The general election 2024 turned out to be quite special in Maharashtra due to the strong comeback by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). It would impact State politics deeply as Assembly elections are due in September/October this year. Though Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prospects was dented in various States, in Maharashtra the robust performance put up by two regional parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP), is likely to further cause realignment of political alliances. One important factor of the 2024 results is the strong show put up by Congress party. It had seen many of its stalwarts in Maharashtra crossing over to the BJP in run-up to elections. Yet, the Congress won maximum 13 seats at the hustings. Contesting in alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), the MVA candidates won on 30 of the 48 seats at stake. One independent who won from Sangli was a Congress rebel in fray. In case Vishal Patil decides to stay with MVA their tally will increase to 31.

 

Of the two alliance partners of BJP, the Shiv Sena (Shinde) did well as by winning 7 seats while the NCP (Ajit Pawar) was satisfied with only 1 seat. BJP could win only 9 seats though it contested on maximum number of 28 seats. So, in the MahaYuti, only Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emerged somewhat unscathed as on his home turf in Thane, the Shiv Sena won both the seats, Kalyan as well as Thane. The loss is particularly more damaging for Ajit Pawar, his wife lost in battle against Supriya Sule, and of 4 seats he contested his candidate could win only in Konkan region. The significance of BJP being reduced to single digit (9) as against 23 in 2014, indicates that MVA’s strategy clicked. During the 2014 election, BJP in alliance with united Shiv Sena had swept Maharashtra, they bagged 41 seats. The two regional parties, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party this time suffered vertical split and the founders also lost the party name and symbol and the hopes of their revival looked quite gleam. Yet, contesting with depleted strength Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray emerged victorious underscoring their appeal among the voters.

 

Now post formation of Government at Centre, the BJP leaders would take stock of the situation and discuss a new

formula to cover the lost ground ahead of Assembly polls. It is not an easy task though, as indicated by the willingness to resign shown by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The BJP stalwart has shouldered blame for the debacle in the State. Also the breakaway leaders, including CM Shinde and Deputy CM Pawar would also need lot of introspection and calculations to decide their path ahead. The big question is about the current formation and its future ahead as their effective strategy failed to convince the voters who opted to bail out the beleaguered MVA. Already, the State BJP is seeing the rumblings due to the shock defeat. Fadnavis has also said, he would like to devote energy to rejuvenating the party so that it could put up an effective show in the crucial Assembly elections. All eyes are now on the BJP high command’s next step as the party has a deep strength and yet cannot disown the current leadership. As they say nothing is definite in politics, yet in the days to come heads may roll in the coalition partners as part of a revised strategy. The crucial thing in the days to come would be whether those who broke away from Sena and NCP return to Thackeray and Pawar.