Fortifying Maharashtra

The post, which is usually occupied by a Rashtriya Swayavsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary, has been lying vacant since 2021. The party has made this appointment now with an eye on the 2029 general elections

Over the past few days, the BJP has made several organisational appointments in Maharashtra, underlining the significance the party is giving to the state that sends 48 members to the Lok Sabha. While Baijayant Jay Panda has been appointed the state in-charge, the appointment that has attracted attention is of Ajay Jamwal, as organisational general secretary.

Fortifying Maharashtra

The post, which is usually occupied by a Rashtriya Swayavsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary, has been lying vacant since 2021. The party has made this appointment now with an eye on the 2029 general elections.

Jamwal, an RSS pracharak who comes from Himachal Pradesh, was earlier in charge of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where he played a key role in building the party organisation ahead of assembly election victory.

The BJP has also appointed another RSS functionary, Satish Dhond, as co-organisational general secretary. While Jamwal will be based in Mumbai and handle the party organisation in the state, Dhond will operate from Nagpur and will focus on the Vidarbha region. The region is considered the party’s bastion but Congress made significant gains there in the last Lok Sabha polls. In addition, national co-organisational general secretary Shivprakash will also be operating out of Mumbai and oversee the party’s work in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa.

These appointments are seen as the significance the RSS is giving Maharashtra to help the BJP spruce up its organisation for the electoral battle in 2029. Are these appointments meant to help Fadnavis improve the party’s tally in the state or is there more than meets the eye? Fadnavis’s aides say the party will have to trust him if it wants to do well in Maharashtra in 2029.

Embarrassment after pride

Nila Vikhe Patil, niece of Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe- Patil was elected to the Swedish Parliament from Stockholm from the Green Party. Last week, the minister himself posted on social media how he and the Vikhe-Patil family are proud of her achievement. There were even congratulatory banners in Ahilyanagar, the home-district of the Vikhe-Patils. Vikhe-Patil’s son and former MP Sujay, spoke about her in his public meetings. Nila, daughter of Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil’s brother Ashok, however, while speaking to agencies, said she was not in touch with her uncle or cousin in a decade though she keeps coming to India. She said some people might be using her electoral success for their own publicity. She also apparently remarked that she was not someone who would change parties which is seen as a dig at Radhakrishna who has changed parties three times. The father-son duo is now being slammed by their political opponents for trying to take undue credit.

Supriya rules out joining NDA

Speaking at a rally in Pandharpur seeking relief for drought-affected farmers on Saturday, NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule sought to end the speculations of her party joining the NDA and she becoming a minister in the Modi government.

“Rather than munching on cashews and almonds by joining their cabinet, I will fight for you on the streets,” she said, referring to a recent controversy where Shiv Sena MPs were seen munching on dry fruits during a meeting to discuss drought.

Her remarks are now seen as an indication that the possibility of the Sharad Pawar led party joining the NDA directly or indirectly is mostly over. BJP insiders have been saying that the top leadership of the party had put a condition that the two factions of NCP should merge if the Pawar-led faction wanted to join its government. But deputy chief minister and NCP president Sunetra Pawar and her MP son Parth have made it clear that they are not in favour of the merger. The move now seems to have been put on the backburner.

Minister’s son’s lavish birthday

State’s agricultural marketing minister Jaykumar Rawal is facing flak over the lavish celebrations of his son Adityasinh’s birthday at a time when the state’s drought situation is making headlines. The grand celebrations, held in Dondaicha in Dhule, featured an entertainment programme including a performance by foreign dancers. The Opposition grabbed the opportunity to slam Rawal who is also guardian minister of Dhule, one of the drought affected districts. Ironically, Rawal is also the state’s minister for protocol. He comes from a royal family and shifted from NCP to BJP more than a decade ago. In his defence, Rawal said the programme was organised by youths from his constituency and included even blood donation camps. The opposition is also slamming another leader from Dhule, former MLA Kunal Patil for his birthday celebration that involved dance performance by Gautami Patil, who has often been criticised over her dance moves.