POLITICS
Thackeray cousins gain, Shinde’s under pressure, but BJP remains in pole position
A joint rally last week by the Thackeray cousins was a landmark event. It’s likely to be followed by a joint campaign in local body elections which will be mutually beneficial. Shinde Sena will be hard put to claim the Bal Thackeray legacy. None of these developments however are likely change Maharashtra’s political reality: BJP is in pole position
POLITICS
Maoist area of influence has decisively shrunk, but the jury is out on their resolve
The end of the feared Basava Raju in Chhattisgarh on the heels of multiple losses for Maoists has all but crushed its armed dimension in India. Does that spell the end of a movement that was not too long ago called India’s gravest internal security threat? Perhaps not, counsel veterans of anti-Maoist operations. The ideology and some of its diehard adherents are still around. Vigilance is essential
POLITICS
As Maoists make their last stand, what lies ahead for tribals?
Karegutta Hills in Chhattisgarh is where thousands of security personnel have converged to finish off the Maoist leadership. The ongoing battle is likely to close the chapter on a movement that waged war on the State for over 50 years. That will be a good development but questions on the nature of engagement in future between tribals and others are still up in the air
INDIA
The tragedy of Nagpur, a bastion of cosmopolitanism
Its cultural identity mutilated, Nagpur sits uneasy right in the heart of a communally surcharged India. What's most unfortunate is that Muslim patience finally gave way in a city to which communal harmony came naturally despite being the cradle of Hindutva movement
POLITICS
Mahayudh again in Maharashtra, with a twist this time
Friction between state’s CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde may seem like a repeat of the fractious BJP-Shiv Sena relationship between 2014 and 2019. This time, however, there may be other factors at play as the ostensible Sena-BJP battle for the Hindutva space may also be where the BJP’s internal leadership dynamics are playing out
POLITICS
Cracks in the monolith
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s call for restraint on the growing claims on mosques by neo-Hindutva groups reveals a fault line within the Sangh Parivar. In its centenary year, the RSS has to walk a tightrope as the experience of years of power have a way of undermining discipline within organisations
POLITICS
Maharashtra developments show BJP will not share Hindutva space
The last five years have decisively brought one major change. Shiv Sena as a whole -Uddhav and Shinde factions together - has lost its pivotal role in right-wing politics. Arrogating the entire saffron space to itself is what the BJP always wanted. Reducing Sena to a non-entity was central to that project. Can Eknath Shinde now use his political skills to carve out a niche or be a mere shooting star?
POLITICS
Mahayuti’s unexpected scale of victory puts RSS in the driver’s seat within the Sangh Parivar
Sharad Pawar says Ladki Bahin’s contribution to Mahayuti's victory was critical, but the jury's out on whether it was the game changer. What’s more apparent is that when the RSS campaigns enthusiastically, as it did in Haryana and Maharashtra, it can offset many challenges the BJP confronts. Its importance in the electoral arena is now established, which will influence its dynamics with the BJP going forward
POLITICS
MVA in pole position in Maharashtra election
Lok Sabha results in the state dealt a blow to BJP. Not much has changed on the ground since. Economic and agrarian issues are consequential in the election and unlike Haryana it’s harder to consolidate OBCs in to single social bloc as there too many claimants for their support
