Will the Congress emerge as the single largest party in Maharashtra after the assembly elections in October-November? The ruling saffron alliance, especially the BJP leadership, will vehemently deny such a possibility. But, going by the results of the Lok Sabha elections, it would be fair to say that the Congress can win over 80 seats and thereby emerge as the single largest party.
A top Congress leader told THE WEEK that the party is way ahead in the Vidarbha region, which has 62 seats. Because of the Maratha reservation agitation, the Maha Vikas Aghadi will have an upper hand in the Marathwada region (46 seats), where the Congress will be on an equal standing with its allies, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). In western Maharashtra (58), the MVA will be ahead once again and the Congress and the NCP(SP) will dominate the scene. In Mumbai (36), too, the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) will dominate, said the leader who is among the decision makers for the state Congress. The only regions where the Congress appears weak are north Maharashtra (47) and Konkan (39).
The leader, requesting anonymity, further said that the Congress is comfortable in 70-80 seats. He said he could not give an exact number because seat sharing has not been finalised. The party has classified assembly constituencies into A, B and C categories. “A is where the Congress can win, B is where the party has to put in an effort and C is where it is weak,” he said. “But, rallies by senior leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi can certainly make a difference for us in every seat.”
This story is from the September 01, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
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 September 01, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
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
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus
RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
