Maharashtra
Amit Shah’s Ganeshotsav trip to Maharashtra may be devotional-cum-political

Over two months after the alliance government of Shiv Sena rebel faction leader and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took charge, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to visit Mumbai on September 5, at the height of the Ganeshotsav festival.
Shah’s customary annual visit to the state’s biggest festival for the past few years used to be a largely religious affair – visiting the Lalbaugcha Raja and other important venues, and taking ‘darshan’ of Lord Ganesha at the homes of several BJP bigwigs in the city.
This year, however, the devotional menu may be laced with a subtle political docket intended to strengthen the Shinde-Fadnavis regime – currently bedevilled by internal, external and legal hassles, plus other political ghosts.
Fadnavis acknowledged all the possibilities with a grin, indicating “there will be a political agenda” during Shah’s visit on Monday, but declined to elaborate.
The Shinde-Fadnavis government has been struggling to attain credibility among the masses after it toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, led by Uddhav Thackeray.
The MVA has viciously targeted and vituperatively lampooned them for the manner in which the government came to power, with embarrassing choruses of “Khoke Ok” (boxes, implying Rs 50 crore), “traitors”, etc. haunting the “ED sarkar” and needling the 40-odd legislators of the rebel group who sneaked out from June 10 onwards.
The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena even went a step ahead comparing them with a famous Arabian Nights tale of 40 dubious characters, attracting howls of protests and bitter counter-attacks from the “turncoats”.
Shinde faced flak for the massive delays in the cabinet expansion with 18 Ministers – which took place 41 days after he and Fadnavis took oath on June 30 – followed by the hiccups in allocating portfolios, and the hanging swords of the legal tussle in the Supreme Court.
Now, he confronts discontent afresh with many MLAs from his and BJP side clamouring for ministerial berths, and while a second round of expansion may take a while, Shah may cast a benign “glance” and placate the restless legislators.
There is the pending issue of the proposed tie-up with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, which the BJP has been hoping for since the past over a couple of years.
Once a sharp BJP-baiter, Raj Thackeray apparently sobered up his pilgrimage to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in August 2019, and now the “ED sarkar” is “after” him for a much-anticipated partnership, ahead of the upcoming crucial civic polls.
After recovering from a hip surgery, Raj Thackeray has been the flavour of the season for the BJP with a host of leaders calling on him, like Shinde, Fadnavis, state and city party heads Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Ashish Shelar, respectively, and others.
There’s intense speculation that Shah may home in on the reluctant Raj Thackeray and nudge him into a cooperative alliance – for the mutual benefit of MNS-BJP-Shinde Group – in the civic elections, to begin with, and get a “Thackeray” on the BJP side.
In recent weeks, some prominent Congressmen like ex-CM Ashok Chavan, have been doing multiple rounds of several BJP leaders, rattling the party’s state unit.
However, Congress leaders and Chavan have been claiming that these meetings pertain to “official or constituency-related works”, but the political grapevine is furiously spreading into a vineyard!
It is not immediately clear whether Shah will devote any attention to this new political development – that may well spell further doom for the MVA.
Maharashtra
Anti-drug rally of Govindi Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi

Mumbai: A massive anti-drug rally was taken out today under the leadership of Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi to draw attention to the serious problem of drug addiction and illegal drug trade in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency and to create public awareness against it.
Thousands of workers and local citizens participated in the rally. Protesters took to the streets and demanded strict action against the illegal drug trade and appealed to the youth to stay away from drugs.
The main objective of the rally was to free the youth of the area from the clutches of drugs and to put pressure on the administration to stop this illegal trade. Abu Asim Azmi himself led the rally and stressed the need for immediate and strict action against the drug problem in the area. Not only party workers but also a large number of mothers, sisters, young and old citizens of the area participated in the demonstration, highlighting the seriousness of the problem.
The drug problem in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency has been a topic of discussion for many years and it is badly affecting the lives of local citizens. By organizing this rally, MLA Azmi has once again shown his determination to solve this important problem faced by the citizens of his constituency. Speaking on the occasion, MLA Abu Asim Azmi warned the administration: “Immediate and strict action should be taken against those involved in the illegal drug trade, otherwise the Samajwadi Party and the local citizens will intensify the protest.” The rally proved to be an important rally in drawing attention to the social and health problems of the Mankhurdshivaji Nagar area.
Maharashtra
A new police station should be established in Govandi Shivaji Nagar. Maharashtra SP leader Abu Asim Azmi demands from Police Commissioner Devin Bharti

abu aasim aazmi
Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has demanded the establishment of a new police station in Shivaji Nagar constituency from Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. He said that the old police station has been shifted to Mahada, which makes it very difficult to reach the police station from the SMS company area and it takes half an hour to an hour. In such a situation, a new police station should be established in Shivaji Nagar constituency. There has been an increase in drug abuse, crimes and other incidents in Shivaji Nagar and Govindi areas, along with an increase in the population here. It is necessary to establish a police station in proportion to the population, while the presence of police stations and personnel is not there in proportion to the population. He said that Police Commissioner Devin Bharti has said that after the recruitment of police, the police station will be established and manpower will be deployed in the police stations. Along with this, Abu Asim Azmi has also accused the local administration of irregularities in the distribution of funds along with the establishment of the police station. He said that now the corporation and The BMC election has not been held, there are Samajwadi Party corporators here but they are not being provided funds, but whoever joins the Shinde group is provided funds, this is complete injustice and therefore the funds should be distributed equally. He said that the government has no concern with the slum areas, the police presence will remain in Walkashore, Malabar Hill and Cuffe Parade, but there is no police presence in the slum areas and there is a shortage of them, that is why the bat chowki that we have built with our own funds in Govindi is also empty, there is no police personnel in it.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Accident: 1 Killed, 6 Others Injured As Speeding Tempo Traveller Crashes Into BEST Bus In Dadar

Mumbai: A speeding tempo traveller crashed into a BEST bus and two other vehicles in Dadar late Sunday night, killing one and injuring six, including three brothers. The victim was identified as Shahabuddin Zainulabdeen Shaikh, 37, a clothes vendor, said the Shivaji Park police, adding that medical examination confirmed that the driver, Sandesh Kumbhar, 27, was driving under the influence of alcohol.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Kumbhar, a resident of Wadala, was driving in a rash and negligent manner. According to BEST, the fatal mishap occurred around 11.30 pm near the Dadar Plaza bus stop, when a tempo traveller, heading towards Shivaji Park, lost control. It collided with the front right side of a BEST bus that was en route to Pratiksha Nagar from the Worli depot.
After crashing into the bus, the tempo traveller also struck a taxi and another tourist vehicle, damaging both. “The impact caused the bus to veer left, hitting pedestrians and passengers waiting at the stop. Shahabuddin, a pedestrian, died on the spot,” said an official.
Those injured were identified as brothers Rahul Padale, 30, Rohit Padale, 33, and Akshay Padale, 25. The remaining three are Vidya Mote, 30, Abhishek Rautkar, 24, and Abdul Nadir, 23. While Nadir is from Wadala, the rest are from Sion. They were immediately rushed to Sion Hospital with the help of the bus conductor and local police personnel. The police have registered a case of accidental death against Kumbhar.
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