Mumbai / New Delhi | January 3, 2026
Political campaigning in Maharashtra has taken an unexpected turn ahead of the January 15 civic elections, with the inclusion of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad emerging as a contentious issue.
Leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT), along with several Hindu spiritual figures including Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya, have publicly criticized actor and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan over the signing. Critics have raised national security concerns, linking their objections to recent reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. The remarks have added a cultural and geopolitical dimension to the local election discourse.
Amid mounting political pressure, media reports suggest the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has instructed KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season. Neither the BCCI nor the franchise has issued a formal public statement confirming the decision.
Meanwhile, national political activity has intensified in New Delhi. Bharatiya Janata Party national working president Nitin Nabin has begun a series of high-level meetings aimed at strengthening coordination between the BJP and its ideological affiliate, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), as the party prepares for multiple state assembly elections scheduled later this year.
At the same time, the Congress party announced a nationwide agitation titled “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram,” set to begin on January 10. Party leaders say the protest targets the recently enacted G-RAM G Act, 2025, which they allege weakens employment guarantees under the rural job scheme. The government has yet to formally respond to the criticism.
As election season gains momentum, the convergence of sports, religion, and national politics is reshaping campaign narratives across several states.
