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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Govt assures swift UCC implementation

Mumbai: Maharashtra government unequivocally declared its commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code across the state, assuring the legislative assembly that a comprehensive legal framework is already in the advanced stages of formulation. Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam categorically stated on the floor of the House on Tuesday that the ruling Mahayuti administration is entirely positive about the swift introduction of the Uniform Civil Code to standardize personal laws. To...

Govt assures swift UCC implementation

Mumbai: Maharashtra government unequivocally declared its commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code across the state, assuring the legislative assembly that a comprehensive legal framework is already in the advanced stages of formulation. Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam categorically stated on the floor of the House on Tuesday that the ruling Mahayuti administration is entirely positive about the swift introduction of the Uniform Civil Code to standardize personal laws. To facilitate this monumental legislative transition, the state government has formally sanctioned the constitution of a dedicated expert committee, which is being spearheaded by a retired High Court judge. This committee has been entrusted with the critical responsibility of meticulously preparing the draft bill for the Uniform Civil Code, which the government intends to enact immediately upon the submission of the final report. Emphasising the overarching objectives of the proposed legislation, Kadam noted that the Uniform Civil Code would universally apply to every citizen irrespective of their religious affiliations and would explicitly incorporate a stringent ban on the controversial practice of polygamy. The minister drew direct parallels with the legislative measures recently adopted by states like Uttarakhand, underscoring that the impending law in Maharashtra would similarly entail severe penal consequences, potentially including imprisonment for up to seven years for violations related to polygamy and illegal divorce practices. He firmly maintained that the government’s approach is fundamentally secular, harboring no animosity toward any specific religion, but is rather driven by the constitutional imperative to extend equal rights, legal protection, and comprehensive justice to women from all communities. This definitive policy assurance from the government was catalysed by a highly volatile calling attention motion initiated by BJP legislator Devyani Farande, which thrust the deeply sensitive issues of triple talaq and polygamy into the center of the assembly’s monsoon session. Farande brought the ongoing plight of Muslim women to the immediate attention of the House, asserting that despite the central government’s strict legislative prohibition, the illegal practice of instant divorce continues to flourish unabated.

Shifting Loyalties, Fragmented Alliances

Updated: Nov 18, 2024

Solapur

As November 20 draws ever closer, the electoral contests in the 11 Assembly segments in Solapur district promise to be fiercely fought ones.


The district has historically been a stronghold for both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition MVA, notably the Congress and the NCP (SP).

Historically, Solapur has been a district in flux: in the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP secured four of the district’s 11 seats, and subsequently added another in the Pandharpur by-election when it managed to wrest that seat from the then undivided NCP.


In the aftermath of splits within the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Mahayuti now holds eight of the 11 seats, with the two independents veering towards the ruling coalition. Yet, despite a commanding presence that seems unassailable, recent trends in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the alliance lost both the Solapur and Madha constituencies, suggest that the battle for this region is far from a foregone conclusion.


The defection of key leaders and the rise of rebel candidates within both the Mahayuti and MVA camps has added byzantine intrigue to this electoral contest. A record eight rebel candidates have entered the fray, increasing the likelihood of fragmented votes and unpredictable outcomes, especially in constituencies where the margins of victory could be razor-thin. In a district where local feuds often overshadow broader ideological divides, the personal ambitions of these rebels could determine the fate of the election.


The fragmentation within the two major alliances is evident across several key constituencies. Nowhere is this starker than in Solapur City Central, a Congress stronghold, Praniti Shinde, daughter of veteran Congressman and former Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, is seeking re-election for a third term. The contest here has turned multi-cornered, with BJP’s Devendra Kothe, CPI(M)’s Narsayya Adam, and Congress’s own Chetan Narote competing alongside AIMIM’s Farooq Shabdi and a rebel NCP candidate, Taufique Shaikh.


The significant Muslim vote in the area, once a reliable source of support for the NCP, is now in danger of splitting, potentially reducing the chances of any single candidate achieving a decisive victory.


In Solapur City North, the BJP’s four-time MLA Vijaykumar Deshmukh faces a challenge from the NCP (SP)’s Mahesh Kothe, but the contest has become more unpredictable due to a rebellion within the BJP ranks. Former mayor Shobha Banshetti is contesting as an independent candidate, drawing support from the area’s significant Lingayat community, a group traditionally aligned with the BJP. The split in the BJP vote could be pivotal, given the area’s strong BJP presence in the recent Lok Sabha elections.


Solapur South, another key constituency, sees BJP’s Subhash Deshmukh defending his seat against Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Amar Patil, with Dharmaraj Kadadi, a prominent Lingayat leader from the NCP, running as an independent.


Factionalism has also affected the PWP bastion of Sangola, where Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) face off against each other in a contest that also involves the PWP’s Dr. Babasaheb Deshmukh. Similarly, the BJP’s Samadhan Awatade, Congress’s Bhagirath Bhalke, and NCP’s Anil Sawant are locked in a triangular battle in Pandharpur.


Amidst the political turmoil, voters in Solapur are increasingly focused on practical issues. The district, reliant on sugarcane farming, faces chronic water shortages. However, these concerns have been overshadowed by local feuds, ticket disputes, and alliance splits.

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