Much-hyped Mahadeva ends up a damp squib?
Expectations ran high when the state government launched its project Mahadeva in December 2025. Aiming to inculcate the football talent in children, the state government identified 60 budding football players across Maharashtra, which included 30 girls, sources said. These players were also given an opportunity to meet football legend Messi at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The budding players and their parents are clueless about the future of their children because there has been no communication between them since the mega event. The government has vowed to provide scholarships and admissions to residential schools.
Party change saves leader’s dying mill
Crossing over to BJP turned out to be a blessing for Congress leader Kunal Patil from Dhule, as his dying mill got a new lease of life. As per sources, for his Jawahar Spinning Mills, which was declared a sick unit, the state cabinet approved over Rs 160 crore as a loan for its revival. Earlier, Patil had tried hard to get the fund for his mills but was left disappointed. However, his joining BJP not only helped him get the mega loan for his spinning mills. Notably, Patil’s father, Rohidas Patil, was a hardcore Congressman who shared a good rapport with the Gandhi family since Indira Gandhi’s days, the sources added.
Ajit’s absence being felt heavily in MahaYuti
The absence of Ajit Pawar is palpable in the MahaYuti government, as despite the state government scrapping the 5% minority quota in education and employment, not a single leader of the NCP, including Sunetra Pawar, opposed it. As long as Ajit Pawar was part of the government, he batted for the minority welfare and development through various schemes and decisions. Pawar pitched for 5% of minority reservations in and outside the cabinet. But after his demise, it was scrapped. However, the NCP, which banks on the minority vote bank, surprisingly did not. The minority leaders in the NCP felt the absence of their leader.
Sudhir Suryawanshi
Our correspondent in Maharashtra
suryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com