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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.

Forensic Response in Mass Fatality Tragedies

Disaster response is not only about saving lives—it is also about restoring names, truth, and dignity to those who have been lost.

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Mass fatality preparedness is not a topic most people think about until tragedy strikes. The recent Delhi blast, which shook the city and left families searching desperately for answers, reminds us that disaster response is not only about saving the living but also about identifying and honouring the dead. Every disaster scene holds two urgent missions: one of rescue and another of remembrance. It demands a well-coordinated forensic system that can identify victims, trace the source of the event, and preserve the dignity of those lost. Each response must blend science, coordination, and compassion.


In every mass fatality incident, the chaos is immediate and overwhelming. Dozens of bodies, personal belongings, and fragmented remains challenge responders to bring order and meaning. The first few hours are critical: securing the blast site, collecting biological and trace evidence, and mapping the scene. Each body or fragment is a potential identifier, and each object – be it a car part, mobile phone, or CCTV footage – can tell investigators what happened and who was involved.


After an explosion, visual recognition often fails; faces are burned and fragmented, and fingerprints may be destroyed. Forensic pathologists determine cause and manner of death, while odontologists match dental charts when all else is lost. DNA experts extract profiles from the smallest tissue or bone sample to connect victims with their loved ones. Forensic anthropologists reconstruct fragmented remains to ensure that every person, even in pieces, is accounted for. Together, these specialists work within the Interpol Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) framework, collecting, comparing, and reconciling post-mortem and antemortem data until every name is restored.


Trace Movements

Alongside victim identification, CCTV footage helps trace movements, vehicles, and suspicious activity before the blast. Vehicle number analysis identifies cars or bikes used to transport explosives or flee the scene. In past cases like the Hyderabad Dilsukhnagar Twin Blasts (2013), CCTV and vehicle tracking led investigators to key suspects. Mobile phone data (CDR and others), GPS, and messages help map communication and movement around the time of the explosion. These digital clues help forensic teams reconstruct events accurately.


These operations demand close coordination among all agencies. The Delhi blast revealed both efficiency and gaps: swift action, but delays caused by limited facilities and incomplete records. Clear SOPs and trained DVI units are essential to improve future response. Without proper alignment, evidence can be lost, identities can be mismatched, and grief can be prolonged.


Yet preparedness is not only about software or equipment. It begins with training and empathy. After the Pulwama attack (2019), forensic teams faced immense emotional pressure, yet their disciplined approach allowed nearly all victims to be identified quickly through DNA and dental comparison. Such examples show that planning and compassion can coexist under extreme circumstances.


Consistent Planning

Building this capacity requires consistent planning and investment. Every state should develop specialised DVI units, mobile morgue facilities, and DNA databases to respond quickly during large-scale incidents. Regular mock drills can test coordination among police, forensic experts, and health authorities, ensuring each team knows its role before a real crisis occurs. Preparedness should never start after a tragedy; it must be an ongoing process. Public awareness plays an equally important part. Families should understand the value of keeping updated dental, medical, and identification records, as these often become crucial for confirming identities in emergencies.


Ultimately, mass fatality preparedness is about respect for science, procedure, and human life itself. The Delhi blast should remind us to strengthen how we respond when lives are lost. Each identified victim represents a promise kept to their family and to society. With proper preparedness, even in the midst of chaos, we can restore order, truth, and dignity.


(Dr. Kumar is a retired IPS and forensic consultant to the Assam government. Das is a student of National Forensic University, Guwahati.)

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