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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Victory in the streets, vacuum in the office

State BJP without official body since over 8 months Mumbai: Despite a crushing wave of victories across Maharashtra’s urban and rural landscape, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself in a peculiar state of organizational paralysis. More than eight months after Ravindra Chavan officially took the reins as State President from Chandrashekhar Bawankule in July 2025, the party has failed to constitute its state executive body, exposing deep-seated internal friction and a...

Victory in the streets, vacuum in the office

State BJP without official body since over 8 months Mumbai: Despite a crushing wave of victories across Maharashtra’s urban and rural landscape, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself in a peculiar state of organizational paralysis. More than eight months after Ravindra Chavan officially took the reins as State President from Chandrashekhar Bawankule in July 2025, the party has failed to constitute its state executive body, exposing deep-seated internal friction and a deadlock with the central leadership in Delhi. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Delhi twice this week. On Friday he also called on the newly elected national party president Nitin Nabin. Though it is being speculated that the meeting might lead to political realignment in the state, real question is whether it will bring to the tracks the derailed organizational appointments of the state party unit. The primary catalyst for this administrative limbo is said to be a strict directive from the BJP high command. In a bid to ensure that elected representatives remain laser-focused on their constituencies ahead of the 2029 cycle, the party leadership has mandated that no sitting MLA should be appointed as an organizational office bearer. While logically sound, this "one person, one post" enforcement has drained the pool of seasoned leaders available for the state body. State President Ravindra Chavan, himself an MLA from Dombivli, is reportedly struggling to balance the requirement for experienced "organizational engines" with the demand for fresh, non-legislative faces. The friction has reportedly peaked over the appointment of a specific former minister who lost his seat during the 2024 Lok Sabha debacle. Sources indicate this leader, who feels sidelined after being denied a cabinet berth in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, is lobbying aggressively for the powerful post of State General Secretary. However, the Delhi high command remains unimpressed. Citing his recent electoral loss and a "cloud of controversy" surrounding his previous tenure, the central leadership has twice rejected the list of office bearers submitted by the state unit. This tug-of-war has effectively stalled the entire process, as the state unit is hesitant to move forward without accommodating senior loyalists. The irony of the situation is not lost on political observers. The organizational delay comes at a time when the BJP’s "election machine" is performing at its peak. While demonstrating its civic dominance, in the January 2026 municipal elections, the BJP swept 1,425 out of 2,869 seats across 29 corporations, including a historic victory in the BMC. It also demonstrated its rural surge in the recently concluded Zilla Parishad polls, where the party emerged as the single largest entity, winning 225 of 731 seats. "The party is winning on the strength of the 'Fadnavis-Chavan' duo and the Mahayuti's momentum, but the skeletal structure of the organization is missing. We have generals and soldiers, but no mid-level commanders," noted a senior party strategist on the condition of anonymity. When questioned about the delay, Ravindra Chavan’s office has maintained a disciplined silence. Staffers decline to provide a timeline, merely stating that "consultations are ongoing." This lack of a formal state body means that key wings of the party—including the Youth, Women, and Kisan Morchas—are operating without a full set of sanctioned leaders. While the BJP continues to win elections through centralized command, the simmering discontent among senior leaders who feel "abandoned" by the high command's new rules could pose a challenge to long-term internal harmony.

Mahashivratri: The wants fast

Mahashivratri is associated with discipline, stillness, and control over impulses. Most people interpret fasting as a food ritual. But what if you tried a different kind of fast this year - one that improves your finances and your health? I call it as “Wants Fast” for 30 days.


The Simple Rule

The idea is simple. For one full month, you do not spend money on wants, only needs. Not as punishment, but as a reset - because in personal finance, the biggest damage rarely comes from one big mistake. It comes from small, frequent “leaks” that quietly drain your wealth.


Needs vs Wants

Let us define it clearly. Needs are essentials: groceries, medicines, fuel, rent/EMIs, electricity and phone bills, and truly necessary household and work expenses. Wants are everything else: online shopping “because it was on sale,” impulse café visits, random Swiggy/Zomato orders, unplanned outings, new gadgets/accessories, and subscriptions you do not even use.


Why It Works

This experiment works because impulse spending is emotional, not logical. We buy because we are bored, stressed, tired, or scrolling. A Wants Fast breaks that loop, and you will quickly spot patterns you never noticed before.


The 48-Hour Pause Protocol

To make it practical, follow a few rules. Start with the 48-Hour Pause Protocol. Whenever you feel like buying something non-essential, wait 48 hours. You will be shocked how many “must-haves” disappear in two days.


The One Place Investment Rule

Now here is the key upgrade for this month. Do not just save the money you avoid spending, invest it, and invest it in one place. Pick one instrument only for the entire month: one mutual fund scheme, or one good-quality stock, or one ETF (like a Nifty ETF, for simplicity). Every time you skip a want, take that exact amount (or consolidate it weekly) and invest it into that single chosen instrument.


Why Consolidation Matters

Why this “one place” rule? Because consolidation makes the result visible. When you spread savings across multiple items, you do not feel the impact. But when all that avoided spending accumulates in one mutual fund, one ETF, or one stock, you will physically see how much money was leaking from your lifestyle. Many people underestimate this until they witness the lumpsum created in just 30 days.


The Health Dividend

And yes, there is a health benefit too. A Wants Fast naturally reduces ordering out, late-night snacking triggered by scrolling, and “reward spending” that often comes with sugary drinks and junk food.Money improves, and so does your body.


The 30-Day Audit

At the end of 30 days, do a personal audit: which expenses were pure noise, and which were definitely necessary. Because fasting is not about hunger, it is about control. If you like the concept of Wants Fast, maybe extend it for a month or two more, remember - money saved is money earned. 


(The author is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor.  Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.)


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