THE HINDU (18.10.
2024) EDITORIAL ANALYSIS
Battle of wits
The Maharashtra and Jharkhand polls will witness intense political battles
Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand in November will, yet again, test the mettle of the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, and the respective regional parties, just weeks after
the elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. By-elections in three Lok Sabha constituencies and
48 Assembly segments across States have also been announced. The political landscape in
Maharashtra has been reshaped thoroughly since the 2019 election. The Shiv Sena and the Nationalist
Congress Party (NCP) have split, with one faction each in alliance with the BJP and the Congress. The
ruling Mahayuti, which the BJP is a part of, ended up with 17 of 48 seats in the 2024 general election,
while the Maha Vikas Aghadi, of the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Sena and the
Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, won 29. Since then, the ruling alliance has taken several measures
to gain more ground. Following the latest decision by the outgoing Eknath Shinde-led government
hours before the election schedule was announced, a complete toll waiver for light motor vehicles was
announced. Chastened by the Haryana election results, the Congress has toned down its hype in
Maharashtra. It has appointed senior leaders to oversee the campaign in various regions of the State.
In Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the BJP has had its strategy in place well in time, overseen by veterans
who command authority.
The JMM-led ruling alliance in Jharkhand, which the Congress is a part of, and the Mahayuti are betting
on women voters to ensure another term. Both governments have introduced cash dole schemes for
women. In Jharkhand, the BJP campaign is built on corruption allegations against State Chief Minister
Hemant Soren as well as demographic shifts which the party attributes to the alleged entry of people
from Bangladesh. Mr. Soren accuses the BJP of misusing central investigating agencies to implicate
him. He is dependent on tribal consolidation, but that alone is not sufficient. Nearly three-fourths of
the State’s population are non-tribal, and the BJP’s focus is on consolidating the Hindus among them.
The tribal population is shrinking, but linking this to Bangladesh while overlooking the issue of inter-
State migration is a classic BJP playbook tactic. The consolidation of the Other Backward Classes, a
strategy that worked in its favour in Haryana, is what the BJP is aiming for in Jharkhand and
Maharashtra. The Congress and its regional allies are at risk of being overdependent on Marathas in
Maharashtra and tribespeople in Jharkhand.
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MEANINGS OF DIFFICULT WORDS AND THEIR USAGE
1. Mettle (N): A person’s ability to cope with difficulties. [ ర ం, ం బలం] [ వ]
Syn: Bravery, Caliber, Courage
Ant: Cowardice, Timidity, Weakness
Eg: The team showed its mettle in the final round.
2. Waiver (N): The act of intentionally relinquishing or abandoning a known right, Claim or
privilege. [ ]
Syn: Renunciation, Abdication, Give up
Ant: Allowance, Approval, Sanction
Eg: We had to sign a waiver, giving up any right to the land in the future.
3. Chasten (V): To make someone understand that they have failed and make them want to
improve. [స ట]
Syn: Correct, Penalize, Chastise
Ant: Approve, Comfort, Encourage
Eg: He was chastened by the defeat and determined to work harder.
4. Toned down (Adj): Altered so as to less extreme or intense. [స రం ట]
Syn: Subdued, Muted, Softened, Restrained
Ant: Intense, Bold, Amplified, Enhanced
Eg: A toned down version of the report was published.
5. Veteran (N): A person who has long experience in a particular filed. [అ భవ న]
Syn: Old-time, Skilled, Trained
Ant: Unskilled, Amateur, Green
Eg: He was a veteran of the big screen.
6. Implicate (V): Show [someone] to be involved in a crime. [ రం ట]
Syn: Accuse, Blame, Charge, Entangle
Ant: Exclude, Exculpate, Exonerate
Eg: He was implicated in a price-fixing scandal.
7. Consolidation (N): The process of uniting. [ఏ కృత ]
Syn: Merger, Strengthening, Unification
Ant: Division, Separation, Antagonism
Eg: In middle age a nation seeks safety and consolidation of material gain.
8. Shrinking (Adj): Becoming smaller in size. [ ం న ]
Syn: Decreasing, Diminishing, Declining
Ant: Increasing, Growing, Expanding
Eg: The shrinking market has provoked a massive price war.
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IDIOMS AND PHRASES:
1. Battle of wits: A situation in which two people or two groups use intelligence and ability to defeat
each other. [ఒక ఒక ం ట పయ ం ట]
Eg: From the outset, it was obvious that it was a battle of wits.
2. Gain more ground: Make progress; Win acceptance. [అంద మన ల ం ట]
Eg: The new conservation policy is gaining ground among the voters.
3. At risk: Exposed to harm or danger. [ ప దం ప ట]
Eg: 23 million people in Africa are at risk from starvation.
PARAPHRASING OF THE EDITORIAL IN SIMPLE LANGUAGE
The upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, set for November, will be a crucial
test for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and regional players. These elections come soon
after contests in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, and alongside by-elections for three Lok Sabha
seats and 48 Assembly segments across various States.
In Maharashtra, the political dynamics have shifted significantly since the 2019 election. The Shiv Sena
and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are now split, with factions aligning with both the BJP and
Congress. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, consisting of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction,
Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, and the Congress, performed well in the 2024 general election, winning
29 out of 48 seats, while the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured 17 seats. The BJP’s alliance, led
by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has since introduced policies like a toll waiver for light
motor vehicles to gain voter support. In contrast, the Congress has adopted a more cautious approach
in Maharashtra, especially after learning from its experiences in Haryana. Senior leaders have been
appointed to oversee the campaign.
In Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led ruling alliance, which includes the Congress, is
competing against the BJP. Both coalitions are focusing on women voters, with cash assistance
schemes introduced to appeal to this demographic. The BJP’s campaign has centered around
corruption allegations against Chief Minister Hemant Soren and claims of demographic changes
attributed to illegal immigration from Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Soren accuses the BJP of using central
investigative agencies to undermine him. The BJP is focusing on consolidating Hindu voters, especially
among non-tribal groups, as three-fourths of the state’s population is non-tribal. This demographic
shift has been highlighted by the BJP, overlooking inter-State migration in favor of a narrative on illegal
immigration.
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The BJP’s success in consolidating the Other Backward Classes (OBC) vote in Haryana has informed its
strategy in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The Congress and its allies, on the other hand, risk
overrelying on Maratha support in Maharashtra and tribal voters in Jharkhand. With both states
presenting complex demographic and political dynamics, these elections will be an important
indicator of the parties’ standing ahead of the national polls.
MATCH THE FOLLOWING:
1) Chasten a) Courage
2) Consolidation b) Trained
3) Mettle c) Correct
4) Veteran d) Unification
Key: 1-c, 2-d, 3-a, 4-b.
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