THANE: Cabinet minister and senior BJP leader Ganesh Naik on Thursday hinted that he may contest the upcoming Thane municipal elections alone, going against the decision of the state’s Mahayuti leadership to fight the polls as an alliance against the MVA–MNS combine. Naik, who was in Thane to attend a function, said he did not want grassroots BJP workers to get a raw deal.“Our state leadership wants the polls to be fought as an alliance… The situation today is conducive (to fight solo) as the country is making progress under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and CM Devendra Fadnavis… We may be allies, but as the senior leader and in-charge of Thane, I know the sentiments of our grassroots workers (to fight solo) and don’t want to do injustice to them. I will convey this to our top brass,” he told the media.The local BJP unit has long aspired to reclaim Thane city and other local bodies, which were once its strongholds but were later handed over to the Shiv Sena during their alliance decades ago. The Sena, under the leadership of the late Anand Dighe and later deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, steadily consolidated its dominance in the region, pushing the BJP to the margins.Observers note that contesting the Thane polls as an alliance would reduce the number of seats available to BJP aspirants, as the Shinde-led Sena held a clear majority in the 2017 elections. With nearly 90 former elected representatives — including those inducted from other parties over the past two years — the Sena is now in a strong position to demand a larger share of seats in any alliance arrangement.

THANE: Forest Minister Ganesh Naik said the state has taken cognisance of the frequent leopard attacks in Pune and Ahilyanagar districts and is taking corrective steps by introducing a hi-tech mechanism to avoid man-animal conflicts in the region.“We are wary of the rising leopard population in Pune and the surrounding region. The big cats seem to have assumed that the abundant sugarcane farms are part of their habitat. Presently, there are roughly 1,000 or more leopards in Junnar alone. We are seeking approval from the centre to instantly shoot big cats that attack humans,” said Naik.

Naik added that the state is introducing initiatives to reduce man-animal conflicts in the region. “We have allocated Rs 11 crore for replicating the Chandrapur model of using an AI-based early warning system that will minimise instances of man-animal conflict. The system tracks leopard movements and alerts villagers in advance.”The minister, who visited families of the victims of leopard attacks, said he felt ashamed after seeing the tears in the eyes of the relatives. “No amount of compensation can bring back the lost lives. We are considering sterilisation of the big cats, else very soon we may see leopards strolling around in villages just like stray dogs,” he said while addressing the media in Pune on Wednesday.

THANE: A 14-year-old girl from Maharashtra’s Thane district died after jumping from her 19th-floor apartment on Thursday, reportedly distressed over poor academic performance and low marks in recent exams. The Class 6 student resided in the Kalyan West area with her mother, grandmother, and sister.Police officials stated that the teenager was experiencing significant stress due to her inability to improve her academic scores despite regular studies. The situation was further complicated by her low performance in pre-Diwali examinations and continued pressure from teachers to enhance her results.The incident occurred when she jumped from a window of her flat, landing on a two-wheeler parked below. She was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where medical staff pronounced her dead.The Khadakpada police have filed a case of accidental death and initiated an investigation into the incident. The local authorities are conducting a thorough probe to understand the circumstances that led to this tragic event.

ULHASNAGAR: Ahead of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation elections, the city’s once-powerful Kalani family has suffered a significant political setback. The family’s political outfit, TOK (Team Omie Kalani), faced a blow after two-time corporator Rekha Thakur resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Thakur joined the BJP in the presence of State BJP President Ravindra Chavan, MLA Kumar Ailani, and BJP Ulhasnagar District President Rajesh Vadhrya. Known for her strong grassroots connect and active involvement in education and environmental causes, Thakur was considered one of the staunch supporters of the Kalani family. Her switch is being seen as a major loss for TOK and a strategic gain for the BJP ahead of the civic polls.BJP MLA Kumar Ailani said, “Thakur had won the previous election as a BJP candidate but later left the party to join Team Omie Kalani. However, she has now made a ‘ghar wapasi’ by returning to the BJP.”Thakur’s defection follows the exit of around five other corporators from the Kalani camp, who have also joined the BJP. In response, TOK has inducted some BJP functionaries into its fold.Political observers believe that ever since Pappu Kalani stepped back from active politics and handed over the reins to his son Omie Kalani, the family’s influence in Ulhasnagar has gradually weakened — a shift that the BJP appears to be capitalising on effectively.