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.

The Maharashtra government’s appointment of 283 Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) doctors as Medical Officers has been set aside by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) for not factoring in their Covid-19 public service to society – they were supposed to get additional marks. MAT ordered the state on October 10 to refrain from assigning postings to 283 shortlisted BAMS MOs. The CM Eknath Shinde government was keen to project a pro-jobs initiative on the eve of state assembly elections (to be) scheduled in November 2024. However, the MAT stayed these postings over the lack of due procedure followed while selecting the best candidates for the MO posts. Advocate Gaurav Deshpande, who secured the stay for 24 candidates out of 22,000 odd who applied says, “The written examinations conducted in two sessions last month by IPBS (Indian Banking and Public Services) did not factor in the aspect of normalization of the marking system.” As per the JD for the posts the good doctors would be eligible for enhancement in final scores (out of 200 marks) for every year of public service experience they possessed (to a maximum of five marks). The erstwhile MVA government has emphasized upon the doctors who volunteered for Covid-19 duties at the height of the pandemic terming them as medical ‘Yodhyas’ (warriors). Only, on October 5, 2024, the results of the written examinations were officially announced when these medical warriors were left out without gaining due weightage of enhanced marks that they truly deserved. Just before the 2024 Lok Sabha also 14,000 (legal) notaries were appointed in a similar ad-hoc manner for votes that faced no legal challenge though.

Maharashtra politics is on the boil over alliance angst breaking out openly for more seats for forthcoming state assembly polls with Sharad Pawar and UBT Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray ganging up against the recently Haryana humbled Congress party, even as NCP’s Ajit Pawar seeks 60 seats for his clock symbol. State cabinet meeting on October 10 witnessed deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar walking out within 10 minutes following with slew of decisions pertaining to his finance department discussed and cleared over next couple of hours. The BJP seeks to satiate Pawar between 40 and 50 assemblies with Shiv Sena CM Eknath Shinde eyeing 80 seats after his 40% strike rate in the 2024 Lok Sabha poll. Sharad Pawar is hand holding with Uddhav Thackeray and key Congressmen to renew his bid for one last political stint at helm of political affairs in Maharashtra. Thackeray also upped the ante citing Congress’ inability to win Haryana assemblies after shrugging off alliance Dharma to its own detriment. Following the 2019 state assemblies Pawar literally leveraged the majority of 44 Maharashtra Congress MLAs forcing Congress high command into MVA alliance, and power. Congress strategist, late Ahmed Patel, was forced to take backdoor exit from the party’s Dadar office after facing belligerent party MLAs who disagreed upon eschewing power in Maharashtra. Will the Congress retain its leader status in Maharashtra, hold sway over 125 seats for forthcoming assemblies? Come Dussehra, we should know?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to Maharashtra, cemented seat sharing talks within the Mahayuti and announced BJP’s CM face. During introductory remarks at a closed-door intra-party BJP meeting Shah recognized Devendra Fadnavis as “Humare Party Ke (Maharashtra) Sarvosarvah” while introducing other state level party leaders by respective designations. Shah’s predominance over 50% of organizational work, the domain of National BJP president JP Nadda, sets to rest speculation over Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s candidature as next BJP president. Chauhan’s exemplary work in agriculture and current emphasis on Maharashtra saw the former Madhya Pradesh CM, son-in-law of Gondia in Maharashtra cosying up to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Shah finalized seat sharing numbers for assemblies; BJP will contest between 150-160 seats, Shiv Sena 70-80 and NCP 40-50. Second round discussions will focus on sitting MLAs within the alliance after which, second placed Lok Sabha losers from NDA will also be factored in. Shah also injected confidence in the party cadre asking, “Why are you depressed? We returned to power for a record three times not-just-withstanding INDIA Bloc but also forces from abroad who proactively used AI and funding to defeat PM Modi.” The BJP’s political strategist emphasised the need to grow the NDA vote share by a couple of percentage points in the forthcoming assembly elections bearing in mind the marginal percentage point reduction during Maha Lok Sabha polls in 48 constituencies. Shah’s gameplan also seeks MVA alliance’s vote share effectively curbed may see disgruntled MVA aspirants independently playing spoilsport come elections. Now if only, Nitin Gadkari would also toe the party line?

The secrecy cloud over National Security Advisor Ajit Doval missing out the USA meeting between Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dissipated. Neither Doval’s preoccupation with J&K assemblies nor his apprehensions over Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s criminal lawsuit saw him missing in action. During his American absence India’s intelligence intellectual Doval devoted full-time efforts cementing the Indo-France defence deal for fabrication of nuclear attack submarines, transfer of technology for 110 kilo-Newton thrust aircraft engines and fully weaponized underwater drones. All in a few days work, accomplished by singular minded efforts by India’s top spymaster. Apart from consistent interference in Indian political affairs by U.S. administration both tacitly (George Soros’ broadside on the Adani group) and not-so-tacitly (Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s lawsuit), Indian talks also faltered with Americans over 16 General Electric F404 engines (promised by March 2024) being deliberately stymied for near two years by the latter notwithstanding stated objectives of INDUS-X (India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem). While Biden sought brownie points during his Modi meet-up, Doval set upon an accelerated emphasis on the Indo-French technology connection that now only awaits the official declaration, come September 30. Busy-as-a-bee Doval has not only tied up India’s defence deals for fifth generation fighter jets, nuclear attack subs and all-purpose drones but also, established a Russian channel to dissipate Indo-China tensions leading to new world order axis of nations including India, Russia, China, France, Australia and more set for an economic-defence common cause states enlarged grouping of the Global South.

The shoe is on the other foot now, for the U.S. administration under President Joe Biden that brazenly interfered before, during and continues even after general elections held in India in April returned the BJP-led NDA to power. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, observing a less than a tit-for-tat policy, is emerging as the big social influencer for the forthcoming Presidential polls in the USA. While stopping short of responding in equal measure over U.S. meddling, Modi has leveraged his popularity among the Indian diaspora in the USA pitching for Donald Trump’s second innings at the helm of American political affairs. India’s exasperation with U.S. meddling and constant interference during the Lok Sabha polls was further aggravated even thereafter, when more coordinated efforts were launched from U.S. shores targeting Indian industry, political outreaches to regionally disruptive players from India. The proverbial last straw on the camel’s back came when Khalistan proponent Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, backed by U.S. administration, launched a criminal suit broadside against India and even warned against Indian flyers using the national air carrier, followed up by Leader of the Indian Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi loud speaking about Sikhs in India being unable to visit gurdwaras or even sport religious accessories like the Kada during his recent U.S. visit. The CIA toolkit of interference in Indian political affairs now faces Modi’s comeback albeit, only as a positive influence for the candidature of Trump as the next U.S. President. NSA Ajit Doval also gave the PM’s Biden meeting a miss right after his Russia and Ukraine engagements adding further grist to the ill. 

AAP’s former CM Arvind Kejriwal has a new political guru in Congress MP and advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, instrumental in his enlargement on bail. Initial plans to reward Singhvi with Rajya Sabha seat failed, even blowing up in Kejriwal’s face over l’affaire Swati Maliwal, with Congress accommodating their estranged leader from Telangana instead. Senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain says, the non-resignation drama first, by Arvind Kejriwal, continuing during incarceration over five months and then, precipitating as two-day resignation drama played over worries about Delhi LG, VK Saxena’s imminent intention to seek his resignation following Supreme Court’s diktat against Kejriwal attending CMO, other official duties. While incarcerated, Kejriwal pretended to carry on as CM from jail although no government papers were signed by him over issues of confidentiality and directives of SC. Even his note to the LG seeking approval for AAP’s CM incumbent Atishi (Marlena Singh) hoisting the tricolour on August 15 was rejected by Saxena instead authorizing AAP minister Kailash Gehlot.” The LG took issue over Kejriwal’s access to official CMO letterhead over the communique with SC also curbing jail visitors thereafter. Plans to reach consensus over two days for better half Sunita Kejriwal as incumbent CM were shelved as LG would cite her unelected status with less than five months to state assembly elections in Delhi. With Atishi helming AAP, BJP lost no time raking up her parents’ leftist leaning as ideologues demanding release of parliament attack terrorist Afzal Guru. The saffron party insists moniker ‘Marlena’ was a combination appended to Atishi Singh’s name by parents assimilating leftist philosophers: Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.

Haryana state assemblies, set for triangular fight between Congress, BJP and AAP, saw Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s timely enlargement on bail suiting BJP’s poll strategy although facing tough anti-incumbency itself. Congress authorized former CM Bhupinder Hooda to finalise poll prospects, refusing to cede 10 assembly constituencies to AAP for pre-poll alliance. Hooda’s son Deepinder, a Lok Sabha MP organized fanfare for Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat (a Jat) on her return following the Olympic debacle. She was part of the Jantar Mantar agitation over molestation charges against ex-president WFI and BJP MP Brijbhushan Singh. Julana constituency choice for Phogat, however, raises questions over winnability with Congress never winning the seat and potential loss of face for the party that garnered 10,000 votes at best from here. AAP fielded former WWF wrestler Kavita Dalal against Phogat to further dampen Congress prospects while Kejriwal who steps down as Delhi CM utilizes bail time to canvas against Hooda’s choice of candidates. Brijmohan Shrivastav, Chief National Spokesperson NCP (Ajit Pawar) feels Phogat will emerge victorious in husband Somvir’s home constituency as Jat and Rathee communities will combine in her favour since caste is dominant factor in Bihar, UP and Haryana. Phogat’s recent disqualification at Olympics and perception of BJP not backing her up upset the two communities. It may be recalled that Phogat and wrestler husband Rathee even challenged norms at their wedding ceremony, opting for eight rounds (vows) of holy havan kund including extra phera emphasizing the girl child (Beti Bachao, Beti Padao, Beti Kilao) over gender bias evident in population ratio of Haryana. Will Julana solemnize Vinesh’s Congress alliance too?

Netflix India’s content head Monika Shergill met Union I&B Ministry officials answering summons over controversy surrounding Anubhav Sinha’s IC814 -– The Kandahar Hijack web series aired worldwide. The inadequate disclaimer tagged alongside the series was promptly rectified with additions reflecting, “During the hijacking of IC814 (Indian Airlines plane) terrorists used aliases, code names. The names of terrorists were: Ibrahim Athar (alias Chief), Shahid Akhtar Sayed (alias Doctor), Sunny Ahmed Qazi (alias Burger), Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim (alias Bhola), Shakir (alias Shankar).” While expected to bring closure to issue, BJP is livid at the selective advisory being aired limitedly on Netflix India while global feeds (aired through U.S.-based servers) continue depicting the old disclaimer. I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw faces flak from within BJP for the limited clarification. “The Indian Hindu diaspora is a global phenomenon in every corner of the world. Why is disclaimer restricted to resident Indian audiences? I&B Minister must take issue with Netflix,” senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain says. Another leader states, “Vaishnaw knows the old disclaimer was amended to include fresh advisory to be put out globally to set the record straight. This is now akin to hijacking the clarification itself to suit Netflix’s convenience. When newspapers issue rejoinders over inaccurate facts, it’s not limited to one segment alone but carried across editions so all readers are well informed.” He added BJP’s former I&B minister Ravi Shankar Prasad lost his ministry over a smaller faux pas after being tasked by PM Narendra Modi for tackling X over pejorative content regularly tweeted. “Back then, Prasad’s own twitter account was suspended which did not go down well with the BJP higher ups and he lost his job. Vaishnaw must pull up his socks or else face a similar fate.”

Omar Abdullah runs scared of Rashid Engineer’s son Abrar, whose incarcerated-over-separatism charges father dealt him a blow in the Baramulla parliamentary constituency. Omar insists his twin efforts from Gandharbal and Badgam assembly constituencies emanate from confidence though his party’s three-time MLA and Mayor from Badgam Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a Shia cleric, is peeved over sacrificing his family bastion for affording his party boss a winning seat. What really scared junior Abdullah is that following Rashid Engineer’s win from Baramulla, son Abrar announced 15 candidatures for the assemblies. Omar’s desperation was apparent with his recent emotional appeal to voters in Gandherbal assembly constituency, Kashmiri-Topi-in-hand, “My honour is in your hands.” It is more than just his honour at stake with Abrar Engineer’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) set to field a sizable number of candidates cashing in on their recent victory. Omar’s desperation is further evident by the fact that the Badgam assembly constituency alone saved him the blushes within Baramulla Lok Sabha seat registering high number of voters despite his overall loss in the remaining five assembly segments. While Ganderbal assembly seat is Omar’s family bastion, grandfather and father Farouq Abdullah were elected from there, he himself lost the seat on his debut into electoral politics in 2002, though he won it back in 2008. Also, while he had won from the Beerwah assembly seat, adjoining Badgam, in 2014 the recent Lok Sabha results dampened his spirits after this assembly segment of the parliamentary constituency registered fewer voters in his favour. 

Caste dynamics has political formations of India in a tizzy for the imminent Haryana state assembly elections with the BJP set to also launch a new poll strategy to dampen the Congress dream of a clean sweep in the Nuh belt of the state along with others where the minority vote plays a dominant role. The AAP and Congress vowed to fight solo after the zero-voter verdict their alliance evoked in Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha constituencies, then kissed and yet, to make up. While AAP wants 10 seats, Congress is willing to part with only seven. The SP too wants seats to field candidates in Muslim proliferated constituencies. Congress believes minority votes will accrue to itself, particularly in three assembly constituencies in Nuh region dominated Muslim voters. Only former Congress CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda appears worried over his political future. The BJP too, worried over anti-incumbency, wants to buck the political tide and announced 16 OBC candidates, 13 from Jat community with 17 reserved SC seats. Though the OBC community is the majority voter segment in Haryana, Jat community always holds sway over political affairs be it the Lal clan troika (Bansi Lal, Devi Lal) or the Chautala clan among dominant segments of farmer leaders. The BJP elevated another community leader Kiran Choudhary to the Rajya Sabha and will also accommodate her daughter for state assemblies. Similarly, late Jat leader Ajit Singh’s son Jayant Choudhary was inducted into the NDA alliance for the Haryana assembly. The BJP has topped up its poll plans by clearing a slew of farmer packages in the state before the elections were notified in the state to include most of the crops sown in Haryana under the ambit of its MSP protection.

The Maharashtra poll battle has reached criticality of purpose with both the MVA (Congress, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, UBT Sena) and Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP) alliances fine tuning their seat sharing plans. The BJP has resorted to a party cadre-based assessment over professional surveys this time, and feels assured of breaching the 100 benchmark for a record third consecutive time. The party intends to field at least 135 candidates but is negotiating hard to increase this number to 160, the Shiv Sena led by Shinde may have to accept around 70 seats while the NCP will need to be satisfied with 45 odd seats in its kitty. On the other hand, the Congress, using a survey, has pitched for 160 seats while expecting Sharad Pawar to accept around 70 seats with the remainder for Uddhav Thackeray. UBT spokesman MP Sanjay Raut had stated earlier that the party was scrutinizing 126 assembly constituencies followed by his Chief Thackeray calling upon the Congress high command in Delhi that has apparently come to naught. Thackeray may still bag maximum seats in Mumbai and Thane. In the 2019 assembly elections the Sena that fought 126 seats, emerged victorious in 56 may likely feel slighted by Congress’ discrimination. CM Shinde also may demand a higher than 70 allocation for the assembly polls while Ajit Pawar eyes more in Western Maharashtra. Meanwhile, BJP in Delhi quietly celebrates its Rajya Sabha victories (11 out of 12 seats) and will improve its majority in the upper house of Parliament through four more President Draupadi Murmu nominated MPs soon. This political gambit was reported by the Short Post recently.

Is Ram Madhav being readied to take over the role of the next BJP national president? His recent appointment, along with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, as overseers of political affairs for the forthcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections to 87 constituencies is a silent indicator in this regard. While general knowledge about Madhav’s last assignment in India’s forehead region state of J&K painted him in bad colours, the truth is farther from the apparent facts. “Back then, information was muddled over apparent issues relating to his unsolicited interest in an Indian corporate’s foray in J&K, which could not be further than the truth. On the contrary, Ram Madhav, had actually been tasked with making quick inroads with the Mufti Mohammed led PDP and he succeeded in his assignment. The BJP formed a government with PDP as a result, albeit a short tenured one,” says senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain. Following this Madhav was tasked with another important assignment that took him to foreign shores, including Iran, where he was entrusted with the task of fostering better ties abroad. During his foreign assignment, Madhav, who was presumed to have been relegated to the backwaters of BJP politics, was actually interacting with international scholars, RSS functionaries and meeting up with offshoots of the Sangh Parivar there particularly, in Islamic nations. His mission was accorded the tag of having been a ‘good show’ in terms of achieved results as a BJP asset deployed abroad. The buzz in BJP circles, in the wake of Madhav’s appointment to oversee the J&K assembly elections is that he is being primed up for the top post as National BJP president to replace JP Nadda, who has been inducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi into his Union Cabinet of Ministers.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party Chief, Ajit Pawar has announced the names of six candidates for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections out of a total 15 to be fielded for the polls out of a total 90 constituencies. While setting to rest intense political speculation around the prodigal nephew’s return to Uncle Sharad Pawar’s political formation, DCM Pawar has exposed his intentions to grow his party and possibly secure national recognition. National general secretary of NCP, and freshly minted J&K Vidhan Sabha 2024 poll in-charge, Brijmohan Shrivastav confirmed the candidatures of Sajjad Ahmad Mir (Anantnag West), Kirpal Singh (Ramban), Mushtaq Ahmed (Banihal), Mohamad Yusuf Hazam (Tral), Ishtiyaq Ahamad Sheikh (Pulwama) and Arun Kumar Raina (Rajpura) assembly constituencies. A source reveals that Shrivastav was assigned the task over the last six months to flesh out the NCP’s foray in J&K inviting comparisons with the 1999 effort by former party president Sharad Pawar, who had similarly and, originally formed the NCP in 1999 to face up to the Lok Sabha elections within six months of leaving the Congress party. Out of the six candidates fielded three each will contest in the Jammu and Kashmir regions respectively for the first phase of the assembly polls, while another nine are to be fielded during subsequent phases of the elections. The NCP seeks to consolidate its position in the BJP-led NDA alliance, while seeking the allocation of a full Union cabinet berth for the party president Praful Patel in New Delhi. Ironically, the NCP move comes amidst a disenchantment registered by J&K voters during general elections against the usual political suspects (Congress, NC and PDP candidates).

In a surprising political development, the BJP backed, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led Maharashtra government has included the Kunjda (Muslim) community under Other Backward Castes (OBC) categorization alongside the Mali, Baagwaan and Raien communities. “Nothing unusual about this,” says former Congress CM Prithviraj Chavan adding, “The BJP had done this in Gujarat also.” Another political observer counters this and said, “It is surprising given BJP’s avowed stance against Muslims getting reservations under SC, ST and OBC categories. Former Telangana CM KCR introduced 5% reservation for Muslims and BJP vociferously opposed it. In Maharashtra, former Congress CM Sushil Kumar Shinde introduced 5% (reservation in education) for Muslims that was put in abeyance by former BJP CM Devendra Fadnavis. Why has the Maharashtra government accepted the recommendation of the State Backward Caste Commission in this regard under the watch of DCM Fadnavis?” In 1990 the Mandal Commission’s recommendations were enforced to include Muslim caste categories including the Pinjari, Khatik (meat cutters), Shikalgaar communities. “The current inclusion of the Kunjda (Muslim) community is likely a gambit by DCM Fadnavis to carve out a segment of the Muslim community as a vote bank just before state assembly elections or, pushed by DCM Ajit Pawar who claims a Muslim voter base by offering OBC reservations. What about offering the same OBC categorization to backward, poor Maratha Community?” a political source asked. Maharashtra BJP executive committee member Mahendra Jain said, “This is a good move. Going further we must conduct a caste census of the Muslim community also to identify more such backward segments like the Pasmandas (Dalit Muslims (Arzals) and backward-caste Muslims (Ajlafs) were identified by PM Narendra Modi, so they too can benefit from reservations.”

Opposition political formations especially, the INDIA Bloc, are euphoric after the prompt formation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for consultations, legislative progress on the Waqf Board reforms bill introduced by PM Narendra Modi’s government. They bask in political glory having forced the government to backpedal and JPC scrutiny. BJP strategically exhibited due alacrity in JPC formation, keen to fast track, re–introduce bill before parliament again. “The bill seeks reforms including inclusion of non–Muslims in the appellate tribunal regarding Waqf Board issues ushering transparency into the functioning of the board. The draft bill was circulated over a month back so, the sudden furore is surprising,” a senior BJP leader says adding that opposition’s predilection with proposed bill on Waqf Board, the largest land holder in India after Indian Railways, and defence allowed BJP to bring in another amendment related to the CAA Bill as well as focus on forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections for 12 MP scheduled in the first week of September. “The BJP expects to grow the number of Rajya Sabha MPs to around eight out of the 12 seats to be filled up including presidential nominees. Misplaced focus of opposition formations out–of–sync with India’s changed political template under Modi means they have missed the boat, so to speak,” the leader noted. With effected amendment in 2024 to the already legislated CAA Bill of 2019, the Union government has removed stringent requirements of banking account details, (Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Afghanistani) passports among other prerequisites for persecuted Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Christians to now simply enrol for Indian citizenship. The murderous coup in Bangladesh followed the amendment earlier this year for compassionately absorbing persecuted minorities there into India.

Even as the political upmanship within the MVA alliance partners (UBT Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar NCP and Anamika as yet Congress) heightens in the run up to the Maha state assemblies scheduled in October/November 2024, the ‘Marathi Manoos’ party founded by journalist turned politician Balasaheb Thackeray is confounded by the recently concluded Lok Sabha poll results. According to Senior BJP leader Mahendra Jain, the Shiv Sena that predominantly enjoyed a healthy 15 to 16% vote share in Mumbai and Thane comprising loyal Marathi speaking voters saw this dwindling down to a mere 6%. They enjoyed the advantage of their MVA alliance (read Dalit and Muslim votes in four parliamentary seats otherwise accruing to the Congress and NCP) but, their core voter base has gone down. As reported in shortpost.in, both Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar’s political formations have now officially staked claim to the CM’s post in Maharashtra even as the BJP has deployed the Raj Thackeray headed MNS to further cut down the UBT Sena voter base in the forthcoming state assemblies. To spite the UBT Sena, Sharad Pawar has also begun engaging more proactively with Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde while the Congress is as yet non-committal about its CM face that post elections the same would be addressed. A UBT Sena affiliated political analyst insists that the BJP dominated ‘Yuti’ alliance exposes their political desperation to try to alter the inevitable outcome of the forthcoming state assemblies by employing political diversions that will most likely come to naught once again.

The Bangladesh cauldron of political confusion engineered by Pakistan’s Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI), at the instance of China, culminated with the exile of duly elected 76-year-old Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (Aug 5). India’s Neighbourhood First policy implemented since 2014, after PM Narendra Modi took charge of Indian affairs, caused the Indo-Bangladesh most preferred nation status over trade and intelligence sharing to the acute chagrin of Pakistan’s military establishment. Recently, the US-Russian cold war restarted after the Ukraine war commenced in February 2022 and, the USA keenly pursued plans to set up an airbase in Bangladesh to counter Russia. Sheikh Hasina, under active protection and guidance from India, time and again thwarted the nefarious designs of the Pakistani intelligence that proliferated her nation, even successfully contested, and won the elections for the seventh time. Timely intelligence support extended by India (read Ajit Doval) was more than a little help for the Bangladesh PM, during repeated offensives launched by then ISI Chief Bajwa. More recently Hasina visited China over promises of financial aid of a few billion dollars and returned disappointed after Chinese conditions sought to be imposed in return for the financial aid. The Bangladesh PM was not even afforded the basic courtesy of a proper reception with protocols. Miffed, Hasina returned to her nation and promptly reignited her India connections, handing over a port and three more projects to Indian entities through PM Narendra Modi. Now, the exiled Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, having already been accommodated with temporary refuge by India, has to decide. Even as NSA Ajit Doval immediately met up with Hasina, it would be up to her entirely to formally seek asylum from India before India makes its stand clear. Ironically, even as the leftist brigade of India blames Modi for being anti Muslim, the premier of a Muslim nation finds India as the safest haven when radical...

The recent bout of intensified terror attacks launched in the Jammu region of the J&K Union Territory of India by Pakistan is akin to an unofficially declared war backed up by Chinese armory and Pakistani sniper commandos tasked with inflicting mortal damage upon the Indian army. According to a source, “The targeted terror strikes in the Hindu dominated Jammu region over the last three months has witnessed military sharp commandos carrying out the attacks using sophisticated Chinese make weapons and bullet proof vests piercing bullets to cause collateral loss of Indian soldiers. These apparent terrorists are expert snipers trained to set their sights on vulnerable spots on the soldiers notwithstanding the vests they wear.” Already, five to six families (Kashmiri Pandits) resident in the border regions of Jammu have relocated providing indication of the intent of the Pakistani offensive. Additionally, the huge lithium reserves discovered in the region that India intends to exploit to launch into the next age of economic development of the country through new age battery technology is also sought to be undermined by arresting the region of Jammu under a vortex of new found terrorism to literally bring physical regions under Pakistan’s terror cloud. J&K Governor Manoj Sinha, meanwhile, is working overtime after securing additional troops to quell the resurgent terror targeting soldiers and the Hindu population living peacefully in India’s paradise on Earth. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia in the wake of the intensified attacks were also aimed at exploiting the Russian alliance with China in order to curtail the latter’s tacit backing for Pakistan. The signs are ominous just like in 2019, when Modi stopped referring to Pakistan by name following the Pulwama terror attack and the Balakot strike upon terror was launched.

The Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections due in October/November 2024 has the BJP recalibrating its poll plans in the wake of the setback it suffered in the state at the recent hustings for the Lok Sabha. A revitalized and wiser BJP deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to stake a claim to contest 130 to 135 state assembly seats out of the 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra. At the recently held party conclave in Pune last week the BJP’s face for Maharashtra, shedding his inaccessibility tag, exhorted party men to desire and deserve party candidatures for the state assemblies with the only proviso that they consciously refrain from indulging in controversial public speaking. “The BJP has always performed well when a triangular political fight took place in Maharashtra, as in 2014 and 2019 securing when it won 122 seats and 105 seats respectively. The party is backing up DCM Ajit Pawar wholeheartedly to ensure a repeat in their poll fortunes in the state of Maharashtra,” BJP’s Maharashtra Executive Committee member Mahendra Jain avers dismissing talks of imminent plans to eject the Maratha leader as just idle chatter. All the same, loud rumblings abound of possible plans by the prodigal nephew of Sharad Pawar to reinvent his political positioning in Maharashtra. The BJP’s desperation for Maharashtra is undeniable, considering it lost the state in 1999 under then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure and again in 2019 under PM Modi, when the MVA alliance trumped BJP prospects in the state and, is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to rule the state. The poll efforts of the BJP are easier said than done what with the tallest Maratha leader in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray of the original Shiv Sena busy garnering a double sympathy wave for their respective political formations once again in tandem with the Congress. Only time will tell for whom the political bells toll?

Delimitation of state assembly constituencies executed for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir dealt a severe blow to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Akhand Bharat perspective through skewed voter dynamics, erstwhile state’s incremental geo-political representation. Senior BJP leader, Mahendra Jain says, “New assembly constituencies were carved out prematurely using antiquated 2011 census data assessing population figures arriving at a faulty delimitation process.” Jain insists the delimitation exercise was flawed over outdated data relied upon to incrementally create 43 assembly constituencies (in Jammu) and 46 in Kashmir. Effectively hereon, portions of Jammu region (Pir Panjal) encompassing Poonch and Rajouri districts got partitioned away to political space now Anantnag seat in Kashmir occupies. Shia-dominated regions from Srinagar Parliamentary constituency were also given away to Baramulla constituency similarly, using 20-year-old statistics. The recent Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla saw independent candidate Abdul Rasheed Sheikh, currently incarcerated for espousing separatism for Kashmir, being elected to parliament as an independent candidate. An election department official says, “Census taking exercise in large states like Maharashtra can simply be accomplished within six months. J&K and Ladakh UTs’ census exercises will require far shorter timelines.” While the delimitation commission set up in March 2020 looked at the entire J&K UT as one political region, a more discriminated effort, armed with real time data may have prevented Jammu region shedding literal political space. The recent uptick in unheard of terrorism activity in Jammu region over the last couple of months has further antagonized the polity of the region. Will Jammu recover from back-to-back onslaughts by politics and new found terrorism? Only time will tell! For the moment innocent pilgrims are prime targets in Bharat’s paradise.

Former DGP, Mumbai Police Commissioner, Sanjay Pandey will contest forthcoming Maharashtra state assembly elections of 2024. A source reveals Pandey’s plan to float his own party, field candidates for state assemblies, civic elections of Mumbai. This comes after failing to secure a ticket from Sharad Pawar’s NCP, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and Congress. It is pertinent to note that Pandey was arrested by Enforcement Directorate as well as CBI in relation to two cases over illegal phone tapping contracted to his privately founded forensics services firm by two erstwhile SEBI directors, who were arrested earlier. Pandey’s arrest followed his retirement as Mumbai Police Commissioner with then opposition leader, now BJP’s Deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis demanding action against him raising speculation of political motivation. The CBI filed a closure report in its case while Pandey battles court to clear his name in the ED case. The no-nonsense cop was appointed to helm Maharashtra police by erstwhile CM Uddhav Thackeray who led the MVA government. The no-nonsense IPS officer may contest from either Lalbaug or Dadar in Mumbai. Pandey is credited for unearthing the multi-crore cobbler scam as DCP in Mumbai Crime Branch where unscrupulous corporates siphoned off crores in the name of your friendly neighbourhood, humble cobbler when he was posted in the economic offences wing. Pandey was subsequently kicked upstairs to less significant postings. In the last phase of his IPS career Pandey was brought to the fore by the MVA government that suffered a serious blow due to the abysmal performance by former police commissioner Paramveer Singh for acts of omission and commission following which the CBI registered cases against Singh also.

Maharashtra’s BJP deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis offered to resign over the 2024 Maha Lok Sabha debacle the party suffered but the high command rejected it. Then the social media faux pas happened, when BJP’s Maharashtra IT cell head Shweta Shalini sued well known Marathi journalist Bhau Torsekar who in his Youtube show Pratipaksha equated Shweta with south Indian actor and party counterpart ‘Ramya’ who cost the party badly down south India some years ago. Fadnavis’ outreach to Bhau met with the latter’s follow-up parody episode further impacting the deputy CM’s public persona. Consequent social media outburst from party insiders exposed all the Fadnavis men for mismanagement of Rs 550 crore party funds during Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra. Sources say, one close confidant of Fadnavis is accused of usurping Rs 25 crore to purchase a high-end apartment in tony Malabar Hill, and also renting a plush office in Mumbai at Rs 10 lakh a month. Likewise another confidant from Nagpur is believed to have secured plum posting in MSEB. BJP’s Lok Sabha debacle in Maharashtra is being attributed to wrong selection of candidates, conceding more Mumbai seats to CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and disconnect with BJP cadres. Will Fadnavis mend the tear, put his house in order in time to face state assemblies? Time will tell, even as BJP additionally invests ‘Tan, Man & Dhan’ upon Fadnavis’ NCP counterpart Ajit Pawar for edge in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections of 2024.

Maharashtra is poised for a run-for-your-money state assembly election with the battle for the “Kursi” being played out within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) formation already. A source reveals the “Tutari” was sounded by Sharad Pawar announcing his intent to assume power leadership post elections. Nephew Ajit Pawar, who politically usurped the official Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from under his feet, has launched into political gambits with a vengeance to engineer a crucial defection from his uncle’s camp to bolster his strength in the Rajya Sabha to three while recouping his faction’s prospects for Vidhan Sabha elections to 288 assembly constituencies, come November 2024. Uncle Pawar, aware that his Member of Parliament daughter Supriya Sule’s shot at a Union cabinet berth is off the table now, expects to take over the mantle of state politics with Congress unable to match Pawar’s stature with Maharashtra Congressmen being subsumed by his towering political personae. While seeking to shore up MLA numbers for his faction, the octogenarian Maratha may even be open to merging his faction with the Congress as CM elect. The Congress and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Shiv Sena meanwhile, are squaring up against each other over a political tussle undermining the latter. Sharad Pawar may not be averse to becoming a CM again to stop BJP/Mahayuti in its tracks. Here, Pawar seeks tacit Congress approval to allow him the lead in state politics and is expecting Congress revertal by June 30 says a highly placed source.  Parallely, Pawar has also opened channels with Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav. And of course, Uddhav Thackeray who has tasted power wants to be CM again too.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Member of Parliament from Berhampore in West Bengal since 1999, lost to outsider candidate –cricketer Yusuf Pathan — from Gujarat fielded by TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee and now stands politically relegated. Even in the run up to general elections, this former Naxalite leader had fallen out of favour with the Congress high command. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge campaigned extensively in West Bengal but gave a miss to Chowdhury’s electoral bastion in 2024. Surprisingly, after his shock loss to Yusuf Pathan, the firebrand Congress leader was left licking his political wounds sans an outreach from the Congress leadership, not even a cold commiserating phone call. According to a senior Congress leader, “The Congress bent over backwards to please Didi in its one-sided love affair, even abandoned its own party leader and left him by the political wayside overtly. However, Didi is not even impressed and deputed nephew Abhishek Banerjee last week, along with another TMC leader, to meet UBT Sena boss Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai.” Didi’s gambit was aimed at weaning away INDIA bloc constituents with a strong showing in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls to forge an alternative political coalition of opposition formations allowing her to stake claim to post of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in parliament. Whether Thackeray, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and other constituents of the INDIA bloc cozy up to Didi’s political gambit remains to be seen?

Maha Vikas Aghadi constituents gearing up for Maharashtra’s state assemblies come November 2024, are ecstatic by results of the general elections. Congress that fought 17 officially (backed one Sangli independent) is basking in affections of traditional Muslim, Dalit voters and wants alliance consensus over assembly seat sharing, unlike for Lok Sabha polls. Sharad Pawar, who strategically fought 10 winnable seats, being low on confidence, candidates for Lok Sabha, is enthused about his faction’s prospects. Shiv Sena (UBT) that unilaterally fought 23 parliamentary seats, bucked exit polls and now enjoys a newfound political alliance voter base, is roaring for elections. Shiv Sena CM Eknath Shinde elected seven MPs but preferred not to designate MP son Dr Shrikant as party’s second Union Minister over the latter’s reluctance, although offered by BJP. There are strong rumours that CM Shinde may be inducted into PM Narendra Modi’s cabinet after Maharashtra’s assembly elections. His deputy CM, Devendra Fadnavis has retracted efforts to be relieved of his post, launched into election mode even as the party high command put off any imminent reshuffle in Maharashtra for now. The BJP cadre hopes for a more accessible Fadnavis prior to state assemblies and more prudent choices for 36 Mumbai assembly constituencies. Mistakes like replacing sitting MP Manoj Kotak (north east parliamentary constituency), ostensibly offering a youthful candidate for Lok Sabha, boomeranged upon BJP in its traditional seat and are unlikely to be repeated before state polls. Ajit Dada wants more but may secure less than 80 to 90 assembly seats just like Shiv Sena as BJP feels the punishment from Muslim voters is only past precedent.

The results of the Lok Sabha elections have disappointed the rank and file in the BJP but, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already commenced his third term work to flesh out his 100-day plan for India, including flagship policy amendment for handing over administration of temples across India to the Hindu community. This strategy, even while Modi continues in election mode targeting forthcoming state assembly elections in five states of the Indian union. A closed-door meeting between expected incumbent PM Modi and erstwhile Union Home Minister Amit Shah decided to prioritise the first council of Union Ministers comprising public representatives from states facing imminent assembly polls. Maharashtra’s citizens will elect 288 Members to its state legislative assembly by November 2024 just like Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir. Delhi and Bihar follow suit in 2025 while Tamil Nadu, Assam, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal state assemblies are scheduled in 2026. PM Modi’s 3.0 political regime will likely include Shivraj Singh Chauhan who relinquished Union Ministership to deliver Madhya Pradesh state assembly to BJP. Maharashtra’s Lok Sabha outcome has dampened and shocked everybody in the BJP coming in the wake of the double sympathy wave attracted by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. Pawar has silenced critics who foretold the end of his political career. There is going to be serious introspection and there may be reshuffle in Maharashtra according to sources. So, parliament ushers in the amendment allowing Hindus to administer their own temples (take it away from respective state governments) bringing the community on par with Muslim and Christian religious trusts.

The BJP government’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry, mandated to rectify pejorative and false narratives of Hinduism peddled through (mostly Hindi) commercial cinema by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014, has almost finalized its CEO for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to censor films before release. IRS (customs) officer Kundan Yadav’s appointment file is pending approval of the Election Commission of India. More recently, Yadav was seen poking fun at Sanatana dharma, the Sunder Kand and Maha Mrityunjay Mantra while also taking potshots at Brahmanism and the Manu Smriti texts while using self-composed poetry on a public platform in Jaipur. “Even while drafted for election duty, this JNU product openly denounced the BJP giving speeches regarding his single-minded efforts against the national party. Is it merely enough that he possesses a doctorate (PhD) to be appointed the CBFC CEO? What happened to the 360-degree-SWOT analysis, assessment of his knowledge on the craft of film-making?” asks a senior BJP leader in anguish. Yadav’s stay at JNU was subsidized by his seniors in his first year, when he failed to secure hostel accommodation. Thereafter, this brilliant student, despite needing two terms to complete his HSC board examinations, became a topper of his class, even securing a teaching tenure in the USA on scholarship. One of his JNU professors did pull him up once for not having collected funds allocated to him through yet another scholarship he had been bestowed with for inordinately long. Some guys have all the luck!

PM Narendra Modi’s 3.0 avatar will prioritize judicial, electoral reforms, bolstered in large measure by Amit Shah’s twin criminal laws kicking in come July 1, 2024. Recent judicial trends, including a temporary bail gift to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for indulgence in unfettered propaganda, criminal indulgence against his party’s youngest woman MP, has irked Modi. The proverbial last straw was the Supreme Court mandating 48-hours for full disclosure of voting percentiles pan India. “The ECI will submit to court the minimum 96 hours requirement for professional, fool proofed disclosure of pan India voting percentages considering manual processes involved for collation,” BJP’s senior leader told shortpost.in. Teachers, civic staffers drafted by ECI, for the election process are trained in the run up to polls. These personnel, up by 3 am, reach Lok Sabha polling booths (1500 to 1800 booths per constituency) by 5 am to precede the 7 am public voting. EOD time of last vote (between 8 pm and 10 pm) depending on voters at booths before timely deadline follows voter count data manually maintained by personnel collated like a police panchnama, even as EVMs get transferred to strong rooms. EVM machines at rural centres take longer (3-4 hours). Missing names in voter rosters, recurring concern every general elections, to be resolved through AADHAR synchronization in 3.0, long standing BJP requisition put off by judiciary in India backed by ‘privacy concerns’ prevalent in Western nations. The Collegium system is also set to go, according to those in the know.

In March 2024 Haryana chief minister Manoharlal Khattar resigned his post and now, Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel is following suit. Khattar resigned after PM Narendra Modi asked him while honest Patel’s similar intent is owed to familial reasons. Patel communicated his indisposition to public service as he wants to dedicate himself to the full-time care of his ailing son, who underwent neuro-surgery with his medical status pegged at critical. “Unlike Congress culture of holding on to power, Kamal Nath and Ashok Gehlot being prime examples, BJP is endowed with the Sanghi culture of abstinence espoused by RSS Pracharaks like Khattar, former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani. Fulltime Pracharaks live away from their families for years following a spiritual code of self-conduct prescribing, for instance, daily meals at party offices or homes of BJP workers,” a senior Sangh leader told shortpost.in. Khattar and Modi worked as Pracharaks in Punjab, Haryana for years together riding on the same scooter. “Modi similarly distributed the proceeds after auctioning gifts he received as Gujarat CM among staffers in the CMO before taking charge of PMO in 2014. Rupani eschewed his post when told to and now dons the role of Punjab’s Prabhari. The mantle of Gujarat’s CM will likely pass to another Patel or even Rajput candidate after recent disruptions in the latter community. Only Modi knows though. Khattar has donated his property worth one crore to the PMO in public interest but may have to take charge of Union Ministership next. Godspeed to Patel for his son’s recovery.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections have turned into a battle of survival for India’s regional parties, with centralisation of political power emphasized by the only two national political formations – BJP and Congress. The centralisation of power has also witnessed a new phenomenon: Remote controlled state governance from Delhi. While BJP was known to have done so in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka (erstwhile government), Congress has also unofficially appointed president Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank, known for his strident anti-Hindutva, as Karnataka’s de-facto CM after placating CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar through an equitable state control. Meanwhile, regional fault-lines have erupted replacing coalition dharma across India that hitherto accommodated regional concerns of allies. The NDA witnessed soft murmurs of protest among regional partners over inadequate representation for general elections although things did not come to a head. The I.N.D.I.A front, however, witnessed sharp differences and varied responses from regional players apparently taking the Congress head on despite the alliance. CPI in Kerala pitted Annie Raja’s candidature against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. Similarly, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav quickly announced his daughter’s candidature to contest against Pappu Yadav (Rajesh Ranjan), a day after the latter merged his standalone Jan Adhikar Party with Congress for general elections 2024. Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party/Congress bonhomie evaporated after Congress’ manifesto reiterated reservations not only for caste but also minorities (read Muslims). Akhilesh Yadav has taken note of the Congress outreach to the minority vote-bank and now additionally worries about outsider AIMIM party’s full-fledged foray into UP that threatens to upstage his own Lok Sabha fortunes.

The BJP that was seriously considering the rehabilitation of its former spokesperson Nupur Sharma, relegated to political silence in the wake of her controversial comments over the Gyanvapi temple issue, may likely elevate her to parliament through the Rajya Sabha. Sources close to the development told shortpost.in, “Sharma’s rehabilitation was under active consideration for over two months now. Originally, BJP intended to field her from one of the seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi. However, issues of security, with a fatwa of sur-tun-se-juda (decapitation threat) issued against her by Islamic fundamentalists, resulted in her candidature not being confirmed as it would lead to security challenges as she would have to publicly canvas for the general elections.” The source added that the BJP is still to finalize her exact mode of political elevation with the Raebareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats also being considered as options if Rahul Gandhi’s second parliamentary candidature or Priyanka Vadra’s nomination respectively are announced from either of the two seats. “The BJP is keen to serve out a double drubbing to the Gandhi family from their traditional parliamentary bastions in Uttar Pradesh. On Hanuman Jayanti, which was celebrated on April 23, Nupur Sharma was seen distributing food to people. Coincidentally, Lord Bajrangbali’s birthday and Sharma’s fell on the same day.” Nupur, who insists that her comments were in response to pejorative statements against Lord Shiva’s Jyotirlinga at Gyanvapi, being referred to as a mere water fountain by Muslim panelists on the televised show, may thus benefit from divine intervention to kickstart her political career once again.

Maharashtra is hyperventilating over Elon Musk’s plans to invest US $2 to $3 billion, in the state, probable announcement during his visit to India. According to informed sources, “Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri (Konkan belt) or Vidarbha region (in north) may find precedence over Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) that boasts an automobile cluster near Pune city. Tesla’s plan to manufacture electric vehicles by itself is not news as much as the resultant disruption in the new technology for batteries these EVs will use. Already, Tata Motors enjoys first mover advantage in this specialized automobile sector within the conventional technology batteries, with its Exon and Punch EV models enjoying advantage of competitive pricing also.” Additionally, recent discoveries of lignite deposits by the Neyveli Lignite Corporation NLC, a private limited company of the Union Government of India, may also synergise with the forward foray in India’s EV segment. There is also a sharp political inclination to house the Tesla EV project within Maharashtra that recently lost out to Gujarat on the mega Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductors investment. A BJP source insists, “The then MVA government under Uddhav Thackeray had set a pre-condition of government primacy over appointing contractors related to the project that soured the deal. Subsequently, after heading into Gujarat Foxconn parted ways with Vedanta but the project moved towards financial closure.” The BJP leader says that with state assembly elections scheduled in Maharashtra in November 2024, the entry of Tesla in the state, would help to enthuse industrial growth and progress while dissipating any residual bad aftertaste over the Vedanta exit two years ago.

Mumbai’s southernmost Lok Sabha seat has reverted to BJP after a decade and current Maharashtra Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha may be fielded there. BJP sources say, “Lodha secured highest votes in Maharashtra during 2014 state assemblies, and improved his vote catching performance in 2019. Importantly, south Mumbai was traditionally BJP’s bastion electing Jaywantiben Mehta until 2014, being the Jan Sangh’s headquarters. Uddhav Thackeray wrested the seat away, committed alliance adharma, deliberately fielding lesser-known Arvind Sawant, Sena’s MTNL trade union face prodded by a corporate house that backed a Congress candidate.” Lodha worked as poll manager for late Arun Jaitley’s Amritsar constituency in 2014. He not only nurtured his assembly constituency but also strategically cultivated the larger parliamentary voters across six assemblies. He organized the massive felicitation function for Lata ‘Didi’ Mangeshkar at Mahalaxmi racecourse grounds inviting newly minted PM Narendra Modi as chief guest in 2014. “Miffed Uddhav Thackeray, seated in the audience, exited the event midway through the function. The undivided Shiv Sena chief had earlier scoffed at winning prospects of his own man Sawant during general elections, though BJP exit polls indicated a 50, 000 winning vote for the Sena candidate. Without Thackeray’s family in NDA, BJP cadres prevailed upon BJP’s top poll management demanding the constituency, even putting paid to efforts by BJP’s state assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar’s aspiration to become BJP parliamentarian. Last heard, Narvekar has piped down public rallying across south Mumbai. So will it be Lodha?

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde enjoys hotline service to Prime Minister Narendra Modi (been a while now) as alliance partner of the Mahayuti government and his Shiv Sena now formally within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Informed sources say, “PM is too fond of Shinde. After general elections and subsequent state assemblies are positively concluded, Modi plans to elevate him to parliament. Probably, Rajya Sabha nomination, if all goes as per Narendra Modi’s political vision. Shinde only uses his direct connect to the PM very sparingly though.” The down-to-earth Shiv Sena CM faces his current political test to ensure disgruntled MP colleagues, unwilling to relinquish parliamentary constituencies, toe the BJP line. Shinde has power to offer state assembly constituencies in lieu of forfeited Lok Sabha seats in return, keeping with BJP’s objective to maximize the number of winning MPs from Maharashtra. The BJP consciously keeps aloof over Shinde’s intra-party wranglings while Shinde consolidates his leadership over Shiv Sena, independent MLAs who joined his team. Still, Sena colleagues vehemently object to eschewing Lok Sabha seats despite opinion polls indicating their non-winnability. Already, alliance partner chief of independent Prahar party, Bacchu Kadu, re-emphasized fighting intentions over Amravati’s Lok Sabha seat. Here, the BJP has given a ticket to independent MP Navneet Rana. Some freshly sought retirees from among Maharashtra’s Shiv Sena MPs, who trucked with Shinde, have now upped the ante insisting on 16 parliamentary seats. BJP seems in no hurry considering the final nominations due date is over a month away.

BJP’s Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is working in right earnest, sans political distractions anymore, to ensure 41 to 45 (out of 48) Lok Sabha seats for NDA from Maharashtra. His party high command cleared the field in Maharashtra by designating him as BJP’s sole face, having strategically elevated Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Pankaja Munde among other perceived contenders to the Parliamentary arena. Fadnavis’ political challenge remains to ensure his party contests 31 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and convince chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar to accommodate BJP candidates from their allocated seats just like Milind Deora found Rajya Sabha nomination from Shinde’s quota. Fadnavis has emphasized the ‘winnability’ criterion and 50% vote share to turn into reality, PM Narendra Modi’s aspiration for 370 BJP MPs in Lok Sabha 3.0. Fadnavis must ensure NCP MLA, Pankaja’s cousin Dhananjay Munde’s wholehearted efforts to ensure his sister (whom he defeated in 2019 state assemblies) wins from Beed. He never enjoyed good relations even with the late Gopinath Munde. “The important thing is Fadnavis has liberty to offer adequate representation in subsequent state assemblies while asking coalition partners to swallow the bitter pill for general elections. The results of the Lok Sabha will decide subsequent state assembly seat allocations in Maharashtra as well,” a source revealed. Whether this will have a placatory effect on known rabble rouser, independent MLA Bacchu Kadu, remains to be seen?

The National Investigative Agency (NIA) is hot on the trail of a Kerala link to the recent bomb explosion at Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru, Karnataka, that left eight persons injured, two of them grievously. According to a well-placed source, “The NIA suspects this was a trial run and has launched into a major deep dive investigative exercise in its wake that has already revealed linkages to Kerala and the PFI (as well as SFI) mobilisation by an ISIS module based out of the southern most state of India. NIA has also learnt that the operatives involved in the terror act had also visited Pune city in Maharashtra.” What has surprised the agency is the initial effort by the Karnataka government to dismiss the IED blast as a cylinder explosion that was followed by another government spokesperson then suggesting that the bomb explosion was the result of some business rivalry. The zero tolerance to terror policy, enforced since the installation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India’s Premier in 2014, has Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) on tenterhooks ever since the incident in anticipation of a reprisal offensive on Pakistani soil by India. “Already scores of Pakistani terror elements belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba as well as pro-Khalistani terrorists numbering over 160 were neutralized in Pakistan, Canada and even the world over. Indian intelligence agencies have also established that another one among India’s most wanted terrorists has departed the world.”

The Lok Sabha seat sharing talks between the Shiv Sena Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are finally reaching a consensus. BJP will contest the lion’s share of seats (30 seats), Shinde’s Sena taking the tiger’s share (10-15) while Ajit Pawar’s NCP may be restricted to three to four seats. According to a senior political leader, “The NCP will be allotted seats based on the number of Lok Sabha seats the undivided NCP had secured in the 2019 general elections with the deal likely sweetened with the Pune parliamentary constituency. Things are fluid and the alliance is still open to candidates from any party in the alliance for seats where the other two fail to find suitable contestants with a winning political quotient.” The BJP may give up its claim on the Pune Lok Sabha seat, having already sent its party candidate Medha Kulkarni to Parliament via the Rajya Sabha. In 2019, the BJP had contested 25 seats and won 23. The (undivided) Shiv Sena contested 23 and won 18, giving the NDA a tally of 41 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. While Ajit Pawar may get Pune, the BJP’s state leadership failed to ensure poll wins in the region in Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune in lower rung elections, cooperative sector may come back to haunt it in the coming days. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is directly handling the talks with Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar.

BJP’s 2019 ‘Political Decade Policy’ empowering cadre, gen-next portends ill for more famous leaders two tenures old and over 75 years old. Brahmin Medha Kulkarni, RSS ‘Karsevak’ Ajit Gopchade secured Rajya Sabha nominations since Kulkarni relinquished her Pune assembly seat for Chandrakant Patil in 2019, while Gopchade’s prominence rose after 1992 Babri mosque demolition. BJP spokesperson Atul Shah says, “Mega party BJP always emphasises generation next and is always widening our political horizon. While Maratha leader (newbie) Ashok Chavan secured Rajya Sabha, two BJP workers got nominations too.” Maharashtra BJP Executive Committee member Mahendra Jain notes, “Kulkarni sacrificed her Pune constituency so, her RS nomination satiates Pune’s Brahmin community. Clear political message is that famous leaders may not take their Lok Sabha candidatures for granted.” BJP’s policy saw Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar moved to Madhya Pradesh assembly as speaker earlier. Union minister Parshottam Rupala may not get Lok Sabha seat to set right Gujarat caste dynamics, unreasonable pressure from Patels. Rajnath Singh (73) may still secure candidature, Shivrajsingh Chauhan asked to prove election mettle after being sidelined for MP CM ship just like Vasundhara Raje. Narayan Rane is unlikely over health issues although his son may be fielded. Similarly, Chandrakant Dada Patil and Pankaja Munde may lose out. “No decision till now on holding simultaneous polls for Maha assemblies with general polls but, PM Modi who keeps plans close to chest, may still spring a surprise.” BJP will contest 28/30 Maharashtra parliamentary seats itself while also fielding candidates from Eknath Shinde’s party (like Milind Deora got Rajya Sabha). Shinde won’t seek many parliamentary seats, lacking worthy winning candidates,” the source added. Will Vinod Tawde be BJP’s Konkan face in ensuing polls?

The farmers’ stir 2.0, has flummoxed Prime Minister Narendra Modi who withdrew his three farm bills (under protest) following the last uprising by agriculturists in 2021, who refused to settle unless he backtracked. Modi expressed disappointment back then that the triple laws, aimed at doubling agriculturists’ revenues by migrating agricultural produce to open market rates over minimum support price (MSP) valuations, had to be withdrawn. A senior BJP leader tells shortpost.in, “Please consider the ironic fact that the price of wheat was Rs 570 when the three revolutionary farm laws were withdrawn over political orchestrations and large scale violence. Subsequently prices of wheat skyrocketed to over Rs 1000 in 2022, in the wake of the Ukraine war. Migration to market valuations based on demand and supply and open market rates would literally have made Indian farmers richer, almost doubly. But Indian agriculturists lost out on the opportunity thanks to the anti CAA Shaheen Baug protests, followed by farmers 1.0 amplified nationally, politically.” The BJP leader added that the Ukraine conflict saw demand for wheat grow manifold and it was India that stepped in to fill the global void in the Gulf region, Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan and other markets impacted by wheat scarcity. Ongoing news media narratives over 2.0 protests scaling up and demanding MSP for 23 foodgrains, on pain of unleashing anarchy once again, fail to factor in the lost commercial value that farmers suffered after 1.0 and will likely hurt farmers doubly once again.

Ninth-time lucky Bihar CM Nitish Kumar defied all political odds of survival commencing another stint as CM, after junking the Mahagatbandhan with RJD-Congress yet again. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Kumar of practising the ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ brand of political opportunism, others tagged the sobriquet of ‘Paltu Ram’. These commonly used phrases do harsh injustice to Lord Rama’s name, suffixed with negative connotations like transferred epithets. A BJP leader says, “Pejorative terminologies for Lord Rama, preached through conscious Leftist narratives, are deliberately being contextually misplaced. Regional political player Nitish Kumar (staved off the 2014 BJP wave to return as CM in 2015) is the Indian political chess board’s survival specialist. Nitsh, holding charge of home department in 2017, dissolved alliance with RJD-Congress first (after intelligence revealed imminent plans by Lalu Prasad Yadav to break bad and install son Tejaswi as CM) still completing full tenure. It is true that post 2020 state assemblies, Kumar with 43 MLAs (BJP elected 75 MLAs) had fought in alliance with BJP, was assured full tenure as CM but still broke our alliance.” CM Kumar’s helmsmanship plans for I.N.D.I.A. and national politics went awry thereafter and the Tejaswi threat loomed once again, probably forcing his hand for yet another political play for Bihar. Turn around another negatively used phrase, “Ram Bharose Hindu Hotel” positively to more accurately show Kumar seeking refuge in Lord Rama (saffron front) in his hour of political crisis to succeed and complete full tenure as CM yet again.

The political age for young Turks is being reemphasized in Maharashtra again with pole positioning currently underway for suitable appointments to the state council of ministers once general elections conclude in April 2024. Union Minister for micro, small and medium enterprises Narayan Rane’s MLA son Nitesh Rane has consciously donned the saffron robes of Hindutva (over love and land jehad) while stridently ratcheting up his rhetoric by a few notches against the Thackeray Khandaan simultaneously. According to a BJP leader, “When Eknath Shinde was installed as CM, the BJP high command’s diktat was induction of new faces in the state council of ministers that was not done although 20 cabinet berths were filled up. The political debacle in Bihar back then saw the Modi-Shah leadership letting it slide rather than risk political instability in Maharashtra, however, repeatedly rebuffed subsequent attempts at cabinet expansion.” In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi consciously grafted the old crop BJP leadership from Maharashtra into his Union cabinet of ministers, clearing the field for the young Turks in Maharashtra following which Devendra Fadnavis became CM. Vinod Tawde, Sudhir Mungantiwar also became ministers.” Post Lok Sabha elections, young Turks including Nitesh Rane, Gopichand Padalkar, Prasad Lad, Yogesh Sagar and others from the BJP hope to find a berth in the state cabinet of ministers in the run up to the state assemblies in November 2024, unless the BJP high command holds simultaneous polls.

BJP is a worried party in Bharat today with the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, compounded with on-the-boil Maratha agitations, threatening poll prospects to better BJP’s 303 Lok Sabha tally of MPs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Solapur visit recently, ostensibly to handover 15,000 homes to bidi workers rallying under former Solapur city’s CPI MLA Narsaiah Adam Master, has deeper political purpose for Western Maharashtra. A source familiar with goings on told shortpost.in, “Maratha reservations issue is backed by every common Maratha Manoos. A Maratha DCM (Ajit Pawar) was strapped on to expand chief minister Eknath Shinde’s political reach to woo the Western Maharashtra belt that Maha Chanakya Sharad Pawar lords over.” Modi’s Solapur visit quietly endorsed his blessings for the Krishna-Bheema rivers interlinking project. The brainchild of Pawar senior’s former Maratha DCM Vijaysinh Mohite Patil was launched in 2003 to alleviate water scarcity in six districts and 31 talukas of Western Maharashtra. BJP’s Chanakya, DCM Devendra Fadnavis relaunched the flagship project a fortnight back in earnest (for completion) although (temporarily) rebranding it as the Sangli flood water stabilization (diversion) project due to ongoing legal disputes with Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh over river water utilization. Before 2019 Lok Sabha elections Modi similarly visited Malshiras in Solapur soliciting the Vijaysinh Mohite Patil family’s sway over the Baramati, Solapur, Mhada, Pandharpur Lok Sabha seats (built through blood, political relations over three generations) in Sharad Pawar’s stronghold. PM Modi’s current outreach seeks to blunt the sympathy wave for MVA, negative fallout over Maratha reservations in the ensuing general elections.

Erstwhile Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will emulate his social crusader grandfather Prabhodankar Thackeray, social reformer Sane Guruji and Indian constitution’s architect Dr BR Ambedkar, come January 22. He will seek blessings from Lord ‘Kala Ram’ coinciding with Bharatiya Janata Party’s installation of ‘Ram Lalla’ at Ayodhya. Thackeray received no invite to attend the Ram Mandir ceremony over severed ties with BJP but, through this political masterstroke, intends to hold sway over the 48 parliamentary constituencies in Maharashtra. Thackeray’s party smartly tied up with Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) over a seat sharing formula being worked out currently and hopes to attract Dalit votes in addition to his party’s traditional vote bank. Angry Shiv Sainiks anxiously await general elections to vent their rage over alleged political betrayal by former compatriots now under CM Eknath Shinde who rebelled against the heir of the late Sena supremo even as Uddhav has smartly tapped into the Dalit vote bank. In the early 1900s Maharashtra’s social crusader Sane Guruji and subsequently, Dr Ambedkar launched crusades to allow Dalits prayer rights at the KalaRam temple. Thackeray is certain his traditional vote bank will be bolstered by the Dalit community that had even given his party (under late Balasaheb) a run for its money in its own backyard of Mumbai city in the late 1970s. Thackeray has also put the Congress and NCP allies on guard by deputing colleagues to attend I.N.D.I.A’s seat sharing meet while locally insisting on the tiger’s share in Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray threw the gauntlet at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over the Rs 250 tariff to traverse the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link by demanding a roll back, free ride instead. The day before Thackeray @33 years young tweeted development works started utilizing his MLA funds in Worli. Indications are clear of Aaditya assuming leadership (Maha CM) positioning for forthcoming state assemblies. A BJP leader tells shortpost.in, “Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray consciously pushed his son to hold pole position on the political racetrack even during the 2014 alliance with BJP. To Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s consternation, Aaditya turned up for meetings scheduled with his father in New Delhi. After Maharashtra’s 2019 assembly elections Thackeray senior formed the MVA alliance with NCP, Congress though Devendra Fadnavis’ promised that Aaditya as DCM would be groomed over five years to become CM of Maharashtra in 2024.” Another source revealed, “Even parleys to seal the deal with NCP for the MVA alliance nearly broke down after Uddhav proposed Aaditya’s name for CM. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar baulked, threw sheaf of papers he held in the air and then, convinced the undivided Shiv Sena Chief to take up the mantle of government.” In 2004 Balasaheb Thackeray prematurely announced free electricity for agriculturists if Shiv Sena was elected to power. Then Congress CM Sushilkumar Shinde hijacked the plan before the code of conduct was enforced and returned his party to power. Eknath Shinde may not, however, bite the bait or, will he?

The Union Sports ministry dismissed the newly elected Wrestling Federation of India body under president Sanjay Singh, close confidant of erstwhile president, BJP MP Brijbhushan Singh whose exit followed sexual harassment allegations by women wrestlers in India. The BJP strongman MP had also thrown the gauntlet at MNS Chief Raj Thackeray last year threatening him against visiting UP to seek blessings of Lord Rama. Singh’s criminal antecedents, including live boasts of killing rivals in gunfights and acquittal by special CBI court for lack of evidence over harbouring sharp shooters involved in the infamous JJ Hospital case of 1992 in Mumbai, invited the ire of the BJP high command that had mandated an unbiased welcome for all pilgrims. UP CM Yogi Adityanath even booked the Ayodhya state guest house to facilitate the MNS chief’s proposed June 5 visit this year. A source reveals, “Brijbhushan Singh came under the radar because his outburst against Thackeray followed his closed-door meeting at Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s bungalow in New Delhi also attended by NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Vested foreign interests provoked Singh against Thackeray, it was learnt.” The former WFI president announced his sanyaas from WFI in December 2022 and has now started political rounds, meeting BJP national president JP Nadda, over his Lok Sabha candidature from Kaisargang. The BJP’s Sanyasi UP CM Adityanath has clearly won the bout with a knockout “Dhobipachhad’ move as subdued Singh now lives on political hope for survival. Singh’s belligerent posturing has also been replaced with humility now.

Is Maharashtra heading for simultaneous polls of its state assembly coinciding with general elections of Bharat? Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statements emphasizing “One nation, one poll” compounded with a dismal political picture painted by internal surveys by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) indicate exactly such a prospect. A well-placed source says, “Results of recent assembly elections in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh enthused BJP tremendously as state level anti-incumbency was effectively neutralized by Modi’s persona bringing rich political dividends even in MP where Congress was dead sure of a win. A similar political situation exists in Maharashtra, where the Shinde led Shiv Sena faction (40 MLAs plus 10 independents), even Ajit Pawar’s NCP grouping may not perform well in the next state assembly elections after the current government’s tenure ends in November 2024. The party was mulling over simultaneous polls for over a year now.” Even the BJP retaining its 2019 figure of 105 MLAs in Maharashtra, that came down from 122 MLAs in the 2014 state assemblies, was a deciding factor. The Prime Minister is also a votary of the two (national) party system of democracy as prevalent in the USA. The I.N.D.I.A coalition of opposition political formations under a single umbrella in 2023 is viewed by the BJP as a step in this direction. The party feels public disenchantment with their current three-party alliance government in Maharashtra can be simply countered by projecting Modi’s face for the twin polls being held simultaneously. Will I.N.D.I.A stay together?

The Samruddhi Expressway connecting Nagpur and Mumbai witnessed over 1000 vehicular accidents in exactly one year claiming 142 lives. Bharat’s fatality rate is 1.5 lakh human beings annually in 5 lakh road accidents. Human error, tyre bursts, highway hypnosis caused a small percentile of accidents on national highways though more lives could have been saved were ITS (intelligent transport system) in place. An IAS source reveals to shortpost.in, “Fact-of-the-matter is though we laid optic fibre cables alongside Samruddhi Mahamarg, Mumbai-Pune expressway exploiting this resource to set up ITS was not accomplished. The golden hour of critical importance, on high-speed road routes, makes the difference between life and death after motor accidents but is non-existent. High manpower requirements may be the reason.” The Mumbai-Pune expressway was Gadkari’s first infrastructure accomplishment in the 1990s when Shiv Sena led the Maharashtra government with the BJP alliance. Gadkari inaugurated ITS on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway in Uttar Pradesh in 2021 and yet, Maharashtra doesn’t adhere to internationally prescribed road safety standards to ensure ambulances reach crash sites within 15 minutes. Common sense to check tyre pressure at the cold start of the day’s travel can avert tyre bursts due to faulty pressure checked on warmed up tyres just before entering highways. Meanwhile, Shiv Sangram Maratha leader Vinayak Mete (Pune expressway), Cyrus Mistry (Mumbai-Ahmedabad expressway) and thousands perished on Maharashtra’s high-speed expressways without ITS. Last heard, the Maha government was working on erecting fake boulders on Samruddhi corridor to break highway hypnosis. What about ITS lethargy?

PM Narendra Modi’s political gambit to field himself as BJP’s face in just concluded state assemblies in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana was a success except in Telangana. This was deliberately done to the detriment of (Rani) Vasundhara Raje, (Mamaji) Shivraj Singh Chouhan, (Chawalwala Baba) Raman Singh in the first three states, initiated long ago. Post results, benevolent Modi may even prefer Jyotiraditya Scindia. The Congress’ political intransigence to encourage new blood into the party stream cost them growth, national acceptability and now, regional acceptance as national party of choice. Modi became PM of India in April 2014 and immediately elevated veteran party leaders from Maharashtra including Nitin Gadkari, Gopinath Munde as Union Ministers clearing the field for young Turks in BJP to take over. The fresh blood leadership potential being emphasized included Devendra Fadnavis, Ashish Shelar, Vinod Tawde, Sudhir Mungantiwaar in Maharashtra. Fadnavis subsequently made the cut for CM ship after the November 2014 state assemblies. MP CM Mamaji followed Modi to Delhi subsequently. Congress on the other hand, failed to similarly empower Jyotiraditya Scindia (in MP) or Sachin Pilot (in Rajasthan) after capturing power, cowing down to veteran politicians Kamal Nath and Ashok Gehlot. With Scindia going saffron consequently and Pilot’s failed teacup storm of rebellion curtailed by the Zadugar of Rajasthan, the political future in both states appears bleak for the Congress party. The I.N.D.I.A front led by the only other national political party in Bharat will face an acid test come April 2024.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar wants four Lok Sabha seats, including Shirur, Satara, Raigad, Baramati won by NCP in 2019 and hopes to get some more. Pawar wants to field son Parth from Shirur, believing he holds sway over his political karmabhoomi of western Maharashtra. Uncle Sharad Pawar issued patronising sound-bites over his nephew’s political plans seeking to undermine him. In 2014 and 2019, the BJP and Shiv Sena fought general elections in alliance but now, will battle each other even as CM Shinde’s Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP seek to adversely impact votes accruing to the (undivided) Shiv Sena and NCP respectively. In 2024, BJP, Shinde led Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP will square up against Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Congress (that has held its flock together). BJP suggested Shinde field new candidates, since only two/three of his Sena MPs may get re-elected, citing internal surveys. Shinde emphasized his responsibility to secure the political future of his MPs and may, on the brink of elections, even ask them to contest as BJP candidates to still keep his word. Uddhav Thackeray may re-launch political touring soon. Few political pundits credited him for political acumen, making stark comparisons with Balasaheb Thackeray, though the former chief minister of Maharashtra got 63 Shiv Sena MLAs elected in 2014 after BJP severed political ties. His late father had publicly lamented his party’s inability to cross the 60 MLAs benchmark in Maharashtra.

An under-the-weather Maharashtra deputy chief minister (DCM), Ajit Pawar, worked out of home for a fortnight sparking speculation again over his imminent ascension as CM. The alternative political music piped down Friday after Pawar attended the cabinet meeting at the state secretariat — Mantralaya, however, refusing to die down since the Maratha strongman met up with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, adding further grist to rumour mills. The reality may be a mix of both narratives. Maharashtra’s finance minister Pawar may be miffed over his decisions needing to pass muster (ratification) from DCM Devendra Fadnavis’ office first, followed by the CMO thereafter. This is unlike his tenure in the erstwhile MVA government when he enjoyed free reign, even inviting accusations from then alliance partners for allegedly monopolising fund allocations to suit his (undivided NCP) party’s interests. A leadership change in the state may not be imminent unless the Apex Court decides the legal challenge seeking to disqualify 16 MLAs with CM Eknath Shinde. Pawar’s storm-in-a-teacup may have to do with extracting his pound of flesh including allocation of cabinet portfolios, state development corporations for his NCP faction that bolsters the current government. In his previous DCM avatar under Fadnavis as CM, lasting a mere 70 odd hours in November 2019, Pawar brought closure on 20 odd irrigation department cases registered against him. “Though 20 cases were wound up back then, around 100 more remain active that prompted PM Narendra Modi’s “Rs 70,000 crore corruption” comment against NCP,” a source reveals.