In a significant political realignment ahead of crucial municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are set to formally announce an alliance today. This development headlines a news-packed Wednesday that also features fresh revelations in the Aravalli Hills legal row, the inauguration of a new national memorial, and high-profile domestic cricket appearances by Indian superstars.
Political Reconfiguration in Maharashtra
Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will join forces sixteen years after their original split. The alliance, aimed at the high-stakes polls for Asia's richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and other corporations, is in the final stages of seat-sharing negotiations. The bonhomie between the two parties reportedly grew as they united in opposition to the state government's now-scrapped three-language formula for primary schools.
This reunion is poised to disrupt the electoral calculations of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which may now have to depend more heavily on its ally, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has publicly downplayed the impact, BJP insiders confirm the party is preparing counter-strategies. For the Shiv Sena (UBT), retaining its three-decade-long hold on the BMC is a critical objective.
In a related development, with the BJP refusing an alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP for polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, a potential reunion of the estranged Pawar family is also on the cards.
Aravalli Hills Definition Faces Scrutiny
New details have emerged regarding the controversial redefinition of the Aravalli Hills. Before the Supreme Court accepted a new definition proposed by a Union Environment Ministry panel on November 20, 2025, the court's own Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had raised objections.
The timeline reveals a conflict: On October 13, the Ministry proposed that landforms at an elevation of 100 meters or above from the local relief be considered part of the Aravallis. The very next day, the CEC wrote to the amicus curiae, stating it had not examined or approved this recommendation. The committee advocated instead for the definition formulated by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), which maps the Aravallis as areas above a minimum elevation with a slope of at least 3 degrees—a definition that offers protection to lower hills as well.
Furthermore, the CEC has clarified that views attributed to it in the Environment Ministry's affidavit to the Supreme Court were those of only one member, not the full committee.
Sports, Policy, and Memorial Inauguration
In the world of cricket, the BCCI's directive for international stars to play domestic cricket has turned routine fixtures into major attractions. Today, Virat Kohli will feature for Delhi against Andhra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru, while Rohit Sharma will turn out for Mumbai against Sikkim in Jaipur. The Mumbai match is expected to draw a crowd of around 3,000 fans solely for Rohit. However, Kohli's match will be played behind closed doors at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, as the Chinnaswamy Stadium remains barred from hosting spectators following a stampede during recent RCB celebrations.
On the policy front, the Centre's new rural jobs guarantee scheme, the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Act, includes a provision to pause the scheme for 60 days. Analysts suggest its implementation may face hurdles due to its fund-sharing pattern with states and a "normative allocation" clause that introduces a top-down budgeting approach.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the Rashtra Prerna Sthal, a memorial dedicated to BJP icons, in Lucknow on December 25. Spread across 65 acres and shaped like a lotus—the party's election symbol—the complex will feature towering bronze statues of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and Deendayal Upadhyay.
Other Key Developments
International Tensions: Diplomatic tensions have escalated between India and Bangladesh following the killing of a student leader in Bangladesh and protests in India over the lynching of a Hindu youth across the border. In tit-for-tat moves, both Dhaka and Delhi summoned each other's envoys to express concern.
Goa's Tourism Crossroads: The December 6 fire at a nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, has spotlighted the state's transformation from a serene hippie destination to a commercialized party hub, raising questions about unchecked tourism and regulatory haze.
Digital Crime-Fighting: The recent arrest of con artist Ravindra Soni, who allegedly defrauded investors of an estimated Rs 1,000 crore through a Dubai-based company, highlights how law enforcement is increasingly using digital footprints—like OTPs, food-delivery logs, and e-commerce histories—to dismantle sophisticated criminal networks.
