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Odd as it may sound, many regional satraps in India have bitten the dust or look like they are on the decline. All for the want of a credible successor. The latest glaring example is that of former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who has not only lost power in West Bengal, but her world is coming crashing down since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ousted her her government last month after 15 years at the helm.

Her promotion of her controversial nephew Abhishek Banerjee tore the Trinamool Congress (TMC) asunder as newly elected MLAs are abandoning the sinking ship of TMC in droves, leaving Mamata stunned.

Through his brash actions and statements, Abhishek had brought an invisible split in the party with his supporters and opponents ranged against each other. Now Banerjee and the leaders still loyal to her are a beleaguered lot amid reports that Ritabrata Banerjee could emerge as the “Eknath Shinde” of Bengal.

In Maharashtra, 85-year-old Sharad Pawar, once known as the Maratha strongman, is now like the legendary Bhishma lying on the battlefield strewn with arrows.

His fault was choosing not the right successor, as his powerful nephew, the late Ajit Pawar, should have been the ideal candidate. However, the senior Pawar opted for his daughter Supriya Sule, who has hardly gone through the rough........

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