Notwithstanding with its maneuverings to weaken the opposition through party splits, and actions of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against various opposition leaders, the BJP faced a resounding defeat in Maharashtra. Its alliance partners Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, also suffered setbacks. Meanwhile, the opposition INDIA alliance, spearheaded by Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and the Congress, emerged triumphant. As per the Election Commission data by 8 p.m. the INDIA alliance was leading in 29 out of 48 seats while BJP led alliance was leading in 18 seats.
The BJP’s backed splits in Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, including the controversial seizure of their party names and election symbols, backfired spectacularly. Voter anger against turncoats, coupled with issues such as agrarian distress, inflation, and the lacklustre performance of sitting BJP alliance MPs, proved to be decisive factors in the BJP’s downfall in Maharashtra.
The INDIA alliance capitalized on the consolidation of Muslim, Dalit, and Maratha votes, while the BJP grappled with discontent and simmering anger against its leaders.
Uddhav’s Sena
After a split, a significant number of MLAs and MPs left Uddhav Thackeray’s faction to join rebel leader Eknath Shinde two years ago. Uddhav was forced to resign as Chief Minister, and Shinde was installed in his place by the BJP. Uddhav lost the party name and symbol to Shinde, and BJP leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, referred to Uddhav’s Sena as the “fake Sena.” Despite this, Uddhav remained steadfast and demonstrated that his Sena was the authentic one. Uddhav’s Sena was leading in nine seats, affirming its status as the “real” Sena.
Pawar power
At 83 years old, Sharad Pawar has showcased his political prowess in the state. Facing one of the toughest challenges of his career, Pawar confronted a significant threat from his nephew, Ajit Pawar, who split from the NCP to align with the BJP in an attempt to defeat his uncle in their home turf of Baramati. Despite Ajit’s efforts, including seizing the party name and symbol, Baramati remained loyal to the veteran leader. Ajit’s wife Sunetra contested against Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule, but Supriya emerged victorious by a margin of over one lakh votes. Sharad Pawar’s NCP contested ten seats in Maharashtra and was leading in seven seats.
“Maharashtra has delivered a thoughtful verdict. I had faith that the voters would make the right decision,” Pawar remarked to reporters in Mumbai. He is now gearing up for the state assembly polls with renewed vigour. When asked if he would consider forgiving his nephew and readmitting him into the party, Pawar dismissed the possibility. Ajit Pawar’s future now rests with the BJP leadership, and his supporters are concerned that the party might abandon him ahead of the state polls. Despite Ajit’s party contesting four seats, they only managed to win one.
Congress Benefits
Despite the absence of significant leadership in the state, the Congress party reaped the benefits of its alliance with Uddhav’s Sena and Sharad Pawar’s NCP. In the 2019 polls, Congress managed to win just one seat. However, in 2024, the party emerged a bigger player, leading in 13 seats.
Pawar- Uddhav’s role in Delhi
Sharad Pawar, speaking to reporters in Mumbai said he has not held any discussions regarding government formation with Chandrababu Naidu or Nitish Kumar. Pawar remarked that the election trends in Maharashtra were as anticipated, but those in Uttar Pradesh came as a surprise. He noted that Uttar Pradesh has set a new direction, suggesting a shift in people’s preferences. Pawar also commented on the campaign strategies, stating that the public has not embraced Modi’s approach of campaigning based on communal divisions. He said that he would discuss the with INDIA alliance partners about the next move. “ I had just discussed with Congress president Khargeji and Sitaram Yechuri. Still, we have to discuss with other alliance partners” said Pawar.
He said that there was no discussion among with INDIA alliance partners to offer the deputy prime minister post to Nitish Kumar. “INDIA partners will meet tomorrow. We will collectively decide about all the things. You have to wait for the next 2-3 days. We will have collective thinking about further steps” said Pawar.
Uddhav Thackeray speaking to reporters said that the INDIA alliance should stake a claim to form the government. “ We will decide on the candidate for the Prime Minister post. Chandra Babu and Nitish have suffered because of the BJP. Even Mamata was tortured by the BJP’s vindictive politics. All of them will come together,” said Uddhav.