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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Strange bedfellows

BJP hugs Congress, AIMIM; panics after uproar Thane : Eyebrows were singed and blood pressures spiked when the Bharatiya Janata Party suddenly decided to hug its “sworn enemies” in Ambernath (Thane), and in Akot (Akola) – after the December 20 municipal council polls there.   The BJP became snug under its saffron blanket with the Congress and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party – all to politically leave the Mahayuti ally, Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, out in the...

Strange bedfellows

BJP hugs Congress, AIMIM; panics after uproar Thane : Eyebrows were singed and blood pressures spiked when the Bharatiya Janata Party suddenly decided to hug its “sworn enemies” in Ambernath (Thane), and in Akot (Akola) – after the December 20 municipal council polls there.   The BJP became snug under its saffron blanket with the Congress and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party – all to politically leave the Mahayuti ally, Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, out in the cold.   Similarly in Akot, the BJP cozied up under the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)'s green quilt, without a shred of guilt, to shoo off the Congress-Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and others from bagging the civic body.   In Ambernath, the Shiv Sena had emerged as the single-largest party with 27 seats in the 60-Ward house, and in Akot, the BJP achieved the same feat with 11 seats in the 35-Ward house.   Predictably, leaders across these parties rushed to douze the hayfires. A shaken Congress state chief Harshwardhan Sapkal suspended local leaders in Ambernath, including the local party chief Pradeep Patil, the executive committee and around a dozen elected municipal councillors.   A dazed AIMIM state chief Imtiaz Jaleel, declared there was “no question of joining hands with the BJP”, and added grimly: “We have sought a report from the local party leaders, and after getting all details, we shall initiate appropriate disciplinary action,” a grim Jaleel said.   Smarting under red-hot chilli criticism flung by Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut and Aam Aadmi Party’s Preeti Sharma-Menon, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis shot out an earful to the local party leaders in Ambernath and Akot.   “We shall not tolerate the alliances with Congress and AIMIM. These partnerships must be broken. If the local (BJP) units have worked out such deals, they are wrong and violate norms. We shall take stringent action against them,” warned Fadnavis. Later, BJP State President Ravindra Chavan slapped a notice on the Akot party units seeking an explanation.   Ideological Somersaults Since 2019, the state has witnessed many such brazen ideological somersaults that have left political parties and voters shocked and awed.   It started when the (undivided) Shiv Sena joined the Congress and (united) NCP to form the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which ruled the state for two-and-half years.   In the current civic elections season, even the MVA has fractured with Congress going solo or with local allies like Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have embraced the once-untouchable MNS.   Adding to this is the flurry of local leaders-activists hopping parties, leaving voters bemused and bewildered, even as the parties fumbled to save their ideological credibility.   Ambernath: Shoving out the winner Indulging in political creativity, the BJP, Congress and NCP floated the Ambernath City Development Front, uniting the BJP, Congress and NCP, intended to keep the Shiv Sena out of power at all costs.   Ambernath falls in the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat of Dr Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who is already at loggerheads with BJP state chief Ravindra Chavan, hailing from Dombivali town, also in Thane district. BJP-Shiv Sena fought against each other in the civic polls last month.   In the 59-member Ambernath Municipal Council, the Shiv Sena won 23 seats, BJP 16, Congress 12 and NCP four. BJP’s Tejashree Karanjule was elected president through direct polls. Post-alliance, the BJP-Congress-NCP touched 32 seats, edging out the Shiv Sena which in its undivided form had ruled here for almost 35 years.     Akot: Bulldozing to grab power The BJP, AIMIM formed the Akot Vikas Manch, which included Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP and NCP (SP) and Prahar Janshakti Party to wrest the 35-member house from potential claimants.   The BJP won 11 and AIMIM five, and along with others, the AVM claimed a majority with 25 municipal councillors, and the Congress, VBA floundered with just 8 seats.   The AVM was formally registered with the SEC. In the polls, BJP’s Maya Dhule was elected mayor defeating AIMIM’s Firozabi S. Rana.

Turkey’s military backing behind Pakistan’s drone escalation alarms India



Pakistan’s large-scale drone incursions along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and across the International Border in several Indian states have exposed a troubling Turkish connection. According to official sources, between 300 and 400 drones—supplied by Turkey—were used by Pakistan to violate Indian airspace and carry out attacks targeting both military positions and civilian areas.


Government officials revealed in a special briefing on Operation Sindoor that the drones intruded across 36 locations along India’s western frontier, stretching from Leh in Ladakh to Sir Creek in Gujarat. The Indian armed forces responded with both kinetic and non-kinetic countermeasures, successfully bringing down many of the unmanned aerial vehicles. Forensic teams are currently examining the wreckage, and initial findings suggest the drones were Turkish-made ‘Asis Guard Songar’ models.


This recent escalation has raised serious concerns in New Delhi, particularly because Turkey has refrained from condemning the recent terror attack on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. Nor has it expressed sympathy to the families of the Indian tourists killed in that attack, believed to have been carried out by Pakistan-linked terrorists. Instead, Ankara has offered unwavering support to Pakistan, deepening suspicions about Turkey’s motives.


Turkey has been a long-time backer of Pakistan, offering consistent moral, economic, and military support. It has publicly endorsed Pakistan’s narrative on Kashmir, and has aligned itself with the ideological stance of the Two-Nation Theory. In a striking diplomatic move, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif just hours after the terror attack in Pahalgam—believed to have been executed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. Erdogan was the only world leader to meet Sharif in the aftermath, and Sharif later expressed gratitude for Turkey’s “unwavering support” on the Kashmir issue.


While the international community stood in solidarity with India following the attack, reports indicate that Turkey sent a large consignment of military equipment to Pakistan. Six Turkish military aircraft reportedly arrived with weaponry and defense gear, though Ankara denied this, claiming the aircraft were only refueling. Nevertheless, global flight-tracking systems confirmed the presence of Turkish C-130 military planes in Pakistan.


Shortly thereafter, Turkey also deployed one of its naval warships—the TCG Büyükada (F-512), a MILGEM-class corvette—to Karachi Port. Turkey described the visit as a “routine port call,” but Pakistan called it a “goodwill visit,” suggesting stronger bilateral military alignment and aggressive signaling toward India.


India’s concerns deepened after it launched Operation Sindoor, which involved targeted precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). While most global actors refrained from taking sides, Turkey openly backed Pakistan. In a statement, the Turkish presidency reported that President Erdogan spoke with Prime Minister Sharif, expressing solidarity and offering Ankara’s full support. Erdogan even referred to India’s counter-terror strikes as an attack that resulted in the “martyrdom of numerous civilians,” and extended condolences to the “brotherly people and state of Pakistan.”


At the press conference held earlier today, Indian officials confirmed that on the intervening night of May 8 and 9, hundreds of Turkish-origin drones were launched from Pakistan in what appeared to be a coordinated attempt to test India’s air defense systems and gather intelligence. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the actions were “provocative and escalatory,” targeting Indian urban areas, civilian infrastructure, and some military facilities.


Turkey’s defense relationship with Pakistan has been growing rapidly. In 2024, Pakistan officially recorded arms purchases from Turkey totaling $5.16 million. Beyond the Asis Guard Songar drones, Turkey has also provided Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones for enhanced surveillance capabilities. In the naval sphere, Turkey is supplying four MILGEM-class corvettes to Pakistan. Two of these—PNS Khyber and PNS Babur—have already been delivered, while the remaining two—PNS Tariq and PNS Badr—are currently being constructed at the Karachi Shipyard.


As the military partnership between Turkey and Pakistan strengthens, particularly in contexts involving cross-border terrorism and the Kashmir dispute, India continues to monitor developments closely. Officials suggest that Turkey’s actions go beyond routine diplomacy and signal a deeper strategic alignment with Islamabad that could further destabilize regional security.


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