top of page

By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This...

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This development, confirmed by high-ranking party insiders, follows the realization that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) effectively ceded its claims on the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to protect the alliance, facilitating a “Mumbai for BJP, Kalyan for Shinde” power-sharing formula. The compromise marks a complete role reversal between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Both the political parties were in alliance with each other for over 25 years before 2017 civic polls. Back then the BJP used to get the post of Deputy Mayor while the Shiv Sena always enjoyed the mayor’s position. In 2017 a surging BJP (82 seats) had paused its aggression to support the undivided Shiv Sena (84 seats), preferring to be out of power in the Corporation to keep the saffron alliance intact. Today, the numbers dictate a different reality. In the recently concluded elections BJP emerged as the single largest party in Mumbai with 89 seats, while the Shinde faction secured 29. Although the Shinde faction acted as the “kingmaker”—pushing the alliance past the majority mark of 114—the sheer numerical gap made their claim to the mayor’s post untenable in the long run. KDMC Factor The catalyst for this truce lies 40 kilometers north of Mumbai in Kalyan-Dombivali, a region considered the impregnable fortress of Eknath Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde. While the BJP performed exceptionally well in KDMC, winning 50 seats compared to the Shinde faction’s 53, the lotter for the reservation of mayor’s post in KDMC turned the tables decisively in favor of Shiv Sena there. In the lottery, the KDMC mayor’ post went to be reserved for the Scheduled Tribe candidate. The BJP doesn’t have any such candidate among elected corporatros in KDMC. This cleared the way for Shiv Sena. Also, the Shiv Sena tied hands with the MNS in the corporation effectively weakening the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s alliance with them. Party insiders suggest that once it became clear the BJP would not pursue the KDMC Mayor’s chair—effectively acknowledging it as Shinde’s fiefdom—he agreed to scale down his demands in the capital. “We have practically no hope of installing a BJP Mayor in Kalyan-Dombivali without shattering the alliance locally,” a Mumbai BJP secretary admitted and added, “Letting the KDMC become Shinde’s home turf is the price for securing the Mumbai Mayor’s bungalow for a BJP corporator for the first time in history.” The formal elections for the Mayoral posts are scheduled for later this month. While the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—led by the Shiv Sena (UBT)—has vowed to field candidates, the arithmetic heavily favors the ruling alliance. For Eknath Shinde, accepting the Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai is a tactical retreat. It allows him to consolidate his power in the MMR belt (Thane and Kalyan) while remaining a partner in Mumbai’s governance. For the BJP, this is a crowning moment; after playing second fiddle in the BMC for decades, they are poised to finally install their own “First Citizen” of Mumbai.

Time’s Up

Updated: Jan 2, 2025

Indian test cricket is at a crossroads. The twin titans, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, once heralded as the pillars of the team’s success, have now become its Achilles’ heel. Their abysmal performances in recent matches, capped by a crushing 284-run defeat in Melbourne and a humiliating 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand in November, have exposed a leadership vacuum and a batting collapse of epic proportions. The time has come to wield the axe, not for the sake of symbolism, but to rescue Indian cricket from a prolonged slump.


Rohit’s decision to return to the top of the order in Melbourne was meant to rekindle his waning form. Instead, it shattered the team’s already fragile confidence.


Dismissed for a paltry nine runs, his tour aggregate of 31 runs at an average of 6.20 is the worst by any visiting captain in Australia, worse even than pacer Courtney Walsh’s record as a tailender. The result? India capitulated from a steady 121 for 3 to a dismal 155 all out, handing Australia a decisive lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.


Tactical missteps are no stranger to Rohit. From misjudged batting orders to poor field placements, his captaincy lacks the acumen required at the highest level. As Sunil Gavaskar had aptly suggested after the New Zealand rout, it is time for Rohit to be relieved of his captaincy duties. JaspritBumrah, with his sharp cricketing mind and calm demeanour, is a natural choice to lead India into a new era.


Kohli’s struggles are equally glaring. His tour has been marred by repeated dismissals outside the off-stump - a damning indicator of a batsman who has lost his touch. His refusal to adapt, coupled with a string of low scores, reflects poorly not just on his form but also on his leadership as a senior player.


Fans and critics alike are hesitant to hold Kohli accountable, fearing backlash or clinging to memories of his glorious past. But nostalgia cannot dictate the future of Indian cricket. Kohli must be shown the door or relegated down the batting order, making way for the next generation of talent.


Indian cricket boasts an enviable bench strength. The emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal as a generational superstar underscores the team’s resilience and depth. It is time to embrace this new crop of players and build a team for the future. For too long, the shadow of Sharma and Kohli has stifled growth, with selectors reluctant to make the bold calls necessary for progress.


The failures of this duo are symptomatic of a larger malaise: a reluctance to innovate, an inability to adapt and an over-reliance on fading stars. As painful as it may seem, sacking Sharma and Kohli is not just an option but an imperative.


The choice before Indian cricket is stark. Cling to the past and risk mediocrity or make the tough decisions now and secure a brighter future. For the sake of Indian cricket, the latter must prevail.

Comments

bottom of page