Shailesh Gaikwad is political editor and heads the political bureau in Hindustan Times' Mumbai edition.In his career of over 20 years, he has covered Maharashtra politics, state government and urban governance issues.
Articles by Shailesh Gaikwad
‘Uddhav-led Shiv Sena will be wiped out after Lok Sabha elections:’ Narayan Rane
In a chat with HT, Rane says, “Splits in parties and defections don’t look good in a democracy. I quit Sena because I could not work with Uddhav Thackeray.”
Updated on Apr 25, 2024 09:05 AM IST
Sharad Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis: Chess moves by ace strategists
Pawar and the Mohite-Patils pulled Uttam Jankar, a local BJP leader from the same community, to their side. Fadnavis stepped in, flying Uttam to Mumbai
Updated on Apr 22, 2024 09:10 AM IST
Maha News | Eknath Shinde’s cup of woes
Raj Thackeray’s entry into the BJP fold and Ajit Pawar bringing 40 MLAs to the NDA camp imply that the BJP need not rely on the CM to keep its government afloat
Published on Apr 15, 2024 06:06 PM IST
How Eknath Shinde has navigated Maharashtra's tricky political waters
Shinde’s skills in political management are being tested as he is trying to pacify sitting Shiv Sena parliamentarians who have been denied tickets
Updated on Apr 15, 2024 08:45 AM IST
Eknath Khadse's return to BJP shows Maharashtra class of 2019 is back in action
Many frontline BJP leaders fell out of favour by the end of the BJP-led state government’s tenure by 2019
Updated on Apr 08, 2024 08:33 AM IST
A murder near Mumbai casts shadow on Osmanabad Lok Sabha polls after 18 years
A murder that took place on Mumbai-Pune expressway near Kalamboli in 2006 is casting its shadow on election in Osmanabad even after 18 years
Updated on Apr 06, 2024 09:34 AM IST
Ambedkar turns down MVA offer — what does that hold out for opposition parties?
Three scenarios are likely now that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi is going solo, and Manoj Jarange Patil has also refused to partner up with him
Published on Apr 05, 2024 11:01 PM IST
Eknath Shinde’s summer of discontent
Infighting in Maharashtra over seat-sharing for 48 Lok Sabha seats. BJP's candidate selection impacting Shiv Sena. New trend of changing parties for tickets
Updated on Apr 01, 2024 08:48 AM IST
MVA in disarray as Shiv Sena (UBT), VBA announce candidates
Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad said they have expressed unhappiness with their leadership over Shiv Sena (UBT)’s move
Updated on Mar 27, 2024 03:34 PM IST
Maha News | MVA versus Mahayuti is actually a Pawar versus Fadnavis showdown
The 2024 election is a battle for dominance between a veteran politician fighting for survival and a younger leader keen to make his mark on the national stage
Updated on Mar 26, 2024 07:23 PM IST
Battle over Baramati
Deputy chief minister Pawar is upset with CM Eknath Shinde over state of affairs in Baramati, which he's trying to wrest from uncle Sharad
Updated on Mar 18, 2024 09:20 AM IST
Why Maha’s 48 seats are crucial for both BJP and INDIA bloc
Maharashtra's 48 seats crucial in NDA vs. opposition battle in India. BJP faces challenges with splits in alliances, caste polarization, and regional party defections.
Updated on Mar 17, 2024 06:58 AM IST
Maha News | The battle for 48 sends all parties in search of winnable candidates
The BJP wants to address anti-incumbency, the new Sena and NCP have depleted bases, and the MVA must set its sights on fewer seats.
Published on Mar 12, 2024 07:08 PM IST
The unease within the ruling alliance
CM Eknath Shinde & Deputy CM Ajit Pawar are unhappy with BJP over fewer Lok Sabha seats but lack bargaining power. BJP takes practical approach based on assessments.
Updated on Mar 11, 2024 08:32 AM IST
Maha News | The anatomy of an impending, likely, fall
Barely a fortnight to go before the Lok Sabha elections are announced, the Congress is in a mess in the state where it was hoping to turn the tables on the BJP
Published on Feb 26, 2024 06:32 PM IST
Sacrifices for the big brother
Maharashtra coalitions finalize seat-sharing as BJP plans to contest 30 seats independently, causing tensions within ruling alliance. Controversy over BJP chief's remarks stirs opposition. Speculations arise over netas defecting to ruling alliance, including NCP leader Tope and Shiv Sena's Waikar. Shinde Sena MLA faces probe over bragging about tiger tooth.
Updated on Feb 26, 2024 08:06 AM IST
Manohar Joshi, a Shiv Sena loyalist who excelled at consensus building
A soft-spoken skilled political manager, Manohar Joshi was the perfect foil for the more charismatic and aggressive Bal Thackeray
Updated on Feb 24, 2024 08:02 AM IST
Maratha reservation bill passed but tough legal battle lies ahead
Maratha quota: This is the third attempt by state government to give reservation quota to Marathas, a politically and socially dominant community in the state.
Updated on Feb 21, 2024 09:56 AM IST
Fault lines within the Pawar family
The fault lines within the Pawars are evident in Pune district, especially in their family bastion Baramati, which both uncle and nephew seem keen to hold on to
Published on Feb 19, 2024 06:11 PM IST
Maha News | The final war between uncle and nephew
The fight between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar will be the highlight of the elections in the state. Only one of them may survive politically
Published on Feb 19, 2024 02:56 PM IST
Ashok Chavan on moving to BJP: Not possible to change your ideology overnight
Ashok Chavan spoke about the shift to the BJP and his disenchantment with the Congress in an interview to HT
Updated on Feb 16, 2024 11:10 AM IST
BJP eyes LS, Cong plays Dalit card while NCP springs a surprise
Besides Chavan, the BJP fielded Medha Kulkarni, a former legislator from Pune city and a locally popular leader. Kulkarni was sitting MLA when she was denied a ticket in 2019 in order to field the then state BJP president Chandrakant Patil from her Kothrud constituency, a safe seat for the party
Updated on Feb 15, 2024 07:40 AM IST
Marathwada stalwart whose departure will hit Congress’s prospects and morale
Former chief minister Ashok Chavan’s decision to leave the party is a major blow for the Congress which has been trying to revive its organisation in the state where the party was conceived.
Updated on Feb 13, 2024 05:35 PM IST
Why Ashok Chavan’s departure will hit Congress’ prospects in Maharashtra
A Congress leader said that about half of the party’s current strength of 44 MLAs are on good terms with Ashok Chavan.
Updated on Feb 12, 2024 08:42 PM IST
Ajit’s secularism, Uddhav’s Hindutva
Even though he joined the BJP-led alliance, Ajit Pawar has been insisting that his party would continue to be a secular party. To that effect, he has been avoiding sharing dais with RSS leaders
Updated on Feb 12, 2024 07:34 AM IST
Pawar, Thackeray factions to invoke Maharashtra’s asmita to counter BJP
Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, who previously joined forces to prevent the BJP from coming to power, now find themselves in a similar situation as their parties have split. Both leaders are likely to invoke "Maharashtrachi asmita" or pride of Maharashtra in the upcoming elections. They claim that the BJP is conspiring against Maharashtra and targeting regional parties. The two factions are planning separate public meetings but may also hold joint rallies in some places.
Updated on Feb 08, 2024 07:00 AM IST
Can the Opposition’s broad coalition win against the BJP-led alliance?
The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi joined the rainbow family that stands opposed to the saffron alliance. Will this alliance stand a chance in Maharashtra’s politics?
Published on Feb 05, 2024 06:43 PM IST
It’s time for Rajya Sabha elections again
According to the BJP camp, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is keen on fielding a fourth candidate with an aim to snatch Congress votes and defeat the latter’s candidate. Fadnavis has apparently discussed this with the top bosses in Delhi. If this happens, there are apprehensions of cross-voting in the MVA camp
Updated on Feb 05, 2024 07:36 AM IST
Shinde managed to pacify Marathas for now, but will it lead to bigger problems?
CM Eknath Shinde managed to pacify Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, and the BJP, the main political player in the state, is playing a balancing act
Updated on Jan 30, 2024 06:45 PM IST
Shinde stole the show but…
Significantly, none of the Maratha ministers from BJP who have been dealing with the Maratha reservation issue—Chandrakant Patil and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil—were involved in the process. Shinde’s cabinet colleagues who are unsure of the decision also point out that any fallout too would be the responsibility of the CM now
Updated on Jan 29, 2024 07:56 AM IST