India, Dec. 7 -- The customary winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, beginning Monday, is arriving this year under an unusually heavy political cloud. Though it will be among the shortest sessions in the state's history-lasting just a week, from December 8 to 14-it is shaping up to be a high-voltage political showdown.

The session will coincide with two key moments: the Mahayuti government completing one year in office under chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and rising political heat during the ongoing local body elections, which have triggered internal rifts and unexpected alliances across parties.

While farmer distress, law and order, and the Mahayuti's one-year performance will dominate the political narrative inside the Hou...