NDA-I.N.D.I.A. share spoils in this year's last Assembly elections; Parliament freezes in Winter Session as oppn mounts protest

Hello readers,

Welcome to another edition of DH Political Theatre, where we dissect the buzz from this week's political corridors. It has been a roller coaster ride, as always in politics, with the Maharashtra and Jharkhand election results delivering predictable outcomes, while Adani's indictment dominated discussions across the political landscape, both in the country and on foreign shores.

Meanwhile, the Parliament Winter Session has been stalled for four consecutive days, with no business conducted. The Opposition, led by Congress, has rocked both Houses with demands for discussions on a range of issues - from the Adani controversy to 75 years of the Constitution. The Chairs of both Houses remain unmoved, and proceedings have been adjourned until Monday. Stay tuned as we delve into these stories and more.

Maharashtra and Jharkhand steer the way clear for NDA and I.N.D.I.A.

The results of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, declared on November 23, marked significant developments for both the NDA and I.N.D.I.A. Riding on a series of welfare schemes targeting women and a careful shift of gears after the Lok Sabha poll debacle, the BJP-led NDA secured a spectacular victory in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and its allies stormed back to power in Jharkhand. Having registered its best-ever performance, it scripted a stunning comeback for the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.

In Maharashtra, however, the elections threw an existential crisis for key players like the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, and the Congress, which recorded its lowest ever-tally in the state. This outcome outlined the Herculean challenge ahead of the Congress, which was believed to be on the path of revival after the Lok Sabha gains.

For the record, in Maharashtra, the Maha Yuti coalition of the BJP, Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP secured a commanding 235 out of the 288 Assembly seats, with the BJP alone winning 132 seats.

In Jharkhand, the JMM and its allies claimed 56 out of the 81 Assembly seats, reinforcing their stronghold in the state.

Maharashtra deadlock over CM continues

Following the Maharashtra poll results, the alliance has come up against a fresh challenge -- deciding the Chief Minister. It has been a week since the BJP-led coalition, which includes Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction and Ajit Pawar's NCP, registered a thumping victory. However, the million-dollar question - Who will don the CM hat? - remains unanswered.

Leaders of Maha Yuti have gone through numerous huddles to reach an agreement, but there has not been any white smoke yet. While the BJP's commanding number of seats makes Devendra Fadnavis the natural frontrunner, caretaker CM Eknath Shinde appears to be demanding more than what the coalition is prepared to offer, adding to the deadlock.

In contrast, Jharkhand has swiftly moved past its elections. Hemant Soren took the oath as the Chief Minister on Friday, marking his fourth innings - a first in the state's 24-year history. His swearing-in ceremony witnessed a show of solidarity from the I.N.D.I.A. bloc leaders.

'Modi hai to mumkin hai,' but for who? Whose business is Parliament?

A week expected to set off to a blistering start sadly proved to be a no-show. The Winter Session of the Parliament, which began on November 25, should have been tackling pressing national issues with vigour. Instead, the first five days were largely unproductive, with almost no business conducted. Despite heightened public interest in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the sessions were marked by disruptions and protests.

Allegations of Adani-related bribery charges in the US dominated discussions, reverberating in both Houses, while critical matters like the ongoing unrest in Sambhal and the continued turmoil in Manipur were sidelined. These issues demanded urgent attention, yet received little more than symbolic acknowledgement.

By the numbers, the Lok Sabha functioned for just six minutes on Monday, 14 minutes on Wednesday, 14 minutes on Thursday, and 20 minutes on Friday. The Rajya Sabha fared no better, clocking 33 minutes, 13 minutes, 16 minutes, and 13 minutes respectively on the same days.

This detailed accounting underlined the misuse of taxpayer money during a time when meaningful dialogue and action are sorely needed. Parliament is set to reconvene on December 2.

Will the nation’s leaders rise above partisan gridlock and address the issues that truly matter, or will it be another week of wasted opportunities?

Bypoll tide in ruling party's favour

Even though the results of the Assembly Elections to Maharashtra and Jharkhand cast a shadow on the by-poll elections, the victories in these by-elections have reinforced confidences in the parties. The ruling parties held sway in most of the 13 states in the assembly by-election results.

Out of the 46 seats, the BJP and its allies won 26, followed by Congress with seven. The bypolls also saw Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi cruising to her maiden electoral victory from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. With a little over 4.1 lakh victory margin, she surpassed the margin of 3.64 lakh secured by her brother and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the general elections earlier this year.

In Karnataka, the ruling Congress swept all three bypolls by dismissing the challenge from an emboldened BJP-JD(S) combine. With the Congress pocketing Channapatna, Shiggaon and Sandur, the victory would come as huge relief for embattled CM Siddaramaiah and of course, his party.

UP's Sambhal on the boil - Silence speaks volumes!

Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, erupted in violent clashes on Sunday following the court-mandated survey of the Mughal-era Jama Masjid. The survey, prompted by a petition by Hindu seer Rishiraj Giri and others, aims to uncover the 'remnants of a temple' believed to lie beneath the historic mosque.

The unrest claimed four lives, left several injured, including police officers, and continues to keep the region on the edge. The key question remains, where does this cycle of conflict end?

A similar situation is unfolding in Rajasthan's Ajmer Dargah, where a local court has issued notices to the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, ASI and Ajmer Dargah Committee on a plea seeking to investigate claims of a temple beneath the iconic mosque.

Both incidents are rooted in allegations made by specific groups, raising tensions and sparking debates over history, heritage, and communal harmony.

Lebanon truce, finally!

In a rare diplomatic breakthrough, a ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has been brokered by the United States and France.

The truce that took effect from Wednesday, has brought much-needed relief to the region. Civilians in both countries are cautiously beginning to return to their homes along the border, signaling tentative optimism.

This agreement ends one of the deadliest confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah in recent years. However, tensions remain high as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The truce is set to last 60 days, with hopes pinned on achieving a permanent cessation of hostilities. This does not seem to be holding, however, with Israeli military saying Lebanese residents are prohibited from moving south to several villages.

Indian neighbourhoods on turmoil again

India's neighbours, Bangladesh and Pakistan find themselves in turmoil once again, only months after widespread protests ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, paving the way for Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus to serve as interim chief adviser.

Recent unrest erupted following the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari at Dhaka Airport on sedition charges for allegedly disrespecting the national flag. The arrest has triggered widespread protests in Dhaka, highlighting the country’s persistent volatility.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, peaceful protests escalated into violent clashes near the Parliament. Protesters, demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, confronted security forces, further exacerbating the nation’s fragile political climate.

And that's a wrap for this week! With the Winter Session set to reconvene on Monday, we look forward to bringing you updates on what promises to be a more eventful week. Until then, stay safe, and goodbye!

Exit Stage Left,

DH Newsletters Team