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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

High-stakes chess beneath the surface

BJP Candidates coming out after filing their nomination for the upcoming Legislative Council Polls from Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Typically, when a ruling coalition enjoys a formidable and comfortable majority, elections to the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Council are quiet, predictable affairs. They are often viewed as mere formalities, rarely capturing the public imagination or dominating front-page headlines. Historically, these indirect...

High-stakes chess beneath the surface

BJP Candidates coming out after filing their nomination for the upcoming Legislative Council Polls from Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Typically, when a ruling coalition enjoys a formidable and comfortable majority, elections to the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Council are quiet, predictable affairs. They are often viewed as mere formalities, rarely capturing the public imagination or dominating front-page headlines. Historically, these indirect elections only become newsworthy under specific conditions: either the ruling coalition is plagued by internal fissures, or the opposition is too fragmented to put up a united front. In Maharashtra, however, the political landscape remains highly volatile. Recently, the Rajya Sabha elections became the center of intense media scrutiny, and over the past week, the Legislative Council polls followed suit. Although all ten candidates—nine from the ruling alliance and one from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—are now set to be elected unopposed, the intricate backroom maneuvers that led to this truce kept the state’s political circles buzzing. Interestingly, the reason for this heightened news value can be traced to both a subtle tug-of-war within the ruling combine and a visibly weakened opposition. Shifting Strategy The maneuvering within the opposition ranks has been particularly telling. A major focal point of the election buildup was the anticipated candidacy of Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray. After generating considerable hype and speculation about a potential return to the legislature, Thackeray ultimately chose to withdraw from the electoral fray. This sudden pullback forced a rapid recalibration within the MVA. Initially, the Congress party had adopted an aggressive posture, declaring its intention to field a candidate if Thackeray decided against contesting. However, following closed-door deliberations with Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, the Congress quietly backed down. Why the state Congress leadership so readily acquiesced to this sudden change in strategy, sacrificing a potential seat, remains a mystery and a subject of intense debate among political observers. On the other side of the aisle, the ruling Mahayuti coalition maximized this electoral opportunity to consolidate its political base, reward loyalists, and balance complex regional equations. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strategically paved the way for the political rehabilitation of former Congress legislator Zishan Siddique by nominating him to the Legislative Council. This calculated move introduces a prominent new Muslim face for the party, likely intended to fill the leadership vacuum in Mumbai left by veteran leader Nawab Malik. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde used his nominations to send a definitive message about the premium he places on loyalty. By securing another term for Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Shinde demonstrated that those who stood by his faction would be adequately rewarded. Furthermore, by bringing Vidarbha strongman Bachchu Kadu into the fold, Shinde has attempted to anchor his party’s future and expand its footprint in a region predominantly controlled by his senior alliance partner, the BJP. The Bharatiya Janata Party, playing its characteristic long game, meticulously ensured that its list of six candidates struck the perfect organizational, social, and political balance. Battle for LOP Despite these broader alliance strategies, the most consequential nomination in this electoral cycle is arguably that of Ambadas Danve. Barely six months after completing his tenure in the Upper House and stepping down from the prestigious post of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Danve has been nominated once again by the Shiv Sena (UBT). With his return to the house, there is a strong possibility that he will reclaim his former post. This specific development highlights a much deeper crisis within the Congress. Following Danve’s brief retirement, the Congress had naturally emerged as the largest opposition party in the Upper House. This mathematical advantage theoretically paved the way for their Kolhapur strongman, Satej “Banti” Patil, to lay claim to the Leader of the Opposition’s chair. However, the sudden defection of Congress MLC Pradnya Satav, who switched loyalties to the BJP, severely dented the party’s numbers. Her departure brought the Congress’s strength in the house just below that of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Stripped of its numerical superiority overnight, the Congress was relegated to being a mute spectator, unable to assert its rightful claim. Internal Dissent This series of tactical defeats has triggered palpable frustration within the Congress’s state unit. One senior Congress leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed deep disappointment with the state leadership’s inability to protect the party’s interests. “Everyone has personal political ambitions, but leaders must learn the ways to collectively move ahead and strategize,” the leader remarked, attributing the party’s current stagnation in Maharashtra to this lack of cohesive vision. In short, these Legislative Council elections have delivered one message loud and clear: even when everything appears calm and stable on the surface, the relentless machinery of politics continues to churn behind the scenes. No political player in Maharashtra can afford to rest assured or sit idle under the illusion that there are no major state elections until 2029.

Ranveer Allahbadia posts first video since 'India's Got Latent' row: 'Now you will see a new Ranveer'

  • PTI
  • Mar 30, 2025
  • 3 min read

New Delhi: After this full stop, I'm trying to write a new story, said social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia on Sunday as he returned to social media a month after his comments on "India's Got Latent" sparked a major controversy.


In a new video, titled "Let's Talk" and posted on his official YouTube page, Allahbadia said his podcast "The Ranveer Show" will return soon and pledged to create content with added responsibility hereon.


"There was a forced break, which gave me time to embrace stillness. I got to know that so many Indians consider me a family member... To all of them, sorry. In the next 10, 20, 30 years, as long as I create content, I will do it with more responsibility," Allahbadia said.


"...After this full stop, I'm trying to write a new story. I hope you will all support me and my team in this new phase. All I want to say is thank you... Now you will see a new Ranveer... the podcast will return very soon," he added.


Allahbadia, one of the most influential podcasters with over 16 million followers across social media platforms, landed in a major controversy last month over his comment on parents and sex at Samay Raina's comedy show "India's Got Latent".


He apologised the next day but the controversy refused to die down with multiple police complaints filed against him and those involved with the show.


The Supreme Court granted him interim protection from arrest, though it termed his remarks "vulgar". He was allowed to resume his show by the apex court earlier this month.


Allahabadia said the quality of the podcast will keep improving and he will continue to post four episodes every week.


"In this restarting phase of 'TRS', to all the people who have been supporting till now, there is just one request, make a place for me in your hearts if possible. Give me one more chance.


"I like content creation a lot, I like podcasting a lot, to explore the history and culture of our country, that's my passion. That's what I am doing through my job and that's what I want to do."


Speaking about the tough phase he went through, Allahbadia said he doesn't consider it as a punishment.


"It's a learning, a transformation. God has given so much till now and so I consider this phase also as a gift. It came into my life for the sake of my growth and my transformation. Now I will just let my work speak. I will let my work speak," he said.


He also thanked people who reached out to him after the controversy.


"Your positive messages have helped me and my family immensely during this difficult phase. It was a tough time, facing open violent threats, overwhelming online hatred and countless media articles. Amidst all of this, your DMs provided us with immense support," he added.


Allahbadia said a team of 300 people worked for his show and none of them have resigned in the aftermath of the controversy.


"My entire team has supported me, my entire family has supported me. From the team not even a single person resigned throughout this phase. All our professional associates, business associates, they also supported us. Thank you again," he said.


The podcaster also returned on Instagram and posted a photo with his team.


"Thank you to my loved ones. Thank you universe. A new blessed chapter begins - Rebirth..." Allahabadia wrote in the caption.

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