Congress bets on dual leadership in Pune

Party’s unprecedented East-West division aims to curb factionalism and revive its fortunes ahead of 2029 polls Dipti Chaudhari Prashant Jagtap Pune: The Congress party has appointed two city presidents for Pune, marking the first time it has adopted such a structure in the city. By geographically dividing Pune into eastern and western zones, the party has appointed former Mayor Prashant...

min read

Congress bets on dual leadership in Pune

Party’s unprecedented East-West division aims to curb factionalism and revive its fortunes ahead of 2029 polls Dipti Chaudhari Prashant Jagtap Pune: The Congress party has appointed two city presidents for Pune, marking the first time it has adopted such a structure in the city. By geographically dividing Pune into eastern and western zones, the party has appointed former Mayor Prashant Jagtap to head the eastern zone and former MLA Dipti Chaudhari to lead the western zone. The entire selection process bears the distinct imprint of State Congress President Harshvardhan Sapkale. While making these appointments, Sapkale sought to strike a balance between caste representation and gender representation by giving an opportunity to a woman leader. Prashant Jagtap had previously served as the city president of senior leader Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He had opposed the proposal to contest municipal elections in alliance with the faction led by Ajit Pawar. Standing firm on this position, he resigned from his post as city president of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction). Positive Response Jagtap’s decision received a positive response across Maharashtra. He later joined the Congress party, where he received a warm welcome. At the time, there was considerable speculation over whether the Congress would be able to secure even five seats in the municipal elections. However, largely due to Jagtap’s entry into the party, 15 Congress corporators were elected, effectively halting the party’s downward slide in Pune. Recognising both his performance and his studious approach to politics, Sapkale entrusted him with the responsibility of leading the city unit. The prevailing sentiment within the Pune Congress is that Sapkale has carefully nurtured a young leader and assigned him a role commensurate with his abilities. Dipti Chaudhari, the newly appointed city president for the western zone, is a former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and a former Mayor of Pune. She has remained consistently active in party work and is regarded as a dedicated grassroots leader. Party workers believe her image and organisational experience could benefit the Congress in western Pune. To curb factionalism within the Pune Congress, the state leadership has introduced structural changes within the organisation itself. Even as the party declined after 2014, factionalism within the city unit continued unabated. On one notable occasion, during protests organised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two separate demonstrations were held by rival factions of the same party. Many within the Congress believe the then state leadership should have intervened decisively at the time. Instead, no corrective action was taken and factionalism only deepened further. Road Ahead Congress workers are now hopeful that Sapkale’s firm decisions will help rein in these divisions. Sapkale has undertaken the task of rebuilding the party organisation with a clear focus on the 2029 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections. During the recent by-election in Baramati, he asserted the Congress party’s rightful claim over the seat and also declared that the party would contest the 2029 Assembly election from Baramati independently. In keeping with that broader strategy, he has now initiated efforts to expand the Congress party’s organisational presence in Pune. At present, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also has two city presidents in Pune — Sunil Tingre for the eastern zone and Subhash Jagtap for the western zone. In the past, parties such as the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have similarly experimented with appointing multiple city chiefs. Both the Congress and the BJP are national parties, and given Pune’s political significance, the prevailing practice until now had been to appoint a single city president to represent the entire organisation during city-wide programmes and political campaigns. The Congress has now departed from that model. It remains to be seen whether this revised organisational strategy succeeds in curbing factionalism and strengthening the party in Pune.

Why Women Are Better Investors Than Men

Kaustubh Kale
Mar 9, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Mar 10, 2025

As the world celebrated International Women's Day, discussions centered around women's achievements in various fields—business, leadership, science, and beyond. But one area where women consistently outperform men, yet receive little recognition, is investing.

Despite money management often being seen as a male-dominated field, women have quietly and consistently proven to be better investors than men. With patience, discipline, and a long-term mindset, women naturally possess qualities that make them superior money managers.

A Perfect Blend of Knowledge and Wealth

In Hindu mythology, Goddess Saraswati symbolizes knowledge, while Goddess Lakshmi represents wealth—two essential pillars of investing. The ability to manage wealth wisely stems from a deep understanding of financial principles, and this is where women excel. They take the time to learn, analyze, and make informed investment decisions rather than rushing into trends or speculation.

Why Women Make Better Investors

Several traits make women stand out as investors:

Patience and Long-Term Vision: Unlike men, who may be more prone to impulsive trading and get-rich-quick schemes, women tend to have a longer term mindset. Their ability to stay calm, especially during market fluctuations, leads to better returns over time.

Disciplined and Goal-Based: Women prioritize consistent savings and goal-based investing. This disciplined approach helps them build wealth steadily. Women naturally excel at budgeting, planning, and structuring investments to align with future goals, whether it’s children’s education, home buying, or retirement security. Their emotional connection with goals is what makes them stick to discipline.

Risk-Aware, Not Risk-Averse: Contrary to the stereotype, women are not afraid of risks—they are just more calculated about them, through appropriate asset allocation. Eventually, this approach ensures maximum returns with minimal risks.

Trust and Willingness to Learn: Women value education and expertise, making them more likely to seek guidance from a well-qualified financial advisor. Unlike men, who often overestimate their investing abilities, women approach financial decisions with a willingness to learn. Once they find a trusted expert, they follow sound advice instead of making emotional, short-term moves.

Women Leading the Financial World

These qualities are why many of the world’s leading financial institutions are now led by women. In India and abroad, we see prominent banks, asset management companies, and investment firms thriving under female leadership. Their ability to combine strategic thinking with emotional intelligence makes them exceptional at managing money—both at a personal and professional level.

Final Thoughts

With their trust in expert advice and a strong focus on financial education, more women should embrace their strengths and take control of their financial futures!