Of friends & foes: The perpetual poll mode malady

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Our intellectual horizon reflects the contagion of election cycles. In a world where nations are indulging in nuclear sabre-rattling, what are our leaders doing? Instead of binding the nation, they are sowing the seeds of dissension.

The country feels let down by their shameful acts. Look at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp. (BMC) polls, a ward-level election fought viciously.

Estranged Thackeray brothers closed ranks. Raj Thackeray’s speeches betrayed Shiv Sena’s six decade old anti-Tamil rhetoric. He labelled Tamil Mumbaikars as ‘Rasmalai’ and called them names reminiscent of Shiv Sena’s founder Bala Saheb Thackeray’s old lexicon.

If non-Marathi people contribute to Mumbai’s success, then why don’t they have the equal right to its resources? ’Amchi Mumbai’ (My Mumbai) is their permanent address now. So, why the discrimination? The fear of losing 30 year-long control over the BMC forced the Thackeray family to resurrect the ‘Marathi Manush’ slogan. Even the Pawar family came together in the battle of survival after a nasty fallout between the uncle (Sharad Pawar) and the nephew (Ajit).

It’s clear BMC elections achieved ‘ghar wapsi’ (return home), something the Lok Sabha and state polls had failed on. How did this miracle come about? It’s not too difficult to gauge. With an annual budget at ₹75,000 crore, BMC is India’s richest municipal corporation with a budget larger than nine states.

Balasaheb Thackeray once captured it and steered Shiv Sena to its glory. Mumbai decides the state’s political direction. To control the city, political families can indulge in fratricide, close ranks and can become rivals again.