Topical

Sunday column 09-07-2023

“Hi, this is Vicky.”
“Vicky? Which one? I know five Vickys.”
“Aare yaar, Vicky Datar. Remember I went to Germany in 2019?”
“Oh yeah, how are you? Back in Mumbai?”
“Yes, for about 15 days. Then back to Bonn.”

“So how are things?”
“All good. Working in Germany. Married. Have a kid now.”
“Oh great! So, what else?”

“I remember you have a degree in political science, right?”
“Yes, I have a good job, nice money, but it was a mistake if you ask me.”
“Why?”
“This Maharashtra politics is unfathomable. A big headache! And my news paper wants me write analytical article daily.”

“I called you for that. You see I am out of touch for the last four years or so. I switched on this marathi news channel, ABCD something…”
“ABP maza.”
“Yeah, and I did not understand a word about what was going on.”
“Yes, especially if you are out of touch for four years.”

“When I left the state elections were just over. This Nana Fadnvis of BJP and Bal Thackrey of Shivsena…..”
“NO, no, Devendra Fadanvis and Uddhav Thackrey!”
“Oh ok! Bal Thackrey had two sons, Uddhav and Raj, right?”
“No, Raj is his nephew. He left him.”
“Anyway, This BJP-Shivsena got majority and were about to form government, right? By that time I left for Germany. They must have formed the government.”

“No, you see, BJP got 105 seats, Shivsena got 56 but Shivsena wanted CM ship. BJP refused. Then SS-NCP-Congress started to come together.”
“NCP… National Communist Party, right?”

“No,no, Nationalistic Congress party led by Sharad Pawar. Sharad Pawar appointed Ajit Pawar as the leader of legislative party in Maharshtra.”
“Ajit is Sharad Pawar’s son, right?”
“No, Nephew. Supriya Sule is his daughter.”
“Then why she is not leading? That is how it works in politics right?”
“Because she is an MP.”
“Oh, just member of party?”
“No, member of parliament, silly? In Delhi. So, SS-NCP-Congress are talking about forming the government and suddenly, Fadanvis and Ajit Pawar form government in the midnight. Fadanvis as CM and Ajit as deputy CM.”

“Wow, then?”
“They resign in 72 hours, because Sharad Pawar tells Ajit to withdraw. Then SS-NCP-Congress form government and Thackrey becomes CM.”
“Raj Thackrey??”
“No, Uddhav Thackrey. Ajit again becomes deputy CM. Then Corona happens and everything comes to standstill for one and half years.”

“Ok, so finally I get it. So, currently, SS-NCP-Congress are in power, and Sharad Pawar is running it by proxy, right?”
“You almost got it right, but that was until one year ago. One year ago SS broke up. 50 MLAs of SS left SS, went to Surat, then to Gauhati, then came back, joined hands with BJP. Thackrey resigned.”
“Raj Thackrey?”
“No yaar, Uddhav Thackrey!”
“Ok, then Nana, sorry, Devendra Fadanvis must have become CM again.”
“Wrong! Eknath Shinde became CM, Fadanvis deputy CM!”

“But BJP has 105 members, right?”
“Yes, but Modi-Shah made Shinde CM! Anyway Fadanvis only is running the government.”
”So, now Shivsena is not in power?”
“Of course it is in power. But now it is the other Shivsena.”
“What do you mean?”

“Look, first there was only one Shivsena formed by Bal Thackrey saheb. Then, Raj Thackrey formed another Sena called MNS. Last year Eknath Shinde broke away from main Shivsena. He claimed his sena was the real Sena. The election commission agreed. So now, Shivsena of Shinde is real Sena. Shiv sena of Uddhav Thackrey is second sena and that of Raj Thackrey is third sena.”

“Ok, so the duplicate sena became real and real one became duplicate. The current real sena is in power with real BJP.”
“Yes, but as of now there is only the real BJP. No duplicate.”
“Now the picture is clear.”

“Wait, this was till fifteen days back.”
“Now what????”
“Now the NCP is broken up. Now Sharad Pawar’s NCP has become duplicate NCP and Ajit Pawar broke away with real NCP.”
“What??”
“Not only that, he joined the current real Sena and BJP in the government. Ajit Pawar has again become deputy CM for the umpteenth time. But he says he will soon become CM.”

“How?”
“That is even more complicated.”

“Let me understand this. Currently we have three Senas, two NCPs and one congress and one BJP. If you also consider NCP as another congress, then you have three congresses. But are you sure at least there is only one BJP?”
“Yes, if you disregard Pankaja Munde for the time being. It is even more difficult to remember which MLA is in which party right now. I am not even talking about MLCs and MPs. Some leaders were in jail. Now they are out. Those who were in jail have now become ministers. Some more will go to jail shortly. So on and so forth.”

“Very confusing indeed. I have already forgotten half of what you have told me. But wait, there was this editor, some Kangana Ranaut or someone, who use to write in Pramana. What about him?”

“You are a true scientist. Pramana is a journal published by BARC. You are talking about Samna newspaper. And Kangana Ranaut is an actress. Sanjay Raut is the editor.”
Yes, what about him.?”
He was in real Sena, which became duplicate. He was thought to be working for Sharad Pawar. But now that NCP is broken, we do not know what is what. For all you know, he might become the next CM.”

“So is this the current picture?”

“Yes, as of today. We do not know what will happen tomorrow. Now rains have started. If some people get wet new things may happen. If rain is deficient, there is that problem of filling the lakes. All in all, situation is very fluid, no pun intended. When I write an article for tomorrow’s edition, I put a disclaimer: As of yesterday!!”

“Very interesting! Thanks for a primer on Maharashtra politics. I am off to Germany. Keep me posted. We will discuss national politics and Rajiv Gandhi next time.”
“You mean Rahul Gandhi, right?”
“Rajiv…Rahul.. may be. I am completely lost as of now. Anyway, Bye for now.”

Shashank Purandare 09/07/2023