Ideology, Illusion, and the Politics of Power

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi greets supporters during a roadshow ahead of the Kerala assembly polls, in Kozhikode district on Tuesday. | Pic: PTI New Delhi: At a critical electoral juncture in Kerala, the political contest being waged in the name of ideology appears less about public welfare and more like a renewed struggle for the division of power. Kerala's electoral battle exposes contradictions between ideology and alliances, as BJP, Congress, and Left trade...

min read

Ideology, Illusion, and the Politics of Power

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi greets supporters during a roadshow ahead of the Kerala assembly polls, in Kozhikode district on Tuesday. | Pic: PTI New Delhi: At a critical electoral juncture in Kerala, the political contest being waged in the name of ideology appears less about public welfare and more like a renewed struggle for the division of power. Kerala's electoral battle exposes contradictions between ideology and alliances, as BJP, Congress, and Left trade accusations while prioritizing power, leaving voters questioning credibility, governance plans, and commitment to justice. At the national level, the Congress and the Left position themselves as opponents of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Yet before the public, they often appear equally eager to undercut one another. In Parliament, they join hands to bring no-confidence motions and accuse the government of misusing investigative agencies. However, at the state level, this coordination is conspicuously absent. In Kerala, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged a nexus between the CPI(M) and the SDPI, even hinting at tacit understandings between the BJP and the Left. Meanwhile, LDF Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has dismissed these claims as "entirely baseless." This persistent friction reinforces the impression that ideology has become largely symbolic, while the real contest revolves around consolidating vote banks and securing seats. The Left, invoking the language of "pragmatic alliances," signals readiness to align with the Congress at the national level. Yet in Kerala, it faces accusations of straying from its foundational principles, even as it projects itself as the principal alternative to the BJP. Conspiracy factor Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly asserted in his campaign rallies that this election is a contest between two ideologies-the Left and the UDF. Yet, he claims, for the first time there is an "unprecedented partnership" emerging between the Left and the BJP. He alleges that the CPI(M) can be easily controlled by the BJP, whereas the Congress-led UDF would not play into its hands. Such assertions risk creating the impression that ideological confrontation has now given way to a politics of expedient compromises. On the other hand, CM Pinarayi Vijayan firmly maintains that his party neither seeks support from the SDPI nor engages in any covert understanding with communal forces. He portrays the Left Democratic Front as a formation grounded in "clear ideological principles" and resolutely opposed to communal politics. The contradiction here is striking that just as the BJP accuses the Congress and the Left of collusion, the Congress and the Left, in turn, level similar charges of "compromise" against each other. Confused Electorate In Kerala's electoral theatre, PM Modi has branded both the UDF and the LDF as "each other's B team," while projecting the BJP as the only genuine "A team." His argument rests on the claim that the state has, for decades, been trapped between two traditional power blocs, one corrupt and the other allegedly even more so. He contends that both alliances have deceived the public through vote-bank politics, whereas the BJP now promises to "expose" their corruption and deliver "justice." The larger question remains, when the Left and the Congress join hands in Parliament to oppose the BJP, is their unity rooted in a principled stand against the ruling party BJP/NDA, or is it merely political theatre calibrated for electoral convenience? If both claim to be ideologically committed formations, what justifies their readiness to confront each other in the states and often aggressively over vote banks? Real Issues At the national level, the Left often raises its voice on substantive constitutional and economic questions; corruption, public debt, privatization, and decentralization. Yet, in the heat of elections, these very debates are reduced to the arithmetic of vote banks and seat shares. The BJP, as the ruling party, seeks to anchor its campaign in development metrics, flagship projects like the Vizhinjam Port, and symbolic initiatives such as the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, presenting them as tangible achievements before the electorate. The opposition, in turn, attempts to recast these same initiatives as narratives of "debt" and "plunder."

MNS red-flags BMC proposal to engage private player

Quaid Najmi
2 hours ago
3 min read

Mumbai: A storm is brewing over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s plan to set up its first-ever 4-year nursing degree college - now mired in a row with a proposal to engage a private player for the prestigious project.

The civic body recently floated an e-tender to develop the proposed nursing degree college on a Design-Build-Operate-Transfer (DBOT) basis in five years, on a prime 2327 sq.mt plot on R. K. Patkar Marg, near BMC’s K.B. Bhabha Hospital, in Bandra west.

However, with only a single bidder in the fray, the deadline has now been extended till April 6. The lone bid has reportedly come from the JSW Foundation, which has quoted a one-time premium of Rs 5.29 crore, along with a nominal lease rent of Rs 3,000 pa for a 30-year period. Under the proposed model, the selected private partner will be responsible for designing, constructing, financing, operating, and maintaining the multi-storey campus. The contract will have an initial term of 10 years, extendable twice by 10 years each based on performance.

A pre-bid meeting was reportedly held on March 10, 2026, and the deadline for bid submissions is March 23, 2026. The project must comply with regulations set by the Indian Nursing Council (INC) and the Maharashtra Nursing Council (MNC).

The proposed institution - set to come up in a sprawling 1.23 lakh sq.ft facility - will have an intake capacity of 100 seats. The tender conditions that 40 pc of the seats will remain with the BMC, and the remaining shall be controlled by the private operator.

Slamming the proposal, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Bandra West Vibhag Pramukh Tushar M. Aphale questioned why the country’s biggest and richest civic body with a vast healthcare infrastructure is opting to ‘privatise’ a flagship educational-cum-health project.

In a stern letter to the BMC, Aphale argued that the BMC is fully equipped - financially and administratively - to build and run a nursing degree college independently.

Justifying his contentions, Aphale pointed out that the civic body already operates an extensive public health network, including 292 health posts, 192 dispensaries, 30 maternity homes, 16 hospitals including the mammoth KEM Hospital, five specialty hospitals, four medical colleges and a dental college. It also runs a nursing school offering a two-year diploma course.

“With such a massive infrastructure catering to the health of lakhs of Mumbaikars, what is stopping the BMC from launching its own degree college?” he told 'The Perfect Voice''.

Despite efforts, officials of JSW Foundation were not available for their comments.

The MNS leader warned that handing over the project to a private entity could restrict opportunities for local students and healthcare workers besides diluting public control over a critical training institution.

“We strongly demand that the tender must be scrapped immediately, failing which we shall launch an agitation. A MNS delegation will also meet new Municipal Commissioner Ashwini S. Bhide soon in the matter,” he said.

Status of nursing education

As per the DMER, currently in Mumbai, there is one college offering MSc Nursing 2-year course, one teaching Basic Nursing BSc 4-year course, one offering Post-Basic BSc 2-year course, and one teaching a year-long Post-Basic Diploma in Pediatric Speciality Nursing course. The SNDT Women’s University also offers a BSC Nursing degree course at its Churchgate campus.

Besides there are several other private entities offering different courses in nursing of varying durations in the city, indicating a dire need for a full-fledged nursing degree college for Mumbai.