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Koli community has little voice in Gujarat politics despite one-third vote and population

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The Koli community accounts for one-third of the population of Gujarat and has an equal vote share in the state. They can influence election results in 82 assembly seats with their domination over 44-45 seats, yet they have very little say in the leading political discourse and state politics.

As per youth leaders of the community, this is an outcome of the poor literacy rate in the community and socially and economically weak sub-caste based divisions within the community as community bigwigs are focused on their individual progress and not of the upliftment of the entire community.

Community youth leaders are trying to unite community members but the influential ones within are splitting them on the basis of sub-castes like Talapada Koli, Chuvalia Koli, Kedia Koli, Koli Patel etc. But now the youths have decided to fight them because “our existence and political weightage are at stake,” said Ranji Solanki, national president of New Samaj Koli Kranti Sena.

He cited two instances: recently, in the Jamraval municipal elections in Devbhumi Dwarka district, Koli community members contested under Vyavastha Parivartan Party symbol (VPP). It got a thumping majority as out of the 33 seats, 31 went to the Koli community and candidates of VPP. The BJP and the Congress were routed.

Citing the second instance, Solanki said that “On May 18, we will lay the foundation stone of a school funded by a Koli charitable trust in Surendranagar. This will be a primary school and as more funds come, the school will be upgraded to senior levels. The community has decided that no political leaders invited for the occasion will be seated on the stage – they will be in the audience with other ordinary community members.”

“Along the Saurashtra coast in Rajkot, Surendranagar, Ahmedabad, Botad, Morbi districts, and in Bharuch, Surat, Valsad, Navsari cities in South Gujarat, the Koli community has dominance over many assembly seats. If political parties do not field Koli candidates then they can get defeated. But this is not happening because the community lacks unity. Various groups are now working to unite the entire community,” says Ranchhod Ughreja, president of Koli Thakor Sena, Rajkot.

He and other community members realise that “The way to unite the community is by means of literacy and socio-economic development. So, groups within the community are working on it, setting up educational institutes, spreading awareness about the need for education for the next generation. Once this and financial stability is achieved, it will be easy to unite the community,” believes Ughreja.

“The tug of war between two stalwarts, Akhil Bharatiya Koli Samaj President Ajit Patel and former minister Kunvarji Bavaliya has intensified and it will have a detrimental impact on the political weightage in the upcoming assembly elections,” fears Jethabha Jora who has been serving the community for more than three decades.

“Political parties hardly field 15 to 20 candidates. Though the community is decisive in 44 to 45 seats, internal fights between leaders take precedence over fighting for the community’s right and due representation,” said a Koli community leader requesting anonymity.

Maharashtra

Police attacked during group clash in Kandivali… Five arrested, police in action mode, case registered

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Mumbai: The police have claimed to have arrested five people for attacking the police in the Kandivali area, while two are still absconding. According to details, some people attacked the police in Ekta Nagar, Kandivali, and after this attack, the video went viral on social media, after which the police immediately registered a case and arrested five accused. According to details, at 8:45 pm last night, violence was going on between two groups in Laljipara Ekta Nagar. Bhim Kanojia, a member of one of the groups, complained to the bat marshal and the bat marshal here instructed Pappu Jha to go to the police station and asked him to sit in the van. During this, he started arguing and arguing with the complainant, in addition to abusing him. When police officer Kanbhare and police havaldar Khot reached to help the complainant, he also beat them up and interfered in official work, after which the police arrested Vicky Singh, Pappu Jha from the spot in this case, while Chandrakant Jha, Suman Jha and Guddu Jha were arrested later. So far, 5 people have been arrested in this case. The police have registered a case against the accused on the complaint of the complainant Sagar Saddam Babar, a 32-year-old policeman. The police have booked them under sections of BNS. A case has been registered under sections 121(1), 221, 189(3), 191(2), 190, 324, 352 of the IPC and the search for the absconding accused is underway, confirmed DCP Sandeep Jadhav. He said that CCTV footage is also being taken for further action in this matter and a police team has been mobilized to identify the accused. The incidents of attacks on the police have increased to an alarming extent, after which the issue of police safety has now arisen. While the police provide protection to the public, now the attack on the police by miscreants is alarming. Earlier, an attack was also carried out on the police in Malad, after which a case was registered and the accused were paraded.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Civic Body Elections to Be Held on January 15; Counting Scheduled for January 16

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Mumbai: (Kamar Ansari) The State Election Commission has announced that elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be conducted on January 15, with the counting of votes scheduled for January 16. The announcement brings clarity on the long-awaited civic polls in India’s financial capital.

The Election Commission announced the schedule for elections to 29 municipal corporations, stating that nomination papers for all municipal corporation polls will be accepted only in offline mode, and the voter list will be based on the July 25, 2025 electoral roll.

Election Schedule

Nomination Period: December 23 to December 30, 2025

Scrutiny of Applications: December 31, 2025

Withdrawal of Candidature: January 2, 2026

Final Candidate List & Symbol Allotment: January 3, 2026

Polling Date: January 15, 2026

Counting of Votes: January 16, 2026

The Mumbai civic elections form part of the broader Maharashtra local body election process, which includes polls for municipal corporations, municipal councils, and other local bodies across the state. The decision aims to complete the entire election process within the stipulated legal timeframe.

The BMC, India’s richest civic body, has been functioning without an elected house for several years and has remained under administrative control. The upcoming elections are expected to restore elected representation and accountability in the city’s civic governance.

Political parties have begun preparations for an intensive campaign, with key civic issues such as road conditions, water supply, solid waste management, flood control, housing redevelopment, and environmental protection expected to dominate the election discourse.

The State Election Commission is likely to issue a detailed election programme in the coming days, including nomination schedules, scrutiny dates, and campaigning guidelines. Security arrangements and election machinery are also being put in place to ensure a smooth and transparent polling process across Mumbai.

The announcement has generated significant political activity, with all major parties viewing the BMC elections as a crucial contest that will shape Mumbai’s administrative and political future.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra: Abu Asim Azmi presents bill in the House against religious hatred and blasphemy, application of MCOCA and UAPA also included in the draft bill

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Mumbai: Nagpur Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi presented a private bill in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly against those who spread blasphemy and religious hatred. The bill demands action against hate elements and calls for action under MCOCA and UAPA against those who spread religious hatred, in addition to ten years of imprisonment and a bail of Rs 2 lakh so that sectarians do not get bail and such cases of spreading religious hatred are banned. He told the House that there has been an increase in cases of blasphemy in the country and in such a situation, tension arises in the country. Action should be taken against such elements to maintain law and order. This will be possible only when action is taken against such sectarians who promote a hate agenda under the guise of freedom of expression. He said that the Supreme Court had also issued an order for strict action against hate elements and miscreants and has banned inflammatory and hate speech. In such a situation, Maharashtra The bill has been formally introduced in the House to take action against those who spread religious hatred and incite hatred against important people. The draft bill proposes to register a case against communalists under the section of the MCOCA UAPA, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years, so that such elements cannot be granted bail.

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