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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 3:50:26 am

Has politics of convenience caused ideology to collapse in Maharashtra?

In the political churn that followed the Emergency (1975–77), one of Maharashtra’s most defining moments came in 1978 when the joint government of the Reddy Congress and the Indira Congress collapsed. A young Sharad Pawar, then just 38, walked out with 40 MLAs and brought down the government. He soon returned to power via the ‘Pulod’ alliance, only to move back into the Congress fold in 1986 — and then break away again in 1999 to float the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over the issue of...

Has politics of convenience caused ideology to collapse in Maharashtra?

In the political churn that followed the Emergency (1975–77), one of Maharashtra’s most defining moments came in 1978 when the joint government of the Reddy Congress and the Indira Congress collapsed. A young Sharad Pawar, then just 38, walked out with 40 MLAs and brought down the government. He soon returned to power via the ‘Pulod’ alliance, only to move back into the Congress fold in 1986 — and then break away again in 1999 to float the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over the issue of Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origins.   Ironically, the same Pawar later partnered with the Congress for a decade at the Centre, switching between Left allies and the erstwhile Jan Sangh with equal ease to retain power. Yet the questions remain: Where were ideology and loyalty in this long trajectory? His admirers and political commentators routinely called it statesmanship, but for Maharashtra, it marked the beginning of a political culture where ideology and party loyalty became dispensable. That seed has now grown into a full-fledged tree: in today’s politics, ideology is optional, loyalty negotiable.   Shiv Sena, founded in 1966 by Balasaheb Thackeray to assert Marathi identity, was first split in 1991 — a move widely attributed to Pawar, who backed Chhagan Bhujbal’s exit. Years later, the same Pawar shared power with the Sena in the state and even installed Uddhav Thackeray as Chief Minister. The Sena later splintered again, this time under Narayan Rane, and most dramatically under Eknath Shinde. Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray’s MNS took shape as a revolt against his uncle’s party.   More recently, the Baramati family feud saw Ajit Pawar walk into the BJP camp. Now talk of a rapprochement between Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, and between Sharad and Ajit Pawar, is gaining momentum. The churn has spread. Across districts and talukas, defections and homecomings are routine. Ideology and loyalty are honoured more in rhetoric than reality.   But it is the workers who bear the brunt. While leaders exchange sweet words and political comfort, it is party cadres who crack heads on the street, face police cases by the hundreds, and wage bitter battles in the name of leaders who may reunite the next day. The real question haunting Maharashtra today is: Who is fighting for whom — and against whom?   Power, as they say, is honey on the finger. Compromises existed earlier too, but there was once some hesitation in abandoning ideology and loyalty. Party-switching was an exception; today it is a norm.   Kolhapur has witnessed some of the most dramatic political rivalries — none more iconic than the decades-long clash between Sadashivrao Mandlik and Vikramsinh Ghatge. Their workers were so fiercely loyal that even inter-family social ties were avoided. After nearly 30 years of conflict, the two leaders reconciled — leaving party cadres bewildered.   The pattern repeats in Kagal today. Hasan Mushrif, once Mandlik’s trusted lieutenant and later his fiercest rival, and Samarsinh Ghatge, son of Vikramsinh, have come together. For years, Mushrif and Samarsinh fought pitched electoral and street battles. The BJP backed Samarsinh to unseat Mushrif. When power equations shifted, the BJP embraced Mushrif, leaving Samarsinh isolated. He crossed over to the NCP but continued to be uneasy under Devendra Fadnavis’s influence. Now rumours of reconciliation are again in the air — and once more, it is the workers who are left directionless.   Political battles in Maharashtra have always been fierce. In the 1970s, the Peasants and Workers  Party of India produced workers so committed that some vowed never to remove their red caps even in death. Congress stalwart Shripat Rao Bondre carried a Gandhi cap discreetly in his pocket in ShKP strongholds, but never abandoned the Congress ideology after winning municipal power.   Over the decades, thousands of workers have suffered fractured skulls, broken homes, lost generations, children dragged into police cases, and families ruined in local rivalries. Leaders switched parties, but workers continued visiting courts.   Which brings us back to the central question: In progressive Maharashtra, who exactly is fighting for whom — and against whom?

Pak violates Indian air space; gets proportionate response

  • PTI
  • May 9
  • 4 min read
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New Delhi: Indian armed forces responded proportionately and adequately to Pakistan's attempts to target Indian installations last night, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Friday. He was addressing a press conference here.


Pakistan violated Indian airspace to target our military installations on the intervening night of May 8 and 9, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said. She said Pakistan sent 300-400 drones in 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek last night to target Indian military installations and the drones were shot down by Indian military.


Misri said the Pakistani side targeted places of worship with a particular design and it is a new low even for that country.


Indian defence and retaliation

India deployed Barak-8 missiles, S-400 Triumph air defence systems, Akash surface-to-air missiles and indigenously developed anti-drone equipment in thwarting Pakistan's attempts to hit 15 Indian cities on Wednesday night, official sources said on Friday.


Pakistani military attempted to target Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj using missiles and drones.


Every single one of those missiles was intercepted or neutralised and none reached its intended target, the sources said.


The Pakistani military attempted to target the Indian cities in response to India's Operation Sindoor under which nine terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir were smashed early Wednesday.


"The Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Grid, S-400 Triumph systems, Barak-8 missiles, Akash Surface-to-Air Missiles, and DRDO's anti-drone technologies came together seamlessly to create an aerial shield that held firm," said a source.


"India didn't stop at defending. It retaliated with speed and precision. Operation Sindoor saw the Indian Armed Forces strike deep into Pakistani territory, destroying an HQ-9 air defence unit in Lahore and damaging key radar infrastructure," the source said.


India's rapid, coordinated response showcased the strength of its air defence ecosystem, built over the past 11 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "exposed the hollowness" of the Pakistani air defence system, the sources said.


Combat debut

Operation Sindoor also marked the combat debut of loitering munitions - the "suicidal drones" ordered in 2021 and manufactured in India.

"These drones executed simultaneous, precision strikes across sectors, taking Pakistan's defences by complete surprise," the source said.

Additionally, Israeli-origin Harop drones - now locally built - were deployed to target and destroy air defence assets in Karachi and Lahore, the sources said.

These platforms, combined with the strategic deployment of Rafale fighter jets equipped with SCALP and HAMMER missiles, demonstrated India's capability to project power with surgical precision, they said.


BSF kills seven terrorists

New Delhi/Jammu: The Border Security Force on Friday said it has foiled an infiltration bid from across the India-Pakistan International Border in Jammu, killing at least seven terrorists and destroying a Rangers post.


The terrorists were engaged around 11 pm on Thursday in Samba district after a "big group" of terrorists was detected by the "surveillance grid".


This infiltration bid was supported by fire from Pakistan Rangers post Dhandhar, a BSF spokesperson said.


He said the troops neutralised the infiltration bid, killing "at least" seven terrorists and caused "extensive" damage to the Dhandhar post.


Officials said there could be more terrorists, who could have been neutralised.

The BSF also shared a thermal imager clip of the firing and "destruction" of a bunker of the said post where a heavy machine gun of the Rangers was mounted.


Two killed in Pakistani shelling

Srinagar: A woman was killed and two of her family members injured after Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling in areas near the Line of  Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Friday.


Officials said the Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the LoC and resorted to heavy shelling in civilian areas in Uri sector of north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Thursday night.


Pakistan targeted many areas of Uri, including Silikot, Boniyar, Kamalkote, Mohra and Gingle. The heavy shelling caused damage to several structures, forcing the people to flee, the officials added.


They said three members of a family were injured when a shell hit their car near Mohra while they were trying to escape the shelling.


The injured were rushed to a hospital where a woman, identified as Nargis Begum, succumbed to injuries.


A villager was killed and three others were injured in shelling by Pakistan in forward areas of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts early Friday morning, prompting Army troops to retaliate. The deceased has been identified as Mohd Abrar of Loran area. Among the injured includes Layaqat Hussain of Chalery area of Mendhar.


Scores of people have been evacuated from areas along LoC to safer areas in Poonch abd Rajouri districts besides Jammu, they said adding several of them have been housed in camps.


24 airports closed for civilian flights till May 15

At least 24 airports in northern and western parts of the country, including Srinagar and Chandigarh, have been shut for civilian flights till May 15, sources said on Friday.


Earlier, these airports were closed for civilian flights till May 10. Airlines on Friday said that their flights have been cancelled due to temporary closure of airports till May 15.


The airports include Chandigarh, Srinagar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bhuntar, Kishengarh, Patiala, Shimla, Dharamsala, and Bathinda. Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Leh, Bikaner, Pathankot, Jammu, Jamnagar, and Bhuj are among the other airports that have been temporarily closed for civilian flights.


Jammu goes dark after blasts heard

Blasts were heard and sirens sounded in the Jammu region as the city plunged into darkness, officials said on Friday.


In Srinagar, mosque loudspeakers were used to convey to locals to switch off their lights as a precautionary measure.


A blackout was enforced across the Kashmir Valley, including its summer capital here, late Friday evening, and sirens were heard at a few places, officials said.


PM chairs meeting with top defence establishment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level  meeting with the top defence establishment on Friday to take stock of the security situation. 


With conflict between India and Pakistan heating up, Modi met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and the three service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff to strategise over the future course of action.


Earlier in the day, Modi held interactions with veterans, including former chiefs of the three services, taking their feedback on the current situation.



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