Politics
Mahila, Kisan, ‘OBC Safe Hain’, Vidarbha Flip & Sharad’s Collapse: 5 Factors Behind Mahayuti’s Maharashtra Win
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BJP has played the lead role in the Mahayuti by leading in more seats that the entire MVA combined. It is the single-largest party with seats in the high three-digit mark
Support from women and farmers, an OBC consolidation post the ‘Ek Hain Toh Safe Hain’ slogan of the prime minister, a total flip in the Vidarbha region, and the collapse of Sharad Pawar — these five major reasons are behind the sweep of the Mahayuti (MY) in the Maharashtra elections, led by BJP.
With 53 lakh more women voting in these elections compared to 2019, and their voting percentage rising by six percentage points, the female voter has rewarded the Mahayuti for the ‘Ladki Behan Yojana’ under which over 2.5 crore women in the state got five instalments of Rs 1,500 each till the elections. With the ‘first-mover’ advantage in this scheme, the Mahayuti promised hiking the amount to Rs 2,100 — something that the women voters have reposed their faith in rather than the Rs 3,000 promise of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). It is clear that these women voters transcended caste barriers, as well as religious barriers, to vote for the Mahayuti.
BJP has played the lead role in the Mahayuti by leading in more seats that the entire MVA combined. It is the single-largest party with seats in the high three-digit mark. Another big reason for this is farmers supporting the MY in a big way after BJP reached out to the cotton and soybean farmers with assurances on the MSP issue. BJP promised to procure cotton crops above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) this season and to procure soybean under the Price Support Scheme with moisture content tolerance of up to 15 per cent. It seems farmers were no longer upset with the Mahayuti.
ALSO READ | ‘Fadnavis Will Be Our CM’: Maharashtra BJP Cadres Root For ‘Devabhau’s’ Return
BJP also departed from convention to promise a full loan waiver for farmers — something it has usually not done in state elections. This is responsible for the complete flip in the Vidarbha region which the Mahayuti has won in a big way this time, after losing eight out of the 10 Lok Sabha seats here in the general elections six months ago.
The fourth, and a major factor, for the Mahayuti’s win is the strong OBC consolidation in the Mahayuti’s favour, driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan ‘Ek Hain Toh Safe Hain’. The slogan was such a draw that Rahul Gandhi had to keep his last press conference in the Maharashtra campaign around the same. While MVA had said the slogan is divisive, it has served its purpose of a Hindu consolidation in Maharashtra. In the Lok Sabha elections, the Maratha-Muslim-Mahar (Ambedkarite Buddhist) consolidation had hurt the MY as the ‘Constitution is in danger’ narrative run amok. Mahayuti had faced a double whammy in the Lok Sabha polls. While Marathas then voted against them due to the unfulfilled promise of reservation, the Other Backward Classes (OBC), too, were upset with the BJP’s overtures to the Marathas.
However, this time, the PM’s slogan became the dominant narrative and counter consolidation of the 38 per cent OBC vote in Maharashtra.
The final, and perhaps the most critical reason for the BJP’s big performance, is the collapse of Sharad Pawar’s party and the defeat of the Congress in direct contests with the BJP. There were 76 seats in which BJP and Congress were in direct fights — BJP is leading in nearly 2/3rds of these seats. The high strike rate of the BJP has hurt the Congress heavily. Sharad Pawar was seen as a threat in the BJP camp before the elections but his collapse and finish at the last spot has hurt the MYA. Also, BJP has been able to snatch a lot of the ‘Hindu vote’ of Uddhav Thackeray’s party with its popular slogan ‘Ek Hain Toh Safe Hain’. The good performance of Eknath Shinde has also hurt Uddhav in the direct contests.
A hidden weapon of the BJP has been the strong RSS groundwork in Maharashtra in these elections — the right-wing organisation did over 60,000 small meetings in the state and mobilised the BJP voter to come out and vote. That reflected in the record 5 per cent higher voting in the state this time, as well as the 80 per cent+ strike rate of the BJP in the 152 seats it contested in these elections.
The million-dollar question now is — with its big tally, which is more than double that of Eknath Shinde’s party, will the BJP insist upon Devendra Fadnavis as the chief minister, as he has the backing of the RSS too?
Politics
‘PM Modi Won’t Take More Than Two Days To Defeat Bangladesh’: Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane
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Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane said Hindu community just has one country – India. Nepal is also a Hindu majority country, but number of community members is very less in Himalayan nation.
Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane on Tuesday claimed India will save Hindus in Bangladesh, where they are facing attacks, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi can defeat the neighbouring nation in “48 hours”.
Speaking at a rally organised in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra to protest against atrocities on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, Rane said India is being surrounded by all sides everyday.
He said the Hindu community just has one country – India. Nepal is also a Hindu majority country, but the number of community members is very less in the Himalayan nation.
“Muslims have many countries. If you (Muslims) do not like our country then leave,” the ruling coalition MLA maintained.
Hindu women are being kidnapped and stones are being pelted on Ganpati, Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti rallies/processions in Maharashtra, alleged the MLA whose party is aligned with the BJP.
“We will save Hindus in Bangladesh. There is (PM) Narendra Modi for that. But it is our responsibility to save our country. Do not let your guard down. Modi ji will not take more than two days to defeat Bangladesh. We will defeat Bangladesh in 48 hours,” the Shiv Sena legislator told the gathering in his home district.
Nilesh Rane is son of former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane and elder brother of BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, who has been accused of make provocative speeches.
Nilesh Rane, a former BJP member, joined the Shiv Sena led by deputy CM Eknath Shinde ahead of the last month’s assembly polls and won from Kudal in Sindhudurg district.
Meanwhile, in Thane district, the Sakal Hindu Samaj, on the occasion of World Human Rights Day, organized an event to highlight atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh and express solidarity with them.
A delegation representing the organization met with Thane district collector Ashok Shingare and Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dhumbre, and submitted a memorandum outlining their concerns and demands.
The memorandum brought attention to the “inhumane treatment and violence faced by Hindus in Bangladesh,” and urged the Indian government to take “swift and decisive action” to address the crisis.
To amplify their message, the Sakal Hindu Samaj organized a “silent march” in Thane on Sunday, as part of the “Bangladesh Hindu Nyaya Yatra” (Bangladesh Hindu Justice March).
The campaign also extended to Vasai in Palghar district, where hundreds of citizens took part in the yatra. The march was led by BJP leader Mahendra Patil.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
- Location :
Sindhudurg, India
Politics
INDIA Bloc To Move Supreme Court Over EVM Concerns
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The decision to approach the Supreme Court against the Election Commission was announced by Prashant Jagtap, leader of the NCP-Sharad Pawar who lost the assembly elections from the Hadapsar seat in Pune
The opposition INDIA bloc in Maharashtra is set to move the Supreme Court over alleged manipulation of EVMs in the recent assembly elections.
The decision to approach the Supreme Court against the Election Commission was announced by Prashant Jagtap, leader of the NCP-Sharad Pawar who lost the assembly elections from the Hadapsar seat in Pune.
The decision was announced after a meeting between NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and noted lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi here.
Pawar has been meeting leaders of his party who lost the assembly elections.
The INDIA bloc has claimed that it lost the elections in Maharashtra due to alleged manipulation of EVMs in favour of the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition.
In the elections held last month, the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition won 235 seats in the 288-member House while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance bagged 46.
During the meeting, Kejriwal flagged concerns related to voter lists in Delhi where assembly elections are due early next year.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
Politics
Jagdeep Dhankhar Vs Opposition: What Next For Vice-President After Motion For Removal?
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Opposition’s motion of removal against Jagdeep Dhankhar: The notice, as per article 67(B) of the Constitution, will have to be put to vote first in the Rajya Sabha and, if needed, later in the Lok Sabha
A total of 60 MPs from opposition parties have submitted a notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General, demanding a motion for removal of Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar
The MPs from the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Samajwadi Party (SP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and other INDIA bloc allies have alleged that Dhankhar’s conduct is biased and therefore unbecoming of his position as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Article 67(b) of the Constitution of India states that the Vice-President can be removed from office by a resolution of the council of states. The resolution must be passed by a majority of the council of states and agreed to by the House of the People. Before a resolution can be moved, at least 14 days’ notice must be given of the intention to move the resolution.
For the first time in the 72-year history of the Rajya Sabha, Opposition Parties have formally submitted a no-confidence motion against the Chairman.There have been three occasions, however, when a no-confidence motion has been moved against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. pic.twitter.com/DHjo5vqL2K
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 10, 2024
WHAT NEXT?
The notice, as per article 67(B) of the Constitution, will have to be put to vote first in the Rajya Sabha and, if needed, later in the Lok Sabha.
Constitutional expert P D T Achari told News18 that the Rajya Sabha rule book makes no mention of any provision for removal of the chairperson. However, article 67 of the Constitution provides for the procedure for impeachment of the Vice-President of India. “The motion moved by the opposition will have to be put to vote in the Rajya Sabha. If a majority votes in favour, then it will be sent to the Lok Sabha. The Vice-President can be removed only if a majority of members in both the houses vote to impeach him,” Achary said.
#WATCH | On Opposition’s no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, ” In the last 72 years, it is the first time that Opposition parties have submitted a motion over Rajya Sabha Chairman. This shows how the situation has… pic.twitter.com/ySiO4r8D7u— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2024
GOVERNMENT’S STAND
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju condemned the move by the INDIA bloc, but said the government did not have a problem in accepting the notice and getting it voted upon. Rijiju, however, pointed out that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) enjoys a majority in Parliament and all NDA MPs have full faith in the chairperson. “This notice is a diversionary tactic because the Congress is scared and disturbed over the Soros revelation. Dhankhar is a Jat, son of a farmer. We condemn this move to target him,” Rijiju said.
14 DAYS REQUIREMENT
As per article 67, a 14-day notice must be given before any resolution to remove the Vice-President is voted upon. Achari clarified that although this is an unprecedented situation, a bare reading of the Constitution suggests that the resolution moved by the opposition can be taken up in the next session of Parliament as less than 10 working days remain in the winter session. “A special session of the two houses can be called or the notice can be voted upon in the next session,” he told News18.
UNPRECEDENTED MOVE
Dhankhar has become the first Vice-President in the history of Independent India to face such a motion for removal. The numbers in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha favour the ruling side, but the opposition insists on “putting on record the bias of the Chair”.
“As Chairperson, the manner in which Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts parliamentary affairs of the Rajya Sabha is extremely partisan. It is a matter of record that Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has repeatedly interrupted members of the Opposition while they are speaking, unfairly used privilege motions to silence leaders of the opposition, and openly delegitimized dissent with respect to the actions of the Government in the utmost disparaging manner,” the notice alleges.
It adds that his open praise for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and calling himself an “Ekalavya of the RSS” is proof of his bias. Rijiju dismissed the charge and said there was nothing wrong with praising an organisation like the RSS.
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