Morning Pulse: Allies turn critics as Shinde backs a rival in Pune and Tatkare calls ₹5,000 aid too little

Maharashtra's ruling alliance woke up this morning to criticism from its own benches. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on record in Pune that his Shiv Sena is backing an independent, not the BJP, in the Pune teachers' Council seat. And Sunil Tatkare, who heads the NCP, the third Mahayuti partner, called the ₹5,000 drought advance too little. On the cane front, Raju Shetti reached his first mill gate on Thursday and left with a promise, not a shutdown.

Start with Pune. Yesterday's Morning Pulse noted that neither Shinde nor his party had said on record whom they backed. That gap has closed. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Shinde said the Mahayuti is fighting the Council polls together, but that his party's support in the Pune teachers' seat goes to independent Sachin Sanap, Dainik Prabhat reported. He called it an exception, a 'friendly contest', and still predicted the alliance would win all five seats. Sarkarnama, which also reported the announcement, said Sanap is a former officer on special duty to minister Uday Samant and filed as an independent after the seat went to the BJP's Kaustubh Gawde. Sarkarnama said BJP leaders were criticising the move, but named none; we found no on-record BJP response by this morning. Polling is on 23 October.

The timing matters because Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that Sena and NCP workers would campaign for BJP candidates in both Pune seats. Shinde's words do not contradict the forecast of a clean sweep, but they do contradict that promise in at least one seat. In a teachers' constituency, where the electorate is small and organised, even a modest shift of allied workers can decide the result.

The second note of dissent came from Tatkare, who is the NCP's MP from Raigad and its state president. Speaking to reporters on Thursday evening, he said farmers feel the ₹5,000 advance is inadequate and that he would carry that feeling to the Chief Minister, TV9 Marathi reported. He said he had tried to reach Fadnavis but could not. Navarashtra, which reported him speaking in Dharashiv, said he also wants the finance portfolio for the NCP, a department Fadnavis now holds. He also said he had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the maximum central help for the state, TV9 Marathi added. The opposition had already called the advance salt on farmers' wounds; the difference now is that an ally is saying something similar. We found no reply from the Chief Minister's office.

On the cane fight, Shetti and his Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana marched on Thursday to the Krishna cooperative sugar factory at Rethare Budruk near Karad, as mills began opening the season. Police stopped them at the gate, Sarkarnama reported, and a large force was deployed. Managing director Bajirao Sutar met Shetti outside, Pudhari and Sarkarnama said, and promised to put his demands before the chairman and board. Pudhari quoted Sutar as saying the mill had decided to crush because drought and likely water shortages made it necessary to clear standing cane. Neither report confirmed that crushing actually stopped.

Shetti said no mill should start until the cane price is declared and the minimum selling price of sugar is raised, and warned that if mills start under government pressure his workers will return for a satyagraha, Sarkarnama reported. He also said his quarrel was with the Centre, not with the Krishna mill, according to Pudhari. One figure needs care: Pudhari's report put his demand at 'at least ₹5,000 a tonne', while earlier reports, including our own, used ₹5,500. We will report the figure he confirms.

The drought now reaches every tap in the state. The government's minimum 10% water cut for all urban and rural local bodies takes effect today. The order, issued on 5 October, also asks industries to reuse at least 30% of their water and covers planning up to 31 August 2027, Business Standard reported. Mumbai's municipal corporation has had a 10% residential cut since May, and Local Samosa reported residents complaining of shorter supply hours and lower pressure.

One loop from our watch list moved only slightly. In the Shiv Sena name-and-symbol case, Sarkarnama and Saamana reported that the Supreme Court sittings on Tuesday and Wednesday did not go ahead because Justice V. Mohana, a member of the bench, was absent. Saamana said the court's website lists 26 October as the next date; we could not confirm that from a second outlet, so treat it as tentative. Sarkarnama noted that the Shinde side's senior counsel has finished arguing and that several lawyers are still to be heard.