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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Congress’ solo path for ‘ideological survival’

Mumbai: The Congress party’s decision to contest the forthcoming BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections independently is being viewed as an attempt to reclaim its ideological space among the public and restore credibility within its cadre, senior leaders indicated. The announcement - made by AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala alongside state president Harshwardhan Sapkal and Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad - did not trigger a backlash from the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi...

Congress’ solo path for ‘ideological survival’

Mumbai: The Congress party’s decision to contest the forthcoming BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections independently is being viewed as an attempt to reclaim its ideological space among the public and restore credibility within its cadre, senior leaders indicated. The announcement - made by AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala alongside state president Harshwardhan Sapkal and Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad - did not trigger a backlash from the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners, the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT). According to Congress insiders, the move is the outcome of more than a year of intense internal consultations following the party’ dismal performance in the 2024 Assembly elections, belying huge expectations. A broad consensus reportedly emerged that the party should chart a “lone-wolf” course to safeguard the core ideals of Congress, turning140-years-old, next month. State and Mumbai-level Congress leaders, speaking off the record, said that although the party gained momentum in the 2019 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it was frequently constrained by alliance compulsions. Several MVA partners, they claimed, remained unyielding on larger ideological and political issues. “The Congress had to compromise repeatedly and soften its position, but endured it as part of ‘alliance dharma’. Others did not reciprocate in the same spirit. They made unilateral announcements and declared candidates or policies without consensus,” a senior state leader remarked. Avoid liabilities He added that some alliance-backed candidates later proved to be liabilities. Many either lost narrowly or, even after winning with the support of Congress workers, defected to Mahayuti constituents - the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, or the Nationalist Congress Party. “More than five dozen such desertions have taken place so far, which is unethical, backstabbing the voters and a waste of all our efforts,” he rued. A Mumbai office-bearer elaborated that in certain constituencies, Congress workers effectively propelled weak allied candidates through the campaign. “Our assessment is that post-split, some partners have alienated their grassroots base, especially in the mofussil regions. They increasingly rely on Congress workers. This is causing disillusionment among our cadre, who see deserving leaders being sidelined and organisational growth stagnating,” he said. Chennithala’s declaration on Saturday was unambiguous: “We will contest all 227 seats independently in the BMC polls. This is the demand of our leaders and workers - to go alone in the civic elections.” Gaikwad added that the Congress is a “cultured and respectable party” that cannot ally with just anyone—a subtle reference to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which had earlier targeted North Indians and other communities and is now bidding for an electoral arrangement with the SS(UBT). Both state and city leaders reiterated that barring the BMC elections - where the Congress will take the ‘ekla chalo’ route - the MVA alliance remains intact. This is despite the sharp criticism recently levelled at the Congress by senior SS(UBT) leader Ambadas Danve following the Bihar results. “We are confident that secular-minded voters will support the Congress' fight against the BJP-RSS in local body elections. We welcome backing from like-minded parties and hope to finalize understandings with some soon,” a state functionary hinted. Meanwhile, Chennithala’s firm stance has triggered speculation in political circles about whether the Congress’ informal ‘black-sheep' policy vis-a-vis certain parties will extend beyond the BMC polls.

Suicide threats, hostage tragedy highlight crisis

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Mumbai: The tragic death of Rohit Arya, who was killed by police during a tense hostage standoff in Powai on Thursday, has forcefully thrown a light on a sprawling financial crisis that has pushed thousands of government contractors in Maharashtra to the brink of ruin and desperation. Arya’s final, extreme act, driven by what he claimed were years of unpaid government dues and denied credit for a state project, tragically mirrors the widespread economic despair gripping the state’s construction and development sector.


The situation unfolded at an acting studio in Powai where Arya, 50, held 17 children and two adults captive for several hours. Though police successfully rescued all hostages, Arya was shot and later succumbed to his injuries after allegedly threatening officers. Before the standoff, Arya released a chilling video stating that he chose this shocking path—which he framed as demanding “moral and ethical answers”—instead of committing suicide, a grim indication of the deep psychological toll his financial battle had taken.


Arya’s grievances centered on the state’s School Education Department, claiming he was owed approximately Rs 2 crore for work executed under his “Swachhta Monitor” initiative, a component of the government’s “Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala” campaign.


While department officials dispute the exact amount, citing procedural issues and unclear documentation, Arya’s case resonates loudly across Maharashtra, where a far larger, unresolved financial crisis looms.


Unpaid dues

Across the state, infrastructure and development contractors are collectively reeling from an estimated Rs 89,000 crore in unpaid dues from the state government for completed projects. Major associations, including the Maharashtra State Contractor Mahasangh, claim that payments have been pending since as far back as July 2023, leaving over half a million contractors financially crippled.


The protracted payment delays have created an economic chokehold. Contractors are unable to clear debts to raw material suppliers, pay salaries to their employees, or service their bank loans, forcing many into insolvency.


Representatives have repeatedly warned that the extreme financial stress has fuelled a spate of suicides across the community—the ultimate, tragic outcome of bureaucratic indifference and frozen funds.


“We are the second biggest sector in Maharashtra after agriculture,” Milind Bhosale, president of the Maharashtra State Contractor Mahasangh, has stated. “The government continues to prioritise populist spending while neglecting infrastructure debt. The economic impact is immense, but the human cost—the mental stress, the desperation—is immeasurable.”


Delayed clearance

While government departments have occasionally released small instalments, they often cite delays due to administrative clearance processes, changes in political leadership, or a tight financial environment.


Contractors, however, point to the paradox of new large-scale work orders being issued while old bills remain uncleared, questioning the state’s financial planning.


The Powai tragedy has forced a rare, public reckoning. It highlights the volatile social consequences when official debt becomes unbearable for ordinary professionals.


Until the government addresses the systemic failure to clear the staggering arrears – estimated at nearly Rs one lakh crore – the risk remains high that more individuals will be pushed into desperate, irreversible acts.

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