It was a Sunday shocker indeed. The epicentre of “Pawar ”-ful political quake was Maharashtra, but it rattled across the political landscape of the country. In a surprise and dramatic political move, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) split and much of its top brass leaders, including Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Chhagan Bhujbal, joined Eknath Shinde-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena government. Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister while eight other NCP leaders took oath as ministers. This political upheaval is not only seen as a blow to the alliance of Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra but also the efforts to stitch a coalition for Opposition before the final of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Big blow to Opposition unity

The alliance of Shiv Sena (Uddhav), Congress and NCP in Maharashtra was seen as a model for the stronger Opposition unity against the BJP vis-a-vis next year’s parliamentary elections. As far as the poll prospects (general and assembly elections) are concerned, the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Sena alliance looks shaky. As per media report, BJP’s internal survey suggests that the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is going ahead in terms of electoral gains. BJP appears to have jolted the Opposition unity efforts in Maharashtra and outside as well with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP group joining BJP.

Pawar vs Pawar

NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar, suffering the biggest setbacks of his five-decade political heft, is billed to be one of the important linchpins of the Opposition’s attempts to stand united against the BJP. But with the current “Maha” political play that gives hint of 40 of NCP’s total 53 MLAs backing Ajit Pawar, Sr. Pawar may get deprived of much electoral clout– a big blow to the Opposition plans. The Opposition looked stunned by the NCP split and took umbrage at the BJP. Opposition leaders are of the view that the split in NCP has dealt blow with the attempts of unifying Opposition in terms of public perception and optics.

Electoral gains for BJP

With the new political manoeuvre in Maharashtra politics, BJP seems to be confident of a major electoral gain in the face of 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According to reports published in the media, the talk between BJP and Ajit Pawar was going on for the past four months. State and central leadership of the saffron party were in touch with the nephew of Sharad Pawar. Ajit Pawar is reported to have had a meeting with senior BJP leader Amit Shah. Maharashtra is the second largest state in India in terms of 48 Lok Sabha seats, only behind Uttar Pradesh having 80 seats. Electorally, Maharashtra is quite crucial for the parliamentary elections. With Ajit Pawar’s switching side to BJP, the expanded BJP could claim all 48 seats in the state. Political experts feel that this twist could add much needed spin to the momentum of BJP to grow in Maharashtra, which the saffron party could not do so long as its association with the Thackerays.

-RAMAKANT CHAUDHARY

Ramakant Chaudhary works with PR Professionals as DGM-Content, and has worked in various editorial roles with Financial Express, Mint (Hindustan Times Group), The Times Of India, Jagran Post (Dainik Jagran Group), The Pioneer, and The Political and Business Daily. He writes on politics, government policy, economy, infrastructure, real estate, social issues, lifestyle, and health.

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Congress leader Ashok Chavan said his party had conveyed its stand about portfolio allocation to the Maharashtra chief minister at the meeting attended by him, Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, NCP’s Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde and others.

The Congress, which has got 12 berths in the state government, wants two additional departments related to rural areas. “We gave our proposal to the CM. He will take a call,” Chavan

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said “The decision on portfolio allocation has been made. Who will get what, it has been decided. I think the chief minister will declare it on Friday,”

Four days after the expansion of the Maharashtra cabinet, the Thackeray government is reportedly struggling with the issue of portfolio allocation as squabbles within the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi haven’t yet been resolved. To make matters worse, internal dissent within the constituents of the MVA has exposed the fissures in the alliance.

A senior leader confirmed t that the infighting within the Congress party has led to the delay in the portfolio announcement. On Monday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inducted a total of 36 ministers in his one-month-old coalition government comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.

The Maharashtra Cabinet expansion has reportedly broken a rift between a faction of Congress over the allocation of portfolios in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, with senior party leaders feeling that the loyalists are being ignored at the time when they deserve an opportunity.

Discontent between the Congress party has also surfaced between Maharashtra cabinet minister Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat with both senior leaders reportedly demanding the Revenue and PWD portfolio. Sources further informed that Nitin Raut and Vijay Wadettiwar have placed their demand for the PWD portfolio. Sources said party leader Rahul Gandhi also suggested that Cong should bet for agriculture or rural development department which is now with Ncp.

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दरअसल तीनों दलों में विधायकों के मंत्री बनने पर होड लगी है .हालत एक अनार सौ बीमार की तरह है. शिवसेना ने पिछली सरकार में ज्यादातर मंत्री विधानपरिषद से बनाये थे लेकिन इस बार दवाब है कि केवल चुन कर आये विधायक ही मंत्री बनाये जायें. फिर बाहर से समर्थन दे रहे निर्दलीय विधायक भी मंत्री पद की आस लगाये बैठे हैं .शिवसेना ने मुख्यमंत्री उदधव ठाकरे के साथ अपने दो वरिष्ठ नेता एकनाथ शिंदे और सुभाष देसाई को तो शपथ दिला दी लेकिन दिवाकर रावते , रामदास कदम ,रविंद्र वायकर जैसे तमाम दिग्गज उदधव के साथ पैरवी कर रहे हैं.

एनसीपी में दिग्गज जयंत पाटिल और छगन भुजबल तो मंत्री बन गये हैं लेकिन वहां अभी अजीत पवार को उपमुख्यमंत्री पद को लेकर पेंच फंसा है. अजीत पवार ने बगावत कर बीजेपी को समर्थन दे दिया था उनको बडी मुश्किल से वापस लाया गया . पार्टी में दिलीप वलसे पाटिल . धनंजय मुंडे .नवाब मलिक . जितेन्द्र आव्हाड जैसे सीनियर को एडजस्ट करने की चुनौती है .

कांग्रेस में भी बवाल कम नही है. पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री अशोक चव्हाण और पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण को कुछ ना कुछ देना है. उनके अलावा विजय वडेट्टीवार . वर्षा गायकवाड ,यशोमती ठाकुर ,अमीन पटेल .जैसे नेताओं को मंत्री बनाना मजबूरी है. कांग्रेस में कई नये पुराने भी जीत कर आये हैं. इसके अलावा सपा के अबू आजमी ,राजू शेटटी और निर्दलीयों को भी एडजस्ट करना है. इसलिए सब कुछ टाल दिया गया है ।

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