The complexities of Maharashtra’s political landscape

Maharashtra is the only state that has seen maximum political shockers huge change in coalition politics and power of regional parties since the 2019 elections From BJPShiv Sena alliance contesting and winning elections to Shiv Sena allying with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party NCP and finally the division of Shiv Sena and NCP the state has seen it allNotably Maharashtra is the state where all its prominent parties have been the part of the government in the fiveyear tenure the Shiv Sena BJP Congress and NCP In the fiveyear tenure the state has also witnessed some rare happenings such as the famous 80 hours government of Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar a former chief minister demoted to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis a leader taking oath as the deputy chief minister thrice Ajit Pawar a big group of sitting MLAs going missing and later one of them Eknath Shinde turning up as the chief minister the citizens have seen a lotThe complexities in Maharashtra politics have placed the voter in a confused mindset The state has seen all possible coalitions and divisions Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections lets take a look some major events in the last five years that changed Maharashtrarsquos political landscapeThe 80hours governmentThe rift in Maharashtra politics began from October 24 2019 after the state assembly elections where BJPShiv Sena alliance secured highest winning mandate but failed to stake claim to form the government amidst blame game over chiefministership In the wee hours of November 23 the BJP sprung a surprise as president rule was lifted as BJPrsquos Devendra Fadnavis took oath as chief minister along with NCPrsquos Ajit Pawar as his deputy However they failed to prove their majority as Ajit Pawar could not secure NCP MLAs This was the shortest tenure of any government in Maharashtra and third shortest in the country This swearingin ceremony took place at the time when Shiv Sena along with Congress and NCP had mutually agreed to stake claim in forming the government In an embarrassment to BJP top leadership a Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA was formed and Shiv Senarsquos Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the chief minister and Ajit Pawar as his deputyTwo is the company three is the crowdThis proverb applies well with the political situation in the state since 2019 May it me the MVA government consisting the Congress undivided Shiv Sena and undivided NCP and now the Mahayuti government with BJP Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawarled NCP the pressures on both administrative level party level always existed Now with the elections on the way the pressures on coalitions are more visible as either of them the MVA and Mahayuti both yet not have come to a seatmdashsharing formula with elections just weeks awayMaharashtra gives second highest 48 Lok Sabha members to the Indian Parliament Thus the statersquos regional parties play a bigger role The Maharashtra politics always revolved around a saffron alliance of BJPShiv Sena and CongressNCP democratic front However now there are three parties in both MVA and Mahayuti making six parties in totalThe BJP and Congress have released names of few nominated candidates from Maharashtra but the fact that both the factions of both Shiv Sena and NCP have delayed announcing its candidates highlights the internal conflictsNow the BJP has indicated their alliance with another regional party in Maharashtra the Raj Thackerayrsquos MNS furthering complexing the NDArsquos seatsharing in the stateWill this allyengineering benefit or will backfire on the BJPled NDA only time can revealThe historic divisions that changed Maharashtrarsquos political dynamics foreverSenior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde along with 38 sitting Shiv Sena MLAs rebelled against the party and along with BJP formed the government This was not mere division of a political party but it was personal for many hardcore Shiv Sainiks on the ground Some family members of Uddhav Thackeray have shown support for Eknath ShindeShindersquos stand of allying with the BJP following Balasaheb Thackerayrsquos Hindutva ideology and Uddhav Thackerayrsquos stand of allying with the Congress to save the democracy whom will the voters in Maharashtra support is the biggest question For every Maharashtrian even nonsupporters of Shiv Sena the split in the party came as a shocker which they are still digestingThe second split came was in the Pawar family when Ajit Pawar this time ensuring support of MLAs joined hands with BJP and Eknath Shindersquos Shiv Sena Resigned as Deputy CM from MVA government Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy CM under Mahayuti government too But his separation from his uncle veteran leader Sharad Pawar led divisions among NCP supporters tooKeeping politics aside Ekanth Shinde and Ajit Pawar faced judgements from people for causing divisions in their parties and families resulting political turmoilThe upcoming elections will reveal if the coalitions endures the test of time