There was not ever a sliver of doubt about how the BJP views its Lok Sabha campaign in Maharashtra. With a ‘400 paar’ target for the NDA, these 48 seats—next only to Uttar Pradesh’s 80—are a vital hunting ground. That the BJP was approaching its target of 40 Lok Sabha seats from Maharashtra in a brutally clinical manner became increasingly apparent as the second phase of polling concluded.
High-profile crossings of the aisle—former Union minister Milind Deora, former chief minister Ashok Chavan among them—have now been matched by unsentimental exclusions from the candidates list.
The BJP’s laboratory of experiments, which tests the limits of democratic systems, has returned to the hustings. One early conclusion: for the BJP, frustratingly, the Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde factions’ messaging is out-of-sync with the BJP’s thrust to return Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third term. They spend precious campaign minutes on tales of betrayal and family sagas, a dissonance appearing almost geared towards state assembly elections later in the year.
As the battle hots up, THE WEEK takes a close look at five crucial constituencies in the state:
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maratha vote is key
In January, a month before he took his life, Manikrao Anant Godse, 38, was on the outskirts of Mumbai, braving the heat and dust of a two lakh-strong protest. Along with Sainath More—his neighbour from their village Babhulgaon Budruk in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’s Sillod block—he camped outdoors through the five-day journey and shouted slogans demanding reservations for Marathas in higher education and jobs.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 19, 2024 من THE WEEK India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 19, 2024 من THE WEEK India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict
SAHEB LOSES STEAM
Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock