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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

Congress tries a ‘third’ hand

New Delhi: The BJP latest manoeuvre in elevating Nitin Nabin as the party’s national working president has had consequences in Maharashtra’s two biggest cities - Mumbai and Pune. The result has left the Congress party in a curiously ambivalent mood: quietly pleased by the opportunities created, yet wary of the turbulence ahead. In Maharashtra, the immediate beneficiary of the BJP’s move is Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. The BJP’s organisational signal has strengthened its hand in the forthcoming...

Congress tries a ‘third’ hand

New Delhi: The BJP latest manoeuvre in elevating Nitin Nabin as the party’s national working president has had consequences in Maharashtra’s two biggest cities - Mumbai and Pune. The result has left the Congress party in a curiously ambivalent mood: quietly pleased by the opportunities created, yet wary of the turbulence ahead. In Maharashtra, the immediate beneficiary of the BJP’s move is Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. The BJP’s organisational signal has strengthened its hand in the forthcoming elections to the BMC, Asia’s richest civic body, and in Pune, the state’s second city. For Shinde, whose legitimacy still rests on a contentious split with the party founded by Bal Thackeray, any reinforcement from the BJP’s formidable machine is welcome. For Uddhav Thackeray, who leads the rival Shiv Sena (UBT), the message is ominous. His party, once the natural custodian of Marathi pride in Mumbai, now faces the prospect of being squeezed between a BJP-backed Sena on one side and a revived Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by his cousin, Raj Thackeray, on the other. Shotgun Alliance That pressure has forced Thackeray into an awkward embrace with his estranged cousin. A reunion of the Thackeray clans, long rumoured and often aborted, has unsettled Thackeray’s MVA ally - the Congress. Signals from the party’s high command suggest a calculated distancing from Shiv Sena (UBT), particularly in Mumbai, where Congress leaders are exploring arrangements with smaller parties rather than committing to a Thackeray-led front. In Pune, the party’s pragmatism is even more pronounced. Quiet efforts are under way to entice Ajit Pawar’s NCP, currently aligned with the BJP, into a tactical understanding for the civic polls. Control of the municipal corporation, even without ideological harmony, is the immediate prize. For the embattled Congress, the civic polls offer a chance to do two things at once. First, by keeping a degree of separation from the Uddhav–Raj combine, it can strengthen its own organisational sinews, which have atrophied after years of playing junior partner. Secondly, it can allow the BJP–Shinde Sena and the Thackeray cousins to polarise the Marathi vote between them, leaving Congress to position itself as a ‘third pole.’ Such a strategy is particularly tempting in Mumbai. A tie-up with outfits like Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) could help Congress consolidate minority, Dalit and tribal voters, constituencies it believes are more reliably mobilised without the ideological baggage of Thackeray’s Sena (UBT). Severing or loosening ties with Shiv Sena (UBT) would also simplify Congress’s messaging ahead of assembly elections elsewhere. In states such as West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where polls loom next year, the party has historically preferred alliances that allow it to emphasise secular credentials and oppose the BJP without accommodating overtly Hindu nationalist partners. Mixed Signals The Congress’ internal signals, however, are mixed. When talk of a Thackeray reunion resurfaced, Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar publicly welcomed it, arguing that Raj Thackeray’s limited but distinct vote share could help consolidate Marathi sentiment. Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad was more circumspect, hinting that alliances with parties prone to street-level militancy deserved scrutiny. Wadettiwar swiftly clarified that decisions would rest with the party’s senior leadership, underscoring the centralised nature of Congress’s calculus. In Pune, meanwhile, senior leaders are reportedly engaged in discreet conversations with Ajit Pawar, whose defection from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s NCP last year still reverberates through state politics. The outline of a broader strategy is becoming visible. Congress appears content to let the BJP and Shinde’s Sena draw on non-Marathi and anti-dynasty voters, the Thackerays appeal to wounded Marathi pride while it quietly rebuilds among minorities and lower-caste groups. Mumbai Approach Mumbai’s demography lends some plausibility to this approach. Alongside its Marathi core, the city hosts millions of migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, a constituency that has increasingly gravitated towards the BJP. Raj Thackeray’s strident rhetoric against North Indians, once electorally potent, now risks narrowing his appeal and complicating Uddhav Thackeray’s efforts to broaden his base. None of this guarantees success for Congress. Playing the ‘third pole’ is a delicate art. Yet, the Congress, struggling for survival, has few illusions about sweeping victories. Its aim, for now, is more modest – it is to survive, to remain relevant, and to exploit the cracks opened by its rivals’ rivalries. In Maharashtra’s civic chessboard, that may be advantage enough.

Debunking EVM Myths: Restoring Trust in Elections

Debunking EVM Myths

In India’s diverse democracy, elections are more than a constitutional duty—they celebrate unity and plurality. Central to this process is the commitment to free, fair, and credible elections. A key innovation in this effort was the introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to combat fraud, inefficiency, and logistical issues of paper ballots. Despite their proven reliability, EVMs remain controversial, with recurring claims of hacking and manipulation. These often baseless allegations fuel a false narrative that undermines the credibility of India’s electoral process.


Scepticism around EVMs often arises after unexpected electoral results, with losing parties questioning their integrity to deflect from defeat. This tactic isn’t unique to India; even in advanced democracies like the U.S., doubts about electronic voting systems have surfaced. However, India’s EVMs are offline, insulating them from external interference. Despite this, allegations persist, fuelled by misinformation and amplified by social media. Viral videos claiming EVM tampering often feature crude replicas, not genuine machines, yet their visual impact plants doubt. The lack of immediate clarification allows these myths to spread. Globally, scepticism about electronic voting adds perceived credibility to these local claims, despite differences in technology.


A common misconception about EVMs is that they are vulnerable to remote hacking because they are connected to the internet. This narrative is entirely false. Indian EVMs are standalone devices, designed to operate offline without any connectivity to external networks. This offline design is one of the primary safeguards against tampering, ensuring that no external party can remotely access or alter the machines.


Additionally, the devices are secured through tamper-evident seals, strict storage protocols, and constant surveillance, making unauthorised access highly improbable. Another persistent myth is that EVMs can be manipulated during their storage or transport. Critics often point to the logistical complexity of elections as a potential weak point. However, the Election Commission of India has implemented stringent measures to address these concerns. EVMs are stored under the watchful eyes of election officials, political party representatives, and security personnel. They are equipped with seals that show visible signs of tampering, ensuring transparency and accountability at every stage.


Genuine Indian EVMs are manufactured under stringent conditions by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), and their software is embedded in one-time programmable chips that cannot be altered or rewritten. The claims of hacking are thus not only misleading but also an affront to the rigorous processes that ensure the integrity of these machines. The introduction of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system has added another layer of transparency to the electoral process. With VVPAT, voters receive a printed slip confirming their choice, which is stored securely for potential audits. This system provides tangible proof of the vote cast, addressing doubts and reinforcing trust in the process. Yet, even this innovation has not been spared from criticism, as detractors seek to cast aspersions on its efficacy without offering substantive evidence.


The Election Commission of India has organised open challenges and invited sceptics to prove their claims. These challenges, held under controlled conditions, have yet to yield any credible evidence of tampering. Furthermore, the judiciary has repeatedly upheld the reliability of EVMs.


The Supreme Court of India, in particular, has recognised the vital role of these machines in ensuring the integrity of elections and dismissed allegations of hacking as baseless. India’s EVMs have also earned international recognition for their robust design and efficiency. Several countries, including Bhutan and Nepal, have adopted similar systems inspired by India’s model. This global validation underscores the effectiveness of Indian EVMs in delivering credible elections, even in challenging conditions.


The real threat from the fake EVM narrative is democratic, not technological. By eroding trust, it risks alienating voters and undermining confidence in democratic institutions. Political actors exploit this distrust to divert attention from real issues. The danger lies in the misinformation, not the machines. Combating this requires public awareness campaigns on EVM security and safeguards. The Election Commission must engage stakeholders, counter misinformation, and explore technologies to boost transparency. Citizens, too, must question claims and rely on verified information.


As India continues to uphold its democratic ideals, it is crucial to ensure that truth prevails over propaganda, safeguarding the sanctity of the electoral process for generations to come.


(The author is a Senior Research Associate,Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Mumbai. Views personal.)

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