By Ashish Wagh 

December 2, 2024 : It is not very encouraging to hear that many big ticket businesses are moving out of the State. And now, the present imbroglio is the worst that could have happened, especially with the Laadki Bahin. 

The largest GDP contributing State of Maharashtra is now at the mercy of undecided, power hungry and opportunist politicians.

As a staunch supporter of the late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, Vikas Rasam, who was also a part of the Sena led ‘Sthaniya Lokadhikar Samiti’ meant to protect the interests of Marathis in Maharashtra, says, “No true Shiv Sainik will ever subscribe to what is happening today. We fought to protect the future of our Marathi brethren through numerous initiatives. But those seem to be a thing of the past today. There is no such thing as political or social ideology left anymore. It’s become pure dhanda (business).”
D S Narayana, a close associate of Congress strongman from Karnataka, D K Shivkumar, has a holistic view. “Except in the Southern States, everywhere in India, development is in jeopardy. Here in the South, whether it is the Congress or JD S or BJP or any other similar government launching development projects, no new incumbent would demolish what the earlier has launched or is under implementation. Maharashtra is being subjected to the whims and fancy of defectors today. The BJP there, though is also vulnerable because of the strained relationship between the self proclaimed king maker Devendra Fadanvis and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Maharashtra needs medication from its people.”

A senior journalist and a former Personal Assistant to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who, while decrying the current situation, expressed the need for a consensus, which is unbecoming of politicians who are 3-4 decades old in their profession. “The Centre is desirous of having a ‘One Nation – One Election’ diktat imposed on a country which has hundreds of different languages including dialects, and demographics which have been a matter of study for scholars.”

On the current situation in Maharashtra, he said, “The time lag after getting a mandate is worrisome. The sit-in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde gets unwell twice to his chagrin, Ajit Pawar is sporting stealthy laughs while the BJP  indicates that Fadanvis is the next Chief Minister. In this scheme of things, the voters, either paid or unpaid, are now facing uncertainty for the next atleast five six months till the new Pati, Patni aur Woh clash to collapse. Saddest for the common man.”

According to a senior legal professional, Umesh Waghmare, “There is no such thing as a caretaker Chief Minister. It should be Presidential rule.” He was responding to a question on news TV.
“The Laadki Bahin Yojana is becoming a bane for Shinde, who claimed it is his baby. With empty coffers and a cold shoulder by Amit Shah, the scheme has today been revised to Rs 2100/- per month from the next Bhaubeej in October 2025. The sisters are helpless and can’t do anything but wait hapless,” said Ulhas Gurjar, a retired engineer and a Kothrud resident.

Restaurateur Yogesh Alawani from Camp, Pune, feels the questions raised about EVM practice must be addressed by the government. Our votes are our right to franchise, nobody has the right to manipulate it in a democracy, he added.
Similar sentiments mentioned above were echoed by concerned citizens. According to them, they cannot do anything about the current situation but to face the music for the next five years. “Today, in Maharashtra, nobody knows who is the Pati, Patni or for that matter the Woh,” exclaimed Prasad Sawant, an entrepreneur.