Fadnavis reins in Sena’s Marathi push

AI generated image Mumbai: The ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra is witnessing a delicate political balancing act, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis increasingly overriding key decisions of alliance partners, particularly the Shiv Sena, while simultaneously attempting to placate them on other fronts. The tension within the alliance came to the fore on Thursday when Fadnavis stepped in to dilute a controversial mandate enforced by Shiv Sena Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, which...

min read

AI generated image Mumbai: The ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra is witnessing a delicate political balancing act, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis increasingly overriding key decisions of alliance partners, particularly the Shiv Sena, while simultaneously attempting to placate them on other fronts. The tension within the alliance came to the fore on Thursday when Fadnavis stepped in to dilute a controversial mandate enforced by Shiv Sena Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, which required auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in Mumbai to possess basic Marathi language proficiency. The Transport Department’s enforcement drive, which threatened non-Marathi-speaking drivers with suspension or cancellation of their licences, sparked outrage among North Indian drivers who form a sizeable section of the public transport workforce in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Protests brought parts of Mumbai, including Kandivali and Malad, to a standstill. Recognising the potential electoral fallout, Fadnavis intervened, saying drivers need not be “experts” in Marathi. He also extended the grace period for drivers to acquire a working knowledge of the language to one year, effectively diluting Sarnaik’s hardline stance. Fadnavis announced the decision after a delegation of transport operators met him. The episode highlights the conflicting political compulsions of the Mahayuti partners. Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena is keen to pursue a pro-Marathi, “sons of the soil” agenda to consolidate its traditional voter base and counter the rival Shiv Sena (UBT) faction led by Uddhav Thackeray. The BJP, however, relies heavily on North Indian and migrant voters in the MMR, particularly as crucial civic and state elections approach. Any aggressive regional policy that alienates this constituency could have electoral consequences for the party. The Marathi language issue is not an isolated instance of Fadnavis stepping in to override decisions associated with the Shiv Sena. It fits into a broader pattern of the chief minister’s administration reviewing or reversing several initiatives of the previous government headed by Shinde. In April 2026, the BJP-led Environment Department, headed by Minister Pankaja Munde, scrapped 14 lake conservation projects, 11 of which had been cleared during Shinde’s tenure, and ordered recovery of more than Rs 73 crore. The Fadnavis government has also modified several initiatives introduced by the previous regime. In January 2025, it altered Shinde’s three-course school meal plan, placing the responsibility on local school management committees to raise funds for sweet dishes. In April 2025, the government scrapped the ‘One State, One Uniform’ policy for schools. A Rs 3,200-crore tender for mechanised housekeeping services at government hospitals, issued under the Shinde government, was also stayed. Yet, Fadnavis remains conscious of the need to preserve the fragile alliance. To manage growing resentment within the Sena, he has adopted what can be described as a ‘blow hot, blow cold’ approach — overriding decisions when they clash with the BJP’s broader political interests while offering political concessions on other fronts. One such move was the recent appointment of Shiv Sena leader Bharat Gogawale as Guardian Minister of the politically important Raigad district, ending a 19-month-long tussle over the post. At the same time, the Mahayuti government recently reduced the powers exercised by Guardian Ministers over District Planning Committee (DPC) funds, directing that 70 per cent of the funds be allocated directly to local MLAs. The move is aimed at reducing the concentration of financial powers with individual ministers. As the Mahayuti navigates these competing interests, Fadnavis has also instructed alliance partners to resolve disputes internally and avoid public sparring. However, the latest confrontation over the Marathi language requirement underscores the limits of that arrangement. While Fadnavis continues to use his authority to protect the BJP’s broader electoral interests, the Shiv Sena remains under pressure to assert its regional identity and distinguish itself from the Thackeray faction. With elections approaching, balancing these competing political priorities is likely to remain one of the biggest challenges for the Mahayuti government.

Good Work Isn’t Enough

Divyaa Advaani
Jun 6, 2025
3 min read

Sales. The one word that sends shivers down the spine of even the most skilled professionals. You could be a phenomenal designer, a genius strategist, or a brilliant consultant—but when it comes to selling yourself or your services, suddenly the confidence evaporates. Sound familiar? You're not alone.

Many entrepreneurs and professionals struggle with the idea of self-promotion. It feels pushy, salesy, and sometimes even uncomfortable. And yet, no matter how great your product or service is, if you can’t sell it — or more importantly, if people don’t see it—your business won’t grow. That’s where personal branding becomes your best friend, your secret weapon, and your silent salesperson.

We often assume that good work will automatically bring in more work. To an extent, that’s true. Referrals and word-of-mouth can do wonders when you’ve consistently delivered excellence. But in today’s noisy digital world, relying only on referrals is like hoping someone passes your resume to the hiring manager instead of you emailing it directly. It might work. But it might not.

Personal branding is the bridge between your expertise and your income. It's what turns a name into a known name, a service into a sought-after experience, and a skill into a story people remember. Think about the brands you love — Apple, Nike, Tata. Their products are good, sure. But it's their branding that keeps them on top. People don’t just buy products — they buy into a story, a belief, a personality. The same goes for individuals.

When you brand yourself with clarity, consistency, and confidence, you attract clients without begging for their attention. You position yourself as a leader in your space. People come to you because they already feel like they know, trust, and respect you — even before they’ve worked with you. That’s not luck. That’s strategy.

Here's the good news. You don’t need to scream to sell. You just need to show up with intention. Personal branding doesn’t mean being everywhere. It means being where it matters, saying what matters, and doing it in a way that’s aligned with who you are. And when that alignment happens — clients don’t just buy from you. They remember you. They refer you. They return to you.

Too many people shy away from showing their face, their process, or their success because they don’t want to seem boastful. But here’s the truth: staying invisible doesn’t serve you or the people you’re meant to help. There’s someone right now struggling with something you’ve already solved — but they don’t know you exist. That’s not humility. That’s a missed opportunity.

It’s time to stop hiding and start owning your expertise. You don’t need to be a loud extrovert. You just need to be visible and valuable. That’s what great personal branding does — it transforms your business from one that chases leads to one that magnetically attracts the right ones.

And if you’re someone who’s genuinely excellent at what you do but find it difficult to talk about yourself or your work, I get it. That’s exactly why I do what I do. I help business owners and professionals like you build powerful personal brands that speak even when you’re not in the room. Brands that 5x your revenue without compromising your authenticity.

Here’s the exciting part: I’m currently onboarding only 2 high-end clients before the month ends. If you’re ready to finally stop hoping for business and start attracting it—this is your sign.

Let’s craft a personal brand that makes your sales effortless and your success inevitable.

Connect with me over:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/divyaaadvaani

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suaveu6

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@suaveu

(The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)