BJP’s Maha strategy: Op Lotus to Op Merger
From Operation Lotus to Operation Merger: BJP’s New Maharashtra Strategy. Moving away from its earlier strategy of splitting regional parties, the BJP is now exploring the possibility of reuniting the divided NCP and Shiv Sena factions in Maharashtra. The party, which had engineered political realignments in both regional parties, is reportedly seeking to bring veteran leaders back into the fold. The first initiative is centred on the merger of the two NCP factions, with efforts underway to bring Sharad Pawar back into a united NCP. Once the NCP merger takes shape, attention could shift to the reunification of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT). Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has reportedly opened communication channels towards this possibility.
Rohit Pawar’s next course of action
Rohit Pawar may explore Congress option if Sharad Pawar aligns with BJP. As Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) moves closer to a possible merger and realignment with the BJP-led NDA, young MLA Rohit Pawar may explore a separate political path. Despite not holding the Leader of Opposition’s post, Rohit has emerged as a prominent opposition voice through his support for students, tribals and marginalised communities. His intervention in the recent MPSC aspirants’ protest in Pune brought the issue into the spotlight, prompting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to remove MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar pending an inquiry. Meanwhile, Rohit is reportedly in touch with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is said to be keen on inducting him as a young face of the part
BMC turning into a political laughing stock
BMC, Asia’s richest civic body, is turning into a political laughing stock. The BMC is increasingly making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawade has faced repeated controversies over her public statements, while Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam has courted criticism by giving a religious colour to actor Dia Mirza’s message advocating a pollution-free Diwali. Meanwhile, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide faced a sharp Supreme Court reprimand over the failure to remove illegal structures from a BEST-reserved plot. The court even threatened to stop her salary, an unprecedented development in the civic body’s history. Growing political interference, controversial statements and administrative lapses are raising serious questions about Mumbai’s civic governance, turning its powerful municipal corporation into a subject of public ridicule.
Sudhir Suryawanshi
Our correspondent in Maharashtra
suryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com