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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

High-stakes chess beneath the surface

BJP Candidates coming out after filing their nomination for the upcoming Legislative Council Polls from Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Typically, when a ruling coalition enjoys a formidable and comfortable majority, elections to the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Council are quiet, predictable affairs. They are often viewed as mere formalities, rarely capturing the public imagination or dominating front-page headlines. Historically, these indirect...

High-stakes chess beneath the surface

BJP Candidates coming out after filing their nomination for the upcoming Legislative Council Polls from Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande Mumbai: Typically, when a ruling coalition enjoys a formidable and comfortable majority, elections to the Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Council are quiet, predictable affairs. They are often viewed as mere formalities, rarely capturing the public imagination or dominating front-page headlines. Historically, these indirect elections only become newsworthy under specific conditions: either the ruling coalition is plagued by internal fissures, or the opposition is too fragmented to put up a united front. In Maharashtra, however, the political landscape remains highly volatile. Recently, the Rajya Sabha elections became the center of intense media scrutiny, and over the past week, the Legislative Council polls followed suit. Although all ten candidates—nine from the ruling alliance and one from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—are now set to be elected unopposed, the intricate backroom maneuvers that led to this truce kept the state’s political circles buzzing. Interestingly, the reason for this heightened news value can be traced to both a subtle tug-of-war within the ruling combine and a visibly weakened opposition. Shifting Strategy The maneuvering within the opposition ranks has been particularly telling. A major focal point of the election buildup was the anticipated candidacy of Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray. After generating considerable hype and speculation about a potential return to the legislature, Thackeray ultimately chose to withdraw from the electoral fray. This sudden pullback forced a rapid recalibration within the MVA. Initially, the Congress party had adopted an aggressive posture, declaring its intention to field a candidate if Thackeray decided against contesting. However, following closed-door deliberations with Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, the Congress quietly backed down. Why the state Congress leadership so readily acquiesced to this sudden change in strategy, sacrificing a potential seat, remains a mystery and a subject of intense debate among political observers. On the other side of the aisle, the ruling Mahayuti coalition maximized this electoral opportunity to consolidate its political base, reward loyalists, and balance complex regional equations. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strategically paved the way for the political rehabilitation of former Congress legislator Zishan Siddique by nominating him to the Legislative Council. This calculated move introduces a prominent new Muslim face for the party, likely intended to fill the leadership vacuum in Mumbai left by veteran leader Nawab Malik. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde used his nominations to send a definitive message about the premium he places on loyalty. By securing another term for Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Shinde demonstrated that those who stood by his faction would be adequately rewarded. Furthermore, by bringing Vidarbha strongman Bachchu Kadu into the fold, Shinde has attempted to anchor his party’s future and expand its footprint in a region predominantly controlled by his senior alliance partner, the BJP. The Bharatiya Janata Party, playing its characteristic long game, meticulously ensured that its list of six candidates struck the perfect organizational, social, and political balance. Battle for LOP Despite these broader alliance strategies, the most consequential nomination in this electoral cycle is arguably that of Ambadas Danve. Barely six months after completing his tenure in the Upper House and stepping down from the prestigious post of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Danve has been nominated once again by the Shiv Sena (UBT). With his return to the house, there is a strong possibility that he will reclaim his former post. This specific development highlights a much deeper crisis within the Congress. Following Danve’s brief retirement, the Congress had naturally emerged as the largest opposition party in the Upper House. This mathematical advantage theoretically paved the way for their Kolhapur strongman, Satej “Banti” Patil, to lay claim to the Leader of the Opposition’s chair. However, the sudden defection of Congress MLC Pradnya Satav, who switched loyalties to the BJP, severely dented the party’s numbers. Her departure brought the Congress’s strength in the house just below that of the Shiv Sena (UBT). Stripped of its numerical superiority overnight, the Congress was relegated to being a mute spectator, unable to assert its rightful claim. Internal Dissent This series of tactical defeats has triggered palpable frustration within the Congress’s state unit. One senior Congress leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, expressed deep disappointment with the state leadership’s inability to protect the party’s interests. “Everyone has personal political ambitions, but leaders must learn the ways to collectively move ahead and strategize,” the leader remarked, attributing the party’s current stagnation in Maharashtra to this lack of cohesive vision. In short, these Legislative Council elections have delivered one message loud and clear: even when everything appears calm and stable on the surface, the relentless machinery of politics continues to churn behind the scenes. No political player in Maharashtra can afford to rest assured or sit idle under the illusion that there are no major state elections until 2029.

When Purpose Outgrows Profit

There are moments when you meet people whose ambition sounds different. Not louder. Not flashier. Just… deeper. It isn’t driven by money, applause, or scale. It is driven by meaning. These are individuals who are not chasing growth for visibility, but for legacy. They want to create something that outlives them, something that speaks for a community, a belief, or an identity that has long remained unheard. Such ambition is rare — and often misunderstood.


In today’s world, success is measured loudly. Followers, revenue, reach, numbers. Yet some of the most powerful creators, founders, and leaders operate in near silence. They are not naturally social. They don’t enjoy the spotlight. They are uncomfortable “selling” themselves. But inside them burns a very real hunger — not for attention, but for impact. The irony is this: the deeper the purpose, the more invisible the person often becomes.


This is where many high-calibre professionals find themselves stuck. They have clarity of intent but not clarity of expression. They know what they want to build, but the world does not yet know why it matters. Their work is rich, but their presence is muted. Their vision is sharp, but their voice is not yet amplified. This is not a talent problem. It is not a capability problem. It is a personal branding problem.


Personal branding is often misunderstood as self-promotion. In reality, it is the art of alignment — aligning who you are, what you stand for, and how the world experiences you. Especially for people driven by purpose rather than popularity, personal branding becomes the bridge between intention and influence.


Without that bridge, even the most meaningful work risks remaining invisible.


Consider how many founders, artists, business owners, and leaders want to build something “for their people” — whether that people is a community, a culture, an industry, or a belief system. Their motivation isn’t commercial alone. It is emotional. Cultural. Almost sacred. Yet because they hesitate to be seen, to speak, to claim space, their message struggles to travel. And when the message doesn’t travel, impact stays limited.


A strong personal brand does not require someone to become louder or more social. It requires them to become clearer. Clear about their values. Clear about their story. Clear about the why behind their work. When that clarity exists, the right audiences find them — not because of noise, but because of resonance.


For leaders driven by legacy rather than limelight, personal branding serves a different purpose. It protects their intent. It ensures that their work is understood in the way it was meant to be. It allows the world to see not just the output, but the soul behind it.


In business and creative ecosystems alike, recognition does not come only from excellence. It comes from perception. From positioning. From the ability to communicate purpose in a way that others can feel. Awards, influence, credibility, and long-term respect often follow those who can articulate their vision — not just execute it.


This is why personal branding is no longer optional for serious creators and founders. Not because they want fame, but because they want their work to matter. Not because they want attention, but because they want alignment. A personal brand, when built with integrity, does not distort who you are — it reveals you. The quietest ambition often needs the strongest articulation.


And perhaps the real question is not whether you are talented enough, or driven enough, or sincere enough. It is whether the world truly understands what you are trying to build — and why it deserves to exist. If you are someone whose hunger is real, whose purpose runs deep, and whose work deserves to be experienced beyond a small circle, it may be time to reflect on how your personal brand is carrying your vision forward.


Not louder. Not flashier. But clearer. And if you’re ready to explore how your personal brand can honour your intent while expanding your impact, you’re welcome to connect for a conversation here: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani Sometimes, all it takes is the right articulation for the right ambition to finally be seen.


(The writer is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

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