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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

High-stakes chess beneath the surface

BJP Candidates coming out after filing their nomination for the upcoming Legislative Council Polls from Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Typically, when a ruling coalition enjoys a formidable and comfortable majority, elections to the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Council are quiet, predictable affairs. They are often viewed as mere formalities, rarely capturing the public imagination or dominating front-page headlines. Historically, these indirect...

High-stakes chess beneath the surface

BJP Candidates coming out after filing their nomination for the upcoming Legislative Council Polls from Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Typically, when a ruling coalition enjoys a formidable and comfortable majority, elections to the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Council are quiet, predictable affairs. They are often viewed as mere formalities, rarely capturing the public imagination or dominating front-page headlines. Historically, these indirect elections only become newsworthy under specific conditions: either the ruling coalition is plagued by internal fissures, or the opposition is too fragmented to put up a united front. In Maharashtra, however, the political landscape remains highly volatile. Recently, the Rajya Sabha elections became the center of intense media scrutiny, and over the past week, the Legislative Council polls followed suit. Although all ten candidates—nine from the ruling alliance and one from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—are now set to be elected unopposed, the intricate backroom maneuvers that led to this truce kept the state’s political circles buzzing. Interestingly, the reason for this heightened news value can be traced to both a subtle tug-of-war within the ruling combine and a visibly weakened opposition. Shifting Strategy The maneuvering within the opposition ranks has been particularly telling. A major focal point of the election buildup was the anticipated candidacy of Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray. After generating considerable hype and speculation about a potential return to the legislature, Thackeray ultimately chose to withdraw from the electoral fray. This sudden pullback forced a rapid recalibration within the MVA. Initially, the Congress party had adopted an aggressive posture, declaring its intention to field a candidate if Thackeray decided against contesting. However, following closed-door deliberations with Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, the Congress quietly backed down. Why the state Congress leadership so readily acquiesced to this sudden change in strategy, sacrificing a potential seat, remains a mystery and a subject of intense debate among political observers. On the other side of the aisle, the ruling Mahayuti coalition maximized this electoral opportunity to consolidate its political base, reward loyalists, and balance complex regional equations. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strategically paved the way for the political rehabilitation of former Congress legislator Zishan Siddique by nominating him to the Legislative Council. This calculated move introduces a prominent new Muslim face for the party, likely intended to fill the leadership vacuum in Mumbai left by veteran leader Nawab Malik. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde used his nominations to send a definitive message about the premium he places on loyalty. By securing another term for Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Shinde demonstrated that those who stood by his faction would be adequately rewarded. Furthermore, by bringing Vidarbha strongman Bachchu Kadu into the fold, Shinde has attempted to anchor his party’s future and expand its footprint in a region predominantly controlled by his senior alliance partner, the BJP. The Bharatiya Janata Party, playing its characteristic long game, meticulously ensured that its list of six candidates struck the perfect organizational, social, and political balance. Battle for LOP Despite these broader alliance strategies, the most consequential nomination in this electoral cycle is arguably that of Ambadas Danve. Barely six months after completing his tenure in the Upper House and stepping down from the prestigious post of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Danve has been nominated once again by the Shiv Sena (UBT). With his return to the house, there is a strong possibility that he will reclaim his former post. This specific development highlights a much deeper crisis within the Congress. Following Danve’s brief retirement, the Congress had naturally emerged as the largest opposition party in the Upper House. This mathematical advantage theoretically paved the way for their Kolhapur strongman, Satej “Banti” Patil, to lay claim to the Leader of the Opposition’s chair. However, the sudden defection of Congress MLC Pradnya Satav, who switched loyalties to the BJP, severely dented the party’s numbers. Her departure brought the Congress’s strength in the house just below that of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Stripped of its numerical superiority overnight, the Congress was relegated to being a mute spectator, unable to assert its rightful claim. Internal Dissent This series of tactical defeats has triggered palpable frustration within the Congress’s state unit. One senior Congress leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed deep disappointment with the state leadership’s inability to protect the party’s interests. “Everyone has personal political ambitions, but leaders must learn the ways to collectively move ahead and strategize,” the leader remarked, attributing the party’s current stagnation in Maharashtra to this lack of cohesive vision. In short, these Legislative Council elections have delivered one message loud and clear: even when everything appears calm and stable on the surface, the relentless machinery of politics continues to churn behind the scenes. No political player in Maharashtra can afford to rest assured or sit idle under the illusion that there are no major state elections until 2029.

Feasting or Wasting? The Hidden Cost of Modern Celebrations

In my earlier articles, I discussed various sources of food waste—from harvesting to our homes and restaurants. Other common sources include social gatherings such as weddings, conferences, birthday parties, and similar events.


Let’s begin with a traditional village wedding, where age-old customs offer a sharp contrast to the wastefulness often seen at large events today.


Scene 1: It’s a wedding ceremony in a village. Per tradition, every family is invited to attend and share in the wedding lunch. At mealtime, guests sit in rows on the floor, usually on shared mats or something similar. Food is served on banana leaves or plates made by stitching together the broad leaves of the ‘Flame of the Forest’ tree.


Volunteers carefully regulate the portions to ensure that everyone receives just the right amount. The meal is enjoyed with appreciation, and typically, not a single morsel is left uneaten. Once the meal is over, the used ‘plates’ are collected and usually disposed of in a pit dug in the ground. Over time, they decompose naturally and turn into compost—a completely eco-friendly process.


In another setting, the spirit of tradition remains, but the arrangements reflect a more modern touch.


Scene 2: Another wedding, but with a slightly different setup. Guests are seated on chairs arranged behind rows of tables. The food is served either on leaf plates, as described earlier, or on stainless steel plates.


The overall approach remains the same—volunteers serve the food, and guests eat happily. In most cases, the plates are cleared without any leftover food. All clean!


However, in a more extravagant setting, the dynamics shift, and with it, the approach to food.


Scene 3: This time, it’s a big fat—or perhaps not-so-big fat—wedding. The hosts are keen to impress their guests and showcase their financial status, so a lavish buffet lunch or dinner is arranged. Alongside traditional Indian dishes, an array of exotic options from Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and other European cuisines are served, along with popular desi chaat counters.


Now, observe the guests. At the appointed time, they rush to the counters, collect their plates, and pile on as much food as the plate can hold. They then settle down to eat—but in many cases, they are unable to finish what they’ve taken. Half-eaten portions are left on the plates, which are eventually thrown in the bin.


Why do people feel the need to overload their plates with nearly everything on offer? It’s disheartening—and frankly, quite appalling—to see such large quantities of perfectly good food end up in the rubbish rather than in someone’s stomach.


This behaviour isn’t confined to casual gatherings; it can also be seen in settings where one would expect a greater sense of responsibility.


Scene 4: We now find ourselves in a five-star hotel. A crowd of well-dressed individuals in formal suits has gathered in a plush, luxurious auditorium for a National Conference on Waste Management. The morning session has concluded, and it’s time for lunch. As expected in a star hotel, a buffet is laid out. Special invitees, eminent speakers, and participants flock to the buffet tables, fill their plates, and begin eating. Yet, halfway through, the leftovers are discarded—because their plates are simply overfilled! Unbelievable? But I assure you, I’ve witnessed this happen at numerous conferences on nature and the environment.


I’ll delve deeper into this topic in my next article. Until then, have a wonderful weekend!

(The author is an environmentalist. Views personal.)

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