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It is not just the BJP and its cadres that celebrated PM Modi’s 75th birthday. Even NDA’s ally and TDP Minister Nara Lokesh, currently on an official visit to the UK made it a point to pray for PM Modi’s health and longevity at ISKCON Temple in London, asserting confidence in Modi’s Leadership to build Viksit Bharat. Sharing his birthday wish for PM Modi, Andhra Pradesh IT, HRD, and RTGS Minister Nara Lokesh offered prayers at ISKCON London. He tweeted, “Started the day with prayers at @iskconlondon on the 75th birthday of our Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi ji. I sought blessings for his long life and his visionary leadership of our great country. I am confident we will achieve Viksit bharat under his guidance.” Interestingly, a day earlier the Andhra Pradesh government had hosted a high-profile Investor Roadshow in London at the Institute of Directors, Pall Mall, as part of its global outreach to attract investments ahead of the CII Partnership Summit 2025, scheduled to be held in Visakhapatnam on November 14–15. The event brought together more than 150 senior executives and global leaders representing sectors such as advanced manufacturing, finance, energy, and technology. In his remarks during the conversation with global leaders, Lokesh positioned Andhra Pradesh as India’s fastest-growing state. “Our message in London is clear: the sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh is the best place to do business in India. In just 15 months, we have facilitated investments worth over Rs 10 lakh crore and are now engaging global partners to be part of our journey towards becoming a $ 2.4 trillion economy by 2047″
There was much media hype about the revelation that Rahul Gandhi was to make in his press conference. He had hinted it would be a “hydrogen bomb” on ‘vote chori’. However, by afternoon Rahul was found diluting his own utterances via a post on X. The Congress leader who was raging about deletion of votes in Aland assembly seat in Karnataka in 2023 polls at a press conference at the AICC headquarters and had given the Election Commission a week’s time to reply to Karnataka CID’s letters and notices, was found looking for cover. He rushed to correct his mistakes after realising that the Aland seat was won by the Congress. This was pointed out by the BJP. Rahul Gandhi had “held an entire press conference” claiming that 6,018 votes were fraudulently deleted in Aland assembly seat and that the EC was blocking the CID investigation. “Until we pointed out that BR Patil, the incumbent MLA, is a Congress candidate. He even paraded people who claimed that their names were misused to delete votes, without the knowledge of the very individuals whose names were allegedly deleted. Now he makes a U-turn, saying their candidate could have lost if the votes were deleted! What a waste of public time,” said BJP’s Amit Malviya on X. The EC was quick to rebut all the charges. In a strongly worded response, the EC made it clear that no deletion of any vote can be done online by any member of the public, as “misconceived” by Rahul Gandhi. A FIR was filed by the EC itself to ensure the matter was investigated. One interesting giveaway from Rahul Gandhi’s attack on the CEC, was his claim that he had some Trojan horses within the EC who were leaking him info about EC’s working. No prizes for guessing…possibly officials brought in during the Congress time.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s response to the Supreme Court’s clean chit to Vantara has apparently not gone down well with the Ambanis. The Congress leader who takes a lot of pride in his earlier avatar as an environment minister in the UPA government tweeted on X questioning the speed at which an expert panel headed by Justice J Chelameswar probed alleged goings on in Vantara and submitted its report to the apex court, clearing the animal care centre of any wrongdoing. Party sources said sensitivities about Vantara were conveyed to Jairam by party bosses. The party leadership were equally shocked about the tone and tenor of Jairam’s post. In his post, Jairam even took pot shots at the judiciary for acting expressly. “When it chooses to, the Indian judicial system, which is defined by long delays, moves with the greatest of speed.” On August 25, 2025, the SC ordered an inquiry by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the affairs of Vantara, the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre established by the Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The SIT, comprising four distinguished members, was directed to submit its report by September 12, 2025. The SIT submitted its report in a “sealed cover” meeting the deadline. The SC accepted its recommendations and closed the case which had been triggered by a PIL filed on August 7, 2025. If only all cases were dealt with and settled so expeditiously and categorically — of course without this mysterious “sealed cover” business! Incidentally, while Jairam has taken a contrarian view on Vantara order, animal activists like Maneka Gandhi came out extending her strong support to Vantara. She said “We have visited Vantara…It is here that animals get life.” Vantara is a project closely monitored and managed by Anant Ambani, the younger son of Mukesh Ambani.
The BJP leadership is all geared up to putting its Tamil Nadu house in order. With AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) meeting Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday (Sep 16) evening to firm up alliance in the state, ground was laid in TN to ensure smooth working within various groups and leaders. For a start, a coordination meeting of various state-level leaders within the state BJP was held in Chennai. The meeting was held in the presence of senior BJP functionary BL Santosh. The effect of the meeting was such that former TN BJP chief K Annamalai who was so far playing truant appeared mellowed down. For the first time, Annamalai conceded that EPS was drawing crowds in the state. Party sources said he had praised EPS in the party’s internal meeting too. This means Annamalai has come a long way; from initially opposing BJP’s alliance with the AIADMK to now agreeing to campaign with EPS. This would not only consolidate Gounder community votes in favour of the alliance but also consolidate victory. With Santosh in the chair along with TN BJP chief Nainar Nagendran it was decided that Nainar, Annamalai and EPS would now jointly campaign from Oct 1. It is not clear if Annanmalai had toned down his anti- AIADMK position because of a personal compulsion He is now compelled to answer queries over purchase of around six acres agricultural land in Coimbatore worth several crores of rupees. Annamalai said he had purchased it using a loan, his personal savings and that of his wife Akila. He had paid Rs 40 lakh in stamp duty and registration charges. Of course, no one in the BJP believes it.
Is he in or is he out? This question keeps popping up time and again. But none is willing to clarify. If he is like any normal employee, none will venture to speculate. But he is MS Dhoni, the Captain Cool. Not surprisingly, everyone is letting his/her imagination run amok. After Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the IPL franchise was born in 2008, Dhoni was appointed as Vice-President (Marketing) of N Srinivasan-headed The India Cements Ltd (ICL) in 2013. CSK was initially a division of ICL, which was the original franchisee owner of CSK. If grapevine is to go by, Srinivasan had reportedly given Dhoni a blank cheque to write his remuneration! In the past, Dhoni used to visit ICL plants across the country and address employees and dealers alike. In fact, in 2022, he unveiled the new premium cement brand, Conkrete Super King. Much water has flown under the bridge since then. Birla-owned UltraTech bought out N Srinivasan and his family in ICL. With ICL sold to UltraTech, Srinivasan has become the Chairman of CSK, which was hived off into a separate entity when the conflict of interest issue was raging. His daughter, Rupa Gurunath, too, has now become a Wholetime-Director of CSK. Given this backdrop, intense speculation is on whether Dhoni is still associated with ICL? There has been no official communication thus far either from UltraTech or MSD. The iconic Coromandel Towers, the corporate office of India Cements, in the meanwhile, is sporting the UltraTech brand along with ICL’s Sankar Cement, Coromandel King and Conkrete Super King. EWS, the holding company of N Srinivasan and family, Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd. and other firms have since moved to their new address in Adyar in the heart of the city. Season or no season, one thing is clear Dhoni remains a hot topic!
The Singur movement not only altered Bengal’s industrial trajectory but also marked one of the biggest power shifts in the state’s history — from the Left Front to Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. Yet, the Nano car exit in 2008 left an enduring scar, branding Didi as “anti-industry” despite her repeated efforts to change that perception. Seventeen years later, the narrative seems to be coming full circle, with electric vehicle manufacturer Cynosure announced plans to launch a four-wheeler priced below Rs 1 lakh from Sugandha in Hooghly district — just 17 km away from Singur, where Ratan Tata’s dream project had collapsed in 2008. Cynosure revealed its plan at the launch of its electric three-wheeler in Kolkata and the prototype of the car would be unveiled after Diwali, with a commercial rollout targeted for January 2026. According to co-founder Sampurna Ghosh, the fully battery-operated vehicle will seat four passengers, including the driver with an aim to make personal cars affordable for the middle and lower-middle-class families. Sources said that the car’s final name would be decided by the chief minister. Political observers have pointed out that the announcement carries political undertones just ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, as it can be recalled that in 2008, Tata Motors withdrew from Singur after completing 80% of the factory, blaming Mamata then opposition leader. The project later shifted to Gujarat. Didi has since maintained that her fight was against the Left’s forcible land acquisition policy, not against Tata.
A look at the representatives of the 35 members for the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for September 28 – published by the Electoral Officer in the documents section of the BCCI website – will tell one straightaway that none of them even thought of nominating a woman to attend the meeting. This year’s AGM will elect five office-bearers and one member representative to the nine-member Apex Council for a three year term. It is regrettable that the Indian Railways, Armed Forces/ Services and Association of Indian Universities (AIU) have not been able to find ways to nominate its representatives. While the three government departments have not explored ways, former India cricketers Sourav Ganguly (ex- BCCI president), Harbhajan Singh, Raghuram Bhat will attend the AGM representing Bengal, Punjab and Karnataka. The National Sports Governance Bill 2025 mandates the presence of four women at least in a 15 member executive committee of a national sports federation, and this will happen once the National Sports Board is put in place and the sports federations seek its membership. But as of now, none of the BCCI members have deemed it fit to nominate a woman, be it a former India or State cricketer or otherwise, to attend the AGM when many of them could have taken the step to empower women at a meeting like the AGM when policy decisions are taken. The BCCI, under Jay Shah took a number of initiatives to provide an impetus to women’s cricket. The young ICC chair, Shah, has increased the prize money manifold for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup, but the BCCI members are still reluctant to be game-changers by nominating a woman for a meeting that is convened once in a year.
Kerala’s Chief Secretary, A Jayathilak is facing flak for his high-handed behaviour from his IAS colleagues and state’s IPS officers. Jayathilak has come in the way of the career progression of at least three officers. Senior IAS officer, B Ashok, also principal secretary has alleged that Jayathilak refused to give him a vigilance clearance in June 2025 when he applied for deputation to the post of chief controller, VSSC, Department of Space. In his petition before the CAT, Ashok has contended that “the refusal to provide clearance despite the fact that there had not been any vigilance cases or disciplinary action against him, speaks volumes of the malice harboured by the chief secretary.” Jayathilak flagged a vigilance case regarding irregularities in the sanction of pay and allowance in the Ayush Department under Ashok. Following this, Ashok was forced to submit that the inquiry was completed and the government recommended no further action. This led to Ashok submitting a representation to the Chief Secretary to rectify his earlier statement. Interestingly, the correction was made only after the last day prescribed for submission of the application for the post in VSSC. Likewise, DGP, Yogesh Gupta who currently heads Fire and Rescue Services Department has initiated legal action against the State government for withholding a vigilance status report on him sought by Union Home Ministry for clearance for securing a post in the central service. Yogesh too has approached CAT. He has accused the government of using vigilance reports as a tool to control bureaucrats. And if this is not enough, Jayathilak has a running match with junior IAS officer, Prasanth N, who is under suspension for nearly one year, without giving proper reasons, which is against service rules. Sources say a fierce power struggle is brewing in the state’s IAS hierarchy with the tide slowly turning against Jayathilak.
Recent box‑office disappointments from Baaghi 4 and War 2 to the latest Housefull 5 instalment, all underline a fundamental shift: the star cast no longer guarantees good openings. In past decades marquee names could single‑handedly generate massive opening weekends; today even established superstars such as Tiger Shroff, Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Jr NTR struggle to ignite the immediate surge that once defined success. High‑profile casts with weak concepts are faltering, while content‑led films and global formats are finding passionate, sustainable audiences. Younger viewers, particularly Gen Z, now prioritise authenticity, narrative innovation and experiential value over celebrity worship. They binge Korean dramas, embrace Japanese anime like Demon Slayer, attend immersive live experiences and discover diverse global content on OTT platforms. The enthusiastic reception for Demon Slayer’s theatrical release and the success of content‑driven films such as Saiyaara demonstrate that strong storytelling, memorable music and convincing world‑building can outdraw even big‑name star vehicles. Conversely, titles that leaned primarily on star power including some recent franchise entries like Baaghi 4 and Housefull 5 have failed to translate celebrity into sustained box‑office momentum. For filmmakers, producers and studios the implications are clear. First, invest in content development: prioritise script refinement, richer character arcs and tonal clarity before locking in headline casting. Second, align casting to story needs rather than assuming star wattage will compensate for weak material. Third, embrace mid‑budget, high‑concept projects that allow creative risk and targeted marketing rather than relying solely on costly tentpoles.
Mumbai has registered a drastic 72% dip in tree plantations thanks to rapid urbanization and lack of spaces for tree plantations. The number of tree plantations in Mumbai have slid from 72,212 trees in 2023-24 to 20,044 in 2024-2025 as per the latest Environment Status Report released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). This includes about 9234 saplings planted in the city by Maharashtra’s forest department as part of its target to undertake plantations of over 10 crore saplings this year to increase the state’s green cover from 21.25% to 33 %. The state has already achieved 50% of its target by undertaking plantations of over 5.32 crore saplings this year. Deterioration of Mumbai’s air quality has been attributed to its depleting tree cover. No tree census has been conducted since 2018. This means the actual number of trees remains unknown and we are stuck at 29,75,283 trees. Conservation activist and founder of Waghoba Foundation Sanjiv Valsan questions the validity of the figures released by the government pointing to the glaring absence of figures of trees that are officially cut to make way for various urban megaprojects in the city like Metro, Bullet Trains etc. The actual number of trees lost to rapid urbanization and redevelopment of old buildings, which is not revealed, could be quite high. Reportedly, an estimated 40 trees are lost daily to make way for various projects. “Miyawaki plantations can never compensate for the loss of tree cover since they are essentially vertical stalks lacking canopy and unable to provide equivalent benefits like oxygen generation or carbon sequestration,” observes Valsan. A small relief is the BMC policy now to earmark spaces for planting trees alongside cement concrete roads.
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.”
A Mood Of the Nation pre-election survey carried out by India Today and C-Voter has predicted that the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) consisting Uddhav-led Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP under Sharad Pawar will bag 26 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra while the ruling alliance of the Sena under CM Eknath Shinde as well as the two DCMs, Devendra Fadanvis and Ajit Pawar only 22. In 2019, the BJP-Sena alliance had won 41 seats. It is generally expected that it would repeat the performance, especially since Ajit Pawar teamed up with the saffron alliance. Buoyed up by the forecast, the Opposition in the state has started making claims that its Lok Sabha tally would exceed 35. Maharashtra’s LS tally is only second to Uttar Pradesh with 80 seats. Hence, Maharashtra occupies a crucial place in the BJP’s electoral calculation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s frequent visits to the state are interpreted as a sign of nervousness on the part of the ruling side. He is slated to pay his next visit on February 19 to launch some mega infra projects. According to the survey, the Congress will win 12 seats while the Sena (Uddhav) and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar would capture 14 seats together, leaving 22 for the NDA. The MVA is feeling more confident ever since Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar has agreed to enter the LS fray under its banner. In 2019, the united Sena had won 19 seats, along with the BJP’s 21. The united NCP had four while the Congress and the AIMIM could win one seat each. The survey findings are rather surprising since it has predicted a BJP sweep in several major states, including UP, MP, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Meetings between public figures and underworld elements are no novelty but when they happen one after another and a chief minister or deputy chief minister (DCM) are in the picture, literally, eyebrows are bound to raise. Photographs of Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son Dr Shrikant, MP, and DCM Ajit Pawar himself, besides his son Parth, receiving mafia members have gone viral over the past few days, igniting a political inferno. Coincidentally, this is happening when the state is rocked on account of indiscriminate firing by BJP’s Kalyan (East) MLA Ganpat Gaikwad at his foes inside a police station. Gaikwad had made serious allegations against Shinde and Shrikant. The CM’s supporters have taken objection to it and demanded BJP’s action against Gaikwad. Amidst all this, the first shock was notorious muscle man Gajaa Marane’s meeting with Parth in the latter’s Pune residence. Ajit later said it should not have happened and admonished his son. Within a few days, the CM was cornered when his son Shrikant received good wishes from Hemant Dabhekar, a known criminal from Pune, at ‘Varsha,’ official residence of the CM. The occasion was Shrikant’s birthday. Even before the dust was settling, Pimpri-Chinchwad’s don Asif Mohamed Iqbal Shaikh alias Asif Dadhi met Ajit Pawar. The purpose of the meeting is not known but it is believed that Asif is desirous of entering politics. The Opposition parties in Maharashtra have found ready-made cannon fodder and are making full use of the opportunity.
BJP Kalyan (East) MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, who fired several bullets at his arch enemies inside a police station, has made several sensational allegations against Maharashtra’s chief minister Eknath Shinde and his son Shrikant, MP. The matter is likely to snowball into a major political storm as this is the first incident of its kind in Maharashtra. According to Gaikwad, a property dispute at Ulhasnagar near Kalyan was at the root of the shocking incident. He has alleged that the father-son duo had been fostering goondaism in the area. Gaikwad has been representing the Kalyan (East) constituency for nearly two decades, becoming a thorn in the side of the Shinde faction. The critically injured Mahesh Gaikwad and Rahul Patil are said to be staunch followers of Shinde and Shrikant. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who handles the home department, however, has become the whipping boy for the Opposition. NCP MP Supriya Sule and state Congress president Nana Patole led the demand brigade seeking Fadnavis’ resignation immediately after the news of the firing spread like wildfire. On the other hand, OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal (Ajit Pawar faction) has ridiculed the demand asking “Did Fadnavis ask the MLA to fire?” A home minister would have to resign a hundred times a day if he is demanded to quit after each criminal incident. But Sharad Pawar has remarked that the incident shows in which direction the state is moving.
NCP president Sharad Pawar’s wife Pratibha appeared at the ED Mumbai office on February 1, surprising most of his supporters and the media, too. Married to the legendary leader over six decades ago, Pratibha rarely makes a public appearance. The only recent time she was seen in a crowd was when Pawar announced his resignation as party president last year. Before that, she was present when Pawar was felicitated at an all-party function after he turned 75. Daughter of a cricketer, Sadu Shinde, the lady has never dabbled in politics or public affairs. Hence, seeing her alighting from her car, NCP protestors started shouting anti-government slogans with renewed energy. They had gathered to condemn the ED’s summons to Pawar’s grandson, Rohit Pawar, a NCP MLA from Jamkhed in western Maharashtra. As Pawar himself was not present, Pratibha decided to lend moral support to Rohit, who is a successful businessman. She was accompanied by Revati Sule, Supriya Sule’s daughter. Rohit has emerged as the spokesman of the Pawar faction of the NCP. He is viewed as Pawar’s political heir for the state politics while Supriya continues to be the party face in the national affairs. Rohit has advised his followers to maintain calm since he feels the ED’s action is taken in view of the impending elections and hence will not transpire anything against him.
Former Union minister Milind Deora is emerging as a frontrunner for one of the Rajya Sabha seats which is among the six that are falling vacant from the state next month. According to the present statistics, all but one seat can be bagged by the three-party ruling alliance. The sixth seat can be won by the Congress party easily as it has the requisite vote quota, which is 42, to win the election. The Congress has 44 members in the lower house of Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar have around 16 MLAs in their camps. Thus, even if they join hands for the election which is held in the open, they will have little chance of any victory. Moreover, the state assembly speaker, Rahul Narwekar, has ruled that the Shiv Sena led by chief minister Eknath Shinde is the real party. Hence, its whip will be binding on Uddhav’s supporter MLAs. Likewise, a hearing is going on about the disqualification or otherwise of the MLAs with Pawar. If the speaker’s ruling goes in favour of Ajit Pawar, the MLAs will have to obey the whip of the breakaway NCP. In that situation, the Congress will be the only opposition party left in the field. Deora has a wealth of knowledge and experience. Given his proximity with Shinde, the hopefuls in that camp will find it prudent to support the former South Mumbai MP.
Senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal is becoming the central point in the whirlwind scenario that is building up in Maharashtra over the state government’s decision to grant reservations to the Maratha caste due to his aggressive stance for protecting the OBC reservations. Chief minister Eknath Shinde and his two DCMs, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar have advised Bhujbal to ‘understand’ the government’s notification in this regard first before making any public statement. In retaliation for some Maratha leaders’ comments, Bhujbal has declared in front of his supporters that he will not hanker for a ministership if there is a choice between his post and his demand. In a bid to reinforce the BJP’s commitment towards the OBCs, Fadnavis has issued a veiled warning. He said he would approach the party leadership if an eventuality to threaten the OBC reservations ever arose. When Fadnavis was asked about Bhujbal’s statements, he merely said that Bhujbal needs to maintain restraint. He can discuss the matter in detail after both meet. Ajit Pawar, likewise, said it would be necessary to know Bhujbal’s exact grievance and what the government had offered. Perhaps unsettled after several quarters have alerted the Maratha community about the difficulties in the way of securing the reservations, the agitation leader, Manoj Jarange Patil has reiterated his determination to fight out till it is achieved. Both camps are finalising their strategy and are unrelenting about their stands.
The Maratha caste’s demand for reservations, although granted by the Maharashtra government, will continue to dominate the state political scene for more time as two major issues are still unresolved. Firstly, there is a Supreme Court petition concerning the demand. The last hearing took place on 24 January but the outcome is yet not known. Perhaps more hearings could be needed. The fate of the reservations would be clear only after the Apex Court declares its verdict. Secondly, agitation leader Manoj Jarange Patil has been firm on his demand that all cases filed by the police in connection with the protest actions must be withdrawn forthwith. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadanvis has made it clear that it will not be possible due to legalities involved. Offences like setting houses afire with family members inside, mounting attacks against the police or torching public property can’t be withdrawn unless permitted by court. But Fadnavis clarified that all other cases will be dropped, as promised by chief minister Eknath Shinde to Jarange. Meanwhile, certain experts have started criticising the CM, suggesting that he has taken the agitators for a ride as the state government is not empowered to give such a reservation at all. To complicate the matter, Jarange has threatened to start another fast unto death if the reservations do not materialise. The ruling side’s insistence that the OBC reservations would not be touched to accommodate the Maratha caste will pose new problems for the government, it is felt.
Countdown has begun to handle the situation arising in Mumbai with regard to the massive morcha which is entering the commercial capital of India to demand reservations for the influential Maratha caste. Lakhs of supporters under the leadership of Manoj Jarange Patil have expressed determination to secure reservation. On the other hand, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde has once again appealed to the morcha organisers to wait for a Maratha caste census report that is being prepared now. After receiving the findings, the matter will be discussed in the state legislature in February to fulfil the assurance to grant the reservation, he has reiterated. While the morcha has been peaceful, the unprecedented response it has been receiving along the way is astounding. Thousands of bhakris and tonnes of rice and vegetables are prepared by many families voluntarily to feed the marchers. On the outskirts of Mumbai, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee has reserved its sprawling premises in Navi Mumbai by keeping its operations closed for Thursday and Friday to accommodate the gathering. Huge police deployments along the route and in Mumbai have been posted to handle the large crowds. The Republic Day celebrations all over will be taking place below the shadow of the morcha. Alarmed by the prospect of taking a slice out of its reservation quota, the OBC community has started gathering its forces to counter the Maratha show of strength. Their next move is awaited.
The Maratha reservation demand is likely to snowball into a major law and order issue for the Maharashtra government since lakhs of supporters of the agitation leader, Manoj Jarange Patil, have been asked to reach Mumbai in a walking march which is to begin from Saturday, 20 January. Patil has declared that an indefinite fast will start from 26 January if the demand is not met by then. Chief minister Eknath Shinde’s appeal to Patil in particular and the Maratha community in general not to agitate has not evoked much response so far. While Patil is firm on staging the protest march and fasting, the government has continued its efforts to avert any alarming situation in Mumbai or anywhere else in the state. Shinde has repeatedly assured Patil that the government is positive towards the demand and would adopt an enactment accordingly in February in the legislature. He has reiterated his promise that the reservations for other sections of society would not be affected while granting a reservation for the Maratha caste, the most influential group in Maharashtra’s politics. In response, Patil has challenged the government to present the data about delivering the caste certificates to the Marathas as belonging to the Kunbi community. If the government claims that 54 lakh such entries have been found, let it come with the statistics of actual grant of certification, he has challenged.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slated visit to Solapur in south Maharashtra will be significant for two reasons. Firstly, he will be arriving at the invitation of a CPM leader. Secondly, it will be his second state tour within a week’s time. As Maharashtra is the second largest state which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, Modi’s focus on it is being interpreted as a strategy to propagate his bid for the third consecutive term to rule the country. CPM firebrand leader Narasayya Adam has invited Modi to inaugurate a huge housing scheme the former MLA conceived for the unorganised working class. Modi had performed the bhoomi poojan of the scheme in 2019 and had promised to inaugurate it while responding to Adam’s appeal at that event. Adam was criticised at the time by several Opposition leaders for this gesture but had remained firm and has now extended the invite to the PM. During the visit, Modi is expected to green flag several infrastructure projects for that region, situated along the border with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. A traditional Congress bastion which had elected veteran leader Sushilkumar Shinde repeatedly, the Solapur LS seat has been won by the BJP in 2014 and 2019. Given the various political permutations and combinations, the BJP is keen on retaining it this time, too. Modi was in Nasik and Mumbai on 12 January. Hence, his Solapur visit is viewed as a shot in the arm for the state’s Mahayuti ruling alliance.
Even as sparring over the verdict of Maharashtra legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar is raging, the Shiv Sena faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde has gone on the offensive against the bloc led by Uddhav Thackeray. An immediate fallout could be a threat to start breach of privileges action against rival Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray and MP Sanjay Raut for their utterances against the speaker and the state legislature. In fact, Raut was the object of an inquiry for similar reasons in March 2023, too. This was after members from the ruling BJP and Sena had objected to his alleged comments wherein he had described the state legislature as “chor mandal”. Raut repeated the remarks on 10 January, immediately after Narvekar had pronounced his findings whereby MLAs from both Sena factions were spared of disqualification. Likewise, Aaditya could face action for calling Narvekar ‘shameless’ (Nirlajja) in front of channel cameras. Besides the privilege proceedings, the Shinde camp has started maintaining that as the rival faction MLAs will continue as members of the house, they will have to honour the party’s whip on the floor of the legislature. In a sharp retort, the Uddhav faction has claimed that it has been recognised as a different political party by the speaker so the whip compliance does not arise. Both sides have taken a combative stand, giving ample indications that the battle will go on in court of law as well as on the street.
The storm created by Maharashtra legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar’s judgment, which has rejected demands from both sides to disqualify certain MLAs from either side, will continue in judicial forums and on ground, too. The Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray has summarily rejected the verdict, announcing that it will knock on the Supreme Court’s doors. The Congress and the NCP have supported Uddhav’s criticism. This situation is expected to cement the I.N.D.I.A front in the state further, accelerating the on-going talks about seat sharing for the Lok Sabha election. On the other hand, the ruling three-party alliance is feeling exhilarated as it appears certain that chief minister Eknath Shinde will continue in office till the Apex Court takes cognizance of the matter. The million dollar question is: when will it happen. Considering the functioning of the Apex Court, it will be too optimistic to expect it to take up and dispose of in a short while. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Maharashtra on Friday, 12 January, to inaugurate the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project is likely to prove a game changer. The PM is likely to make some major announcement for the state, especially owing to its contribution in the celebrations planned for 22 January in Ayodhya. His comments about the present political development, hence, are awaited with baited breath by both sides.
NCP president Sharad Pawar has declared that he would not contest any election after his present Rajya Sabha term ends two and a half years later. Pawar has been at the receiving end over his age since his nephew Ajit Pawar has time and again advised him to take rest ‘at this stage of his life.’ Hitting out at him, Pawar has said that he entered politics in 1959 and has never taken a holiday. Moreover, when Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister, he was 83. Pawar quipped that he was elected by people to the parliament and hence needed to complete his term in the upper house. Pawar heads a myriad of organisations and is quite active in participating in their activities. He hates any talk of retirement. Ajit, therefore, has been harping on his age at every given opportunity. Irked by his constant needling, Ajit’s cousin and Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, MP, has remarked that Ajit has turned 65 and is now a senior citizen. Her implied message was that he, too, should consider retiring. This has once again highlighted the bitterness between the uncle and nephew as Pawar has reiterated that the doors of his party are permanently closed for Ajit and his supporters who walked out of the NCP in July 2023.
Wednesday, 10 January 2024, will be perhaps one of the most important days in Maharashtra’s history as state legislative assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar is scheduled to deliver his verdict on the disqualification petitions against chief minister Eknath Shinde and his several supporters. Narvekar has indicated that only highlights of the 500-page judgement will be read out tomorrow at 4 pm in Vidhan Bhavan and the detailed verdict will be available later. Even as suspense is building up about the fate of the three-party government in the state, Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis have expressed confidence that the petitions will be rejected by the speaker. Shinde said he had the majority, which was the main test in a democracy. Moreover, the Election Commission had recognised his side as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena and hence he was hopeful that justice will prevail. On the other hand, Sena’s rival faction chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar have taken grave objections for two meetings Narvekar had with Shinde at the latter’s official residence over the past week. “It is highly suspicious that the judge is calling on the accused,” Uddhav told the media on Tuesday while Pawar felt that it would have been better if Narvekar had not met the CM in this situation. While 34 petitions have been filed in the matter, over three lakh pages of various documents had to be perused, Narvekar has revealed.
The Congress high command’s fiat to the Maharashtra unit to send in recommendations for all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state has expectedly created a question mark about the seat-sharing formula that is yet to be worked out. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge held a meeting with state Congress chief Nana Patole and senior leader Balasaheb Thorat, among others, to assess the party’s prospects in Maharashtra. Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik, too, was involved in the exercise. Patole has been asked to submit recommended names to the party headquarters by 10 January. This unilateral decision has confused the Shiv Sena (Uddhav) and the NCP’s Sharad Pawar faction since each is desirous of claiming the largest slice. Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar, too, has added to the suspense by demanding a fair share of seats from the Maha Vikas Aghadi, failing which he has threatened to field candidates in every LS constituency. Sena MP Sanjay Raut had earlier created a sensation by announcing a tentative seat sharing formula but the party had to backtrack when the two other partners strongly objected to any such arrangement. Raut had enraged the Congress party by advising it to ‘start from a scratch’ since its only one candidate was successful in the 2019 election to the parliament. Amidst all these developments, the Congress party’s directive to the state unit has become viral, adding to the riddle.
The Maharashtra government has come out with a pleasant surprise for motorists as it has announced that the toll tax for cars using the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) will be Rs 250 for a single trip. It was expected that the toll amount of Rs 500, as recommended by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), would be endorsed by the state government. The Centre’s conditionalities, too, stipulate the toll charge of Rs 500. However, at the cabinet meet on January 4, the state has decided to charge Rs 250 for a one-way journey that would take merely 20 minutes against the present duration of hours needed to travel the distance. Named ‘Atal Setu,’ the fuel required to cross the link will be just a litre against the present requirement of around seven litres to travel by the existing road. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the 22-km link to the nation on 12 January in a grand function, to be held at the location of the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport. The time and cost overrun have affected the project which was scheduled to be ready in 2022 at a cost of about Rs 18,000 crore. Now, it is estimated to cost over Rs 21000 crore. Modi, too, is expected to make some major announcement at the inaugural in view of the impending Lok Sabha election later this year.
Politicians of all shades always talk of secularism, social equality and fraternity but when something contrary to their policies occurs, they forget all lofty principles and do exactly what they charge their opponents for. This was seen recently when senior Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal paid tributes to Savitribai Phule, hailed as founder of girls’ education in India. The event, Savitribai Phule’s birth anniversary was celebrated in Naaygaav in Satara district. Bhujbal garlanded her statue and gave a brief speech. Soon after he left, workers ostensibly belonging to the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) bathed the statue with milk and performed what is popularly known as purification ceremony to undo what the OBC leader had propitiated. In recent months, Bhujbal is the object of hate for the protagonists of the Maratha caste’s reservation demand. Bhujbal has been opposing this and holding public rallies to mobilise resistance to the demand. The irony is that several top NCP leaders have made controversial statements in connection with certain castes and faiths although they insist that they are rationalists and take oath of office ‘solemnly’ instead of ‘in the name of God.’ Incidentally, purification is a Hindu ritual practised by most of its followers but not by the so-called seculars. Tension prevailed in the area when the statues of Savitribai and Jyotiba, her husband and a social reformer, were cleansed with milk though no untoward incident took place.
How politics brings strange bedfellows together has been endorsed once again after a meeting between farmers’ leader Raju Shetti and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai. A former MP and BJP’s sympathiser, Shetti had walked out of the arrangement after he lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Meanwhile, Uddhav has teamed up with the Congress and the NCP’s Sharad Pawar faction. Shetti was a sworn foe of Congress parties over farmers’ demands. In the changed atmosphere, Shetti has shaken hands with Uddhav as both are opposing the Adani group’s projects in Maharashtra. While Uddhav has declared war against Adani over the Dharavi slum redevelopment plan, Shetti has alleged that the Adani group is making preparations to divert the Patgaon dam’s water from Kolhapur to neighbouring Sindhudurg district for electricity generation in its power plant there. Shetti has reiterated that the Union government has favoured Adani by slashing duty on soybean oil, hitting domestic growers of the oilseed. Shetti’s outburst against Adani and his talks with Uddhav have led to guessing new combinations in political circles. Shetti had invited the ire of top leader Sharad Pawar over the sugarcane growers’ agitation but patched up later with him. It was said at the time that he had switched sides to get nominated to the state legislative council. Now, his adversaries have charged that Shetti is mending fences with Uddhav for the next Lok Sabha election.
The verbal war between the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav) over taking credit for the Babri demolition in 1992 is intensifying by the day. Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis took it to another level. Fadnavis revealed that the Sangh Parivar activists had been asked not to claim credit for the demolition and hence had never done so. He was livid since some Sena leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray, have castigated the BJP by asking about its contribution in the razing of the disputed structure. In a sharp retort, Fadnavis said the entire world knew that LK Advani, Uma Bharati and Murli Manohar Joshi were among those present in Ayodhya on 6 December 1992 while not a single Sena activist was involved in the demolition. Replying to questions about Balasaheb Thackeray’s statement that “I am proud if the demolition is carried out by Shiv Sainiks,” Fadnavis said that it was done in response to a media question, nothing more. However, those people who did not venture out of their house were trying to claim credit for the demolition, he said, taking a dig at Uddhav. He said he himself had attended the Kar Seva in Ayodhya repeatedly and was once in jail, too. “The moment the structure came down was so joyful that it can’t be described in words,” recalled Fadnavis.
The ruling alliance in Maharashtra is making intense efforts to coincide Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Nasik visit on 12 January next year with the inauguration of the massive Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project, connecting Mumbai with the mainland. Modi is scheduled to open the National Youth Festival on that day in Nasik on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand. Preparations have started for the mega event in which thousands of participants from across the country have been invited. To benefit from the slated visit in view of the coming general election, the Shinde-Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar triumvirate has decided to invite Modi for declaring open the longest sea bridge in the country, being constructed at a cost exceeding Rs 18,000 crore. In fact, it was to be commissioned on 25 December but this did not happen since some finishing touches remained. The link will prove to be of immense political importance for the ruling side since it will open new vistas of development. Similarly, the choice of Nasik for the youth fest is crucial since the city is identified with Lord Ram’s footprint and a major pilgrimage centre. Senior Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan has been entrusted to make adequate preparations for the PM’s visit, during which some major announcements eyeing the polls are anticipated.
Senior Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan has rubbed salt into Uddhav Thackeray’s wound over the denial of invite to him for the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony as his bete noire Raj Thackeray has been invited to attend the 22 January inaugural in Ayodhya. The absence of any such communication for his cousin Uddhav has been lambasted by Shiv Sena (Uddhav) leaders over the past few days. Taking a dig at this discomfiture, Mahajan quipped, “Uddhav is just a legislator. Perhaps he is not in the Centre’s VVIP list.” When it was pointed out that Uddhav had donated Rs 1 crore for the temple, Mahajan retorted that many people had made such donations. “Let Sena MP Sanjay Raut show me a picture wherein Uddhav is seen performing Kar Seva,” he challenged. A close confidant of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and a trouble shooter for the three-party government in Maharashtra, Mahajan minced no words while praising the outright stand taken by late Balasaheb Thackeray about the temple, sharpening his attack against Uddhav. “It is one thing to just support some mission by staying at home and quite another to actually toil for it. We were in jail during the temple revival movement,” Mahajan said, reflecting indirectly the stock criticism that Uddhav ran the government for two and a half years by staying at Matoshree, visiting Mantralaya only thrice.
The Indian National Congress has started spirited preparations for its 28 December rally in Nagpur where a million party workers and supporters are planned to remain present. Top Congress leaders like Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge as well as various office-bearers will attend the first show of strength after the recent assembly election drubbing the party has suffered. The suspension of most of its MPs from the two houses of Parliament has provided a moral boost for the party to stand up and fight back, several leaders say. To coincide with the party’s Foundation Day, the rally’s venue will be finalised within the next two days. Tentatively, two locations are finding favours. The sprawling grounds at Dabha a few weeks ago housed an AgroVision exhibition and could accommodate a huge turnout. Former minister Satish Chaturvedi’s Lokmanya Tilak Jan Kalyan Sanstha, too, has a large open ground at its Priyadarshini campus. This is in close vicinity of the airport and suitable from various angles. Party leaders have inspected these and some other possible locations. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal is monitoring the preparations. Once a stronghold of the Congress party, Nagpur slipped from its hands in 2014 to elect popular BJP leader Nitin Gadkari to the Lok Sabha. The party is determined to wrest the seat from the BJP at the RSS headquarters this time. The rally will be one step in this direction, the workers will be told and spurred to work.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray’s protest march against the government’s decision to entrust the redevelopment of Dharavi, the largest slum of Asia, to the controversial Adani Group has been highlighted more for the fireworks between the protagonists and detractors of Adani than forcing the authorities from taking any concrete action. The redevelopment of the project worth thousands of crores of rupees had been pending for decades. During Uddhav’s chief ministership, too, the plan to redevelop Dharavi was hanging fire. While Uddhav made several demands while leading the protest in Mumbai on Saturday (Dec 16), his opponents trapped him by demanding to know what steps he had taken during his tenure for Dharavi. Some went to the extent of alleging that the tacit intent of the march was quite different and was linked with Uddhav’s new residence, Matoshree-II, at nearby Kala Nagar in Bandra East. The present plan which Adani will implement envisages giving units of 500 sq ft each to the eligible slum dwellers. Earlier, units of 400 sq ft were offered. Uddhav has demanded units of 750 sq ft. The oft-repeated charge that the Union government was bent upon separating Mumbai from Maharashtra was once again heard and the BJP’s expected response that no such conspiracy is hatching has followed. The fate of the beneficiaries will depend upon the turns the state politics takes as changing sides is becoming a commonplace activity in Maharashtra.
The Union government’s sudden move to permit the use of sugarcane juice and B-heavy molasses for ethanol production with a ceiling of 17 lakh tonnes for the current marketing year has hardly surprised sugar barons in Maharashtra and Karnataka since these two major states are the ruling BJP’s strongholds. Together, they produce around 60% of India’s total sugar output. Though Karnataka has voted against the BJP in recent assembly elections, the party is preparing to storm the state for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The same logic applies to Maharashtra. Veteran leader Sharad Pawar’s power base is dependent upon the massive sugar lobby, which now is fractured. Its one section has followed his nephew Ajit Pawar, who has now joined the Shinde-Fadnavis government and started praising PM Narendra Modi as well home minister Amit Shah. Immediately after the Centre’s decision about the ethanol production restriction was announced, there was a wave of anger in Maharashtra. The Opposition cornered the state government and Ajit Pawar had to assure the legislature that he would visit Delhi to plead with the Centre to reconsider the decision. Now that it has happened, the Opposition ranks have been re-planning their strategy. The victorious three-party government, on the other hand, will exploit the political benefit of the revised decision. The Centre’s reassurance that there will be adequate sugar availability in the country in the months to come will assuage the sentiments of the middle class, too, it is felt.
Firebrand OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal has stopped his morning strolls due to the perceived threat to his life. “I will be shot down, I have been warned by my people,” he has alleged in an interaction with the media. Bhujbal’s explosive speech in the Maharashtra legislative assembly on December 11 has gone viral as he has caught Maratha leaders in a cleft stick. “Tell me, do you want to be registered as a Kunbi,” he asked top legislators like Balasaheb Thorat, a powerful cooperative sugar Maratha baron. There was silence. For Marathas, accepting to be Kunabis means admitting that they belong to the OBCs, traditionally considered a rung down from Maharashtra’s ruling clans in the generational caste hierarchy. As Bhujbal is emerging as the sole OBC leader in the state, the verbal attacks against him are becoming sharper. Bhujbal has been championing the OBC cause for half a century and is perhaps the first mass leader to speak out openly against the Maratha domination, albeit in a veiled manner. Though he has repeatedly stated that he is not opposed to the Maratha demand for reservations, he has also made it clear that the OBC reservation quota must not be sliced to accommodate the Maratha caste in the reservation cover. Manoj Jarange Patil, who is leading the Maratha demand marches, has reiterated that the December 24 deadline for fulfilling the Maratha demand must be implemented at any cost. The state government is assessing the situation.
The State Backward Class Commission’s chairman Anand Nirgude’s resignation soon after two of the members had quit has armed the Opposition in Maharashtra with a hefty stick to hit at the Shinde-Fadanvis-Ajit Pawar government. The timing of the resignation is significant since the Maratha caste’s deadline for the government to take a decision on its reservation demand expires on December 24. While it is alleged that the resignations have come on account of the ruling side’s interference in the working of the commission, Nirgude himself has clarified that he has put in his papers for personal reasons. Moreover, he has declared that he will not come before the media to speak about what has happened. Immediately after the news about Nigrude leaked out, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray demanded that the matter should be investigated through a Special Investigation Team. The two members who had resigned earlier, Balaji Killarkar and Lakshman Hake, had complained of governmental meddling. Uddhav said the names of the two MLAs who were pressurising the commission must come out. Legislative assembly’s leader of opposition Vijay Wadettiwar and Uddhav’s spokesman Sanjay Raut, too, came out strongly against the government. Senior minister Shambhuraje Desai said the reason for the resignation of Nirgude would be ascertained before making any comment. But he has flatly denied that the government has in any manner tried any intrusion in the commission’s working.
Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar’s silence over the political slugfest that is raging in the state is intriguing since his one-time right hand Praful Patel is now made the whipping boy to corner the three-party regime in Maharashtra by the Congress and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav) after former minister Nawab Malik’s arrival in the picture. Patel had been Pawar’s emissary in Delhi over the past two decades and had represented him for resolving various ticklish political crises. Very recently, Patel had played a significant role in establishing the Uddhav government by holding talks with then Congress leader Ahmed Patel. Now he has joined the NCP faction led by state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. As the BJP has publicly objected to Malik’s inclusion in Ajit’s party, the past of Praful Patel is dug up to embarrass the Shinde-Fadnavis-Ajit government. The Congress and the Sena (Uddhav) have reminded the rulers that Patel had been raided by ED some time ago and have alleged his connection with infamous fugitive Iqbal Mirchi. “If Nawab is not OK, how come Patel is OK?” the barbs from the two parties have asked. While so much has been happening in the state, Sharad Pawar’s total mum regarding his former Man Friday has given rise to fresh speculation. Ajit has added to the mystery by refusing to say a word about Malik, who as well has remained mute
Otherwise at each other’s throat, political parties in Maharashtra have shown a sense of unity after the Centre has imposed restrictions on onion exports and use of sugarcane for production of ethanol. As the state is the leading producer of onion and sugar, the Centre’s steps are bound to hit the growers of both. Already, they have been suffering due to unseasonal heavy rains which have damaged rabi crops in most parts of the state. The issue was raised in the state legislature by opposition parties, which charged that the BJP government at the Centre had been taking the decisions which were harming Maharashtra’s interests. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who has been praising PM Narendra Modi over and over again, responded very cautiously to the criticism as the issue concerns the farming activity across the state. He informed the house that he has been in touch with Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Nitin Gadkari. “If necessary, we will go to Delhi to meet the Central leaders,” he assured the agitated legislators. The Union government has banned onion exports till 31 March next year to ensure its ample availability in the domestic market. Similarly, use of sugarcane juice or syrup would not be allowed for ethanol production by sugar mills. This restriction will cripple the sugarcane growers and cooperative sugar mills, according to leading political figures in Maharashtra.
Former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik continues to be the focal point of Maharashtra politics. Released by court on bail while facing charges like indulging in anti-national activities, Malik’s arrival in Nagpur where the state legislature is in session has kicked off a virtual storm. Unfazed, he spent some time in the legislative assembly for the second consecutive day. The BJP’s opposition to his inclusion in the NCP’s Ajit Pawar faction has been backed by chief minister Eknath Shinde. Thereafter, top NCP leader Praful Patel joined the flurry of activity as the issue continued to reverberate in the second capital of Maharashtra. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has demanded that Malik should not be accepted by the Ajit faction in view of the serious charges against him. Ajit’s close associate Dilip Walse Patil has expressed his party’s unhappiness over the Fadnavis letter reaching the media. To douse the heat, Patel met Fadnavis and made it clear that no political talks have been held with Malik. On the other hand, Malik called on Ajit. Firebrand leader Chhagan Bhujbal, too, joined the discussion. Ajit had announced that he will decide his stand on this issue only after meeting Malik. Hence, attention is now focused on Ajit’s next step as it will determine the direction of the state polity, which is buffeted by caste-based demands for reservations over the past month.
The fabulous victory in the assembly elections in three northern states has expectedly heightened the confidence of the rank and file of the BJP. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule has lobbed the first volley on behalf of such workers with his own prophecy. “Our leader Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn in as our next chief minister in 2024,” the irrepressible Bawankule declared in a party workers’ meet in Bhandara and made all those present to repeat the oath after him. While Fadnavis himself has repeatedly avoided any direct response to such questions from the media, the state party chief has no such compunction. So far, Fadnavis has not reacted to the incident while the opposition has kept mum, perhaps needing time to recover from the electoral drubbing suffered by the I.N.D.I.A front. On his part, Fadnavis has time and again ensured that no conflict is created within the three-party government in the state. Just a couple of days ago, unconfirmed reports became viral that the BJP will contest 26 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Sensing that such baseless talk could generate avoidable tensions, Fadnavis immediately clarified that there was no such decision. This dampened any further speculation. Hence, several party workers feel Bawankule needs to learn the art of politics from Fadnavis and pray that such a day will come soon.
With general elections few months away, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has rejigged his strategy that will see him increasing his public appearances. For now, he has declared that he will be visiting Palghar district outside Mumbai soon, admitting that he had not paid attention to the area which had elected his candidate to the Lok Sabha in 2019. Uddhav has been constantly criticised for not venturing out Matoshree, his family residence located in suburban Bandra. The criticism was sharp when he was the chief minister for over two years. “You have not visited Mantralaya even two and a half times,” his arch detractor Narayan Rane would say over and over again. Besides undertaking a few trips within the state and except for attending a couple of I.N.D.I.A meetings, Uddhav has stayed mostly in Mumbai and in Matoshree in particular. But it seems he will now become more active by appearing in public. Another possible reason for his aggressive posture could be the frequent media interactions his cousin Raj Thackeray has been enjoying, the latest regarding his victory on the issue of displaying Marathi boards in Mumbai by commercial establishments. Uddhav felt particularly aggrieved as some posters describing chief minister Eknath Shinde as “Hindu Hriday Samrat,” came up a couple of days ago. As the title was bestowed upon Balasaheb Thackeray Uddhav said, “The saboteurs will be taught a fitting lesson by the people in the coming election.”
The BJP in Maharashtra is feeling the heat generated by the social media as its president Chandrashekhar Bawankule continues to be lashed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav) MP Sanjay Raut over the former’s family visit to a casino in Macau. Raut on Friday (Nov 24) released a new video clip entitled ‘An Evening in Macau……..’ with a veiled warning that ‘Picture abhi baki hai.’ This is taken as an indication since immediately thereafter, Raut declared that he has 27 photographs and five video clips in this connection. On top of it, Raut taunted the BJP by saying, “If I post this material, the BJP will have to close down its shop. But I will not do it. We are soldiers of Balasaheb Thackeray.” When the first video clip was uploaded by Raut a few days ago, Bawankule had claimed that in Hong Kong – Macau, when you go in any hotel and need to go to another area therein, you have to pass by a casino table.” Bawankule had lamented that he was facing such type of criticism after being in politics for 34 years. He said he had barely visited his home in the last 14 months. Therefore, his daughter and daughter-in-law had secured three days’ time from him for a family outing. As part of this planning, the family was in Macau, he clarified. Raut’s new revelation has rattled the BJP, which is expected to rebound soon.
Firebrand OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal seems isolated over the Maratha reservation issue in Maharashtra, once again highlighting the fact that politicians can change their stand at the drop of a hat, without batting an eyelid. Bhujbal was supported by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar over the OBCs’ determination that no curtailment would be permitted in their reservation quota to accommodate the Maratha reservation demand. Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Wadettiwar attended the first OBC rally, which was organised to express unity among various OBC beneficiaries of reservations. Wadettiwar was present although the Congress party has not taken any stand over the sensitive issue. He has been under attack from within the Congress for his various statements and also for supporting Bhujbal, fearing a backlash from the Maratha caste in the coming elections. Sensing the threat to his own position, Wadettiwar has now declared that he will never share a dais with Bhujbal. Maintaining that those in power are expected to resolve problems of the populace, Wadettiwar said it is patently wrong to poison the relationship between two sections of society in this battle for reservations. “Who will be responsible if lives are lost?” he thundered. Expectedly, his new stand has been welcomed by Maratha leader Manoj Jarange Patil, who is proceeding towards Mumbai to precipitate the matter by exerting pressure on the rulers.
Senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s attack against the Maratha caste reservation demand and his various utterances against the government of which he himself is a member have created a piquant situation in Maharashtra. His own party, the Nationalist Congress party (NCP), has disowned his stand against the Maratha caste to which the party leader Ajit Pawar belongs. On the other hand, various Maratha leaders have started demanding his removal from the Shinde-Fadnavis-Pawar ministry. In retaliation, OBC leaders irrespective of party affiliations have started uniting under Bhujbal’s stewardship. Both sides have hardened their respective stands. While the Maratha leaders are firm that their caste must be granted reservations, OBC leaders have made it clear that no slice from their quota to the Marathas would be permitted under any circumstances. Though Maharashtra’s prominent leaders take pride in describing the state as the most progressive in India, casteism was always present though not as articulated as now. Rallies by leaders of both sides have been evoking tremendous response, sending warning signals in view of the volatile situation. The approaching general election next year will be definitely affected by the reservation imbroglio. Curiously, the Centre has maintained silence over the burning issue, fearing that any stand taken by it would have repercussions in other states like Rajasthan and Haryana where similar demands have been pending for a long time. Hence, the developing situation in Maharashtra is watched keenly by the political stakeholders.
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray rarely sing the same tune. But Union home minister Amit Shah has now provided them the fodder and both have used it to lambast the BJP. In almost simultaneous media conferences, Uddhav came down heavily on a statement made by Shah. He was meeting the media in Mumbai. In next door Thane, cartoonist Raj lampooned Shah. An irate Uddhav wondered how the Election Commission had not taken any cognisance of Shah’s inducement to the voters in Madhya Pradesh. He said Shah had promised the MP voters free of cost visits to Ayodhya if the BJP returned to power in the state. Uddhav recalled his father Balasaheb Thackeray and some Shiv Sena leaders and legislators were barred by the EC for six years from even voting on charges that the Sena had resorted to Hindutva in the 1987 Vile Parle assembly byelection which the party had won. “Has the EC revised its rules? If so, let all parties know about it,” Uddhav taunted. He has written a complaint to the EC to demand an explanation. Raj, with tongue in cheek, advised the BJP to open a tour and travel agency. He also took the opportunity to attack NCP leader Sharad Pawar. The MNS chief reiterated that casteism in Maharashtra has proliferated ever since the NCP was founded in 1999 by Pawar.
The first rally to demand protection to the OBC reservation in Maharashtra is scheduled on Friday (Nov 17) in Jalna district wherein the first protest for demanding the Maratha caste reservation was ignited. As indicated earlier, top OBC leader and state cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal will be the star speaker at the rally to be held at Dhait Nagar in Ambad taluka, where the sentiments on the issue are very strong on both sides. Bhujbal will be accompanied by another cabinet minister, Dhananjay Munde, elected from neighbouring Beed district. The supporters of OBC reservations had been holding their fire for a long time. Now that Diwali festivities are over, the atmosphere in the state is getting surcharged. The rally is being described by its organisers as a ‘Save Reservation Clarion Call Meet.’ While it is claimed that the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar (Congress), too, will be present to express his support of the OBCs, former minister Pankaja Munde, too, has been invited. The tagline of the rally is: ‘Jo Desh ke Hit kee Baat Karenga, Vo hi Desh pe Raj Karega.’ The second pro-OBC rally will be held at Hingoli, another political hotbed in Marathwada. On the other hand, Maratha reservation leaders have demanded fulfilment of their demand by December 24 this year. Otherwise, a statewide agitation would be launched, they have warned.
Caste dissensions in Maharashtra are becoming sharper over the Maratha demand for reservations as two ministers in the state are under pressure to lead active protest demonstrations to oppose any curtailment in the OBC quota of reservations. Various political parties have adopted a cautious approach towards the thorny issue as taking any stand either way will prove costly in the coming elections, they fear. The conflict is likely to assume wider proportions after Diwali. Followers of senior ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde, both ardent proponents of the OBC cause, are planning to vent their opposition to the Maratha consolidation by holding a rally in Jalna soon. The present Maratha agitation for the reservations had begun in a village a little away from this town in Marathwada. The situation in the state is intriguing as the state’s Leader of the Opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, has come out openly in support of the OBCs and articulated his staunch opposition to the Maratha quota demand. Surprisingly, the Congress party to which he belongs has not taken any stand on the social conflagration so far. Various top leaders of different shades have started saying that a Maratha reservation should be durable and pass the test of the Supreme Court judgments in this regard. As this position is contrary to the Maratha demand, the atmosphere in Maharashtra after Diwali will test the acumen of the leadership.
In a state where being a Maratha is a matter of prestige, top leader Sharad Pawar is facing slander which has gone viral wherein it is alleged that he has obtained a certificate which says that he belongs to the OBC category. Always described outside Maharashtra as a Maratha strongman, Pawar’s baby, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), also is dubbed as a party of the Marathas by his detractors. In the midst of the furore raised in the state over the Maratha caste demand for reservations, a purported school document which says that Pawar belongs to the OBCs went viral on social media within minutes. His daughter Supriya Sule, MP, ridiculed the attempt to defame Pawar. She pointed out that the so-called certificate is in English whereas during Pawar’s childhood nearly eight decades ago, no English medium schools were available in that area. Vikas Pasalkar, a Pawar acolyte, immediately circulated a school leaving certificate which clearly states that Pawar is a Maratha. Pasalkar implied that such a campaign against Pawar was being masterminded from Nagpur. Pawar’s grandson, Rohit Pawar, on the other hand, directly charged the BJP for the misinformation. The Maratha demand for reservations has roasted the caste leaders from both sides, asking them to clarify why they could not secure the reservation over the past 60 years even though they were in power. Pawar, too, is lampooned on this count.
Drug kingpin Lalit Patil’s arrest a few weeks ago is followed by sensational disclosures almost on a daily basis. The latest is pointing a finger at the role of Pune police in the sordid affair. At the centre of the controversy is Pune’s reputed Sassoon Hospital, where Patil had managed to stay for a long time claiming fake health issues. The hospital dean, Dr Sanjay Thakur, has been sacked as he was directly responsible for the treatment for the Nasik-based drug lord. Even as some more medical officials have been under the lens, Pune MLA Ravindra Dhangekar (Congress) has alleged that palms in the police commissioner office were greased by Patil to continue his operations. Its alleged drug lord Patil was alleged to have distributed Rs17 lakh every month to some Sassoon Hospital staff members to ensure his prolonged stay in the hospital. Dhangekar, who was elected to the legislative assembly only a few months ago, has been quite vocal about the purported cover-up. He said his demand to investigate those receiving the money from Patil has been overlooked by Pune police. Moreover, he feels that the state government is shielding Dr Thakur by just removing him. “I demand that Thakur must be slapped with MOCCA,” the MLA reiterated. Drug proliferation in Pune was alarming and the police were not arresting Thakur so as to divert attention from this situation, according to Dhangekar.
The iconic Air Building at Nariman Point in south Mumbai will soon become one more addition to the Maharashtra government’s scattered offices in the city’s commercial hub. The 23-storey commercial tower, the famous landmark, was once upon a time perhaps the most sought after business address when it began serving as corporate headquarters for Air India from 1974 till 2013. It has nearly 10800 square feet of office space on each floor. Air India vacated the structure a decade ago when its loan burden became unbearable and had been trying to sell it to raise capital. AI then shifted its headquarters to New Delhi, leaving behind precious art treasures and other choice articles. The Maharashtra government had plans ever since Air India moved out to take over the building but due to standard hassles, the proposal never came up for implementation. The state government has rented out vast spaces in and around Nariman Point to house its various offices for a long time. With the AI building in its possession, the space crunch will be eased to some extent. Now that the state government has announced its intent to occupy the structure will soon see the farmers, the poor and the labourer in this posh building, once frequented by leaders, business magnates and corporate honchos. The Maharaja on the AI flag will be replaced by another Maharaja, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The three-party coalition ruling in Maharashtra has humbled the NCP founder Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray in the just declared results for the Gram Panchayats in the state. The BJP has emerged as the single largest winner in the public mandate which was tested for the first time after the change of guard last year. Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and the two deputy chief ministers, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, have welcomed the outcome with claims that the ruling alliance will win 45 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections. Initial reports suggest that out of 2359 Gram Panchayat bodies, the ruling side has won 1354, with the BJP bagging over 743, Shinde’s Sena getting over 240 and Ajit Pawar’s faction 371. On the other hand, the NCP under Sharad Pawar has been able to win 178 bodies while Uddhav’s Sena has come last with 102 victories. The overall perception that the electorate will reject those defecting from the main party has been belied, especially since Ajit’s faction has emerged invincible in Pune district’s politics, which was dominated for decades by his uncle Sharad Pawar. This performance will have a direct impact on the seat sharing between the two sides and since the so-called I.N.D.I.A front has fared poorly.
Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has started facing a dual challenge in his stronghold, Pune city and district. His cousin Supriya Sule, MP, and BJP leader Chandrakant Patil have markedly activated their supporters in the affairs of the area. This is considered as a new challenge for Ajit, who has been holding the reins of the district and city for nearly two decades. Ajit controls almost all the important institutions, including the prestigious Pune District Central Cooperative Bank, which is the fountainhead of finances for various cooperatives like sugar factories. However, in the past two weeks, he has had to cancel his two appearances, one at the boiler firing ceremony at Malegaon Sugar Factory, which is his fiefdom. More conspicuous is his absence from the centrestage of the various discussions that have been taking place for the past fortnight over the Maratha reservation demand. Perhaps the most influential Maratha leader after his uncle Sharad Pawar, his explanation that he is down with dengue raised many eyebrows. While he was bedridden, Patil and Sule held a series of meetings with their supporters in Pune. Ajit’s supporters are awaiting a signal from him. There is no dearth of speculation. One which has gone viral is that Ajit’s wife Sunetra is likely to enter the Lok Sabha election arena to challenge Supriya, who has been elected repeatedly from Baramati constituency. Ajit’s next move is expected to be announced soon now that the Maratha agitation is withdrawn.
Public figures are frequently made to face embarrassment as their pictures with controversial individuals standing next to them are later published. Their defence that they can’t know everybody in a crowd coming near them is valid, though mostly unbelieved by the general public. The latest such leader is embattled Maharashtra’s chief minister Eknath Shinde, who has been finding himself in a tight spot for the presence of infamous youtuber Elvish Yadav at his official residence during the 10-day Ganesh festival along with other celebrities. Barely recovering from the aftermath of an agitation to demand reservations for the Maratha caste, Shinde will be required to come out with his response to the tirade launched against him by the Opposition over Yadav’s presence at his house. Several videos of Yadav performing aarti at the CM’s home on September 25 have been made viral by leaders of the Opposition the moment the news of Yadav’s arrest landed on social media. Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress, led the attack and was supported by Shiv Sena (Uddhav) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) functionaries. Sena’s Sushma Andhare mounted an offensive by demanding to know how someone accused of making drugs from snake venom had reached the CM’s bungalow. Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, had to face some unpleasant moments when his picture with a questionable Nagpur politician was circulated by his detractors.
Alarmed by the spreading violence over the Maratha reservation demand, various political parties in Maharashtra have found it prudent to jointly issue an appeal to the general public to maintain law and order. In their joint statement, they condemned the acts of arson and rasta roko that have been taking place in some parts of the state. A meeting convened by chief minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday (Nov 1) was attended by veteran leader Sharad Pawar, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav) faction and various political party leaders. The agitation over the reservation demand has taken an ugly turn since Beed MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar’s house was set afire even when several family members were inside. Deputy chief minister (DCM) Ajit Pawar’s staunch supporter Prakash Solanke’s house too was attacked by an unruly mob. In several villages, politicians of all shades have been banned entry. In view of the developing situation, the state government has made preparations to deploy police bandobast outside the residences of prominent OBC leaders since the community is opposed to granting any Maratha reservation from its quota. Those supporting Maratha reservation have alleged that the ruling coalition is trying to drive a wedge between the two sections by taking such a step. The police have filed several criminal cases against the arsonists and violence-spreaders. At least half a dozen cases will be under IPC Section 307, attempt to murder, according to DCM Devendra Fadnavis.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde’s two loyalist MPs have resigned over the Maratha reservation demand that has engulfed the state in an orgy of violence. Shiv Sena (Shinde) Lok Sabha members from Nashik and Hingoli, Hemant Godse and Hemant Patil, have thus supported the long-pending reservation demand proactively. While Patil submitted his resignation to the Lok Sabha secretariat in New Delhi on Monday (Oct 30), Godse has sent his resignation letter to Shinde. Patil drafted his resignation letter on the spot and handed it over to the agitators when he was accosted by Maratha agitators in Yavatmal, challenging him to state his stand on the reservation demand. Soon after the news became viral, Patil was belittled by many of his detractors, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s daughter and fellow MP Supriya Sule. She termed Patil’s resignation as a mere stunt. In retort, Patil said, “I am not born in a family whose two or even three generations are in power.” He regretted that although several leaders from the Maratha community became Maharashtra chief ministers, the caste didn’t get anything. Likewise, Godse drafted his resignation letter in Nashik when Maratha demonstrators asked him to clarify his stand on the burning issue. Patil was recently in the news when he had forced the dean of the government hospital in Nanded to clean toilets after the MP visited it following 24 deaths in 24 hours.
For the first time perhaps, a government is proceeding with a plan of action to promote the sales and consumption of beer in the state. As a result, beer lovers in Maharashtra are soon likely to cheer up each other more spiritedly at a lesser cost. Concerned by the swelling loan burden that is around Rs7 lakh crore now, the declining amount of the excise revenue has created concern for the authorities. Noticing the declining excise recovery from beer, the state has set up a five-member committee to study the beer industry threadbare and recommend ways and means to swell its coffers by promoting the beer swill. The committee, to be headed by an additional chief secretary, has been asked to submit its report within a month. Probably, so that the New Year can be welcomed more spiritedly. Maharashtra and Telangana each have 14% share in the all-India beer market, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 9%. Kerala (6%, Tamil Nadu (7%) and Karnataka (8%) are the other major beer consuming states. The sole non-official member of the Maharashtra committee will be a nominee of the All India Brewers’ Association. The government resolution (GR) dated 16 October 2023 says the beer sales in the state have been going down ever since the excise duty on the brew was increased. The reason for the doddering revenue is that the alcohol content in beer is less as compared with liquor, imported and made indigenously. As a result, the sales of beer are drying up as boozers are not attracted to it due to its higher price. The committee’s report is awaited eagerly.
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