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Upon the official announcement of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the Congress’s candidate from Wayanad, Kerala for Lok Sabha by-election, Congress workers have started putting up her posters in the constituency. The posters featured the greeting “Wayanadinte Priyankari” (Wayanad beloved). The question is with the Lok Sabha bypoll for Wayanad on November 13, how much time will siblings Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi give for polls in Jharkhand and Maharashtra on November 13 and 20? Since it will be Priyanka’s first electoral foray, it is quite likely that Rahul is likely to do much of the heavy lifting for her. The seat fell vacant as Rahul who had contested from both Rae Bareli and Wayanad, decided to represent the UP seat and wanted Priyanka to contest from Wayanad in a by-election. However, the ruling Left Front has made it clear that it would not be a cake walk for Priyanka. Kerala Minister MB Rajesh sought to remind how Rahul Gandhi has deserted Wayanad. “In August, when the state was reeling under floods, we had expected Rahul to deliver special help from the Centre. Wayanad is a constituency that gave RaGa refuge when he lost Amethi, but in the very next opportunity, Rahul Gandhi abandoned Wayanad, and now people of Wayanad will give him a befitting reply.”
Normally, questions about EVMs (electronic voting machines) and the Election Commission are raised after elections. However, the question of EVM was raised again soon after the EC declared the poll schedules for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections. Shiv Sena (Uddhav) leader Sanjay Raut said opposition parties do not trust the working of EVMs, and what happened in Haryana can be repeated in Maharashtra too. Congress leader Rashid Alvi alleged that EVMs could be manipulated just like Hezbollah pagers, which Israel hacked to carry out blasts in Lebanon. Rubbishing doubts, CEC Rajiv Kumar said, “Our EVMs are more robust than Hezbollah’s pagers, and they are 100% foolproof. EVMs cannot be hacked. Pagers are connected devices, but EVMs are not. “Those who are again questioning EVMs will have to answer many questions. Were EVMs working perfectly during the Lok Sabha polls but were hacked during the Haryana polls? Did EVMs work perfectly in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh but were tampered with in MP and Chhattisgarh? Who will believe such allegations? An electronic voting machine is just like a calculator, and it has no connection to the Internet via Bluetooth or any remote device. The battery usage of an EVM is written on the form when the EVM is packed and sealed. Candidates or their agents countersign it. Secondly, in a big country like India, where thousands of EVMs are used, and lakhs of government employees are involved in the electoral process, how can EVMs be hacked? And if some people tamper with the EVMs, how can the matter remain a secret? Victories and defeats occur during elections, but blaming the defeat on the EC or raising questions about EVM tampering is childish.
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal has been pounding Tamil Nadu with massive rainfall and flooding. Schools, Colleges and all public institutions are to remain closed with dire warnings of every hue…red, orange alerts to stay indoors and stay safe. But the government in its wisdom is keeping the state-run TASMAC outlets open for thirsty denizens. PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramdoss has lashed out at the TN government over this move. “Is it life-saving medicine or an essential that the public can’t live without? Is it an intrinsic part of the Dravida model to keep liquor sales open”? asked Anbumani in X. Significantly, Deputy CM, Udhayanidhi Stalin addressed the media even as the MET office warned about the heavy rain conditions to hit and assured that the DMK government was fully prepared to take on the threat of flooding. Having suffered severe losses in the past two cyclone hits with cars inundated, the public quickly resorted to parking cars on the flyover bridges….The Velachery flyover overnight turned into a parking lot. It’s another outrage that the police warned about big fines for such “parking”, adding insult to injury. YouTube podcasts on the rain caused flooding in Poes Garden, the hallowed precinct of power, politics and prestige turned smirk worthy. Ramadoss and his take on keeping TASMAC sales open as part of Dravida governance is seen as justified. Strange are the ways of “ideology” when it is business as usual.
Even as the Election Commission finalised polling date for Maharashtra as November 20, the Congress took a lesson from the BJP playbook and appointed senior leaders from other states to manage the polls in Maharashtra as observers. The high-profile team includes former CMs like Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Charanjit Channi. Karnataka deputy CM G Parameshwara, former deputy CMs TR Singhdeo and Sachin Pilot. The team also includes two Telangana ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and D Anasuya Seethakka. Deployment of a super team comes right after Congress’ debacle in Haryana elections where BJP won for the third time, securing 48 seats despite exit polls predicting a definite win for the Congress, which was able to secure only 37 seats. One of the reasons that was attributed to the party’s loss is leaving it all to former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Karnataka deputy CM G Parameshwara have been assigned Mumbai and Konkan region while Vidarbha region will be handled by former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Madhya Pradesh MLA and former minister Umang Singhar. Former Rajasthan deputy CM Sachin Pilot and senior Telangana minister Uttam Kumar Reddy have been deputed to Marathwada region while former Chhattisgarh deputy CM TS Singhdeo and senior Karnataka minister MB Patil have been assigned Western Maharashtra. Senior Rajya Sabha MP Syed Nasser Hussain and senior Telangana minister D Anasuya Seethakka have been asked to look after North Maharashtra. For Jharkhand, the party has appointed a 3-member team headed by Tariq Anwar and Adhir Ranjan Choudhary. Meanwhile, the party has declared Priyanka Gandhi as Wayanad Lok Sabha candidate.
The Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra held over five cabinet meetings in the span of the first fortnight of October and took over 200 decisions. This was the sprint before the code of conduct got enforced on October 15, 2024. In fact, even the death of Ratan Tata, that had the state observe a day of mourning, did not dissuade Shinde from not holding a cabinet. There was rapid fire decision-making with two cabinet meetings witnessing almost 71 decisions and even 80 decisions each. The chief minister has been over-generous and liberal in doling out freebies, sops and financial allocations in a bid to earn brownie points in the forthcoming elections forcing the opposition to claim that the state treasury was being emptied to woo voters by Shinde. Maharashtra already has debts of over Rs 7 lakh crore and the Ladki Bahin Yojana is expected to bleed it further. Concerns are already being raised about the feasibility of Shinde’s schemes be it the launching of multiple corporations considering that CAG report had claimed that most corporations were not functioning well. In fact, Shinde’s generosity in financial disbursements goes beyond the confines of the state. Sanjay Raut has claimed that the BJP has got Shinde to fund elections in other states like that of Haryana and that each of the probable candidates were being doled out Rs 20 crore by Shinde. The average Mumbaikar is happy that the toll fee at the five entry points has stopped for now. Whether this will convert into votes for Shinde remains to be seen.
The BJP has finalized its polls strategy for the Maharashtra state assemblies for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and UP CM Yogi Adityanath will be the star campaigners. The troika will address 18, 26 and 26 public rallies respectively across Maharashtra in a blitzkrieg of public rallies. This carpet-bombing political strategy seeks to exploit the party’s recent success in the Haryana assembly elections where the BJP returned to power for a record third time and improved performance in the Jammu region of J&K where this troika delivered the goods so-to-speak in good measure. International political developments particularly, in neighbouring Bangladesh played a crucial role in consolidating the Indian voter base of the BJP. Additionally, the RSS had organized 16,000 public meetings in Haryana over the last four months encompassing 6,000 villages in the state through a targeted door-to-door campaign by deploying its Karyakartas in the run up to the state assembly elections with a message of Hindu unity that worked like a charm for the BJP. The RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat publicly announced that his cadre of Pracharaks has laser focussed its attention to the forthcoming state assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand just like it did for Haryana and the general elections of India prior to that through a micro-outreach program. “Our culture, country and (Hindu) religion must not only survive but thrive,” Bhagwat has stated in obvious reference to consistent international (deep state) efforts to undermine India’s growing economy and its cultural identity that has been re-established over the last decade.
Could Baba Siddique who was shot dead while he was bursting crackers outside his MLA son Zeeshan’s office on Vijaya Dashami lived if he had moved out of Maharashtra politics just as he had wished? The former Congress leader, who hailed from Bihar, was apparently wanting to return to his roots and had even met with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, seeking a Rajya Sabha berth before making the switch to the NCP led by Ajit Pawar. It seemed he had enough of Mumbai politics and deals. Responding to Siddique’s tragic news, Tejashwi Yadav merely acknowledged how he had interacted with Siddique and his family during his recent visit to Mumbai. Siddique hailed from Gopalganj district. For some reason, Siddique was uncomfortable with the Congress and Shiv Sena(UBT) alliance, and had decided to opt out of the party in March this year. A three-time MLA from Bandra West assembly constituency, Siddique had served as a minister in the Congress-undivided NCP government in the early 2000.While his exit would be a big loss to Ajit Pawar ahead of the assembly polls, Sharad Pawar too hailed him as a leader who fought for the “minority community and championed secularism”. A close associate of actor-turned-politician Sunil Dutt, who helped him secure his first Congress ticket in 1999. Siddique is credited for bringing to end frosty ties between actors Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan in 2013
India’s Twenty20 team — a new look team — after the Twenty20 World Cup win has been going full throttle, starting with the five-match series against Zimbabwe in Harare. Zimbabwe made India — led by Shubman Gill — trip in the first outing, but since facing that one-off reverse by 13 runs, the men in blue have won in a canter, almost every match. After the World Cup win — Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja bid adieu to the short format to make way for youngsters. The selectors made the biggest change, appointing Suryakumar Yadav as captain of the Twenty20 team, not Hardik Pandya. Yadav was rested for the Zimbabwe tour, but the ball-basher from Mumbai has been going great guns from the three-match series against Sri Lanka. The best though, India reserved it against Bangladesh, smashing them out of sight in the three matches that ended with the home team posting a mammoth 297 in Hyderabad. The team was without Yashasvi Jaiswal, Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Out of 11 matches, India won nine of 10 matches with ease. The third and final match against Sri Lanka ended in a super over finish. Yadav, it appears has taken a leaf out of Rohit Sharma’s Kanpur book — going after the bowling and taking the game forward. In all India struck 57x 4s and 44 x 6s in three Twenty20s accounting for 492 runs. Such was the annihilation of the Bangladesh attack, a significant pointer to hit sixes as a strategy to mount pressure and bring down the opponent.
Sixty-year old popular star Jayaram Subramaniam has created a soft and stylish spot for himself in Kerala films despite Mammootty and Mohanlal’s reigning supreme as evergreens. His performance in the hit period drama Ponniyin Selvan (as Alwar Kadian Nambi, the articulate comic Brahmin) was as much the highlight of this epic drama as the pivotal characters of Ponni and Karikala Chozhan. His 26-year old son Kalidas Jayaram has created a niche for himself in the film industry. Recently he was cast in the Dhanush film Raayan, and showed his mettle in the Tamil OTT anthology Pava Kadaigal in which he played a transgender. Kalidas is all set to marry Tarini Kalingarayan, a former Miss Tamil Nadu 2019, well known model and alumnus of MOP Vaishnav College. Jayaram and wife Parvathy had just celebrated daughter Malavika’s wedding in grand style , and it came as no surprise that they announced Kalidas ‘ wedding too in quick succession. The only surprise was that Jayaram, Parvathy and Kalidas honoured MK Stalin, TN CM with the first invite. Not surprising it created a buzz as why had he not given the first invitation to the Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan? In the world of politics and cinema events occur not according to the logic of mundane society. Celebrities have their own exalted status or political predilections. Superstar Mammootty’s son Dulquer Salmaan’s was an arranged marriage in 2011 to Amal Sufiya whose family is from North India. Mohan Lal’s son, Pranav Mohanlal’ marriage with Kalyani Priyadarshan has remained an enigmatic topic.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Dussehra address in Nagpur is seen as an endorsement of the BJP’s policy of Hindu consolidation. It is like a green signal for the party to proceed with its agenda, the insiders feel. Bhagwat’s remarks will be helpful in boosting the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly election since there is no ambiguity in his message. The tone of the address, delivered at the beginning of the centenary year of the RSS, will be interpreted severally but the RSS will continue its work undaunted, its veteran members say. The BJP had suffered in the Lok Sabha election since the RSS had not immersed itself fully in the contest. The BJP took due note of its displeasure and took corrective steps. The result was that it bagged Haryana, though with a nominal margin. The same formula will now be emulated in Maharashtra where the BJP lost 16 Lok Sabha seats due to minority collective vote in favour of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates. Learning a lesson from the debacle, the ruling Mahayuti partners have been implementing their strategy in an organized manner. Still, there was uneasiness in the saffron camp given the clout of NCP founder Sharad Pawar. The announcement of the election dates and the candidates of respective parties is expected to occur at any moment now. Hence, Bhagwat’s clear call has come as a welcome breather for the Mahayuti.
Firebrand OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal has announced his withdrawal from the Lok Sabha election. He himself has made this momentous announcement, saying that any delay in deciding a candidate for the Nashik constituency could be denting the Mahayuti’s prospects. Bhujbal indicated that none had asked him to walk out but chief minister Eknath Shinde’s insistence for the seat is seen as the reason for this significant development. Had Bhujbal been fielded, there was the possibility of the Maratha opposition as he is the main exponent of the OBC’s opposition to their reservation demand. However, neither Bhjubal nor sitting Sena (Shinde) MP Hemant Godse have touched upon this aspect. But the announcement has almost endorsed Godse’s bid for a third term. Bhujbal thanked Union home minister Amit Shah, disclosing that Shah was insistent for him, as informed by DCM Ajit Pawar and confirmed by another DCM Devendra Fadnavis. Godse has expressed satisfaction over Bhujbal’s decision and the Mahayuti, too, feels relieved since Nasik was one of the seats for which so far no unanimity could occur. Bhujbal has now declared that he will tour Maharashtra for the victory of Mahayuti candidates. His presence in some constituencies could be beneficial, but inconvenient in some others due to his strident pro-OBC stance.
The ruling saffron alliance in Maharashtra is predicted to suffer in the coming Lok Sabha election, according to an Opinion Poll conducted by the Marathi news channel ABP Majha and C-Voter. The channel has flashed the inferences drawn by the poll conducted across the state. The highlight of the prediction is that the three-party Mahayuti will have to content itself with just 30 seats, yielding the remaining 18 to the Opposition-led I.N.D.I.A front. The Mahayuti had won 41 seats in 2019. The shocking prophecy in the poll is that the NCP led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar will not be able to win a single Lok Sabha seat. The broad findings of the poll are as follows: BJP 21/22, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) 9/10, Shiv Sena (UBT) 9, NCP (Sharad) 5 and Congress 3. Moreover, in Baramati, Supriya Sule is likely to be re-elected, the poll says. The Congress party will improve its tally to three from the lone Chandrapur seat it won in the 2019 election. The NCP under Sharad Pawar will retain Satara and Shirur while the results in Madha, Nanded and Parbhani will be astonishing, according to the poll. The Sena under Uddhav Thackeray will receive a much-needed boost if it can win about 10 seats since most of its sitting MPs and MLAs have gone with chief minister Eknath Shinde.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-awaited Mumbai rally has raised extra curiosity since Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray is expected to share the dais with him. Although no formal confirmation has been forthcoming about either the date or venue of the public meeting, it is likely to take place at the historic Shivaji Park grounds in the heart of Mumbai. Thakeray’s son Amit has indicated in Pune about Raj addressing the rally in Modi’s presence. Only recently, Raj had had asked his rank and file to work for Modi’s return and the NDA’s success. If his presence at Modi’s rally is announced officially, MNS workers will campaign for the saffron alliance more enthusiastically, it is felt. Amit hinted at the joint rally during his visit of Pune, which was for expanding his party’s presence there. BJP’s Pune Lok Sabha candidate Murlidhar Mohol, a former mayor, called on him during his stay, to enlist the MNS support. A BJP stronghold for a long time, the party had to face a defeat in the recently held Pune assembly byelection. Hence, the party is unwilling to leave anything to chance this time. The meeting between Amit and Mohol is a boost for the NDA in this situation. About Mumbai, Amit said that the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray will suffer heavily since in the capital city of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s surprise move to decide to file a nomination from family fiefdom Baramati is seen more as a precaution than strategy. His wife Sunetra is the nominee of his faction of the NCP. His uncle Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Suleis seeking re-election from the constituency, facing the formidable challenge mounted by her sister in law Sunetra. Ajit has obtained nomination forms and is expected to file the same. As and when Sunetra’s papers are found in order, he will withdraw. The precaution has been prompted after the Congress fiasco in Ramtek seat in Vidarbha. There, official candidate Rashmi Barve’s nomination was rejected on caste certificate grounds. Fortunately for the Congress, her husband Shyamkumar had also filed papers as a dummy candidate. He is now in the fray. Emulating the lesson, Ajit has prepared to fight in case of any complications in the scrutiny. His action is perceived as a firm resolve to end his uncle’s hegemony in Baramati in particular and Pune district, too
Veteran leader Sharad Pawar has backtracked on his controversial remark about nephew Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra, whom he had described as an ‘outsider’ in Baramati. Pawar had passed this remark while campaigning for his daughter Supriya Sule, and appealed to the electors indirectly to vote for a ‘local’ candidate. This remark to further Supriya’s prospects became viral and has been condemned by several women activists. Alerted by the likely backlash during voting, Pawar clarified before the media in Satara that he had never made such a statement. ‘I was only reacting to Ajit’s call to elect his wife by saying that after the people of Baramati had elected myself, Ajit and Supriya, they should elect another Pawar.” Ajit and Sunetra were married in 1985, almost four decades ago. Although she has refused to react to the thorny issue, it is becoming election ammunition. Sunetra is the younger sister of Dr Padamsingh Patil, an ardent former confidant of Pawar and Dharashiv (Osmanabad) strongman, dreaded for his daredevil style of politics. In a bid to blunt likely opposition attacks, Pawar mentioned that he was the first chief minister in India to implement a special policy for women whereby they were granted reservations for local body elections. He recalled that it was during his term as defence minister that women were inducted in defence services.
The NCP faction under founder Sharad Pawar is banking upon ‘imported’ candidates for the coming Lok Sabha election. The NCP (Pawar) is contesting 10 seats in Maharashtra and five of its nominees have come from outside. But the party is not alone. All major parties have adopted this route to ensure wins on their roster. After nephew Ajit Pawar engineered a vertical split in the NCP, most of the elected members, in the state and in parliament, chose to part ways with Sharad Pawar. Hence he explored the hopefuls elsewhere and offered them candidature, denied by their party. Those crossing over include BJP’s Shriram Patil from Jalgaon. Wardha’s NCP (Ajit faction) candidate Amar Kale has been elected on a Congress ticket to the assembly thrice. At least two Ajit followers have staged a homecoming. They are Nilesh Lanke from Ahmednagar district and Bajrang Sonawane from Beed district. Both have been fielded by Sharad Pawar soon after their return. Lanke is a powerful orator, who will take on the influential Vikhe-Patil family’s scion Dr Sujay, sitting MP. The latest to join him is Dhairyasheel from the powerful Mohite-Patil family from Solapur district. He will be contesting from Madha. He was BJP’s organising secretary for several years. Pawar himself is campaigning for them despite his advancing years. The Shiv Sena (Shinde), the BJP and the Congress, too, have welcomed such turncoats.
Maverick leader Prakash Ambedkar’s allegation that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has reached an understanding with the BJP in 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra is bound to add to the Opposition’s headache. At present, a series of allegations is heard against NCP chief Sharad Pawar that he had almost joined BJP and NDA but turned away at the last moment. Those repeating the charge include Praful Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal, both his former staunch supporters. As a result, an element of distrust appears creeping in MVA as Pawar has always remained unpredictable. Though Ambedkar’s many past statements have been found to be audacious, his latest claim could fuel the internecine conflict in MVA further. Ambedkar has alleged that the 20 constituencies where ‘fixing’ is made include Buldhana, Beed and Kalyan. Interestingly, the name of chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son Dr Shrikant Shinde, current Kalyan MP, is yet to be announced as a candidate for the seat formally. However, his name has been mentioned by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as the nominee. Even as Mahayuti is still grappling with seat sharing among its three partners, MVA is riddled with protests and a pall of suspicion owing to the dispute over some prestigious constituencies can be felt. Added to the intrigue is constant whispers about some important MVA leaders crossing over to the saffron camp. Ambedkar is expected to reveal the so-called list in a day or two.
The embattled Maharashtra Congress is receiving one shock after another. Now, leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, has been forced to refute claims that he is on the cusp of joining the BJP. Senior Congress leaders in various constituencies are coming out openly against the state unit’s decision on seat sharing with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav) and the NCP (Sharad Pawar). Some have even left the party. Though hardly any damage control effort by the party is seen, the so-called revelation about Wadittewar has been made by minister of food and drug administration Dharmarao Baba Atram. He told the media that talks about Wadettiwar joining the BJP had taken place in his presence. Wadettiwar is a close confidant of former chief minister Ashok Chavan, who recently joined the BJP. Enraged by the claim, Wadettiwar demanded that a narco test should be carried out on Atram. He alleged that Atram was making false statements since the BJP was certain to lose the Gadchiroli seat held by it for the past decade. In Nasik and Mumbai, too, Congress workers have expressed anguish over the seat sharing and candidate selection. In Nasik, several Congress leaders have threatened to resign since senior worker Shobha Bachchav has been fielded from Dhule. Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad, too, has conveyed her hurt sentiments to the high command.
MNS president Raj Thackeray’s ‘unconditional’ support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP has scored its first casualty. MNS general secretary Keertikumar Shinde left the organisation soon after Raj declared his stand at a huge rally in Shivaji Park in Mumbai on April 9. Shinde’s resignation has gone viral on social media. Raj’s critics, too, have come out to point fingers at him. The first such salvo was fired by Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar, who has claimed that the BJP supporters from north and south India have begun feeling insecure because of the stand taken by Raj. MNS had in the past assaulted their brethren, Ambedkar recalled and said the undivided Shiv Sena and later MNS had launched violent agitations against ‘outsiders’ in Maharashtra. The other criticism of Raj was a statement by Sena (Uddhav) MP Sanjay Raut. He was asked why his party had not sought Raj’s support if it had tried to enlist Ambedkar to its side. Raut sarcastically said that the moot issue was the seriousness of the person (Raj) to be approached and not if his help was sought. “Politics is not a game to pass time,” Raut quipped. Also, the silence of Raj about supporting the Sena led by Eknath Shinde and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar is considered significant. His clarification on this delicate aspect is expected to be issued soon.
Top Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde’s daughter Praniti Shinde has heaved a sigh of relief after her traditional opponent, CPM’s Narasayya Adam has declared his support to her for the Solapur Lok Sabha constituency. Though Praniti had trounced Adam thrice since 2009 in the assembly election, the formation of the I.N.D.I.A front has ended this rivalry, even though it could be a transient arrangement. But more surprising is the fact that Adam has now claimed that the massive housing project that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated by specially visiting Solapur in January this year was not due to the BJP. In fact, it was Adam who had urged Modi in 2019 to accelerate the project and had publicly thanked him when it took off as well as after its completion. In the changing scenario, Congress president Sonia Gandhi reportedly spoke with CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechuri about the Solapur seat to seek CPM’s support. Sushilkumar’s proximity with the Gandhi clan is well known. He also called up Yechuri. Later, a meeting took place between Praniti and Adam, who had started singing a different tune. Considering these factors, the BJP has fielded Ram Satpute to take on Praniti. Still, some nervousness is palpable in the Congress camp as the strategy of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and the AIMIM is still uncovered. Nonetheless, Praniti’s prospects have brightened due to Adam’s support.
Will Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder Raj Thackeray embrace the BJP via the NDA? His Gudi Padwa Melawa speech which will take place at Shivaji Park, Dadar, central Mumbai is, hence, awaited with baited breath by all sides since some electoral calculations will depend upon his stand. A firm supporter of Narendra Modi in 2014, Raj was among the first to demand that Modi be made Prime Minister. Within a couple of years, he turned a bitter critic of the PM and continued to lambast BJP. After the dramatic change of power in Maharashtra in 2019, Raj trained his guns against cousin Uddhav Thackeray, who was installed as chief minister by Sharad Pawar and the Congress party. Thereafter, Raj gradually started changing his stance and recently, came out openly in support of the BJP. His meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah and his silence from the next moment till now has heightened the suspense about his next move. If Raj joins the NDA alliance, the Shiv Sena under Uddhav will be the most vulnerable as it will be difficult for it to repulse his acidic attacks, evoking Balasaheb Thackeray’s utterances against ‘anti-national’ forces. His staunch advocacy of Hindutva was praised by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday (Apr 8), giving indications that Raj is ready to make an important announcement on Tuesday (Apr 9).
A BJP heavyweight once upon a time, Eknath Khadse’s homecoming in the saffron camp was indicated time and again. Now that he has himself confirmed it, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Sharad Pawar has been dealt another severe blow on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. Khadse had only a short while ago joined the NCP and was made a member of the state legislative council. Since the Pawar faction of the NCP has just three members in the upper house, including Khadse, his desertion of the party which elected him to the house will not legally amount to a defection. Hence, Khadse can continue to be a MLC. His daughter in law Raksha has been renominated by the BJP for the Lok Sabha. To counter the move, Pawar had decided to field Khadse. However, the former BJP boss declined, citing health reasons. Soon thereafter, his Delhi visits and his ‘courtesy call’ on Union home minister Amit Shah led to the talk of his returning to the BJP but he continued to discount the possibility. Finally, Khadse himself accepted that his donning the saffron garb again would be taking place soon. Having proved to be a headache for the formidable Devendra Fadnavis in his ministry, the Jalgaon giant will have to watch his step twice before opening his mouth about the BJP affairs.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, now a BJP MP, has hit out at the state Congress leadership by calling it choice names. Chavan was provoked to come out strongly against the party which had made him and his father the chief minister when its leaders tried to portray him as a Trojan Horse while he was in the Congress. It is being whispered that as a member of the election committee of the Congress, Chavan deliberately undermined the party’s prospects by misguiding the leadership. Chavan’s claim that he was working for the Congress till the last evening before joining the BJP has become a tool for his adversaries to beat him. Finally losing his cool, Chavan has said that those critics were targeting him to hide their own failings and ineffectiveness. They lack a decision-making instinct, he has remarked. The possibility of Chavan joining the BJP was being discussed for the past one year. But the Congress party never took the hint seriously, always debunking it. Now that Chavan has been elected to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP, his erstwhile cronies in the Congress are holding him responsible for the Congress party’s lamentable show in Sangli and Mumbai over the seat-sharing discussions. Chavan has alleged that the so-called leaders all lack mass base and enjoy life by lunching in 5-star hotels, doing little for the party.
Shiv Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray’s announcement to field a not so well-known candidate from the prestigious Kalyan-Dombivli Lok Sabha constituency has surprised many though the ruling alliance appears pleased with the decision. Although chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son Dr Shrikant is tipped to contest the seat this time, too, his name was not announced formally till Wednesday evening. The BJP’s insistence for the constituency is said to have delayed a final decision of the NDA. Seizing the initiative, Uddhav has justified his selection of Vaishali Darekar Rane, not even a frontrunner for the party ticket. A former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activist, Vaishali staged her homecoming in 2016. At present, she is heading one of the Sena shakhas. Although some more famous names were being discussed, Vaishali’s choice is intriguing for most Sena workers. On the other hand, Dr Shrikant Shinde, the CM’s son, is a formidable candidate but the tussle between the BJP and the Sena (Shinde) has continued despite several rounds of meetings. Now that Uddhav has fielded a lightweight, alliance leaders feel the seat is already in their bag. Vaishali is a Dombivli resident in the constituency. Uddhav’s wife Rashmi was born and brought up in the middle-class town, known for its unwavering support of Hindutva and the BJP. Thus, the so-called Dombivli connection is now viral on social media platforms.
Outgoing BJP MP of Jalgaon, Unmesh Patil, is expected to formally join the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray on April 3. After it became clear that Patil had been refused renomination this time by the BJP, he became unreachable all of a sudden. Former BJP MLA Smita Wagh has been fielded by the party since internecine differences caused the party’s rethink about Patil. A stronghold of the BJP, Jalgaon has been in the news since veteran leader Eknath Khadse is watched closely amidst news reports that he will be rejoining the BJP. Khadse was in Delhi two days ago and reportedly called on some top BJP leaders. His daughter-in-law Raksha has been selected to contest for the third time from the north Maharashtra constituency of Raver in Jalgaon district, a Khadse bastion. Though he joined the NCP under Sharad Pawar last year and has been made a MLC by the party, Khadse is said to be restless as he finds little acceptance for himself in the party dominated by western Maharashtra leaders. Against this backdrop, more political migrations in both directions are expected to take place in Jalgaon district. Unmesh Patil called on Sena MP Sanjay Raut and indications are available that he could embrace the Sena (U) tomorrow. ‘Wait and watch,’ is his only comment at present.
BJP heavyweight Nitin Gadkari has discounted any possibility of him becoming Prime Minister and has once again endorsed the leadership of Narendra Modi. This frank revelation of perhaps the most popular minister at present has been telecast by Marathi news channel TV-9. In a frank interview, Gadkari has expressed confidence that the BJP-led alliance will win around 45 of 48 seats in Maharashtra. A Lok Sabha candidate himself, Gadkari has explained why he has friends across all parties. “I take decisions on merits. I don’t look at anyone’s party affiliation but put the public interest above everything,” he said. Gadkari was asked if he would be a PM candidate in case the BJP could win under 200 seats. He emphatically rejected any such possibility and predicted that the NDA will bag not less than 400 seats under Modi’s leadership. After the election, Modi will lead the government, he reiterated. Replying to a question, Gadkari said there was no plan to change the nation’s constitution nor was this a factor in the BJP’s agenda. On the other hand, the Congress had amended the constitution 80 times and had imposed the emergency in 1975, he recalled. Asked about admitting those into the BJP who had been facing corruption charges, Gadkari observed that politics is a game of contradictions, compulsions and limitations. People come and go, change parties. He refused to comment on several subjects, saying that the party’s spokespersons and office-bearers were taking care of such matters.
The threat posed by the Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar is worrying leaders of the Opposition-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) since his Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) had caused narrow defeats of seven Lok Sabha candidates in 2019. Known for his vacillating political postures, Ambedkar had kept MVA on tenterhooks till the last moment this time, too. Now that he has unilaterally announced the list of his candidates, the Congress, the Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar are in a bind. While most VBA’s candidates this time are just locally known, the followers of Ambedkar are likely to vote en masse, perhaps at the cost of the MVA candidates. In 2019, the major beneficiary of VBA’s step was the unified Shiv Sena although it lost the then Aurangabad seat to AIMIM, which had fought the election jointly with VBA. As the Sena is splintered now and Ambedkar is going alone, his repeated allegation that MVA has treated VBA emissaries disrespectfully during seat sharing talks, could pose a serious threat for Uddhav’s nominees. Time and again, VBA has been described as the BJP’s “B Team” and every time, Ambedkar has refuted the allegation vehemently. Whatever the truth, his decision to field candidates had indirectly benefited the saffron party. Nanded, Buldhana, Parbhani, Gadchiroli, Solapur, Hatkanangale and Sangli seats were won by the BJP-Sena alliance, thanks to the VBA, in 2019.
Saturday, March 30 will be remembered by Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar as a harbinger of mixed feelings. While Pawar was just heaving a sigh of relief after his conciliation with his adversary Vijay Shivtare in Pune district, the Ajit’s nephew Rohit Pawar’s claim about the prestigious Baramati constituency going in favour of Supriya Sule went viral on social media. As Ajit is determined to trounce his cousin Supriya from the family fiefdom Baramati by fielding his wife Sunetra, the forecast by his family member came as a rude shock. Till a day ago, an enraged Shivtare had been threatening to ensure Sunetra’s defeat so as to avenge his own waterloo in Purandar assembly election of 2019. Ajit had then publicly declared that he would see to it that Shivtare was not elected. After he lost the election, Shivtare had raised the banner of protest against Ajit. But following elaborate talks two days ago, Shivtare relented and vowed to add 1.5 lakh votes to Sunetra’s victory margin. Even as Ajit was basking in the euphoria, Rohit’s prophecy in Pune that Supriya will win by a margin of at least 2.5 lakh votes must have come as a bolt from the blue for him. Rohit maintained that Ajit had conducted nine surveys in Baramati Lok Sabha constituency so far and each had predicted Supriya’s successful return to the Lok Sabha.
NCP leader Sharad Pawar’s long-time confidant Shrinivas Patil has created a vexing situation for his mentor by declaring his inability to contest the coming Lok Sabha election from the prestigious Satara constituency — the rich sugar belt — in Maharashtra. While the ruling Mahayuti is zeroing on the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja’s family scion Udayan Raje Bhosale, currently a Rajya Sabha member, Pawar was reassured about fielding Shrinivas and about the latter’s re-election from the constituency, the stronghold of the NCP. A former IAS officer, Shrinivas is 83 now. In fact, when he was asked to contest in a byelection in October 2019, he was reluctant due to his advancing years. However, he bowed to Pawar’s entreaty and won the seat by defeating Udayan Raje. Now that he has shown unwillingness, Pawar will have to look for a replacement which will be formidable enough to take on the royal opponent, who was elected to the Lok Sabha earlier from Satara. A Congress citadel for many decades, Satara district has shown its preference tilting towards the BJP in recent years. Pawar sees this constituency as a prestige issue and has left no stones unturned to retain his hold on it. But after the rebellion by nephew Ajit, the NCP supremo is finding it challenging to keep his horde under control. He is expected to announce the name of his nominee by Sunday.
Former Union home minister Shivraj Patil’s daughter-in-law Dr Archana Chakurkar is all set to join the BJP in Mumbai on Saturday. Former chief minister Ashok Chavan has played a vital role in this major political upheaval which will impact Marathwada region’s power structure from now on. The development has unnerved the state Congress party, which is already buffeted by one desertion after another. On the heels of famous thespian Govinda, the influential Shivraj family member’s decision has left Congress leaders speechless. Shivraj was the Lok Sabha speaker for a full term and had handled several major portfolios at the Centre, besides holding the gubernatorial reigns in Punjab. His trusted aide Basavraj Patil joined the BJP last month, sending out clear signals that Archana will follow him sooner than later. Belonging to the powerful Lingayat caste, the Patil clan has been wielding considerable clout in Latur, Dharashiv and Nanded districts, which share the state’s border with Karnataka. Archana, in fact, was all set to enter the saffron camp some years ago. However, that could not happen due to various reasons. After her arrival in Mumbai, Archana called on deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis Friday afternoon. The picture of their meeting has been made viral, prior to her formal welcome. Some more prominent faces will soon join the BJP, it has been indicated.
Eruption of discontent after a candidate’s name is announced is an expected occurrence for all major parties but when it is a three-party combination, the problems aggravate to another level. Leaders of the ruling alliance MahaYuti — the BJP, the Shiv Sena’s Shinde faction and the NCP’s Ajit Pawar group — are spending more time in dousing the fires than concentrating on campaigning. The case with the opposition-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is no different. The Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray, the Congress and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar are so engrossed in settling their mutual disputes that it is becoming difficult to understand who is an official nominee and belonging to which party. Deserting the original party to join another has become rampant and has added to the headache of the leaders from both sides. To add fuel to the fire, Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar, independent MLA Bachchu Kadu and splinter group leaders have been making one announcement after another to confound their own followers. Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has been accused of playing a double game by Ambedkar who was wooed by MVA till the other day. On the other hand, the Congress is angry with Uddhav for unilaterally announcing the candidates for some disputed seats. Maratha reservation demand leader Manoj Jarange Patil has been contributing his bit by daily changing his stand. The picture will be clear only on the last day of withdrawal of nomination by the candidates.
Actress and BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut has been reminded by several netizens of her remarks against popular star Urmila Matondkar when the latter was fielded by the Congress party in Mumbai North to contest the Lok Sabha election in 2019. On a later occasion, Kangana had expressed her willingness to stand for an election. In the course of that interaction, she had called Urmila a soft porn star. This has been recalled by several net users as a quip allegedly uploaded by Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate against Kangana has set off a war of words between BJP and Congress. The offensive tweet was later withdrawn but the verbal give and take continues. Excerpts of Kangana’s 2020 interview to a TV channel have been uploaded. She says, “Urmila Matondkar, she is a soft porn star. I know it’s very blatant, but I want to ask you… she is not known for her acting for sure, what is she known for, for doing soft porn, right? If she can get a ticket (candidature for a political party), why won’t I get a ticket?” Kangana’s comment against Urmila followed Matondkar’s criticism of Ranaut for disrespecting veteran actor Jaya Bachchan. In a 2020 speech in parliament, Bachchan had spoken out against the tarnishing of the entire film industry. About the latest Congress post, Kangana will announce her next step after meeting BJP leaders in Delhi. Whatever the outcome, the ‘X’ post will continue to haunt the Congress party for some time.
Manoj Jarange Patil has once again changed his tactics for the coming Lok Sabha election. Now, he says only one candidate should be fielded on behalf of the caste in each Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra. Moreover, he has clearly stated that such a candidate need not belong to the Maratha caste but should be a votary of the demand. Jarange’s decision was announced at a rally of the Maratha reservation demand’s supporters. Diluting his aggressive stand further, Jarange has said that for the Maratha community, the assembly election is more important than the Parliament’s election. ‘We will teach the government a lesson at that time,” he said while criticizing chief minister Eknath Shinde. Earlier, Jarange had threatened to derail the election process by fielding one Maratha candidate from each village so that the ballot paper would carry hundreds of names and EVMs would have to be replaced by printed ballot papers. However, given the heat generated by the LS election process, Jarange has been more or less ignored by the media to which he was sort of addicted. The selection of candidates by various political parties and their alliances and fronts has a clear imprint of caste considerations. Thus, the spirit generated by Jarange to press his demand for Maratha caste reservations has evaporated. His claim that his decision can impact the results in 18 LS constituencies is hence viewed with disbelief.
Intense bargaining for claiming more and more Lok Sabha constituencies has delayed the seat-sharing formulas in Maharashtra for both sides. While the ruling alliance is still to declare its candidates in many constituencies, an agreement on this issue is as yet eluding the Opposition I.N.D.I.A front despite several rounds of discussion. Top leaders from both sides are found closeted with each other or with potential defectors. Chief minister Eknath Shinde and two deputy chief ministers, Devendra Fadanvis and Ajit Pawar keep on assuring their followers that the formula is being finalized and will be announced soon. From I.N.D.I.A front side, Sharad Pawar, former CM Uddhav Thackeray and state Congress president Nana Patole have been meeting time and again to hammer out an agreement that would be respectable for all three constituents. Nonetheless, rebels are popping up all over the state to add to the headache for both camps. Family clashes concerning the Pawar and Thackeray families have added to the ferocity of the fight. Uddhav has mounted a bitter attack against cousin Raj for meeting Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi, thereby implying that the MNS chief has compromised the honour of Marathi Manoos. Ajit Pawar continues to be lashed by his adversaries while Beed candidate Pankaja Munde’s selection is described as a signal that her sister, sitting MP Pritam Munde, will be dropped this time. The role of their cousin Dhananjay Munde will be under scanner, given their earlier political enmity.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s isolation from the larger Pawar family in Baramati has deepened and appears to be heading to a point of no return. Now, his aunt has come out against him. Veteran Sharad Pawar’s younger sister Saroj Patil, a former school headmistress, has broken her political silence for the first time to stand by her elder brother. Saroj is the wife of the late ND Patil, who was an ardent political opponent of the Congress party and Pawar. In her late eighties, Saroj has alleged that it is the BJP’s plan to defeat Supriya Sule from Baramati, thereby finishing Sharad’s clout. But she has warned that Sharad can’t be uprooted from Baramati for which he has worked for such a long time. The family feud has come out in the open ever since Ajit decided to break away from the family patriarch and assumed serious proportions as he announced fielding his wife Sunetra against Supriya. Though Saroj has praised Supriya and Sunetra as ‘decent’ ladies, she has tipped in favour of the NCP MP and remarked that Sunetra is not so much studied. Her veiled criticism of Ajit comes on the heels of the onslaught by his brother Shriniwas, who said the Ajit is an arrogant person who does not respect family elders. In response, a communication has become viral in social media, in which it is said that Ajit has established himself with his talent and hard work. The signatory is “A Wise Baramatikar.”
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is appearing to be almost in the BJP’s bag, boosting the ruling alliance’s confidence for the Lok Sabha election. The BJP-MNS alliance was reportedly sealed after Union home minister Amit Shah met MNS chief Raj Thackeray in Delhi on Tuesday (Mar 19), though the meeting was scheduled to take place on Monday night. Raj has insisted on two Lok Sabha seats for his party, Mumbai South and Nasik and using his election symbol, the Railway Engine. If the alliance becomes a reality, the BJP will be able to hit several birds with a single stone as Raj will aggressively extoll Hindutva, will attack cousin Uddhav on ode to Veer Savarkar and kneeling before the Shiv Sena’s erstwhile political foes like the Communists and the DMK. Raj will thus prove to be an asset for the ruling alliance. BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde, an old friend of Raj, and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis played a behind the scene role in persuading the MNS leader to join the bandwagon. Raj was accompanied by his son Amit. No other leader was with him when Shah met them. MNS has been unable to make any dent in the electoral map of Maharashtra so far. The likely handshake will prove to be a win-win situation for both. Shortpost.in had indicated the possibility on Monday.
As expected by many of his critics, Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar has dealt another blow to the I.N.D.I.A front in Maharashtra, attacking the Shiv Sena (Uddhav) and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. He has suggested to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge that an arrangement should be made between their two parties about the seven seats which the oldest party will be contesting in the state. The presence of Ambedkar has been proving uncomfortable for the I.N.D.I.A due to his various public utterances. Sena MP Sanjay Raut had expressed displeasure about this before the media a few days ago. Undeterred, Ambedkar continues to assail his potential allies. In fact, veteran leader Sharad Pawar and Ambedkar have not seen eye to eye on most issues. However, the mercurial leader was accommodated into the Opposition front at the behest of Uddhav. But Ambedkar has also taken him to task. In his letter to Kharge, he has charged that the Sena and NCP leaders have not been even hearing his party emissaries. “They are giving us step-motherly treatment,” he complained. Still, he has not forgotten to dangle a carrot for the Congress by indicating that the two-party arrangement can continue in the future, also. Though busy finalising the seat-sharing formula, the Sena and the NCP are finding it difficult to find capable candidates in several constituencies like Nagpur. Ambedkar’s intransigence, hence, is considered a headache invited by I.N.D.I.A.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s sly reference to him has been ridiculed by former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan. Similarly, the scion’s claim that then finance minister Arun Jaitley had requested him not to speak about the Land Acquisition Act has been questioned by top BJP leaders. In his public rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on March 17, Rahul had described how a senior Congress leader from the state had wept before Sonia Gandhi while admitting that he was joining the BJP lest he would be arrested. Although Rahul did not name the leader, the reference was obviously suggestive and it was identified to be Chavan, who recently joined the BJP and was immediately elected to the Rajya Sabha. Chavan said if Rahul was pointing a finger at him, there was no truth in the allegation. Chavan said his decision to leave the Congress party was not known to anyone. He was busy with the party’s work till the previous evening and nobody had an inkling of his next move. The news broke out when Chavan submitted his legislative assembly membership’s resignation to the speaker. Hence, the claim that he had a meeting with Sonia Gandhi in this connection was utterly laughable and unfounded, Chavan stated emphatically. Rahul’s other assertion that Jaitley had met him has similarly been viewed with mistrust. Let him come out with evidence to substantiate his claim, BJP leaders have challenged Rahul.
The ruling Mahayuti has been unable to resolve the stalemate created over the seat sharing formula, which is likely to undergo a major change if the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is included in the saffron alliance. While deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has indicated that the Mahayuti now has no scope to welcome any new partner, several other factors have impacted the ongoing talks. One of them is MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has been ambivalent about joining the Mahayuti but has not discounted the possibility outright. His trusted aide Bala Nandgaonkar has been reportedly sounded to contest from South Mumbai, a Shiv Sena stronghold all these years, though due to the BJP support. BJP leaders are weighing the pros and cons about taking MNS on board since it is felt that Raj can easily discredit his cousin Uddhav Thackeray in campaigning. Even at present, Raj does not lose a single opportunity to throw barbs at his cousin Uddhav. Besides South Mumbai, there are about a dozen seats which are claimed by more than one partners of the Mahayuti. The BJP, of course, will get the largest slice though the Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde and the NCP under Ajit Pawar are yet not ready to relent about their demands. The final round of talks will be held in Delhi in a day or two, according to the three leaders.
A crucial meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the largest voluntary organisation in the world, will be held at Nagpur on 15, 16 and 17 March, to chart out its future course of action in view of the RSS centenary and review its working so far. Besides electing the Sar Karyavah (general secretary), the meet will discuss how the saffron organisation should expand its network, which has penetrated almost every public sphere of Indian society. Incumbent Sar Karyawah Dattatray Hosbale will be completing his stipulated tenure. Will he be renominated or a new face replace him, will be the most watched development during the conclave. To be held during the intense electioneering for the Lok Sabha polls, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is expected to make some major announcement to boost the BJP’s prospects. As a larger strategy, the RSS has decided to achieve the target of setting up one lakh shakhas (branches) by concentrating on the areas where its existence is not strong. Besides 1529 RSS delegates from around the country, the meeting will be attended by heads of 32 frontal organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Social cohesion, family awareness, environment, self-dependence and citizen duties will be the focus areas for the RSS activities in coming years.
“Eknath Gangubai Sambhaji Shinde” says the nameplate outside Maharashtra chief minister’s Mantralaya cabin. Deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, too, have asked their staff to redo their official nameplates. This change is one of many, in accordance with a series of decisions the state cabinet has taken on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections and just before the model code of conduct comes into force. According to this decision, all official documents will include the mother’s name after the individual’s name and will be followed by the father’s name and surname. In the last two days, the cabinet took nearly 300 decisions, small and major. One decision has proposed renaming suburban rail stations in Mumbai, in a bid to revive its historical place names. Thus, Sandhurst Road station will be renamed as Dongri while Charni Road will be known as Girgaon. Of course, these changes will become applicable only after the Centre clears the proposal. The renaming spree will include Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar after Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, the ruler of Indore, remembered for her construction of various temples and ghats on sacred rivers like the Ganga and Narmada. She was born in the district, known for nearly three centuries as Ahmednagar. In response to a demand to name Dadar station after Dr BR Ambedkar, it has been planned to give his name to the newly developing Parel rail terminus. After due process, the fate of most of these changes will be known. For now, they are generally welcomed.
NCP founder Sharad Pawar has received a jolt in his home turf, Baramati, as local traders decided to cancel a meet they had scheduled with him on Monday (Mar11). Despite his advancing years, Pawar had lined up four meets during the day. At the eleventh hour, the traders informed him by sending a written communication that it will not be possible for them to meet him. Immediately thereafter, whispers began to circulate that some ‘influential leader’ had pressured them to back out. Sharad Pawar has liaised with different sections of the electorate which has been electing him ever since 1967. Expressing anguish over the sudden development, Pawar said such a thing had happened for the first time in 50 years. Though he did not mention anyone by name, he indicated the apprehension that someone with clout was behind the cancellation. He made it a point to state that he had been resolving the problems of the trading community for a long time. The Baramati Lok Sabha constituency has been in the news ever since his nephew Ajit decided to break away from his uncle and mentor last year. Now that Ajit’s wife Sunetra has started campaigning her candidature against her sister-in-law and `Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, both camps are trying their best to outshine each other. As part of this strategy, Pawar has started calling on his old political opponents. Hence, the move by the traders is seen as a shock for him in his backyard.
Uddhav Thackeray’s unilateral announcement that rival Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar’s son Amol will be the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate for the North-west Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency has created a unique situation in the electoral arena. Uddhav’s selection has enraged, among others, Congress hopeful Sanjay Nirupam. A former saffronite, Nirupam has castigated Uddhav for giving candidature to someone “who has been under the ED scanner for corruption in a scam.” Already, there is suspense in both Sena factions as the son (Amol) has defied his father (Gajanan) by sticking with Uddhav and preparing for the Lok Sabha election. Who remains in the fight finally, father or son, is a moot question for the constituency which is a stronghold of the BJP. In the changed circumstances, seat-sharing among the three partners in the ruling alliance is being finalised after some hiccups. However, as indicated by Nirupam, the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A front also will receive a jolt as more and more candidates are announced by each constituent opposition party. This is not the first time father and son are fighting each other in the same constituency. It happened in Gujarat when Chhotu Vasava, founder of Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) filed his nomination as an independent from Jhagadia assembly seat while his son Mahesh filed as BTP candidate from the same constituency. Likewise sons of former Karnataka Chief Minister late S Bangarappa, who belong to rival parties BJP and Congress, were pitted against each other in Soraba constituency.
‘Mission One Thousand’ is the brainchild of Maratha reservation demand’s exponent Manoj Jarange Patil, aimed at challenging the Lok Sabha election process by fielding a thousand candidates in some constituencies in Marathwada region of Maharashtra. Mobilization with this object has started, according to reports reaching the state election authorities. If the scheme becomes a reality, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be unable to process the voting, as each machine has a limited capacity to show the number of candidates. In case ballot papers are decided to be used, each will run into a score of pages. Though these are mere possibilities at this stage, the eventuality can’t be overlooked. Sensing this, Dharashiv district collector and election officer Sachin Ombase has written to Maharashtra chief electoral officer S Chokkalingam about the probable challenge. Reports also suggest that some gram panchayats have passed resolutions to field two candidates from each village. Over 2000 candidates are being prepared to file nominations in Beed district. If similar steps are taken by supporters of the Maratha leaders elsewhere, the situation will be difficult to handle, officials fear. Moreover, Rs 30,000 will be reportedly raised for each candidate and messages have been sent to collect the funding from Maratha community members. Such a strategy, if it reaches its logical conclusion, will be the first in India’s electoral history. It will be interesting to watch how the Election Commission faces this imbroglio.
If the same opinion poll can disturb both opposing camps with its forecast, the India TV-CNX Opinion Poll has just done that. Its Maharashtra poll survey has predicted 35 seats for the NDA and 13 for the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Denizens of both camps are somehow disappointed by this forecast. Interestingly, this prediction has come out close on the heels of the visit of Union home minister Amit Shah to the state and his resolve to win at 45 of the total 48 seats. The Opinion Poll has dampened the mood among the three MVA partners – the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, the Congress and the NCP under Sharad Pawar. Already miffed by the changing stance of Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar over seat sharing, MVA is yet to finalise its seat distribution. In the fluid atmosphere, the survey has endorsed the general impression that the BJP will be the largest gainer in the state, winning 25 seats. According to another prediction, sitting MP Supriya Sule will face defeat in the family fiefdom, Baramati, which will be the most prestigious fight in the state. If the MVA is still groping for an understanding, the three parties in the NDA have given indications that they have almost finalised their slices following a discussion with Shah. This happened only after CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Ajit Pawar diluted their original demands. Now, more surveys are awaited to heighten the election fever.
It may sound strange but the changing fates of chief ministers in Bihar and Telangana have resounding repercussions in Maharashtra over the past week. While the state unit of the Janata Dal (U) has been closed down, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) branch is awaiting a word from Hyderabad about its future. As the most accomplished turncoat, Nitish Kumar, revived the alliance with the BJP and his follower, Kapil Patil, who is the sole party legislator, announced that he was snapping his ties with JD(U). Soon, Patil declared the formation of a new party, Samajwadi Ganrajya Paksh (SGP). This event was attended by Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray. Both leaders declared that they will unitedly take on the BJP and NDA. However, soon thereafter, Patil’s close associate Jalindar Sarode entered the Sena (U). Similarly, various prominent BRS leaders across the state had a meeting at Sambhaji Nagar in Marathwada to consider their future course of action since they were left high and dry for a long time. They decided to quiz former Andhra CM K Chandrasekhar Rao if he wished them to continue or shut shop. After his response is received, their next step will be decided, according to BRS Maharashtra Manik Kadam. To exacerbate the atmosphere, the BJP’s state and national leaders keep hinting that more incomings are on the cards. Hence, a pall of suspicion is felt in the opposition camp.
Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar has been administering one jolt after another to the embattled Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) over his changing demands regarding seat distribution for the coming Lok Sabha election. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) founded by Ambedkar has reportedly demanded half a dozen seats whereas MVA leaders are not inclined to grant it more than three. Therefore, Ambedkar’s present warning to his followers not to attend any MVA discussions for seat sharing without his clearance has once again added to the suspense. Ambedkar had kept himself away from all major parties in the 2019 LS election, causing the defeat of several candidates across the board all over Maharashtra. Hence, MVA leaders are not taking any chances with him this time. They are scheduled to meet in Mumbai on March 7-8 to finalise their seat sharing formula and candidates, too, perhaps. Veteran leader Sharad Pawar has said that VBA would be welcome to team up with MVA if it were willing. Pawar once upon a time had eschewed Ambedkar and had taken his Republican adversary Ramdas Athavale along. However, Athavale has donned the saffron garb while Ambedkar has chosen his own path. His influence is still substantial in some areas though not enough to win seats but certainly more than enough to defeat certain contestants. As this is a battle for survival for MVA, efforts to woo Ambedkar have intensified, notwithstanding his varying stance.
Used to witness clashes between legislators belonging to the Treasury Benches and Opposition, Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan was astounded when news broke out of a virtual fisticuff between a top minister and a ruling alliance MLA on Friday. Top minister Dada Bhuse and NCP (Ajit) faction member Mahendra Thorve rushed at each other after a brief verbal duel just outside the house lobby. Immediately, another minister, Shambhuraje Desai, tried to soothe them and took them inside. However, by that time, over a dozen legislators had seen the disturbing scene. While Bhuse later told the house that no clash had taken place, Thorve made it a point that he had asked Bhuse why certain works in his constituency were not getting clearance. Thorve has been elected from Raigad district and is considered close to DCM Ajit Pawar. Otherwise a low-profile leader, he lost his cool, he said, since even CM Eknath Shinde’s son had intervened so that the work would receive a nod, but in vain. When the CM was asked about the reported fight, he dismissed the question by saying, “Ask me about the house session, not such things.” The matter, however, was raised in the assembly by Opposition leaders Vijay Wadettiwar and former finance minister Jayant Patil. They both condemned the incident and expressed concern that physical assaults had now reached the legislature precincts.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and both deputy chief ministers, Devendra Fadanvis and Ajit Pawar, have expressed their inability to enjoy veteran leader Sharad Pawar’s hospitality in Baramati, where the three ruling alliance leaders will be visiting on March 2. Interestingly, the venue of a gathering, ‘Namo Maha Rozgar Mela, is the Vidya Pratishthan grounds. The institution occupies a pride of place in the numerous such bodies headed by Pawar. The Mela has been organised by Ajit Pawar, who is taking on his uncle’s might on both their home turfs. As Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule is determined to retain her Baramati Lok Sabha seat, the family feud has been fuelled by persistent media stories that Ajit’s wife Sunetra is most likely candidate in the constituency on behalf of her husband’s NCP faction. Pawar had written to the CM and DCMs on 28 February. In the letter, he had expressed willingness to attend the Mela and extended the invite to all three to join for tea and a meal. Shinde and Fadnavis have cited pre-scheduled events for being unable to join and have assured Pawar that they will certainly accept his repast at a suitable future time and date. The gesture shown by Pawar was quite intriguing but his habit of administering political shocks, to friends and adversaries, is well known. Moreover, as even his statements are taken with a pinch of salt, breaking bread with him by Shinde or any of the DCMs would have become sensational news.
A letter war within the powerful Pawar clan that has gone viral has found patriarch Sharad Pawar losing his temper when asked about it. The first salvo was lobbed by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, whose letter was circulated on social media two days ago. In it, he has explained why he has chosen to follow PM Narendra Modi. Which indirectly means that it is a justification to break away from his uncle. In reply, an unsigned letter has described how Ajit was selected to represent the second generation of the family in politics and how his cousin Rajendra was side tracked. Rajendra is the son of Appasaheb Pawar, eldest brother of Sharad Pawar. Their third brother was the late Anantrao, father of Ajit. For the third generation, Rajendra’s son Rohit was selected by the family boss to carry the mantle ahead, keeping aside Ajit’s son Parth. Since then, discontent was simmering. Rajendra told the media that his son Rohit decided to contest the assembly election from neighbouring Ahmednagar district to avert any tension with others in the family. When Pawar was quizzed about the internecine clash, he was livid. “Don’t ask me such trivial questions,” he snapped. However, at the same time, he did not forget to mention that he had read an edit in local Marathi daily Loksatta (belittling Ajit for his letter). Alongside the electoral battle between Supriya Sule and Ajit’s wife Sunetra, the strain among the male members has come out in the open, indicating further disclosures.
Maratha reservation agitation’s icon Manoj Jarange Patil has abandoned his audacious plan to lead a march to the Mumbai residence of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to press his demand. Already roasted by his former associates, chief minister Eknath Shinde’s stern warning to Jarange and his followers that they will face stringent action if they took law in their hand is believed to have resulted in his withdrawal of the march. Even Opposition parties, too, have indirectly expressed unhappiness over Jarange’s impossible demands, like asking the government to take and announce a decision within the next few hours. Now, his associate for 18 years, Baburao Walekar has charged that Jarange is hungry for publicity and had instigated his followers in the past to indulge in violence though keeping himself away from such acts. Walekar is the third leader to come out in the open against Jarange. The first was Abhay Baraskar, who is a noted Keertan exponent. He was followed by Sangeeta Wankhede, who became Jarange’s follower after he launched his agitation. She has alleged that Jarange was taking erratic decisions at the behest of a top NCP giant. Interestingly, Fadnavis had stated a day earlier that Jarange’s script resembled the statements of Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. On Monday (Feb 26), Jarange has announced the end of his indefinite fast. The battle over Maratha reservations is expected to enter the precincts of judiciary soon.
NCP founder Sharad Pawar’s decision to unveil the new symbol, Tutari (Tura), allotted to his faction at the historical Fort Raigad has been facing derision from different quarters. Raigad was the place Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had selected for his capital in 1674. Pawar’s one-time confidant Chhagan Bhujbal has reminded his former mentor in an oblique quip that the NCP was formed in 1999 and had lost a substantial chunk of votes since its symbol, wall clock, was unfamiliar for voters. Water resources minister Girish Mahajan said neither will the Tutari make any noise nor will Uddhav Thackeray’s symbol, Mashal, be alight. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray, however, disclosed that this was the first time Pawar had shown any regard for Chhatrapati Shivaji. Though Pawar always praised social reformers like Mahatma Jotiba Phule, Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur or Dr BR Ambedkar in his speeches, the Maratha strongman seldom paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji, Raj remarked. He recalled Pawar telling him on an earlier occasion that he (Pawar) would lose Muslim votes if there was any mention of Chhatrapati Shivaji by him. On his part, Pawar has clarified that the symbol was allotted by the Election Commission and that he had not asked for this particular image of a man sounding a trumpet, called Tutari in Marathi. This is the fifth election symbol Pawar’s party would be using during his long political career.
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has shut all doors for the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray. In a TV channel interview, Fadnavis freely expressed his hurt over the way he was treated by Uddhav after the 2019 assembly election in the state. Fadnavis said political differences can be ironed out. But it will not be possible for the BJP rank and file to overlook the insults hurled by Uddhav at Prime Minister Narendra Modi day in and day out. Recalling his friendly relations with Uddhav for 25 years, Fadnavis said that the Sena leader even refused to take his telephone calls after the assembly election results. It is extremely hurtful to be stabbed in the back by someone you had close ties with, the DCM said. He also attacked NCP founder Sharad Pawar for going back on his pact to form a government with the BJP. Fadnavis made it clear that the people flocking to the BJP were coming by accepting its ideology. “We had just two MPs in 1984. Now we are in power. But throughout, we have never compromised with our basic principles,” he maintained. His statements have indicated that more incomings into the BJP are still possible. One such name being discussed is that of Eknath Khadse, a pillar of the Maharashtra BJP once upon a time. The Congress, too, is worried by the possible exodus. The state BJP leadership will soon administer some more political shocks, it is felt.
After a political split in the family of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, there is repayment in the same coin as NCP splinter group leader Sunil Tatkare’s elder brother Anil has declared his allegiance to Pawar. The announcement of Anil’s decision is considered a part of Pawar’s strategy to defeat his one-time confidant Sunil in the coming Lok Sabha election from Raigad. It is the first development of this kind since so far, the incoming was towards either the BJP or the Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde. The Pawar clan is already feeling elated since one of the nephews of Ajit Pawar has decided to work for the grandfather. The political greenhorn, Yugendra, was abroad for several years. His entry in the fight for Baramati Lok Sabha constituency will intensify the family dissensions, it is felt, as Ajit’s wife Sunetra is likely to be the candidate from his party. Similarly, Anil’s decision to work for elder Pawar is designed to breach Sunil’s vote bank, which the family has built up over the years. Once a fiefdom of the Congress party, Raigad district was ruled by Peasants & Workers Party (PWP) for a while. After Sharad Pawar formed the NCP in 1999, Sunil Tatkare had become the face of the party in Konkan region. Pawar is determined to wrest the LS seat back by roping in Anil against Sunil, who enjoys immense public support.
The Maharashtra government has decided to cross the 50% reservation ceiling by granting 10% educational and governmental job reservation to the Maratha community. Already, the state’s total reservation is around 52%. Chief minister Eknath Shinde has said that 22 states in the country have crossed the ceiling so far. While moving a resolution to grant Maratha reservation, Shinde said the quota in Tamil Nadu was 69% whereas it was 75% in Bihar. The Maratha reservation demand was first raised in 1980. It was first granted in 2014 and then in 2018. While the first reservation was struck down by the Mumbai High Court, the second was rejected by the Supreme Court. Explaining this history, Shinde claimed that this time, the provision has been structured in such a manner that it will survive judicial scrutiny. He said nearly six lakh objections and suggestions have been received over the draft of the resolution, made public earlier. The Maratha reservation quantum, however, has been reducing in the state. While the 2014 reservation quota was recommended to be 16%, it was suggested by the High Court that the educational quota should be 12% and governmental job quota could be 13%. The reservation now will be 10%, if allowed by the court of law.
Though NCP founder Sharad Pawar’s right hand Jayant Patil has discounted any possibility of crossing over to the BJP, there are few believers to trust him as his bonhomie with the saffron party has been a matter of speculation in Maharashtra for a long time. When the NCP split in 2021 and Pawar’s nephew Ajit teamed up with the BJP as well as the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, those remaining loyal to the veteran leader included Jayant Patil, who once was the state’s home as well as finance minister. In fact, his supporters started projecting him as a future CM of Maharashtra when the murmurs about Ajit’s restlessness were heard in NCP circles before the split. Though Patil downplayed this image building exercise, his ambition has not remained a secret. A highly qualified politician, Patil has kept himself away from any scandal all these years. In spite of the efforts to sully his name by his detractors, Patil had managed to keep himself above any acrimony, meekly accepting Ajit’s hegemony in the united NCP. However, since the split, Patil has emerged as the unofficial spokesman of the faction, in the belief that he speaks out Pawar’s mind. But the shock administered by former CM Ashok Chavan is too fresh in the public mind to take Patil on face value. Patil and Supriya Sule have vehemently refuted the possibility of him joining the BJP. However, even his own party workers feel that ‘wait and watch’ is the only option available to them before taking any decision about their own future.
The Maratha reservation demand issue has now reached a critical stage as the Maharashtra government has reiterated that the reservation to the most influential community in the state will be granted by remaining within legal limitations and ensuring that it will not hurt the OBCs or any other section of society. Chief minister Eknath Shinde made this announcement as the fast-unto-death by Maratha reservation crusader Manoj Jarange Patil has warned the government of a mass agitation if the demand is not conceded in full. A moot point in his charter is that even ‘relatives’ of the caste members should be covered by the reservations. An extraordinary session of the legislature has been convened on 20 February to consider the demand and endorse it. It is bound to be stormy as the OBCs have again declared their determination to challenge the Maratha reservation, as and when it becomes law in the state. Already, the court has once struck down this reservation in the past. To ensure peace, Shinde has appealed to Jarange to call off his fast. On the other hand, the war of words between senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal, the OBC spokesman, and Jarange is becoming more and more abrasive. The state government will have to do a lot of tightrope walking in view of the elections taking place later this year on this sensitive issue.
The fate of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole is the hot topic of discussion as he is perceived to be the main reason for the overall frustration in the state unit owing to his mercurial nature and outlandish statements, especially at wrong times. A hard core BJP activist once upon a time, Nana kept on shuttling between the Congress and the BJP, which he left after his disaccord with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agro policies. Nana returned to the Congress and won the 2019 assembly election to become the speaker. He did not last long. Afterwards, he was appointed the state Congress president. Since then, the number of his adversaries started multiplying. The two tall Congress leaders – Milind Deora and Ashok Chavan – to leave the party in succession were grieved due to the perfunctory treatment they had been receiving for a long time. In fact, the list is long. It is led by former CM Narayan Rane, who had come from the united Shiv Sena. Former minister Baba Siddiqui, heavyweight sugar baron Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, rural firebrand Ranjitsingh Nimbalkar, former minister Harshwardhan Patil, senior most MLA Kalidas Kolambakar, influential minority leader Abdul Sattar, Hindi-speaking community’s leader Kripa Shankar Singh and powerful Satyajeet Tambe Patil are easily remembered in this connection. Of course, Patole was not at the helm but at present, those wishing his exit are increasing in number. The next week will prove a game changer in Maharashtra politics, it is felt.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan’s decision to walk out of the Congress party is fraught with several major coincidences. His father, late Shankarrao (SB) Chavan, had left the Congress way back in 1978 to join a coalition government, led by his arch political foe Sharad Pawar. Now, Ashok has repeated the act by leaving the party. The second coincidence is that both became Maharashtra’s chief minister twice. While the elder Chavan was the CM for the periods 1974-77 and 1986-88, his son Ashok was appointed CM in the aftermath of the 2008 Pakistani terrorist attacks in Mumbai. After the party won the 2009 assembly election, Ashok continued in the post but was forced to resign when it was disclosed that one of his closest relatives was made a member of the infamous Adarsh Housing Society in south Mumbai. If SB Chavan chose to become a cabinet minister after relinquishing chief ministership, Ashok did the same in later years. It is a known fact that SB Chavan had few friends in the state Congress but he endeared himself to the Gandhi family after returning to the party fold in 1980 when Indira Gandhi staged a spectacular return. His fortunes continued to rise since his old friend PV Narasimha Rao became the PM. Ashok, too, had been in the good books of the Congress but its present state chief Nana Patole is said to be the reason for his decision to leave the party.
Repeated stories in www.shortpost.in predicting that Ashok Chavan, former chief minister of Maharashtra will bid adieu to the Congress party are now confirmed, though he has taken his own time to decide. Chavan’s absence from the legislative assembly floor in 2022 when the house was voting on a motion expressing confidence in the government of Eknath Shinde had proved sensational. However, his clarification that he was held up in a traffic jam was accepted by his party. At the time, DCM Devendra Fadnavis had thanked the ‘invisible hands’ supporting the government. On Monday (Feb 12), there was a feeling of déjà vu when Fadnavis said that some bigwigs from the Opposition were expected to join the BJP. Within minutes, Chavan announced his resignation from the Congress and the legislative assembly. Although he has not confirmed his saffron entry, Chavan has not denied the possibility, either. “Wait for a couple of days,” is all that he has said for the time being. Even when Chavan had supervised Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra’s meticulous arrangements in his home constituency Nanded, www.shortpost.in had hinted at his restlessness. However, the news story was not taken seriously. Chavan, too, continued to participate in the party’s activities. Recovering from the shock, Congress leaders in Maharashtra are presently frantically contacting the party legislators since reports are circulating that several of them are preparing to follow Chavan out of the Congress.
A war of words has erupted between Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the two political killings in the state during the past week. Even earlier, Uddhav had used select invectives to attack Fadnavis over political issues. The latest provocation is the killing of Abhishek Ghosalkar, a Sena (U) leader in Mumbai, by one of his acquaintances. Various media stories have surfaced subsequently, suggesting their soured ties over electoral ambitions of both. Fadnavis is criticised by various I.N.D.I.A constituent leaders. Uddhav leads them. In the past, Uddhav had called Fadnavis ‘worthless’ (faaltoo) and a blot (‘kalank’) for Maharashtra. In his latest assault, Uddhav has called Fadnavis a ‘psycho’ (mano rugna) and remarked that his earlier adjectives pale before the way Fadnavis has reacted to this killing. The DCM had ridiculed the demands for his resignation by saying that the opposition will ask for his exit even if tomorrow a dog is killed under a vehicle. Rather than responding to Uddhav, Fadnavis retorted, “My only prayer to the Almighty for Uddhav is ‘Get well soon’ as it appears from the choice of his words that he is suffering from some psychological disorder.”
TRENDS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note: Big Punch In Small Pack
It is the Third Anniversary of Short Post and as a news media startup launched during the Covid-19 pandemic it certainly feels better than good to find ourselves where we are today. Here, I must cite the unstinted support of our seasoned contributors, all senior editors in the country, who brought a great degree of maturity and sagacity to the Short Post newsroom. But for them, our tagline “Authentic Gossip”, an Oxymoron, would not have matured viably. Our user numbers may be small but our stories have created the desired impact among people who matter — decision makers and influencers. We offer a big punch in a small pack and Short Post with its 225-word stories has been punching above its weight category. Having posted close to 3,000 stories in the last 36 months, Short Post, I feel, is an idea whose time has come.
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If you look at the media landscape – print, TV and digital — it is a mixed bag. There are job losses as some outfits have closed down while a lucky few were bailed out by large corporate houses. Yes, there is a lot of action in the digital space. However, the entry of corporate houses has raised the question of independence of news media outfits. Sadly, there are just a handful of independent media outfits in the country that are highly respected for their neutrality. At Short Post, our credo is not to take sides, prejudge issues or be biased but, informing readers of behind-the-scenes happenings. In essence, Short Post strives to be a neutral editorial platform — neither anti-establishment nor pro-establishment.
As I said last year, disruptions in the media world are moving at a fast and furious pace. Technology is playing a very big role in how content is generated and consumed. But, we are neither alarmed nor perturbed as it is all a part of the evolution process. What gives us comfort is that AI is unable to create original gossipy content. And that is the news arena where we have achieved a distinction.