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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Comatose to combat-ready

Congress takes on the government with a new zeal Mumbai Youth Congress workers organise 'Yuva Akrosh Morcha' in Dadar, Mumbai, on Tuesday to protest against the NEET and CBSE examination scams. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: For over a decade since it was eased out of power, the Maharashtra Congress faced a series of electoral debacles, a demoralised organisation and receding visibility – the last which mattered most. That perception is apparently changing as the state and city units have...

Comatose to combat-ready

Congress takes on the government with a new zeal Mumbai Youth Congress workers organise 'Yuva Akrosh Morcha' in Dadar, Mumbai, on Tuesday to protest against the NEET and CBSE examination scams. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: For over a decade since it was eased out of power, the Maharashtra Congress faced a series of electoral debacles, a demoralised organisation and receding visibility – the last which mattered most. That perception is apparently changing as the state and city units have gone on the offensive with a series of agitations or protests, raising issues that directly affect the ordinary citizens. Though it has been a key constituent of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) since 2019, it clawed to retain its identity as a national party and an independent political force locking horns with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Raising a Storm In the past few months, either independently, with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi or in alliance with MVA constituents like Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress is raising a storm with major issues that rule headlines. These include soaring inflation, fuel price hikes and shortage of gas, petrol or diesel, water crises in many parts, farmers distress, examination paper leak controversies, etc. These are not only winning hearts but grabbing eyeballs in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Pune, Nagpur and other regions with massive grassroots participation and public mobilisation – proving the party is reading the peoples’ pulse correctly – rather than confining itself to media or online crusades. Rahul’s Credit The transformation is largely credited to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, which the state chief Sapkal – who took charge in Feb. 2025 – taking it forward passionately to the rank and file, spread in the remotest corners of Maharashtra. “He took over the onerous responsibility when the party morale was at its lowest. He launched the ‘Sapkal Pattern’, focussing on energizing the crucial booth-level workers who have direct connect with the ordinary voters, reconnected with local-level issues to keep up the tempo between two elections,” said a Mumbai-based senior leader. On his part, Sapkal has repeatedly given booster doses to the workers, saying the Congress has been a ‘fighter party’ and never shies from taking up issues concerning the common masses. Opposition Space Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said the party is implementing the wishes of Rahul Gandhi and the central leadership, handling key states personally and the “changes are visible”. “We shall not allow BJP to get a walkover in anything through its bulldozer tactics. We are with the people of the country and raise their concerns through campaigns and agitations. We will safeguard the Opposition space which is being blatantly encroached upon by the ruling party at all levels,” said a determined Londhe. A Mumbai frontal organisation vice-president said since long, the grassroots cadres of the Congress felt ignored as burning problems of the ordinary masses were not effectively highlighted by the party which seemed to wake up only when the poll bugles were sounded. “Not anymore… We are present everywhere. The people are suffering because of the BJP’s policies. The youth are frustrated as the government doesn’t listen to them and instead labels them as parasites or cockroaches,” said the leader, preferring anonymity. Vocal, visible streetfighter The Congress recently carried out a series of aggressive people-oriented protests - roadblocks against fuel price hikes, bicycle and motorcycle rallies organised by the Youth Congress, demonstrations highlighting inflation, protests over onion prices and farmers woes, ‘handa morcha’ against water scarcity in Mumbai, agitations over examination paper leaks and other irregularities. Positioning itself as the prominent voice of public discontent, the Congress campaigns spanned the state, involving all classes and communities while identifying with the voters who are desperately struggling for survival. While MVA allies also challenge the government, many say the Congress is seen as leading from the front to gradually emerge as the Opposition’s most visible and vocal street-fighting force, setting the agenda for other parties to become an election-ready entity by 2029.

Sisters Carry On Their Father’s Legacy

Hopeful of getting a nomination for the upcoming assembly elections, Jyoti Girigosavi reverted to her maiden name Jyoti Eknath Gaikwad, in July this year. Such is the goodwill earned by her father Eknath Gaikwad during his lifetime that his daughters are banking on his legacy to pursue a career in politics. While one daughter, Varsha and is a former minister and currently a Member of Parliament from the Mumbai North West constituency, the other daughter Jyoti is an aspiring politician.


For the Congress party, Gaikwad was a prominent Dalit leader who represented Dharavi in the Maharashtra legislative assembly and in Parliament twice. Hailing from Satara, Gaikwad first contested the elections from Dharavi in 1985 and was subsequently re-elected from there twice. He also held the minister of state portfolios for public health, social justice and higher and technical education during his tenure in the government. Gaikwad’s biggest draw was his accessibility to the people of his constituency. He championed the cause of Dalits and other oppressed sections of society, maintaining a constant presence in Dharavi which has the title of being Asia’s largest slum. He worked to improve sanitation and infrastructure facilities and was the voice of his people in the corridors of power.


In 2004, he defeated former chief minister Manohar Joshi in the Lok Sabha elections. At that time, Joshi was the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. He won the election again in 2009 and was the constituency’s representative in Parliament till 2014. At the age of 81 years, Gaikwad succumbed to Covid, in the year 2021. A low-profile politician, Gaikwad was never involved in any controversy and was believed to be a sincere and loyal Congressman.


His daughter Varsha succeeded him in the state assembly when she won her first election from Dharavi in 2004. A former lecturer at Mumbai’s Siddharth College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Varsha is a four-term legislator and was the cabinet minister for school education between 2019 and 2022. The newest member of the family to enter politics is Varsha’s sister Jyoti who is contesting the Vidhan Sabha elections this time. While she may not have extensive experience in public life, she is banking on her father’s legacy and goodwill and her sister’s reach among the electorate.

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