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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.

Welfare of Ex-Servicemen

Updated: Nov 15, 2024

Welfare of Ex-Servicemen

The various issues of Ex-servicemen have been overlooked not only by the centre but even different state governments. The contentious issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP) was subsided after the Supreme Court’s intervention. The delay in paperwork had left thousands of ex-servicemen in limbo. Their woes are not only restricted to the pension but they have to cross a lot of hurdles for getting the jobs. Technically qualified, the men have retired from the armed forces, and are eligible for jobs in State government offices. But though they have cleared the various examinations including public service commission exams, they have not been offered placements. The reason, different departments have not found the time to iron out the issue regarding their qualifications.


As the issue of ex-servicemen keeps on coming to the fore, the state government has taken a decision to give some relief to their children. Education Concession to the Children of Ex-Servicemen, Maharashtra 2023-24 is an initiative of the state government’s Directorate of Higher Education, to provide financial aid to children of ex-servicemen pursuing higher education. The selected students will receive a 100 percent waiver of fees incurred on admission, semester exams, and library including the laboratory fees. The Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has approved a significant increase in funding for ex-servicemen welfare schemes, doubling the financial allocation to Rs33 crore to support nearly 2.7 lakh retired military personnel and their families across the state.


While taking this decision certain conditions have been laid down by the government. One of the prime conditions is that the applicants must be domiciled in Maharashtra. Among other conditions, the definition of relationship is described, the applicant must be a child, wife, or widow of an ex-serviceman. Applicants should be enrolled in a government or government-aided college within Maharashtra. As per the government’s order, the financial Support by the state is being underscored. The scholarship provides a significant financial relief by waiving all associated fees. With this the doors are open for higher education to all deserving students who may otherwise face financial barriers. Being awarded this scholarship is a recognition of academic merit and the sacrifices made by ex-servicemen and their families gets the recognition.


Apart from this the Maharashtra government has also decided that it will provide financial assistance of Rs 15 lakh to self-help groups (SHGs) run by ex-servicemen. The state government official said that this decision was taken in the recent meeting of the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Board.


“Financial assistance for marriage of daughters of ex-servicemen has been increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Assistance up to Rs 2 lakh will be given to ex-servicemen, their widows for purchasing houses. Children of ex-servicemen or their widows Will be given Rs 1 lakh for education abroad,’’ the official further added.

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