Maharashtra – In a surprising political development, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena have forged a controversial pact with AIMIM in Beed district’s Parli Municipal Council elections. This alliance comes merely two days after the BJP faced severe criticism for similar arrangements with Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, raising questions about ideological consistency among Mahayuti coalition partners.
The pact with AIMIM was sealed in the Parli Municipal Council elections, resulting in the election of NCP’s Vaijnath Solankhe as group leader of a panel formed to wrest control of the municipal council. This alignment has sparked intense political debate and drawn sharp reactions from opposition parties across Maharashtra.
Electoral Arithmetic Behind The Pact With AIMIM
The first phase of civic polls resulted in a fractured mandate for the Parli Municipal Council in Beed district. In the 35-member council, the NCP emerged as the single largest party with 16 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 2 seats and AIMIM won 1 seat. The fragmented electoral outcome necessitated coalition-building to achieve a working majority.
To secure a majority in the municipal council, the NCP formed a panel comprising Shiv Sena, AIMIM, and four independent councillors. This strategic pact with AIMIM proved instrumental in establishing control over the municipal council, though it came at the cost of ideological consistency and political credibility.
BJP’s Stand on the Alliance
The BJP notably stayed away from the arrangement involving the pact with AIMIM, maintaining distance from what it had previously criticized. The party had recently drawn sharp criticism after its local unit teamed up with AIMIM in the Akot Municipal Council in Akola district, partnering with an organization the BJP had been actively campaigning against during the polls.
The state leadership of BJP eventually disowned that alliance, making the current pact with AIMIM by its Mahayuti allies even more politically embarrassing. The BJP’s predicament highlights the gap between state-level rhetoric and local-level political pragmatism in Maharashtra politics.
AIMIM’s Position and Subsequent Exit
AIMIM state president Syed Imtiyaz Jaleel clarified that the decision regarding the pact with AIMIM was taken at the local level without state leadership approval. Following the controversy, AIMIM announced its exit from the alliance, distancing itself from the arrangement.
Jaleel raised pointed questions about the ruling parties’ approach, stating, “The real question here is, if we are that communal that you even relate us with Pakistan, why are you approaching us for post-poll elections?” His statement exposed the hypocrisy of parties that publicly denounce AIMIM while privately seeking this pact with AIMIM for political gains.
Shiv Sena’s Defense Mechanism
The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena attempted to clarify its position on the controversial pact with AIMIM, claiming it had extended support to the NCP rather than directly allying with AIMIM. This technical distinction appeared designed to provide political cover while maintaining the benefits of the alliance.
However, this explanation failed to satisfy critics who viewed the pact with AIMIM as a fundamental compromise of Shiv Sena’s Hindutva ideology. The party’s traditional stance against AIMIM made this alliance particularly controversial and difficult to justify to its core voter base.
Opposition’s Scathing Criticism
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) launched a blistering attack on the arrangement, calling the move “Dhongi Dharmwaad” (hypocritically religious). Ambadas Danve, senior Sena (UBT) leader, directly challenged Eknath Shinde, remarking, “We have now seen your alliance partner. You have joined hands with those against whom you have won the elections. Is this your new ideological stand?”
The opposition’s criticism of this pact with AIMIM focused on the ideological contradiction inherent in the alliance. Parties that had campaigned on Hindutva platforms and against AIMIM were now embracing the very organization they had vilified during elections.
Justification by Newly Elected Leader
Vaijnath Solankhe, the newly elected group leader who benefited from the pact with AIMIM, defended the arrangement on pragmatic grounds. He stated, “Since we have been elected by the people, we chose to come together to resolve their issues, which is not a crime.”
Solankhe’s defense emphasized governance over ideology, suggesting that delivering on electoral promises justified the controversial pact with AIMIM. However, this pragmatic approach conflicted with the ideological positions these parties had maintained during their election campaigns.
Broader Implications for Maharashtra Politics
The formation of this pact with AIMIM represents a broader pattern in Maharashtra politics where local political considerations often override state-level ideological commitments. The incident exposes the gap between public posturing and private political calculations among parties in the Mahayuti coalition.
This controversial pact with AIMIM raises fundamental questions about political consistency and ideological commitment in contemporary Maharashtra politics. As parties that publicly campaign against AIMIM privately forge alliances with the organization, voters are left questioning the authenticity of political rhetoric and the true priorities of their elected representatives.
Conclusion
The NCP and Shiv Sena’s pact with AIMIM in Beed’s Parli Municipal Council has opened a Pandora’s box of political contradictions within Maharashtra’s ruling coalition, demonstrating how power politics often trumps ideological principles at the local level.
