Tridib Raman
Two of Maharashtra’s biggest political leaders, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, may soon make some tough political decisions. Due to health concerns, both leaders want to smoothly transfer their political legacy to their children. According to sources, Uddhav recently met with a top industrialist and expressed his willingness for a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Reports suggest that Uddhav is ready to bring his party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction), back into the NDA alliance. However, in return, he wants his son, Aaditya Thackeray, to be given a ministerial position in the central government during the cabinet expansion scheduled for April-May this year. Anyway, Eknath Shinde has been sidelined by the BJP these days. In the new Fadnavis era in Maharashtra, even the loyalists of Deputy Chief Minister Shinde are not doing much. In such a situation, if Uddhav’s Shiv Sena becomes a part of the NDA alliance, then the Modi government’s dependence on Naidu-Nitish may also reduce a bit. If Uddhav’s faction joins the NDA, it could reduce the Modi government’s dependence on leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar. Another major concern for Uddhav is the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Until now, the Uddhav-led Shiv Sena has controlled the BMC, which has a massive budget of ₹74,427 crore for 2025-26. A significant portion of his party’s funding comes, directly or indirectly, through the BMC. The BJP is gearing up for the municipal elections, and if Uddhav loses control over BMC, it could become difficult for him to manage his party. This may be why he is now open to aligning with the BJP. As for veteran Maratha leader Sharad Pawar, he also appears to be tilting towards the BJP. His recent gesture of honouring Maharashtra’s Deputy CM, Eknath Shinde, at a major event has reportedly led to continuous communication between him and the BJP leadership. Sources claim that the BJP is trying to reunite Sharad Pawar’s party with Ajit Pawar’s faction and offer Sharad’s daughter, Supriya Sule, a ministerial position in the Modi government. Both Uddhav and Sharad Pawar share a common concern—their health. They want to secure their children’s political future as soon as possible.
Can the RSS Bet on Shivraj?
Tridib Raman
Although suspense still lingers regarding the new BJP president, in recent days, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has emerged as the frontrunner. It is said that earlier, the RSS was firmly marching in favour of Manohar Lal Khattar, but in a changed scenario, their focus has now shifted to Shivraj. Over the past few days, Shivraj has been busy preparing for the weddings of his two sons, Kartikeya and Kunal. On February 14, his younger son Kunal’s wedding with Riddhi Jain took place in Bhopal, and his elder son Kartikeya’s wedding with Amanat Bansal, daughter of a prominent business family, is scheduled for March 6 at a renowned resort in Udaipur. Sources say that Shivraj has distributed at least 25,000 invitations for his sons’ wedding ceremonies. Each invitation includes a shawl, a box of sweets, and a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. These invitations have been sent to RSS pracharaks and national office bearers. The BJP top brass is also closely watching Shivraj’s moves.
Is the BJP Top Brass Upset with Hemant Biswa?
Tridib Raman
Assam’s firebrand Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, might have to pay the price for his outspoken nature. His aggressive Hindutva rhetoric—both inside and outside Assam—has led to a rapid consolidation of Muslim votes against the BJP. With the Assam Assembly elections scheduled for 2026, internal BJP surveys indicate that not just Muslim voters, but even a section of Hindu voters are divided over Sarma’s hardline Hindutva agenda. Until now, Badruddin Ajmal’s party, AIUDF, played a crucial role in splitting Muslim votes. However, sources suggest that Assam’s Muslim electorate is now distancing itself from Ajmal, suspecting that AIUDF might, knowingly or unknowingly, be acting as the BJP’s ‘B team.’ Political strategists believe that this time, Assam’s Muslim voters will unite behind the Congress, which could put the party in an advantageous position. Additionally, the BJP’s top leadership is reportedly displeased with Sarma for failing to deliver results in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, where he was entrusted with a key role in the party’s campaign. This setback has further strained his position within the party.
Congress Leadership Divided Over Pappu Yadav
Tridib Raman
Rahul Gandhi has been actively focusing on Bihar in recent times, visiting the state twice in the past few days. Just this Friday, under his initiative, the Congress in-charge for Bihar was replaced. Mohan Prakash was removed, and Krishna Allavaru, a young leader from Karnataka and a close confidant of Rahul Gandhi, was appointed as the new Bihar Congress in-charge. Known for his strong organizational skills and strategic acumen, Allavaru also oversees the Youth Congress. With Bihar Assembly elections set to take place later this year, speculation is rife that the state Congress unit will soon get a new president. According to sources, Priyanka Gandhi’s top choice for the role is Pappu Yadav, an independent MP from Purnia. Priyanka reportedly believes that if Pappu Yadav cannot be appointed for any reason, then his wife, Ranjeet Ranjan, should be given the responsibility.During Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Patna, Pappu Yadav left no stone unturned in making his presence felt. From Patna Airport to Maurya Hotel (where Rahul was staying), the city was flooded with hoardings, banners, and posters featuring Pappu Yadav. As Rahul’s convoy moved through the streets, Pappu Yadav’s supporters enthusiastically raised slogans in his favour. It is said that Pappu Yadav even booked a room in the same Maurya Hotel, hoping for a one-on-one meeting with Rahul, but it did not happen. Rahul is well aware that backing Pappu Yadav could lead to serious displeasure from Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family, particularly Tejashwi Yadav, who strongly dislike Pappu Yadav. However, Rahul also understands that if the Congress is forced to contest Bihar elections alone, Pappu Yadav could become a major ‘Trump card’ for them.
Jat Enthusiasm Over Parvesh Verma
Tridib Raman
After defeating a political heavyweight like Arvind Kejriwal in the elections, BJP leader Parvesh Verma is riding high on confidence. He is now actively staking his claim for the Chief Minister’s position. Thanks to Verma, several prominent Jat leaders from Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan have set up camp in the capital and are rallying in his favour. These Jat leaders are reportedly meeting senior BJP leaders and continuously pressuring them, saying that “Pravesh Verma would be the most suitable candidate for the post of Delhi Chief Minister from both the party’s and the public’s perspective.” However, the BJP leadership seems to have a different viewpoint. Sources within the party reveal that the leadership does not see any significant advantage in appointing a Jat Chief Minister in Delhi at this time. Haryana’s Assembly elections are already over, and in Western Uttar Pradesh, Jat voters are not seen as decisive for the BJP since elections there often witness a strong Hindu-Muslim polarization, making caste-based politics less effective. There is also a growing sentiment within the BJP that “appointing the son of a former Chief Minister as CM will not send the right message to the party cadre.”
Congress Reshuffle: Focus on Experience and Clean Leaders
The Congress party is witnessing significant organizational changes, with a new list of in-charges announced this Friday. Veteran leaders like Mohan Prakash, Deepak Babaria, Devendra Yadav, Rajeev Shukla, Bharat Singh Solanki, and Dr. Ajay Kumar have been relieved of their duties. Meanwhile, new in-charges for states include names like Bhupesh Baghel, Dr. Syed Nasir Hussain, BK Hari Prasad, Krishna Allavaru, Rajni Patil, and Ajay Kumar Lallu. Sources indicate that the reshuffle was carefully planned to ensure that only experienced leaders with strong organizational skills—free from any political baggage—were given key responsibilities. One of the most surprising inclusions was BK Hariprasad. Reportedly, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge personally pushed for his appointment, arguing that Hariprasad had not been utilized effectively after the Karnataka elections. His name was added just a day before the final list was released. Apart from Karnataka, leaders from Kerala have also been given key positions. Ever since Priyanka Gandhi became the MP from Wayanad, Kerala leaders have been receiving her special attention. Another widely discussed name was Sandeep Singh, a close member of Priyanka Gandhi’s core team. However, due to internal debates for and against him, uncertainty remains over assigning him a new responsibility.
