Amit Shah’s Message: No More Crutches Amit Shah may have spoken in Mumbai about local body elections the other day, but his real message went far beyond Maharashtra. It was aimed at BJP's every regional ally that still believes it has leverage in the NDA. In typically blunt fashion, Shah declared that the BJP no longer needs any “crutches” in Maharashtra while pitching for a "triple engine" government. The comment, made at a party event, was a signal that the days of dependence on allies are over. The BJP, he said, is ready to fight local elections on its own strength—an unmistakable signal to those who matter. It's a different matter that Mahayuti partners will be fighting together in many municipalities.  Once upon a time, the BJP relied on the Shiv Sena’s support. That era is gone. After the split in the Sena, the Election Commission recognized the Shinde faction which sits comfortably with the BJP. In the last Assembly election, the BJP came close to a solo majority with 132 seats out of 145 needed and a 93 percent strike rate. Even without allies, it could have formed the government. Shah’s remarks come a year later as a pointed reminder: the BJP can manage without its partners. The message from Maharashtra has echoes elsewhere. In Bihar and Jharkhand, the BJP has tried—unsuccessfully so far—to shed its allies. But Shah’s statement confirms that the effort continues. He made it clear once again that the NDA is fighting the elections under Nitish Kumar's leadership. "But a formal decision on the CM's post is determined by all MLAs sitting together after the election." The message is loud and clear. The allies are free to chart their own course. Dhankhar’s Return: Calm After the Storm After months of speculation and silence, it now appears that all is well between Jagdeep Dhankhar and the “Parivar”. The former Vice President, who had abruptly resigned citing “health” reasons, maintained a stony silence for 53 days before resurfacing at Rashtrapati Bhawan for the swearing-in of his successor and went back into hibernation. But all seems to be well. Party sources suggest that Dhankhar has decided to remain calm, with BJP’s organisational general secretary B. L. Santosh and senior RSS functionary Krishan Gopal gave him comfort. They had personally reached out to him while he was vacating his official residence. Dhankhar may shift to his newly allotted Type VIII bungalow at 34, APJ Abdul Kalam Road, in Lutyens’ Delhi soon. The choice of bungalow was his own, though the allotment took some time as is customary. Dhankhar declined government guest accommodation and instead shifted briefly to a farmhouse owned by INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala in Chattarpur. Dhankhar has been assured staff of his choice and will get a pension of ₹2 lakh per month, along with a personal secretary, an additional secretary, a personal assistant, four attendants, a nursing officer, and a physician. In addition, his past tenures entitle him to multiple pensions: ₹45,000 per month as a one-term Lok Sabha MP, and ₹42,000 as an MLA. He is eligible for reimbursement of ₹25,000 for secretarial assistance as former West Bengal Governor . With his residence secured, entitlements settled, and party channels reopened, Dhankhar seems back within the Parivar. Mayawati Frets as Congress Makes Inroads into Dalits The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is in churn. Its once-solid Dalit vote base is showing cracks, and Mayawati is watching with growing unease as the Congress gains traction among Dalit voters after the BSP failed to win a single Lok Sabha seat in 2024, and its vote share in UP plunged to just 9.39% — less than half of what it secured in 2019. Even its loyal Jatav vote, long considered impregnable, drifted away — partly toward the Samajwadi Party–Congress alliance, and in some areas, the BJP. Adding to the turmoil was Mayawati’s abrupt removal of her nephew Akash Anand as national coordinator. The Congress, smarting from past irrelevance in UP, has seized the moment. In the 2024 polls, it tripled its tally in SC-reserved seats from six to 19, thanks to an aggressive “Save the Constitution” campaign that struck a chord with Dalit voters wary of the BJP’s stance on reservation. Sensing the erosion, Mayawati is fighting to reclaim her legacy. At a massive Lucknow rally in October 2025, she warned supporters against “sell-out individuals” being used to fragment the Dalit vote and vowed to go solo in the 2027 UP polls. Whether Mayawati can revive the party’s lost mojo is uncertain. But one thing is clear: the Congress’s resurgence among Dalits has rattled Mayawati like never before. Nitish keeps Bhojpuri Film Crowd Away In Bihar’s Assembly elections, almost every major political party has fielded at least one Bhojpuri film personality — actor, singer or star performer. Not only have they been given tickets, they are being used extensively in the campaign trail. The BJP leads this charge, but Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD is not far behind and gave a ticket to Khesari Lal Yadav. Chirag Paswan’s LJP fielded Seema Singh, though her nomination later got canceled. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj too has fielded actress Pankhuri Pandey. Only Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party stands out as the exception as it has not fielded a single actor or singer. Traditionally, JD(U) tickets go to grassroots workers and organizational faces. But the BJP has plucked Methili Thakur — known for performing songs-- and fielded her from Alinagar in Darbhanga. The party has also brought Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan and Dinesh Lal ‘Nirahua’ into campaign activity. As these film stars and singers campaign vigorously — drawing crowds not just for themselves but for other candidates too — Nitish Kumar remains conspicuously distant from the Bhojpuri glamour brigade.