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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This...

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This development, confirmed by high-ranking party insiders, follows the realization that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) effectively ceded its claims on the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to protect the alliance, facilitating a “Mumbai for BJP, Kalyan for Shinde” power-sharing formula. The compromise marks a complete role reversal between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Both the political parties were in alliance with each other for over 25 years before 2017 civic polls. Back then the BJP used to get the post of Deputy Mayor while the Shiv Sena always enjoyed the mayor’s position. In 2017 a surging BJP (82 seats) had paused its aggression to support the undivided Shiv Sena (84 seats), preferring to be out of power in the Corporation to keep the saffron alliance intact. Today, the numbers dictate a different reality. In the recently concluded elections BJP emerged as the single largest party in Mumbai with 89 seats, while the Shinde faction secured 29. Although the Shinde faction acted as the “kingmaker”—pushing the alliance past the majority mark of 114—the sheer numerical gap made their claim to the mayor’s post untenable in the long run. KDMC Factor The catalyst for this truce lies 40 kilometers north of Mumbai in Kalyan-Dombivali, a region considered the impregnable fortress of Eknath Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde. While the BJP performed exceptionally well in KDMC, winning 50 seats compared to the Shinde faction’s 53, the lotter for the reservation of mayor’s post in KDMC turned the tables decisively in favor of Shiv Sena there. In the lottery, the KDMC mayor’ post went to be reserved for the Scheduled Tribe candidate. The BJP doesn’t have any such candidate among elected corporatros in KDMC. This cleared the way for Shiv Sena. Also, the Shiv Sena tied hands with the MNS in the corporation effectively weakening the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s alliance with them. Party insiders suggest that once it became clear the BJP would not pursue the KDMC Mayor’s chair—effectively acknowledging it as Shinde’s fiefdom—he agreed to scale down his demands in the capital. “We have practically no hope of installing a BJP Mayor in Kalyan-Dombivali without shattering the alliance locally,” a Mumbai BJP secretary admitted and added, “Letting the KDMC become Shinde’s home turf is the price for securing the Mumbai Mayor’s bungalow for a BJP corporator for the first time in history.” The formal elections for the Mayoral posts are scheduled for later this month. While the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—led by the Shiv Sena (UBT)—has vowed to field candidates, the arithmetic heavily favors the ruling alliance. For Eknath Shinde, accepting the Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai is a tactical retreat. It allows him to consolidate his power in the MMR belt (Thane and Kalyan) while remaining a partner in Mumbai’s governance. For the BJP, this is a crowning moment; after playing second fiddle in the BMC for decades, they are poised to finally install their own “First Citizen” of Mumbai.

Empowering Girls, Shaping Futures

Empowering Girls

In June earlier this year, when we launched the Poori Padhai, Desh Ki Bhalai: Studying for Change campaign, little did we know the impact it would create. The national campaign aimed to promote higher secondary education and reduce the percentage of dropouts among girls has been well received.


Within four months of the campaign, we reached out to over 2000 villages in Maharashtra alone, where communities have promised to enrol their girls in higher education. Over 652 panchayats have pledged to support the initiative, and more than two lakh people have supported our efforts through our signature campaign.


Over four decades of work with children and communities have shown us that adolescent girls face various socio-economic and cultural barriers to education. Poverty often drives families to prioritise basic needs or the education of boys, seeing it as a better investment. In low-income households, girls may be expected to do household chores, care for siblings, or work outside the home to support family income. Additionally, schooling costs—such as uniforms, transportation, and materials—make education even less accessible for girls from resource-poor backgrounds.


Cultural norms and gender-based discrimination further restrict girls’ educational opportunities, especially during adolescence. In some communities, traditional beliefs place more value on early marriage than on continued education, which leads to high rates of child marriage, resulting in girls leaving school before they complete their education. Safety concerns, including long travel distances to school and the associated risks, also contribute to dropouts. Together, these barriers create a cycle of inequality, depriving girls of education and limiting their future opportunities.


The campaign aimed to engage all parts of society to build awareness and shift mindsets. Its central message was that every girl, especially those facing deep poverty, deserves the chance to attend school and stay until completing 12th grade. No girl should be forced to drop out.


The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to provide free, quality education up to age 18, supporting Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) for equitable education by 2030. However, recent UDISE+ 2021-22 data reveals that only three out of five girls in India reach higher secondary education. Just 58.2% of girls are enrolled in grades 11 and 12, while one in three girls (35%) of secondary school age is out of school, and one in eight (12.25%) drops out before completing secondary education. Retention rates for girls in higher secondary have declined compared to enrolment.


Let me share with you an example of Pooja Mahadev Shinde, who resides in Kolgaon with her parents and two younger siblings. Pooja’s parents work as labourers earning a sum of Rs. 225 per day and face challenges in providing for their family of five. Added to that, her father's alcohol addiction further burdens their financial situation.


Pooja has been an active member of CRY’s intervention project in the area through the Kishori group. However, her education suffered like others in her village due to the lack of transportation to her school situated nearly eight kilometres away.


Pooja took the initiative and, along with her Kishori group, sent a formal request to the Sarpanch and his committee requesting bus services to the village to be provided by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation. Despite the initial lack of response, Pooja and her team continued to pursue the Sarpanch and the village committee. The Sarpanch escalated their request to the MSRTC, and after follow-ups over three months, the MSRTC finally started a bus service. Pooja's determination not only brought bus services to her village but also to the nearby three villages located about 15 kilometres from the school.


Pooja’s story is a testament to the power of determination and the problem-solving abilities strengthened through education. Her courage and leadership have paved the way for a brighter future for many. There are many such examples where the child protagonists have overcome hurdles and ensured they continued with their education. This proves how investing in educating girls through higher education will reap favourable benefits for society in the long run and work in favour of the nation's progress.


Educating girls is crucial for economic and social development, creating benefits that extend to entire communities. Girls who receive quality education are more likely to secure better jobs, earn higher incomes, and invest in their families' health, nutrition, and education—breaking cycles of poverty and fostering healthier future generations. Educated girls also become empowered participants in decision-making, advocating for their rights and contributing to a more inclusive society. Studies consistently show that higher educational attainment among girls promotes gender equality, reduces maternal and child mortality, and enhances social stability—key drivers of national progress. It’s time we commit to educating our girls for a brighter tomorrow.


(The author is Western Region Director, Child Rights and You, an NGO )

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