader in social reform movements. One of the strongest arguments for implementing a UCC in Maharashtra is the need to ensure equal rights for women. Little resistance is expected to take place to the initiative.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde walked out of the unified Shiv Sena on 21 June 2022. Since then the Sena’s UBT faction has never recovered from the shock, albeit it was in seventh heaven for a short while after making a handsome show in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Ever since, it has lost every election held in the state, be it for the Rajya Sabha, the legislative council or for a non-descript local body. Even as Uddhav Thackeray’s six Lok Sabha members are presently preparing documentation to formally join Shinde, the deputy CM’s planners are reportedly working on another ‘Operation.’ It is said that they are eyeing veteran leader Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction’s Lok Sabha group. If they are successful, the NDA’s tally will be enhanced by another half a dozen. Moreover, the Shinde team appears not content with poaching just the parliament and the state legislature wings of rival parties. It has trained its focus on the Mumbai municipal corporation, which is already in the saffron pocket. If they succeed, the Opposition in the civic body will become even more feeble. Those reporters who were active in covering the first ever split in the Sena in 1991 and the tricks played by the Congress party to hide the dissenter Chhagan Bhujbal from the ire of violent Sainiks chuckle when they compare today’s UBT Sena’s mere verbal outbursts. The clout wielded by Balasaheb Thackeray is now the subject of just a historical tale, they feel.
From the moment it became obvious that six Lok Sabha members of the Shiv Sena (UBT) had made up their mind to desert the party, search was on for a whipping boy. Finally, it has zeroed on Aaditya Thackeray, son of party chief Uddhav. After the 2019 coup, Uddhav became the chief minister and Aaditya was inducted in his team as a cabinet minister, no matter it was his maiden term and had no experience of administration or governance. Since then, Aaditya has become the butt of many barbs. The latest has come from his arch critic, Nitesh Rane. He has compared Aaditya with Mamata Banerjee’s much maligned nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. After the TMC lost West Bengal, many of its top leaders were facing showers of eggs and other missiles. To guard himself, Abhishek had to wear a head helmet, some images showed. Nitesh has predicted that a day will come when Aaditya will have to put on a helmet before venturing out of Matoshri, the Thackeray family mansion. He will be sending a helmet to Aditya soon, he has announced. Nitesh has alleged that Uddhav and Aaditya had been working on a plan to merge their party with the Congress, which had agreed to appoint Aaditya a general secretary of the party. “The six MPs of Sena (UBT) decided to align with the Shinde Sena after learning of this planning,” Nitesh says.
The election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council is becoming more and more intriguing with one sensational disclosure after another by rival political parties. As expected, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut lobbed the first salvo. He alleged that Rs 150 crore had been spent by the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit). It was his angry reaction to the humiliating show put out by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), of which his leader Uddhav Thackeray is a major policy maker. Raut was immediately ridiculed since Uddhav’s confidant Bal Mane had withdrawn his nomination without giving a faintest hint to his leader. Moreover, Mane has returned to the BJP, which he had left some years ago. In all, the Congress and Sena (UBT) have been finding it most embarrassing as the Mahayuti is set to win almost each of the 17 seats for which election is being held. Developments in some legislative council constituencies have made the opposition leadership speechless since those withdrawing nominations did not even bother to formally convey their decisions. In most cases, the leaders learnt from TV channels of their candidates running away from the contest. Interestingly, Raut has been challenged by the BJP to announce why he failed to field a candidate of his party from Nasik, the district of which the MP is party’s organizational in charge. Has Raut accepted money for not contesting, the BJP has asked. More skeletons are expected to tumble out of the cupboard over the next few days.
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar gave his consent and NCP (Ajit) candidate for the legislative council, Vikram Kakade’s election for the upper house became a mere formality. The reason stated to be instrumental was a telephone call Vikram’s father Sanjay, former BJP MP, had made to Pawar, urging him to clear the path for his son. Although from the rival faction, Pawar graciously gave a nod. Sanjay, it is learnt, had obliged Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party nearly 15 years ago in a local election. As Pawar is blessed with an elephant’s memory, he paid back the obligation by ensuring Vikram’s election unopposed. But there is one more connection with the Pawar family and this election. Vikram had ‘advanced’ Rs.10 crore to Parth Pawar, son of deceased deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar, who is occupying the deputy CM’s post now. Vikram has clarified that the payment was against the purchase of a plot of land, which was in the name of Ajit Pawar. In faraway Vidarbha, the BJP’s candidate Arun Lakhani was elected unopposed to the upper house since Maha Vikas Aghadi failed to challenge him. A successful businessman and an ardent RSS worker, Lakhani’s son is slated to marry NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule’s daughter. The would-be couple and their parents recently called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formally invite him for the wedding, the date for which is yet to be announced. While political party workers keep fighting on roads, no such bitter sentiment is seen in the upper echelons.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction created by late Ajit Pawar is witnessing certain traumatic developments over the past fortnight with top leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel at the centre of the controversy. Now led by Pawar’s widow Sunetra, the suspense over the future of Tatkare and Patel is repeatedly in question. According to the documents submitted to the Election Commission earlier, Patel is no longer the working president of the party. Sunetra, Maharashtra deputy CM, has tried to defuse the tension by declaring that all will be well soon and every misunderstanding will be removed. Nonetheless, at a meeting of senior party leaders held on May 26 at her official residence, Devgiri, fireworks were galore, some party workers have claimed. According to them, Tatkare was most outspoken and demanded to know why he and Patel were isolated when the party was passing through a crisis following Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash. Tatkare maintained that he and Patel were instrumental in installing Sunetra as party chief. Despite this, the duo had to face unfair criticism from within the party, he lamented. Though he was in Mumbai, Patel was not present for the May 26 meet, in which OBC icon Chhagan Bhujbal tried to calm the atmosphere by appealing to all to forget the bygones. But Tatkare was not placated. There is a feeling of uneasiness in the party since election for the 17 seats of the state legislative council is around the corner but that matter is almost sidelined due to the internecine clashes. The tension in the NCP (Ajit) is palpable and concerns are raised about its future.
A massive racket to issue birth certificates has come to light following a complaint filed by former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya. The racket reportedly involves over 87,000 bogus records issued between 2024 and 2026. As it may have national security repercussions, investigations have been launched by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). So far, these have revealed that the officials concerned allegedly bypassed the mandatory Central government portal to manipulate a defunct internal system. The fraudulent birth certificates were flagged as being generated through an unauthorized SAP system rather than the official Civil Registration System (CRS). The racket was mostly operative in the M East ward (Govandi and Deonar) and Malad (Malvani) areas, previously under scrutiny for sheltering illegal immigrants. A SIT led by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) was established on 5 May 2026, to investigate the perpetration. At least three Medical Officers of Health (MOH) have been suspended by the BMC and FIRs have been registered against some former officials for approving certificates without verification. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde directed the BMC to cancel all such illegal certificates and initiate criminal cases against those officials involved. The scammers exploited technical gaps by continuing to use an old SAP system that lacked the security protocols of the newer CRS portal, allowing unauthorized “corrections.” Somaiya has announced that a special meeting will be held soon with the state government’s health authorities regarding this issue.”Bangladeshi immigrants are obtaining these birth certificates online by using forged documents, he has charged.
Maharashtra is rapidly emerging as India’s foremost energy powerhouse, backed by massive investments, strong industrial demand and an ambitious clean-energy transition. According to the Central Electricity Authority, Maharashtra’s total installed power capacity crossed 60,900 MW by February 2026, making it one of the country’s largest energy-producing states. Renewable energy alone accounts for over 31,600 MW, including nearly 19,364 MW of solar capacity, 5873 MW of wind power and significant hydro and biomass generation. The state has also unveiled an aggressive roadmap to meet 65% of its electricity demand through renewable energy by 2035-36. Thus, Maharashtra aims to create nearly 100 GW of renewable capacity along with large-scale battery and pumped-storage infrastructure. Its biggest landmark step is the recent Rs 6.5 lakh crore nuclear energy agreements signed with major companies such as Reliance Industries, Adani Power and NTPC Ltd. These projects alone are expected to add 25,400 MW of new power generation capacity and create more than 1.23 lakh jobs. With expanding thermal, solar, wind, hydro and nuclear sectors, Maharashtra is uniquely positioned to become India’s leading state in reliable, diversified and future-ready energy generation, strengthening its march towards a trillion-dollar economy. While Gujarat and Rajasthan currently lead in overall and renewable installed capacity, Maharashtra’s recent infrastructure push aims to fundamentally reshape its energy dominance. The state has rolled out an overarching plan to scale its total generation capacity 81,000 MW by 2030, drastically increasing the share of green energy.
The coming Rajya Sabha election to be held on 18 June will impact political equations in Maharashtra as all three ruling Mahayuti partners – the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar) – are eager to augment their presence in the Upper House of Parliament. As election for the 17 seats on the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad is also scheduled to be held on the same day, tussle among the three parties has generated intense speculation. It appears that the BJP, the largest member of the tripartite coalition will grab the biggest number. Accordingly, for the Vidhan Parishad, the BJP will contest 12 seats while the Shiv Sena’s share will be of three seats and the NCP will get two slots. Given the numerical position in the state assembly, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi will not be able to win a single seat provided that there is no cross voting. But that possibility is very remote. While confabulations are underway day and night, all eyes are on firebrand leader Chhagan Bhujbal, a confidant of the late Ajit Pawar. Presently a minister in the government of Devedra Fadanvis, the OBC leader is said to be desirous of entering the Rajya Sabha. However, deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, widow of Ajitdada, is learnt to be not in favour of the idea. Instead, former Union minister of state Subodh Mohite is under consideration though his equation with senior NCP leader Praful Patel is a major factor in the choice as both hail from Vidarbha. Whatever happens, Fadnavis is determined to avert any infighting in the Mahayuti team.
As May 30 nears, political activity in Maharashtra is bound to intensify over the issue of the 2026 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, especially against the backdrop of the assembly election in West Bengal. For a variety of reasons, Maharashtra ‘s electoral rolls have become a major point of political clash. BJP leaders in the state have been demanding SIR’s implementation “to clear up bogus voters” on the electoral rolls. On the other hand, major Opposition parties have expressed concerns about the process and its impact on their own vote banks. Trading allegations of manipulation ahead of upcoming elections is expected to begin any moment now that the EC has come out with its timetable. But it will have the imprint of the apprehensions raised by the so-called Bengal Model. For instance, the Maharashtra Congress has expressed concerns that the SIR, being implemented after 22 years, is a “hurried” attempt to follow the pattern in West Bengal, where millions of names were deleted, raising doubts about fairness of the process. Certain Opposition leaders have alleged that the revision is aimed at selectively removing voters from specific communities and constituencies, particularly in major cities. The state-wide exercise will deploy over 3.94 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs). There is unease since the logistical hurdles that can occur as it runs parallel with census work will have to be handled by the government. The SIR to take off on May 30 will conclude on October 14. This door-to-door verification aims to clean up the electoral rolls. The BLOs will conduct house-to-house visits between June 30 and July 29, 2026.
As the news of the likelihood of the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)merging is gaining ground, the role of veteran leader Sharad Pawar has once again come into focus. Pawar had asserted after his nephew and Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash that the talks for merger of the two sides had been blessed by Ajit. However, Ajit’s widow Sunetra soon thereafter joined the Mahayuti government led by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Expectedly, the issue was pushed to the backburner. However, over the past week, reports that Sunetra and her two sons, Jay and Parth, have concentrated all statutory powers of the NCP (Ajit) into their hands in submissions to the Election Commission have once again revived the power struggle. Both NCP (Ajit) senior leaders, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, have been totally sidelined by Sunetra. Tatkare’s sudden call on Sharad Pawar a couple of days ago after a gap of two years has added grist to the rumour mill. Interestingly, Pawar has once again thrown a rider with his support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for fuel economy. Many of his supporters recall how Pawar had responded to Modi’s appeal to play cymbals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pawar’s unopposed recent re-election to the Rajya Sabha has only added another tangent to the intrigue. Hence, his next step is being watched with a baited breath by both sides.
Known for his penchant for making statements on any subject under the sun, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut added another feather to his cap himself. Raut has achieved this glory by writing an open letter to the U.S. President Donald Trump to take exception to the congratulatory message POTUS has sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BJP’s victory in the West Bengal Assembly election. Within minutes, Raut became a troll victim. The BJP called him a joker. Several social media posts castigated Raut, with one saying, “If leaders like Sanjay Raut are writing letters to Donald Trump, then rest assured something good has happened in Bengal.” A post recalled Raut’s past, saying “He is an MP who is an accused in a scam. Raut was in jail in this connection and he is still not exonerated.” Raut has asked the Most Powerful Leader on Earth to stay out of India’s internal matters. In a flowery language message, Raut has also appealed to Trump to “emphasise democratic values” instead of celebrating the WB result. In his post on ‘X,’ the MP said he was responding to the U.S. President’s best wishes to Modi following the BJP’s win in West Bengal. He also reminded Trump that “These are state-level elections — an internal matter of India’s federal democracy.”
The Maharashtra power sharing formula will have a deep impact on West Bengal’s cabinet formation, to be headed by firebrand Suvendu Adhikari. Hence, the West Bengal council of ministers can have two deputy chief ministers and one of them could be a woman, like in Maharashtra. Headed by hard core RSS worker Devendra Fadnavis, the two DCMs are from the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and the NCP (Ajit). On the other hand, as the BJP does not need the involvement of any other party in WB to form government, two of its prominent MLAs are likely to be inducted as DCMs. Given the bleak reputation of the Mamata government as far as atrocities against women are concerned, the BJP will try to send out a message by appointing a woman deputy CM that it will implement pro-women policies more intensely. A decision in this regard will be known only after Adhikari is formally elected leader of the legislature party. The second West Bengal deputy CM, significantly, will be an ardent RSS activist. As several advisors have pointed out that Adhikari has risen from TMC cadres, the Sangh Parivar will make it a point to reward one of its veteran members with the other deputy CM slot. However, Adhikari has become a darling of the RSS bigwigs since the second in command under Mamata once, he has trounced her twice in her own backyard and hence is a formidable figure in the national Hindutva spectrum. Just like Himant Biswa Sarma of Assam, another late entrant in the BJP. The coming WB government will also emulate Maharashtra for inviting and housing industrial investment as well as in the infrastructure development sector.
The Congress party in Maharashtra has become a laughing stock since it is facing the ignominy of withdrawing from an electoral contest for the third consecutive time in a span of just a couple of months. Senior Congress leaders are feeling embarrassed since the party has been forced to eat its own words without extracting any concrete promise from the Nationalist Congress party (NCP) or the Shiv Sena (UBT) about the forthcoming elections in 2028. The focus of the ridicule is state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, who has fallen flat on his face after showing bravado every time. So much so that many of his party workers openly ask if he is making such important announcements on his own or without getting the high command’s clearance. Sapkal had to announce withdrawal of his party candidate from the Rajya Sabha fray earlier this year, to make way for unopposed election of NCP boss Sharad Pawar. Soon thereafter, he was compelled to declare that the Congress party will not contest against deputy CM Sunetra Pawar for the Baramati assembly byelection. He was made to change his stand immediately after warning the ruling Mahayuti that no walkover will be given to Sunetra. The latest insult Sapkal has suffered has happened in the biannual Vidhan Parishad election in which Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray unilaterally announced the candidature of his party Ambadas Danve. This caught Sapkal totally unprepared as even his own party leaders distanced themselves from his hasty behaviour. Thus, the Congress that ruled Maharashtra for decades till just a dozen years ago is considered a fringe party now, with Sapkal facing the blame for its decline.
Despite frequent news stories suggesting that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray is inching closer to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the possibility has been discounted outright by the latter, once again. The CM said in an interview that the Mahayuti led by him already has 235 MLAs in the 288-member state assembly. “Hence, there is no scope to accommodate anymore,” Fadanvis said. As the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad election concluded on April 29 by electing all nine candidates unopposed, the talk got traction once again that a post-midnight meeting between the two leaders had led to this momentous development. However, Fadnavis said no such meeting had taken place. On the other hand, Uddhav appears to have softened his criticism of Fadnavis in particular and the Mahayuti in general. This is linked with the conflicting policies adopted by the other two Maha Vikas Aghadi parties – the NCP led by Sharad Pawar and the Congress. Over the past several months, no convergence is seen within MVA. Even within the Sena (UBT), discontent is noticed over the candidature of former council LoP Ambadas Danve for another term of the upper house. In fact, Uddhav himself was urged by MVA leaders to contest but he did not. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde was making preparations to field a candidate against him in case Uddhav chose to face the election. After Uddhav declared that Danve will be the candidate, Shinde taunted him by saying, “Some people make others fight.” After the lacklustre performance in the assembly and local body elections in Maharashtra, the Sena (UBT) has witnessed a steady outgoing from its ranks. Uddhav and son Aaditya Thackeray are thus facing the prospect of rebuilding the party organisation, considered an uphill task in the given political frame.
Former Chief Justice of India B R Gavai’s recent visit to Bageshwar Dham in Madhya Pradesh has made the so-called rationalist and secular elements livid, generating several nasty comments against him. The religious centre and its head, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, always criticised for his aggressive Hindutva remarks, are thus in the news for a very different reason. The son of the late Dalit icon Ramkrishna Gavai, the retired CJI always speaks in support of the constitution of India and its emphasis on promoting secular principles embedded in it. Therefore, the Gavai family’s visit has come as a surprise for many. Pictures show Gavai at the Bageshwar Dham in Chhatarpur district with his wife Tejaswini and son Jyotiradiya. The Gavai family had hit the headlines last year when Gavai’s mother, Kamalatai, was invited by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for its Dussehra Rally. Though initial indications were that she would grace the important occasion, Kamalatai soon declined the invite when there was a barrage of criticism about the likely move. A noted social activist in her own right, Kamalatai has always remained away from public appearances. The late Ramkrishna Gavai led a sizable section of a faction of the Republican Party of India, set up by Dr B R Ambedkar. However, he himself had attended a RSS function and was known for his liberal attitude, enabling him to form friendships in all political parties. The CJI has not so far reacted to the feedback created by his visit.
All eyes are now on Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on how he handles the situation created by transport minister Pratap Sarnaik’s fiat to compel auto rickshaw and taxi drivers to speak Marathi with passengers from 1st May in the state. A leader of Sarnaik’s own party, the Shiv Sena (Shinde), former MP Sanjay Nirupam, is in the forefront of raising a banner of dissent, urging the minister to reconsider the order. The situation is likely to become complicated as Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has supported the directive. Moreover, volatile statements are made by certain functionaries. An announcement by MNS to print and distribute stickers for use of taxi and rickshaw drivers declaring that they know and use Marathi has added to the tension as a section of the drivers have declared their resolve to observe a strike from 4th May against the order. Sarnaik says that it was decided by the state government way back in 2019 to make it compulsory for taxi and rickshaw drivers to interact with passengers in Marathi. However, many complaints were received that the decision was flouted. Therefore, it has been decided to implement the decision strictly, he maintains. Certain MNS leaders have declared that a lesson will be taught to those drivers who say that they don’t know Marathi and will not speak it. Thus, the CM is confronting a complication within the Mahayuti led by him.
The initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies has had its genesis in Maharashtra. The introduction of Women’s Reservation in local self-government bodies in Maharashtra by then chief minister Sharad Pawar in the early 1994 was a landmark moment in India’s democratic evolution. It not only transformed grassroots governance in the state but also became a foundational model that influenced the present national-level legislation. It will be pertinent to recall how Pawar conceptualized and implemented the policy and understand how it has become a matter of pride. It was Maharashtra that set the ball rolling by being the first state to have successfully adopted a comprehensive women’s policy in 1994. Pawar as defence minister of India (1991-1993) instituted 11% reservation for women in the Army, Navy and Air Force. After returning as chief minister of Maharashtra, he transformed the Women’s Reservation Bill into a reality in the most progressive state in India. Decades later, the Modi government’s Women’s Reservation Bill at the national level can be seen as a continuation of this trajectory. While separated by scale and time, both initiatives share a common vision: to correct historical gender imbalance in political representation. Maharashtra has a strong legacy of social reform. It was in Mumbai and Pune that first schools for girls were started well before 1850. Widow remarriage was another revolution. The first medical lady doctor was Anandibai Joshi. Such an ideological background influenced later social and political leaders.
Former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has once again kept the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on the tenterhooks by not sending out any clear signal about his re-entry in the state legislative council. After his present term in the upper house expires, he will have to face a possible election to be held on 14 May to elect nine MLCs from the legislative assembly constituency. Given the existing statistics, the ruling Mahayuti can elect eight of its nominees easily while the MVA can be confident to bag just one seat. However, there are three claimants: the Congress, the NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav. The Congress is sore with both partners because they unilaterally supported the candidature of deputy CM Sunetra Pawar for the Baramati assembly byelection, caused by the demise of her husband Ajit Pawar in a plane crash earlier this year. The Congress was thus compelled to follow suit against its wishes. Now that an opportunity to send one of its leaders to the council is available, it finds itself in a tight corner as the possibility of Uddhav wishing to enter the fray is hovering over its head. There is speculation that Uddhav may nominate some other Sena leader. However, his detractors point out that he had declared his resignation as CM and in the same breath said he would give up council membership as well. However, he did not and hence no decision can be taken till he comes out with a clear, unambiguous stand, they say.
The Congress party in Maharashtra is mocked for its ‘historic’ decision not to contest the Baramati assembly by-election for which deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar is the formidable candidate. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal’s verbose justification for keeping away from the fray has generated more ridicule than praise. The prominent constituency in Pune district has unfailingly elected only a Pawar family member since 1967 and no exception is likely to take place this time, too. Sharad Pawar’s parliamentary career began from Baramati. Finally, the Congress asked its candidate Akash More to withdraw from the contest, which has left 23 hopefuls in the arena, which will elect Sunetra with a thumping majority on 4 May. Even though this was crystal clear from the beginning, Sapkal decided to go ahead with announcements that the field will not be left open for the NCP (Ajit) to walk away with victory without a fight. He was expecting support from within the party but none stood for him. His selection of Akash More also smacked of the caste factor. More belongs to the Dhangar (shepherd) community, which has a sizable population in the constituency. More’s father Vijay was a sworn opponent of veteran Sharad Pawar but failed to make any difference in Baramati. Moreover, when Pawar himself declared support for Sunetra, the fate was sealed. Even then, Sapkal stuck to his stand, ultimately embarrassing the Congress party.
Political scene in Maharashtra is witnessing another turmoil following news channel reports that eight of the nine Lok Sabha members of the Shiv Sena (UBT) attended a secret meeting with the Shiv Sena led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. Both sides have discounted the news promptly though the pall of suspicion refuses to disappear. The only Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha member not mentioned in the news is Uddhav Thackeray’s confidant Anil Desai. Shinde himself and his son Dr Shrikant, MP, also has described the reports as a figment of the imagination. However, such news items have been circulating ever since the BJP won the state assembly election with a landslide majority. There also have been murmurs that a large number of Sena (UBT) functionaries are eager to return to the Hindutva fold from which the party has distanced itself. Only a few days ago, a couple of Sena (UBT) MPs were roasted since they attended a celebration at the residence of former Union minister of state and Sena (Shinde) MP Pratap Jadhav in New Delhi. Soon afterwards, Uddhav held a meeting at Matoshree to sense the mood within the party. Even before the aftermath of this event has subsided, the latest reports have renewed speculation about the Sena (UBT) moving towards the ruling party. The Thane meeting was said to have occurred at the residence of Dr Shrikant Shinde. According to latest whispers, some major development can happen after results of the five state assembly elections are out in early May.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is experiencing extreme discomfort following its outgoing MP Priyanka Chaturvedi’s ‘courtesy’ call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Although she has declared that she will remain in the opposition, the praise heaped by her on Modi is viewed as a signal. Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray is already uneasy since two of his Lok Sabha members attended a reception hosted by Maharashtra’s deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s confidant Pratap Jadhav, MP, in the capital a couple of days ago. While Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut has been predicting that several MLAs from the NCP(Ajit) are planning to defect to the BJP in Maharashtra, he has avoided any comment on the two MPs meeting Jadhav. Significantly, this meeting happened soon after Shinde had visited the national capital. Thus, revival of the so-called ‘Operation Tiger’ is being discussed afresh. The two MPs are Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar (Hingoli) and Sanjay Deshmukh (Yavatmal-Washim), who had attended Jadhav’s felicitation last year as well. Both have clarified that it was a friendly visit and that no politics should be searched about it. However, given the fluid phase in the state polity, their defence is taken with a pinch of salt. Newly-elected Sena (Shinde) Rajya Sabha member Jyoti Waghmare had indicated the possibility of some MPs crossing sides but she had not provided any details. As Priyanka Chaturvedi was in the news over the reported tiff in the Sena (UBT) over the denial of another Rajya Sabha term to her, the call on the PM by her is considered fraught with several possibilities.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar’s entry into the state legislative assembly will not happen ‘unopposed’ since the Congress party is seriously considering the option of jumping into the fray. Voting for the byelection for Baramati constituency, caused by the demise of deputy CM Ajit Pawar, will take place on 23 April. According to present indications, Sunetra will file her nomination on 6 April in presence of CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde. Already a member of the Rajya Sabha, she will relinquish the Rajya Sabha seat after getting formally elected on 4 May. As Baramati is the stronghold of the NCP(Ajit), her victory is considered a foregone conclusion. Moreover, the NCP (SP) has pledged its support to her. Hence, any opposition to her will be a token gesture at best. Still, the Congress party has decided not to offer Sunetra a walkover. The Congress candidate will be announced in a day or two. Some fringe political elements have said that they will support the Congress. However, it will not make any difference. Thus, the precedent of not contesting a byelection against the family member of a deceased sitting member will thus be sidelined. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is yet to decide its strategy. The other assembly byelection in the state will be held for the Rahuri constituency, again a BJP stronghold. The ruling party has fielded Akshay Kardile, son of the late Shivaji Kardile. There is no worthwhile opposition to the scion of the former minister. Counting for both will be held on 4 May.
The Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit), a partner of ruling Mahayuti alliance, is again finding itself in a corner. The latest embarrassment is a video clip, allegedly showing minister Narhari Zirawal in a questionable position in company of a transgender at his official ministerial residence. A former deputy speaker of the state assembly, Zirawal is a tribal and a long-time follower of the late Ajit Pawar. Even earlier, Zirawal was found embroiled in a controversy when his personal assistant was caught accepting bribes in Mantralaya. Before that, Zirawal had jumped into the safety net from the sixth floor of Mantralaya to press some demands of the tribal sections in the state. As the pressure is mounting on chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to sack the minister, the delicate power balance is facing a litmus test. Ajit’s widow, Sunetra Pawar is burdened with deciding the fate of Zirawal. Already facing the impending assembly byelection challenge, Sunetra will have to show her leadership qualities. The NCP (A) is finding itself caught in a web over the exposes concerning Nasik Godman Ashok Kharat. At the centre of the scandal is Rupali Chakankar, even now president of the women’s wing of the state unit of the party. Rupali was compelled to resign her post as chairperson of the State Women’s Commission following the shocking disclosures concerning Kharat. All in all, the NCP (A) will have to wade through a political challenge soon.
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Short Post Is Here To Stay…
Time, they say, flies—and how true that is. Here we are celebrating our 5th Anniversary. Five years ago, when Covid-19 was wreaking havoc across the globe, I took a leap of faith and launched Short Post, India’s first website for Authentic Gossip. That was on January 31, 2021. I was convinced there was a clear gap in the market for gossip that was credible, sharp, and impactful—especially if told in just 250 words.
In this, I was fortunate. Scores of senior editors across diverse verticals bought into the idea and, in the process, gave wings to my dream. Quite honestly, Short Post could not have crossed these milestones without the unflinching support of its contributing editors. Like all start-ups, we have seen our share of ups and downs, but these editors have stood by us like a rock. I take this opportunity to doff my hat to them.
Thanks to their commitment, we have published close to 5,000 stories spanning politics, business, entertainment, and sports. I say this with pride: we made our mark as people who matter read us. “Small packs, big impact” truly captures the essence of Short Post.
We all know that Covid-19 has reset businesses worldwide, and the media sector is no exception. In the post-Covid era, investors have become more cautious and selective—and advertisers too. To compound matters, the entry of AI has disrupted the media landscape in equal measure. So far, we have managed to hold our ground, hopeful that some angel investors will take a shine to us.
What gives me confidence is this: AI cannot smell news—especially the gossipy kind. In other words, AI cannot churn out Short Post-type stories, no matter the prompt. That puts us in a safe zone. As someone rightly said, “AI is a co-pilot, not a pilot.”