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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Mahayuti struggles with seat-sharing formula

Mumbai: The ruling Mahayuti alliance is currently navigating a treacherous political minefield. With the crucial Legislative Council elections rapidly approaching, deep-seated differences over seat-sharing have surfaced. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday offered a candid admission of these unresolved disputes. His statements underscore the immense pressure on the coalition partners. The state is preparing to vote for sixteen council seats and one bypoll seat in Nagpur. Voting is...

Mahayuti struggles with seat-sharing formula

Mumbai: The ruling Mahayuti alliance is currently navigating a treacherous political minefield. With the crucial Legislative Council elections rapidly approaching, deep-seated differences over seat-sharing have surfaced. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday offered a candid admission of these unresolved disputes. His statements underscore the immense pressure on the coalition partners. The state is preparing to vote for sixteen council seats and one bypoll seat in Nagpur. Voting is scheduled for June 18, with the all-important counting set for June 22. Addressing the media after inaugurating the Jawahar Balbhavan in Mumbai, Fadnavis sought to project a calm exterior. He emphasised that detailed discussions are still ongoing to evaluate various aspects of the electoral battle. He expressed confidence that the alliance would soon reach an amicable solution. However, the specific geographies he mentioned reveal the exact fault lines. Negotiations with the Shiv Sena are heavily concentrated on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Nashik. Meanwhile, talks with the Nationalist Congress Party are focused squarely on Pune. Alliance Arithmatic The arithmetic of the alliance is proving incredibly difficult to balance. The Shiv Sena had firmly demanded seven seats even as the BJP was offering only 3. They justify this claim by pointing to their strong support bases in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Sambhajinagar, Ratnagiri, Nashik, and Yavatmal. The Bharatiya Janata Party has a vastly different calculation. The BJP plans to assert its dominance by contesting twelve seats. This aggressive stance would leave only three seats for the Sena and a mere two seats for the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP. With the nomination process already underway, the clock is ticking loudly for the Mahayuti leadership. This intense internal friction prompted a sudden political maneuver by Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. He flew to New Delhi over the weekend amid the escalating deadlock. Sena sources indicated that Shinde sought the intervention of the BJP’s central leadership. A Sena minister, however, quickly tried to downplay the optics of the trip. He insisted that Shinde travelled for an unscheduled programme before heading to Bengaluru for a planned event. Despite these official denials, the timing strongly suggests a high-stakes crisis intervention. Bitter Conflict The most bitter conflict within the alliance centers on the Thane local authorities constituency. Both the BJP and the Shinde-led Sena are fiercely staking their claims. A BJP legislator recently argued that political tickets should be distributed based strictly on numerical strength. He pointed out that the BJP commands 444 corporators in the region. In stark contrast, the Shinde-led Sena and the allied Jijau organisation possess a combined total of only 346 corporators. However, political reality in Maharashtra is rarely dictated by numbers alone. The Shinde faction views Thane as its emotional and traditional stronghold. Surrendering this territory to their alliance partner is considered politically unthinkable. This local dispute is already threatening to severely damage the broader coalition. A Sena Member of Parliament recently issued a stark warning regarding the upcoming Thane Zilla Parishad elections. He boldly asserted that Sena workers are fully prepared to fight alone and hoist their saffron flag, regardless of the alliance’s survival. The battle lines are extending further across the state map. The Sena is demanding the Jalgaon seat, which the BJP is equally determined to contest. Furthermore, reports suggest the Sena is preparing to unilaterally field a candidate in Raigad. This would further complicate the already delicate negotiations. Despite these mounting tensions, BJP minister Girish Mahajan has publicly maintained that the deadlock will be resolved shortly. A final decision now rests on an impending high-level meeting between Fadnavis, Shinde, and Sunetra Pawar. MVA Crisis Meanwhile, the political turbulence is not restricted to the Mahayuti alliance. The opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi is dealing with its own severe crisis in the Vidarbha region. The Chandrapur-Gadchiroli council seat has triggered frantic political poaching. As many as sixty corporators and Zilla Parishad members from the Congress party reportedly went missing recently. Congress leaders have directly accused BJP legislator Banti Bhangadiya of orchestrating this disappearance. They allege he has shifted the corporators to an undisclosed location to manipulate the voting outcome. The Congress has responded with an aggressive counter-narrative. Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar made a startling claim that over one hundred BJP corporators are secretly in contact with him. While Wadettiwar strategically hid their exact whereabouts, his statement highlighted a critical vulnerability. He suggested that the BJP is also suffering from severe internal factionalism. Wadettiwar warned that these hidden rifts will ultimately cost the ruling party dearly in the forthcoming elections.

Netherlands: Where Everyday Life Feels Like a Beautiful Story

Exploring Europe’s lesser-known towns stole my heart, and living like locals offered a deeper understanding of life and culture.

During our family journey through Amsterdam, Cologne, Nuremberg and Berlin, we had already explored some cities earlier. But in this final part of the journey, we experienced something truly special as we explored Amsterdam, Groningen, Giethoorn and Assen. Groningen, Giethoorn and Assen may be unfamiliar to many travellers, but these charming towns completely stole my heart!


Whenever we plan a family holiday, we make sure to discover something new and experience real local life. This time, we chose the beautiful Netherlands — a gorgeous country in Northwestern Europe. Amsterdam is its capital, The Hague is the seat of government, the currency is the euro, Dutch is the official language and English is widely spoken. Famous for its canals, windmills, tulips, cycling culture, museums and strong happiness index, the Netherlands truly feels like one of the best family travel destinations with its clean surroundings, safety, excellent public transport and kind-hearted people.


Just like India has incredible diversity, I felt something similar in Europe, too. Crossing each border feels like stepping into a completely new world — culturally, visually and emotionally. Experiencing these differences closely is truly fascinating.


One of the most beautiful parts of our journey was celebrating Christmas in Assen with a Dutch family. We carried our favourite sweet — Gulab Jamun — and they welcomed us with warmth and love. The Dutch are known to be among the tallest and fittest people in the world, and we could truly see their healthy lifestyle. Cycling is a natural part of daily life, supported by wonderful cycling tracks everywhere. Assen also has excellent air quality; simply breathing there felt refreshing.


We had heartfelt conversations about life and festivals, followed by a lovingly prepared lunch. Dutch cuisine surprised us with its comfort and simplicity — varieties of cheese, millet bread, Stamppot (mashed potatoes with vegetables), Erwtensoep (thick pea soup), Dutch pancakes, seafood like Kibbeling and Haring, and of course, the iconic Stroopwafels filled with caramel. We enjoyed every bite, exchanged gifts and felt deeply grateful.


In Assen, we spent time in peaceful forest parks with tall trees and soothing walking trails. One truly unique experience was visiting pet animal farms where goats, rabbits, ponies, deer and roosters are kept, especially for children and families to lovingly interact with. Feeding and gently touching them felt healing and joyful. Later, we cycled along scenic canals, watching elegant swans glide across calm waters. Sometimes, slowing down is the best therapy.


The nearby town of Groningen is a lively university city full of energy and youthfulness. Huge thrift shops promote sustainability and thoughtful living, reflecting the Dutch mindset. There are also lovely shopping places like Primark, and the Albert Heijn grocery store became our favourite — their cheese breadsticks with hot chocolate are a must-try!


Giethoorn, often called the “Venice of the North”, was another dreamlike experience. Instead of roads, this fairy-tale village has canals, boats and charming cottages. It truly feels like stepping into a postcard!


Living like locals gives a deeper understanding of lifestyle and culture. It also made us appreciate India even more, where we enjoy a good quality of life at a much lower cost.


Finally, Amsterdam enchanted us with its vibrant streets and festive Christmas markets. The magical Christmas village near Museumplein, with ice-skating and twinkling stalls, felt like stepping into a winter wonderland. Visiting the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum and the concert hall beautifully completed our journey.


Soon, it was time to return home. As we flew from Amsterdam to Mumbai, I carried back not just photographs but lessons, emotions and gratitude. Travelling as tourists feels exciting, but living like locals gives us a real perspective on life. Nothing is easy anywhere — what truly matters is our mindset.


I truly believe that finding joy in every circumstance is the real key to happiness.


At Global Voyages, we specialise in customised tours to both famous destinations and beautiful offbeat places. Whenever we travel personally, we bring back real experiences to share with our clients, helping them discover meaningful journeys and hidden gems. During this trip too, we gathered precious insights and explored new towns that I am sure travellers would absolutely love if given the opportunity.


We remain committed to offering the best planning, care and comfort throughout your journey — creating memories that truly last forever.


(The writer is a tourism professional and runs a company, Global Voyages. She could be contacted at goglobalvoyages@gmail.com. Views personal.)


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