Shailesh Gaikwad is senior associate editor, Hindustan Times. He heads the political bureau in HT’s Mumbai edition. In his career of over 18 years, he has covered Maharashtra politics, state government and urban governance issues.
Articles by Shailesh Gaikwad
MVA crisis throws dy speaker’s role into sharp relief
The rebel faction served a no-trust motion against Zirwal on June 22, soon after Shiv Sena’s newly-appointed legislature party leader initiated disqualification proceedings
Published on Jun 28, 2022 12:16 AM IST
Anand Dighe, leader anew in the Sena pantheon
Poster art in Mumbai speaks much louder than any leader’s rhetoric in Mumbai, and if one reads the iconography that has sprung up here like wild bloom in the monsoon rain, the message is loud and clear: Anand Dighe, a Sena leader from Thane who died in 2001, has become the new poster boy in the Sena pantheon, in places even overshadowing party founder Balasaheb Thackeray
Published on Jun 25, 2022 01:18 AM IST
Why Eknath Shinde and rebels invoke Anand Dighe
Anand Dighe who embodied the idea of a hardcore Sainik was a skilled organiser, and built the party up from scratch in the Thane-Dombivali and Kalyan belt
Updated on Jun 25, 2022 03:30 AM IST
Unease in MVA coalition in run-up to legislative council elections
In fact the mood in the ruling camp is in sharp contrast to the atmosphere that prevailed prior to the June 10 Rajya Sabha when there was far greater synergy and optimism between the three parties
Updated on Jun 16, 2022 07:27 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad and Surendra P Gangan
Fadnavis scripts a win for party and self
Mumbai: Two and a half years after he lost chief ministership in ignominy, Devendra Fadnavis fashioned his sweet revenge winning three out of six Rajya Sabha seats for his party
Published on Jun 12, 2022 12:06 AM IST
Maharashtra imposes night curfew from Jan 10; gyms, salons to remain closed
Restaurants, eateries will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity from 8am to 10pm. Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed in cinemas and auditoriums. Gyms, beauty salons will remain closed; hair-cutting salons will function at 50% capacity.
Updated on Jan 08, 2022 08:18 PM IST
Swapnil RawalShailesh Gaikwad | Written by Poulomi Ghosh
Why is the Sena expressing solidarity with the Congress?
The answer is both local and national, and has to do with the Sena’s political vision both within Maharashtra and outside
Updated on Dec 10, 2021 05:13 PM IST
26/11: The day terror hit us
It has been 13 years since the terror attacks in Mumbai orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba left 166 people dead and 238 injured. In what way did the attacks change the state’s politics? Are we prepared to handle disasters better? How does 26/11 still loom over our lives? We examine these questions in a two-part series starting today
Published on Nov 26, 2021 12:12 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad, Mumbai
Maharashtra’s ruling alliance partners improve tally in local bodies by-polls
Experts say the results show the OBC community has not voted decisively for or against any party in the Maharashtra local body by-polls
Published on Oct 07, 2021 09:24 AM IST
How the issue of OBC reservation has shaken Maharashtra’s politics
Representation has been a subject of debate in Maharashtra’s politics since the turn of the previous century.
Updated on Oct 05, 2021 06:36 PM IST
Uddhav Thackeray going far from BJP and closer to Congress-led coalition?
On August 20, Thackeray participated in a meeting of chief ministers of opposition parties and opposition leaders called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and even made a case for a proper strategy to work together.
Published on Aug 27, 2021 12:08 AM IST
Narayan Rane vs Shiv Sena: Old rivalry, new episode
Rane first revolted against the Sena leadership in 2005, when he was convinced that Uddhav Thackeray was nursing the ambition of becoming CM
Published on Aug 25, 2021 12:11 AM IST
Cooperation ministry: Key citadel of Congress, NCP in trouble?
If former chief minister (CM) Narayan Rane’s induction into the Union cabinet has come as a clear signal to Shiv Sena that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will get more aggressive against it in the coming days, the creation of a separate ministry for the cooperative sector has sent alarm bells ringing in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-Congress camp
Published on Jul 11, 2021 12:22 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad and Faisal Malik
Cabinet reshuffle: MVA allies close ranks; Shiv Sena vs BJP to intensify
The uncertainty in the ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition seems to be over at least for now, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) giving a clear signal to the Shiv Sena, with the elevation of former chief minister Narayan Rane as a Union minister
Published on Jul 08, 2021 11:54 PM IST
Surendra P Gangan and Shailesh Gaikwad
Maratha quota: A double-edged sword for Maharashtra government
Uddhav Thackeray has sought restoration of the quota for the Maratha community in government jobs and education. He has also announced that he will lead an all-party delegation to meet PM Narendra Modi in this context.
Updated on May 19, 2021 08:40 PM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
Deshmukh’s exit: The start of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance’s troubles?
The central agencies have got something to put key MVA leaders under the scanner. It could affect govt’s stability
Updated on Apr 06, 2021 03:58 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
No need for Anil Deshmukh to resign, decides NCP
Emerging out of a three-hour long meeting, state NCP chief Jayant Patil said that it was decided that there was no need for Deshmukh to resign.
Updated on Mar 22, 2021 02:39 AM IST
How Param Bir Singh-Deshmukh faceoff puts NCP chief Sharad Pawar in a tough spot
The allegations against home minister Anil Deshmukh have put Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in a tight spot.
Updated on Mar 21, 2021 04:48 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad, Hindustan Times, Mumbai
Trouble shooter-in-chief? Sharad Pawar steps in again to resolve Maharashtra govt’s crisis
Pawar made several suggestions to Uddhav Thackeray and Anil Deshmukh regarding handling the situation related to Sachin Vaze’s case
Published on Mar 19, 2021 01:33 AM IST
In Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray’s repeated encounters with crises
In his 15-month tenure as chief minister of Maharashtra, Thackeray has faced many crises, the latest being the arrest of police officer Sachin Vaze in connection with an explosive-laden SUV found parked outside billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s house last month
Updated on Mar 16, 2021 06:56 AM IST
Pune woman’s suicide: Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Rathod could be on his way out
A senior Shiv Sena functionary said that chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray has made up his mind to take action against Rathod and an announcement on his resignation could be made before the budget session of the state legislature that begins on Monday.
Published on Feb 27, 2021 11:43 PM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad and Tanushree Venkatraman
Dhananjay Munde suffers setback as his upward surge halted by controversy
Dhananjay Munde’s rise in state politics has been impressive since 2014
Published on Jan 16, 2021 12:02 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad, Mumbai
Detractors in Congress denied Sharad Pawar PM post twice: Praful Patel
On Sharad Pawar’s 80th birthday, NCP leader Praful Patel makes the revelation in an article in Shiv Sena mouthpiece; Congress mum on allegations
Updated on Dec 13, 2020 12:06 AM IST
Pawar’s detractors in Congress conspired twice to deny him PM’s chair: Patel
Pawar’s long time political associate Praful Patel has mentioned instances when he thought Sharad Pawar could have become the Prime Minister of India had it not been for some detractors in the Congress party.
Updated on Dec 12, 2020 05:26 PM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Shailesh Gaikwad
MVA government completes a year: More challenges ahead for Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP in Maharashtra
One year later, Uddhav Thackeray has shown that he has the acumen to handle a complex coalition of three parties, even though the uncertainty still exists.
Updated on Nov 27, 2020 12:45 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad, Mumbai
A year on, Maharashtra election results that caused drama; political uncertainty continues
Published on Oct 25, 2020 12:44 AM IST
Maharashtra leader Eknath Khadse quits: NCP’s gain, but is it BJP’s loss?
Eknath Khadse, who comes from Jalgaon district of north Maharashtra, was one of the prominent leaders of the BJP in the state.
Updated on Oct 22, 2020 06:21 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Shailesh Gaikwad, Mumbai
Row between Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and CM Uddhav Thackeray may not end soon
The uneasy relations between governor Koshyari, a former BJP leader and ex-CM of Uttarakhand, started with the formation of the MVA government in November 2019.
Updated on Oct 14, 2020 04:02 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Shailesh Gaikwad
Uddhav Thackeray, Ajit Pawar meet as Shiv Sena, NCP work on an alliance plan for future elections
Published on Jul 24, 2020 12:11 AM IST
Shailesh Gaikwad, Mumbai
Sena-NCP working on electoral alliance, Uddhav Thackeray-Ajit Pawar hold meeting
According to people familiar with the developments, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Sena, and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is a key NCP leader, held a closed-door meeting on Wednesday to discuss the future alliance plan.
Updated on Jul 24, 2020 08:42 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | Shailesh Gaikwad
