Soon after the Pune Police seized ₹5 crore in cash from an SUV owned by a person from Sangola tehsil in Solapur district recently, TV news channels began reporting allegations by Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders that it was meant for MLA Shahajirao Patil of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. Patil, who went viral for his “Kay zadi, kay dongaar (what beautiful trees and hills)” remark while flying to Guwahati during Shinde’s revolt, denied the allegation.
Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) legislator Rohit Pawar alleged that there were five such vehicles, each carrying ₹5 crore. The veracity of the claims and counterclaims could not be verified, but the seizure offered a sneak peek into what lies ahead as Maharashtra goes to polls on November 20. If the police decide to remain this alert, there could be many more such seizures involving both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition MVA.
At the time of filing this report, both alliances were in the final stages of seat-sharing talks. The BJP was nearing 150 seats and the Congress just over a 100. The allocation for their allies was unclear.
Maharashtra is going to witness a unique election this time. The traditional alliances—Congress-NCP on one side and Shiv Sena-BJP on the other—having been changed, the results would not just decide who rules the state but also which faction of the Shiv Sena and the NCP has been accepted by the people. So, it will test the mettle of Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar against Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
