Published on: Nov 10, 2025 05:24 am IST
BJP’s plan is to dominate the local polls in urban as well as rural areas as it wants to set the stage for the 2029 assembly polls
Weeks before the local body polls, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has found himself in a major controversy involving his son Parth over the Pune land deal issue. According to Mahayuti insiders, Pawar tried to wriggle out of the controversy but this will not happen till an inquiry committee headed by additional chief secretary (revenue) Vikas Kharge submits its report to the government in a month or maybe more. In their meeting last Thursday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told Pawar that the case was very serious and this could mean major trouble for him as well as his son. He also made it clear that a probe would have to be conducted, implying that a wrong message would be sent ahead of the upcoming local body polls if the government didn’t take any action. Moreover, someone could file a petition in court saying the government was shielding the scam accused. As deputy CM Pawar wanted a short time frame for the probe, one month was fixed as the limit, according to insiders. A probe lingering on for months would mean uncertainty and provide leverage to the big brother in the alliance. Still, the time frame for the probe coincides with the seat-sharing talks for local polls. The BJP’s plan is to dominate the local body polls in urban as well as rural areas. This will set the stage for party’s aim for complete domination of the state ahead of 2029 assembly polls. In major cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Aurangabad, it would expect the allies to forge an alliance on its terms. Pawar’s aides now feel that post this controversy and pending the probe report, they would have to go on the backfoot in seat-sharing talks for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic bodies, even though NCP has significant strength on the ground.
Leaders from the Mahayuti are pointing out that Fadnavis is sitting on a bunch of ongoing probes – some about decisions taken by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde or his ministers. Now, it’s a case involving Pawar’s son. All the probe reports will go to him for further action.
From friend to foe?
As he took out a march of farmers to Nagpur demanding farm loan waiver, Opposition parties supported Bachchu Kadu. Even farmers’ leaders like Raju Shetti and Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil supported him. Then Kadu reached Mumbai on the CM’s invitation, held talks with him and accepted the assurance of farm loan waiver by June 2026. It irked the opposition leaders who think either Kadu was hand in glove with the ruling parties or played into the latter’s hands. They are now criticising him for accepting the promise of the farm loan waiver. Jarange too is slamming Kadu saying the farmers were misled by the latter. It was only Shiv Sena (UBT) that stayed away from Kadu’s agitation and kept demanding an immediate farm loan waiver.
Raut, the editor
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, who is undergoing treatment for a serious ailment, posted a picture on his X account on Thursday. The picture was of his hands, with a canula for IV put on the right hand, as he was writing—probably the editorial of Saamana, party mouthpiece of which he is executive editor. “Writing should continue…Land belongs to the one who tills it. Newspaper belongs to the one who writes. This was the mantra of our generation,” he wrote in Marathi, implying that he would continue to write even as he undergoes treatment. Back in the Saamana office, it’s work as usual. “We are used to working when he is not around, thanks to his absence when he was behind bars,” said a senior journalist of the paper. “But when it comes to editorial, Raut prefers to write it himself as much as possible.” What is missing is Raut’s daily morning press conferences when he would set the tone for the day’s political debate prompting ruling parties to attack him in return.
Gorhe’s public remarks
Remarks made by deputy chairperson of the state legislative council Neelam Gorhe have raised many an eyebrow in the ruling Mahayuti. At a function held last week to release her Marathi book, Dahi Disha, at the hands of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, Gorhe said that Shinde is still the chief minister in the minds of the people. Among those who were on the dais was senior BJP minister Chandrakant Patil. The remarks by Gorhe, a senior Shiv Sena leader, are also seen as the opinion of most of the leaders from her party.
