Maharashtra’s Political Puzzle: Thackeray, Pawar, and Congress Jockey for Power

Delhi/Mumbai: With just two months to go for the Maharashtra assembly elections, the readjustment and realignments in both Maha Vikas Aghadi and the ruling National Democratic Alliance are evident.

The seat-sharing talks and the evaluation of the Lok Sabha results have forced key allies to take a closer look at their current situation and future politics.

The MVA composed of Shiv Sena UBT led by Udhav Thackray and Congress and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party is the most incongruous alliance. But the alliance formed by the compulsions of survival in the face of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s sustained onslaught clicked in the Lok Sabha polls to inflict heavy losses on the BJP. But the biggest gainer in the churn was Congress which thrashed the saffron brigade in Vidarbha and Marathwada.

Shinde’s Sena incurred the least damage. While SS UBT managed to just about retain its hold.

But that was the general election story. When these parties approach the assembly elections, the UBT Sena, is pushing for a BJP sort of arrangement with the Congress and the NCP wherein the regional party (in this case SS UBT) has the preeminent role, while the national parties get to contest the larger number of seats in the Lok Sabha election.

The concerns in Sena also stem from how this coalition may metamorphose in the days ahead. Especially, if the NCP (Pawar) and Congress together come closer to the halfway mark. That will make Sena UBT’s position vulnerable, almost redundant in the alliance.

It is precisely for this reason Shiv Sena UBT is pressing for the declaration of a CM candidate. And they want Uddhav Thackeray to be the face of the non-NDA alliance. It is an assurance of sorts that Sena wants the leadership of the alliance in the state will rest with its leader irrespective of the strength of each alliance partner.

NCP Pawar and Congress are in no mood to relent now. They will cross the bridge when there is a need.

This is why Sharad Pawar has openly said that the CM will be decided after the elections. And MPCC chief Nana Patola has clarified that the current priority for the party is to dislodge the NDA from power.

These statements, obviously have not gone down well with UBT Sena. Its chief Uddhav Thackray skipped the unveiling of the Congress stalwart Patang Rao Kadam last week in Sangli where top Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi were present.

In the ruling alliance too, the realignment of forces is evident.  Here, Ajit Pawar’s NCP is the odd one out. And there is a clear turf war between Pawar and Sinde-Fadnavis to appropriate credit for the social sector schemes launched by the government.

Shinde’s ministers have openly criticized Ajit Pawar. RSS mouthpiece has questioned the logic of aligning with the breakaway NCP group.

Now, after Ganesh Chaturthi, a fresh churn in Maharashtra politics will be heard soon.