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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

The Unequal Cousins

Raj Thackeray’s ‘sacrifice’ saved Shiv Sena (UBT) but sank the MNS Mumbai: In the volatile theatre of Maharashtra politics, the long-awaited reunion of the Thackeray cousins on the campaign trail was supposed to be the masterstroke that reclaimed Mumbai. The results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, however, tell a story of tragic asymmetry. While the alliance has successfully helped the Shiv Sena (UBT) stem the saffron tide and regain lost ground, it has left Raj...

The Unequal Cousins

Raj Thackeray’s ‘sacrifice’ saved Shiv Sena (UBT) but sank the MNS Mumbai: In the volatile theatre of Maharashtra politics, the long-awaited reunion of the Thackeray cousins on the campaign trail was supposed to be the masterstroke that reclaimed Mumbai. The results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, however, tell a story of tragic asymmetry. While the alliance has successfully helped the Shiv Sena (UBT) stem the saffron tide and regain lost ground, it has left Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staring at an existential crisis. The final tally reveals a brutal reality for the MNS - Raj Thackeray played the role of the savior for his cousin, but in the process, he may have become the sole loser of the 2026 mandate. The worse part is that the Shiv Sena (UBT) is reluctant to accept this and is blaming Raj for the poor performance of his party leading to the defeat. A granular analysis of the ward-wise voting patterns exposes the fundamental flaw in this tactical alliance. The vote transfer, the holy grail of any coalition, operated strictly on a one-way street. Data suggests that the traditional MNS voter—often young, aggressive, and driven by regional pride—heeded Raj Thackeray’s call and transferred their votes to Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates in wards where the MNS did not contest. This consolidation was critical in helping the UBT hold its fortresses against the BJP's "Infra Man" juggernaut. However, the favor was not returned. In seats allocated to the MNS, the traditional Shiv Sena (UBT) voter appeared hesitant to back the "Engine" (MNS symbol). Whether due to lingering historical bitterness or a lack of instructions from the local UBT leadership, the "Torch" (UBT symbol) voters did not gravitate toward Raj’s candidates. The result? The UBT survived, while the MNS candidates were left stranded. ‘Second Fiddle’ Perhaps the most poignant aspect of this election was the shift in the personal dynamic between the Thackeray brothers. Decades ago, they parted ways over a bitter dispute regarding who would control the party helm. Raj, refusing to work under Uddhav, formed the MNS to chart his own path. Yet, in 2026, the wheel seems to have come full circle. By agreeing to contest a considerably lower number of seats and focusing his energy on the broader alliance narrative, Raj Thackeray tacitly accepted the role of "second fiddle." It was a pragmatic gamble to save the "Thackeray" brand from total erasure by the BJP-Shinde combine. While the brand survived, it is Uddhav who holds the equity, while Raj has been left with the debt. Charisma as a Charity Throughout the campaign, Raj Thackeray’s rallies were, as always, electric. His fiery oratory and charismatic presence drew massive crowds, a sharp contrast to the more somber tone of the UBT leadership. Ironically, this charisma served as a force multiplier not for his own party, but for his cousin’s. Raj acted as the star campaigner who energised the anti-BJP vote bank. He successfully articulated the anger against the "Delhi-centric" politics he accuses the BJP of fostering. But when the dust settled, the seats were won by UBT candidates who rode the wave Raj helped create. The MNS chief provided the wind for the sails, but the ship that docked in the BMC was captained by Uddhav. ‘Marathi Asmita’ Stung by the results and the realisation of the unequal exchange, Raj Thackeray took to social media shortly after the counting concluded. In an emotive post, he avoided blaming the alliance partner but instead pivoted back to his ideological roots. Urging his followers to "stick to the issue of Marathi Manoos and Marathi Asmita (pride)," Raj signaled a retreat to the core identity politics that birthed the MNS. It was a somber appeal, stripped of the bravado of the campaign, hinting at a leader who knows he must now rebuild from the rubble. The 2026 BMC election will be remembered as the moment Raj Thackeray proved he could be a kingmaker, even if it meant crowning the rival he once despised. He provided the timely help that allowed the Shiv Sena (UBT) to live to fight another day. But in the ruthless arithmetic of democracy, where moral victories count for little, the MNS stands isolated—a party that gave everything to the alliance and received nothing in return. Ironically, there are people within the UBT who still don’t want to accept this and on the contrary blame Raj Thackeray for dismal performance of the MNS, which they argue, derailed the UBT arithmetic. They state that had the MNS performed any better, the results would have been much better for the UBT.

Power Cuts Shortens Power

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Power Cuts Shortens Power

Few areas of Maharashtra are regularly facing power cuts as the demand has exceeded the supply. Rural Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, and other parts of Marathwada are the areas facing power cuts of up to eight hours, sometimes even more. What has added to the woes of power-deficit in the state, a shortfall in supply by private power producers has led to the state electricity distribution utility restarting load-shedding to overcome the gap between demand and supply. The government has left with no option but to accept the grim situation. But at the same time one more factor which is responsible for the power cuts is the union government. Disruptions in the supply of coal which is seen as one of the reasons for the significant demand-supply gap in electricity.


The growth in electricity demand due to the soaring heat, rise in consumption by industrial and agricultural consumers and the nationwide coal crisis has affected coal inventories at state-owned Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited’s (MahaGenco) thermal power stations. The surge in demand for electricity has led to a deficit of around 2,500 to 3,000 megawatts (MW) in power. The state needs 25,000 MW of electricity. However, only 21,000 to 22,000 MW of electricity is being supplied. Maharashtra faces fear of power outage.


Significantly, the budget presented by the Mahayuti government gave some sigh of relief to the agrarian community with the announcements of various schemes. The Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar presented the state budget with the theme “Self-reliant Farmers, Prosperous Farmers”. Budget included schemes for direct seed subsidies, irrigation facilities, modern tech, ancillary industries, value addition to produce, and improved storage and market availability. The provision for free electricity for farmers, milk subsidy and solar power project for uninterrupted daytime electricity was highlighted in the budget.


Ajit Pawar announced a significant relief measure for the state’s farmers. Under the Mukhya Mantri Baliraja Vij Savlat Yojana, the government has made the provision to waive off electricity bill dues for a total of 44.06 lakh farmers. Additionally, the government also declared to bear the cost of agriculture pumps up to 7.5 horsepower capacity, providing a massive subsidy of Rs. 14,761 crore. This decision was taken in response to the recent drastic changes in seasonal weather patterns and global climate change, which have had a significant impact on the state’s agricultural sector. A Rs. 15,000 crore project has been undertaken to separate and solarize agricultural electricity grids, aiming to provide uninterrupted daytime electricity to farmers. The “Magel Tyala Solar Power Pump” scheme will provide solar power pumps to 8.50 lakh farmers, offering free electricity.


The power cut has directly affected the farmers and workers and labourers working in small industrial units. Due to power cut some of the industrial units pulled down the shutter as a result many casual workers rendered jobless.

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