With the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled to be held in October-November 2025, the BJP has commenced playing Kaun Banega CM with its ally in Bihar, the JD(U) First it was Union Home Minister Amit Shah dispelled speculations that the BJP might push for a Maharashtra-like strategy in Bihar. However, Nitish Kumar’s silence on the issue has raised speculation in political circles that he might make another political turnaround before the Assembly election. The BJP state leaders started singing praises for Nitish and asserting that he was the face of the NDA alliance in the state and would lead the coalition in the upcoming assembly elections. Meanwhile Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s recent visit to Delhi has raised eyebrows. While he paid respects to the family of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but he avoided meeting BJP leaders and skipped a crucial meeting called by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Adding to the tension, BJP’s Bihar unit refused to allocate seats to JD(U) for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. In response, JD(U) leaders Sanjay Jha and Lallan Singh announced plans to contest independently, indicating growing friction between the allies. Lalu Prasad had said, “Our doors are open (for Nitish). He should also unbolt his gates. This would facilitate movement of people from both sides”. The buzz is that the JD(U) is preparing for a hard bargain for the Bihar assembly polls.
SAMAJWADI PARTY SUSPENDS ITS PDA CHARCHA FOR THE TIME BEING DUE TO COLD WEATHER
To reach Dalit, OBC and Muslims in all 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh in view of the 2027 Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) had launched a month-long “PDA Charcha” programme in the state and kept its PDA campaign focusing on B R Ambedkar’s legacy with the party leaders in their speeches, flagging the alleged insult of the Constitution’s architect by the BJP. The SP started the campaign on December 26, 2024 which was to continue till January 25, 2025. However, after holding the programme for a few days, the party has deferred it and gave reason of the prevailing cold weather, deciding to resume it from January 27. In its PDA Charcha campaign, the SP leaders would propagate and spread the ideas of Ambedkar and renew the Opposition’s call for save the Constitution.
EFFORTS ARE ON TO BRING ABOUT A RECONCILIATION BETWEEN SHARAD PAWAR AND AJIT
Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s mother Asha-tai Pawar has called for the reunion of her son and her brother-in-law Sharad Pawar amid speculation of a reconciliation between the two leaders. Praful Patel, adding to the confusion , said he would be content if the Pawar family got united, saying that Sharad Pawar was like God to them. However, reactions from the family remained mixed, with Supriya Sule declining to comment and Yugendra Pawar, a younger family member, putting the onus on those who left to make the first move. Rumours of a possible reconciliation started gaining traction after Ajit Pawar made an unscheduled visit to Sharad Pawar’s residence in Delhi on December 12 to wish him on his birthday. The visit comes a month after the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction faced defeat in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Political observers see a potential for healing, others wonder if the gap between the two leaders can ever be bridged.
SHIV SENA (UBT) PLANS TO CONTEST MOST SEATS IN MUMBAI MUNICIPAL POLLS
Amidst significant electoral defeats of the Congress in Maharashtra assembly polls, allies are seeking to reconstitute the power equations, with Shiv Sena (UBT) planning to fight alone in the upcoming key elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the all-important electoral battle to control Mumbai’s functional logistics and the cash-rich civic body. The third MVA ally, NCP (SP), is not a player in the BMC polls. Of the 36 assembly seats in Mumbai region which form BMC’s electoral territory, SS (UBT) won 10 while Congress could bag only three against the Mahayuti’s combined tally of 22, with the remaining one going to SP. Therefore, SS (UBT) now wants to maximise its fight on all BMC seats. Meanwhile, Abu Azmi, the president of Samajwadi party in Maharashtra, has claimed that his party will contest these elections alone.
POLL CAMPAIGN BECOMES BITTER FOR DELHI POLLS AS AAP, BJP AND CONGRESS ACCUSE EACH OTHER
The political activity in Delhi is gaining momentum as the National capital heads to polls in February. , AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has written to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to ask if the RSS will seek votes for the BJP in the Capital, and whether it supports the party’s “wrongdoings”. Hitting back, the BJP claimed that the people of Delhi are seeking response from Kejriwal regarding his lies, opportunism, and failure to meet public expectations for development. The BJP accused the former Delhi CM of creating new dramas and distractions to divert attention from his shortcomings. While the Congress criticised both sides. Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said that if the BJP was distributing money to influence voters, and deleting the names of the poor, Dalits, slum dwellers and Purvanchalis from the electoral rolls, then that was illegal and undemocratic, but added that the AAP chief should also hold up a mirror to see the reflection of his own misdeeds and unfulfilled promises. (IPA Service)
Centre Must Allocate Higher Funds In Budget For Healthcare And Education 