In India’s evolving democratic landscape, shifts in political ideology have become increasingly frequent and complex. From strategic realignments to ideological turnarounds, such changes raise vital questions about the balance between conviction and convenience. Voters elect leaders whose ideology aligns with theirs, only to watch them switch loyalties to another party—sometimes abruptly. Why does this happen? Is it fair to the voter? Are these shifts rooted in ideology, or driven by other compulsions?

To explore these questions, Only Women hosted a panel discussion on “Does Political Ideology Come with an Expiry Date?” on the 26^th of July, 2025. The aim was to understand the personal, social and political forces behind such transformations. The discussion was moderated by senior journalist Neeta Kolhatkar.

The panel featured:

• Sanjay Nirupam – Leader, Shiv Sena (Balasahebanchi); former Member of Parliament
• Clyde Crasto – National Spokesperson & National Secretary, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar)
• Sachin Sawant – General Secretary, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee
• Ruben Mascarenhas – National Joint Secretary & Mumbai Working President, Aam Aadmi Party
• Neeta Kolhatkar – Senior journalist and author (The Feared: Conversations with 11 Political Prisoners)

The success of the discussion can be gauged from the fact that it ran one hour beyond the prescribed time – a testament also to the enthusiasm of both, the panelists and the members. The leaders candidly discussed why defections occur and how personal and political ideologies undergo a change. Members appreciated the openness of the interaction, with several leaders even sharing their personal numbers and offering support on the issues raised. They continued informal one-on-one conversations with the members after the formal programme too.

The leaders later shared warm testimonials for Only Women in recorded bites (see our Testimonials page), while members spoke spontaneously on camera about their association with the platform (see Members’ Speak).

Highlights from the panelists:

• Sanjay Nirupam: “I feel fortunate to have attended Only Women’s event today. And I am happy that we had a very good interaction with many women leaders. Only Women is a very good organisation. Its members raised important questions. Women lead various sectors today, and if such leaders unite and work in society’s interest, it will benefit the nation immensely.”
• Sachin Sawant: “The work being done at Only Women is the need of the hour. I had a very good experience today. We are happy to have been given a free environment to discuss issues. Gender equality means nothing unless women come forward and work together. I was glad to see that eminent personalities have come to Only Women’s events and discussed core issues. All the members of this organisation are eminent personalities themselves and I feel this initiative must be taken forward in the interest of society and the country.”
• Ruben Mascarenhas: “I firmly believe that what men can do, women can do better. I congratulate Only Women for this fantastic initiative of bringing women from various walks of life together. There’s a deficit of women’s perspectives and women-centric issues in public discourse. Initiatives like these nurture leadership, and I look forward to seeing more women leaders being nurtured by Only Women. I congratulate Only Women on organising this panel discussion on a very pressing topic. We discussed things threadbare”.
• Clyde Crasto: “I was happy to be a part of this panel. I would like to thank Vidyottama for inviting me here. It is very necessary in times like these to have organisations like Only Women that empower women and amplify their voices on larger platforms. I wish Only Women all the best, they are sure to climb the ladder of success and contribute greatly to society.”

(Do check our Testimonials and Members Speak pages for more.)