Mumbai: With the Maharashtra Assembly elections approaching, the political landscape is heating up, especially between the Mahayuti (BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. As the battle lines are drawn, the Mahayuti has reaffirmed its support for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, while the MVA grapples with internal pressure to name its chief ministerial candidate.
At a recent press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confidently declared that the Mahayuti had no need to announce a new CM face since Shinde has already been established as their leader. This clear backing comes amid speculations about potential shifts in leadership within the ruling alliance, especially after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s cryptic comments about the BJP’s “sacrifice” in offering the CM post to Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction. The BJP, despite having the largest number of MLAs, has maintained a precarious balancing act by ceding the top spot to its ally.
Fadnavis, in his characteristic style, further stirred the political pot by challenging the MVA to declare their CM candidate. “MVA isn’t announcing its CM face because they don’t think they’ll have one after the elections,” he quipped. This remark highlights the opposition’s struggle to project a unified leadership as internal factions within the Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena (UBT) wrestle for dominance.
Within the Mahayuti, although public support for Shinde is evident, undercurrents of dissatisfaction are becoming hard to ignore. BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule hinted at the sentiment among BJP’s rank and file—if BJP has the most MLAs, shouldn’t they control key positions?
On the opposition front, the MVA’s indecision on a CM face adds to their woes. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray’s camp remains steadfast in his candidature, but the Congress and NCP-SP have been reluctant to publicly endorse him.
The 2024 Maharashtra elections present a pivotal moment for both alliances. The Mahayuti will be hoping to capitalise on its development narrative and ladki Bahin Yojana while the MVA will trump up an emotional cord emphasising the government’s failure to tackle unemployment & agrarian crisis.
In Maharashtra, where regional pride and local issues often take precedence, leadership clarity is essential for voters. Both alliances will need to carefully navigate internal politics to project unity as the election race tightens. For the MVA, naming a CM candidate could be crucial to countering the Mahayuti’s advantage.
