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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 9:20:26 am

Rajesh Kshirsagar walks into a political trap

The Shiv Sena MLA has chosen confrontation over the Shaktipeeth Expressway risking political isolation Kolhapur: Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar’s aggressive support to the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway has brought him face-to-face with former MP Raju Shetti. But the political fallout has not stopped there. In quick succession, he has taken on Congress leader Satej Patil, questioned the position of fellow Mahayuti legislator Chandradip Narake and criticised his own party colleague, Public...

Rajesh Kshirsagar walks into a political trap

The Shiv Sena MLA has chosen confrontation over the Shaktipeeth Expressway risking political isolation Kolhapur: Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar’s aggressive support to the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway has brought him face-to-face with former MP Raju Shetti. But the political fallout has not stopped there. In quick succession, he has taken on Congress leader Satej Patil, questioned the position of fellow Mahayuti legislator Chandradip Narake and criticised his own party colleague, Public Health Minister and Kolhapur Guardian Minister Prakash Abitkar. That is a lot of political fronts for one MLA to manage simultaneously. The immediate question, therefore, is not whether Kshirsagar has the courage to fight. He clearly does. The more important question is whether he has calculated the political cost of fighting everyone at once. The Shaktipeeth Expressway has become one of the most contentious political issues in Kolhapur district. Raju Shetti has turned the proposed acquisition of agricultural land into a farmers’ rights issue and has built a sustained campaign around it. His politics has always thrived on confrontation. His rise from the sugarcane farmers’ movement to the Assembly and then the Lok Sabha was built on his ability to convert farmers’ grievances into political mobilisation. Kshirsagar has now chosen to meet that politics head-on. His controversial warning against Shetti, in response to the latter’s aggressive rhetoric on land acquisition, transformed a policy disagreement into a personal political duel. Supporters of both sides have since taken the confrontation to the streets. This is precisely where political calculation becomes important. Supporting a flagship project backed by the Chief Minister can certainly send a message to the leadership in Mumbai. Kshirsagar is willing to stand by the government when the going gets difficult. But the same position can create political liabilities at home, particularly when the project affects constituencies where local MLAs are under pressure from farmers. Different Question Kshirsagar’s decision to attack Satej Patil raises a different question. Patil remains one of the most influential political figures in Kolhapur. Suggesting that he may struggle to win the next Assembly election is not routine political criticism. It is an open challenge. That challenge may energise Kshirsagar’s supporters. It may also consolidate his position among those within the ruling establishment who see Patil as a principal political adversary. But there is a danger in confusing political visibility with political strength. Every additional opponent creates another front that has to be managed during an election. And Kshirsagar has already opened several. The most politically revealing part of Kshirsagar’s criticism of Chandradip Narake and Prakash Abitkar. Narake represents a constituency through which the Shaktipeeth project passes. His opposition, therefore, has an obvious electoral logic: he has to respond to the concerns of his voters. Kshirsagar’s criticism of Narake puts him in a difficult position. He is effectively asking another ruling-party MLA to subordinate constituency politics to the government’s larger project. Then came the attack on Abitkar. To publicly accuse the party’s Kolhapur Guardian Minister of failing to strengthen the organisation amounts to washing the party’s dirty linen in public. Ministerial Ambition There is another possible explanation for Kshirsagar’s increasingly combative posture: the unresolved question of ministerial ambition. A three-time MLA would naturally expect that electoral experience and political seniority might eventually translate into a Cabinet berth. Instead, when the opportunity came, Eknath Shinde chose Prakash Abitkar and gave him an important Cabinet portfolio. Kshirsagar was left outside the ministry. His present position on the State Planning Board gives him a role, but it is not the same political currency as a Cabinet berth. It would be simplistic to suggest that every recent statement is merely an expression of that disappointment. But it would be equally naïve to ignore the possibility that political frustration has influenced his increasingly assertive posture. The Shaktipeeth issue may simply have provided the trigger. Kshirsagar should also be looking closely at the arithmetic of Kolhapur North. The constituency has a history of surprising political outcomes. Its old-city peth culture is blunt, politically conscious and capable of producing results that defy conventional calculations. The last Assembly election demonstrated this dramatically. Madhurimaraje Chhatrapati’s withdrawal as the Congress candidate left the Opposition scrambling just weeks before polling. Satej Patil then backed municipal corporator Rajesh Latkar, who entered the contest with barely 15 days to campaign. Yet Latkar secured nearly 81,000 votes. Kshirsagar won by around 23,000 votes, but the number that should concern his camp is not merely his winning margin.

Financial Grief: The Burden of Losing a Breadwinner

Financial planning is not just about growing wealth—it is about protecting the people we leave behind.

Bharath, a 26-year-old software engineer in Pune, lived with his parents and younger sister. His father, Rajesh, was the family's sole earning member. He managed the household finances, paid the home loan EMI, handled investments, renewed insurance policies, and made every major financial decision.


One morning, Rajesh suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away. The family was devastated. Relatives gathered, rituals were performed, and everyone offered emotional support. However, after a few weeks, another form of grief began to emerge—financial grief.


The home loan EMI was due. Bharath's sister's college fees had to be paid. Household expenses continued. The family realised that they had very little information about their financial position. They did not know the passwords to online banking accounts, the details of investments, or even whether Rajes had adequate life insurance.


Bharath spent several weeks visiting banks, searching through documents, and speaking with insurance companies. Some investments had no nominee details. One insurance policy had lapsed years ago. Important documents were scattered across different files, and certain financial records could not be located.


This situation is not unique to Bharath's family. Across India, many middle-class households face a similar crisis after the loss of a family member. While emotional pain receives attention and support, the financial consequences often remain unspoken.


In many Indian families, one individual manages all financial matters. This person handles bank accounts, investments, tax returns, insurance policies, loan repayments, and household budgeting. Other family members may have little knowledge about these matters.


When that individual pass away, surviving family members often find themselves grappling with a host of urgent questions: How much money is available in the bank? Are there any outstanding loans? What investments and insurance policies are in place? Where are the important documents? And, perhaps most pressing of all, how will the family's monthly expenses be managed?


The financial burden begins almost immediately. School fees, medical expenses, electricity bills, rent, and EMIs continue despite the loss of income. Without sufficient savings or insurance coverage, families may be forced to break fixed deposits, redeem long-term investments, or borrow money from relatives.


Financial grief also affects decision-making. During periods of emotional stress, families may sell property below market value, withdraw retirement savings, or invest in unsuitable products based on advice from others.


Another growing challenge is managing digital assets. Online banking, mutual fund accounts, demat and trading accounts, digital wallets, UPI-linked applications, and passwords are often known only to one family member. Without proper records or shared access, recovering these assets can become a lengthy and frustrating process.


For Chartered Accountants and other financial professionals, this highlights an often-overlooked aspect of financial planning. Discussions typically focus on taxation, investments, and wealth creation. Equally important, however, is preparing families for unforeseen events through proper documentation, insurance, and succession planning.


Every household should maintain adequate life insurance, build an emergency fund, update nominees in all financial accounts, and prepare a list of assets and liabilities. Important documents should be organised, and family members should be aware of the overall financial position.


Bharath's family eventually stabilised because he had a job and was able to support the household. Yet the experience taught them that financial planning is not merely about accumulating wealth. It is equally about ensuring that loved ones can manage life even in our absence.


Financial grief is one of the least discussed aspects of personal finance in India. While emotional loss cannot be avoided, financial suffering can often be reduced through proper planning, communication, and awareness. In the end, the greatest financial gift one can leave behind is not wealth alone, but financial clarity and security for the family.


(The writer is a Chartered Accountant based in Thane. Views personal.)

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