Internal strife fumes in Mahayuti and Mahavikas Aghadi post-election in Maharashtra

In the wake of the recent general election results, Maharashtra's political landscape remains as dynamic and unpredictable as ever, marked by internal discord and public recriminations among both major alliances.

The Mahayuti coalition, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, has been fraught with infighting and mutual accusations, The Wire reported.

Following a dismal performance in the elections, with Ajit Pawar's NCP securing just one out of four contested seats, Pawar has blamed the BJP for inadequate support, particularly highlighting the defeat of his wife, Sunetra Pawar, in Baramati. This loss has been a significant point of contention, with Ajit criticizing the BJP for not putting sufficient effort into backing his candidates.

The situation was further strained when the Ajit-led NCP turned down the BJP’s offer to appoint party leader Praful Patel as a Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge in the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

Patel deemed the role a demotion for a leader of his stature, adding another layer of friction within the alliance. Ajit Pawar's absence from the first NDA allies meeting in Delhi post-election results underscored the deepening rift, the analytical report of The Wire suggested.

On the other hand, the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the NCP, which performed relatively well by winning eight out of ten contested seats, celebrated its 25th foundation year with an event in Ahmednagar.

During the celebration, Rohit Pawar, an MLA and Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew, openly criticized the state party chief Jayant Patil. Rohit attributed the party’s success to the efforts of party workers rather than any single leader, directly challenging Patil’s leadership. This internal conflict is indicative of the ongoing power struggle within the party, with Rohit seeking a more prominent position.

The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena also expressed dissatisfaction with the BJP, feeling undervalued by the offer of only an MoS role for its MP. Shrirang Barne, the party’s chief whip, pointed out that other NDA allies with fewer MPs received cabinet positions, which the Sena, with seven MPs out of 15 contested seats, had hoped to secure.

However, the party later issued a statement reaffirming its unconditional support for the BJP and Prime Minister Modi.

Meanwhile, the Mahavikas Aghadi front, consisting of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, and the Congress, is also experiencing internal strains. The Congress party, expecting to contest two seats in the upcoming state legislative council elections, was surprised by Thackeray’s unilateral decision for his party to contest all four seats without consulting its allies.

This move led to frustration within the Congress, with party leader Nana Patole expressing difficulties in communicating with Thackeray, who was reportedly abroad at the time.

These developments underscore the volatility in Maharashtra’s political alliances. The Mahayuti’s internal blame game and the Mahavikas Aghadi’s discord reflect broader challenges ahead, particularly the unravelling situation after the Lok Sabha polls.