Since the end of the elections in Maharashtra and after the dismal performance of NDA in the state, things are getting uncomfortable among the partners in the Mahayuti.

Inclusion of Ajit Pawar led NCP faction into the NDA fold in Maharashtra was marred with risks and rewards from the very beginning. But the election results of 2024, where NCP Ajit Camp won only one seat of Sunil Tatkare from Konkan shows that Bjp and Shinde led Shiv Sena got only risks from this alliance with minimal rewards.

The state's results have proved that the opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SCP)) which was built on the agenda on a 'common minimum program' is a far stronger alliance as compared to the ruling Mahayuti alliance (BJP, Eknath Shinde's Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP).

The General Election results have also exposed how weakly Mahayuti alliance partners are stitched together. NCP Ajit Pawar faction was the weak link during election where both Bjp and Shinde led Shiv Sena workers found difficult to convince the Voters about inclusion of Ajit Pawar in the alliance.

There was no common ground with his faction of NCP and then there was the burden of corruption allegations on him and his leaders. From the very beginning, both Bjp and Shiv Sena insiders knew that inclusion of Ajit Pawar will bring electoral debacle to the alliance. And now they are worrying that NCP may drag them again during the assembly Elections due around October of 2024.

Due to this we can see some cracks Developing in the NDA alliance. The cracks in Mahayuti widened over the ministerial berth. Pawar had demanded a ministerial berth for his MPs but he was offered a Minister of State post, an offer he declined. BJP's Devendra Fadnavis cited the fixed formula to allot ministerial berth for not giving a ministerial berth to Pawar's party. He said these calculations cannot be changed for one party.

On one hand, Shinde Sena continues to hold Ajit Pawar responsible for the Mahayuti alliance's poor performance in the state. On the other hand, the BJP will have a tough time sidelining or considering dropping Pawar from the alliance right before the state assembly elections. The BJP is worried that getting rid of Pawar will create further political confusion in the state, which can cause electoral damage to the alliance in the assembly polls. But this can also send a bad message to other allies of the BJP

But using Ajit Pawar to advantage can also be a strategy that both Bjp and Shiv Sena can implement rather than bragging about the same. Ajit Pawar is no small leader and holds his sway in multiple parts of Maharashtra. The audacity to rebel against Sharad Pawar and to grab majority of law maker to his side shows his strength. NDA can use his reach to its advantage in next few months.

As per opinion of few political pundits, if Ajit Pawar wants to get control over things, he must project himself as the rising Maratha leader of Maharashtra and has to topple Sharad Pawar from the same post. For that, Ajit Pawar has to engage the Maratha reservation matter as well the farmers at the same time.

He has to revive his outreach in Sugar belt of Maharashtra and realign the loyalties. He has to take a stand in Maratha reservation which will dilute the importance of Jharange Patil in Maratha agitation. Bjp and Shinde group can help Ajit Dada achieve this, but the question remains that how much Bjp and Shiv Sena want to see a stronger NCP and Ajit Pawar.

By Padmaraj Nair

"The Author is a Political Analyst and has 25 years of experience with Indian Express group and other media agencies. He was the Jury member for several International Film Festivals and was associated with Indian Censor Board."


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