So once again, Maharashtra Politics has taken a new turn, as yesterday (2nd July 2023) leader of the opposition in Maharashtra assembly Ajit Pawar of NCP joined the ruling coalition of BJP and Shinde’s Shiv Sena as Deputy CM. As per the reports of yesterday, he has got the support of around 40 MLAs of NCP, which is more than 2/3rd of MLAs of NCP to escape from the anti-defection law. Since 2019, Maharashtra politics is seeing so many turns and twists. Let us see the chronology of the events after the results of the assembly elections in 2019:
- The original Shiv Sena and BJP had an alliance and were ruling Maharashtra. After the election results, the Shiv Sena started demanding the post of CM although they had almost 50 seats less than the BJP, which BJP refused saying that there was no such pre-poll alliance. So Shiv Sena quit the alliance and approached Congress and NCP for the formation of the coalition government, which they later formed and termed as Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, with Uddhav Thackeray as CM and Ajit Pawar as Dy CM.
- Before the MVA government took over, there was a short spell government which was an alliance of BJP and NCP, and here Devendra Phadnvis was CM and Ajit Pawar was Dy CM, but this government lost the majority as the MLAs of NCP listened to NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and Ajit Pawar had to withdraw the support to BJP.
- As you all are aware this MVA government lasted till June 2022, when there was a revolt in Shiv Sena, and Eknath Shinde with a requisite number of MLAs to defy anti-defection law formed an alliance with BJP, and became CM, with Devendra Phadnavis becoming Dy CM.
- Events of 2nd July happened, now the Maharashtra government is a three-party alliance of BJP/Shiv Sena/NCP.
In reality, BJP was cut off with both Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and NCP because of the fiasco in 2019, where they lost their face. It was very clear in the future that BJP will have their revenge, and they were instrumental in engineering the revolt in Uddhav-led Shiv Sena, and yesterday’s revolt happened in NCP.
There were indications of something big happening in the political scenario, after Devendra Phadnavis of BJP appeared for an interview on Republic News Channel a few days back, and exposed Sharad Pawar saying that in 2019 it was decided that after a series of meetings with Sharad Pawar that Ajit Pawar will be Dy CM in BJP/NCP alliance government. After the interview was aired, Sharad Pawar commented that was my googly as he wanted to expose BJP and prove to the Indian public that BJP is power-hungry. On hearing this Devendra Phadnavis commented that he also knows bowling, and when the time comes, he will also bowl googly which will floor Sharad Pawar. It looks like that googly ball was bowled yesterday.
In political circles, there is one question that everybody is asking and that is “ Why did Ajit Pawar ditch Sharad Pawar?”
- A few days back Sharad Pawar sidelined Ajit Pawar in the NCP by appointing his daughter Supriya Sule, and Praful Patel as two Executive Presidents of the party. No party position for Ajit Pawar, although he had earlier communicated that he is no longer interested as Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra assembly, he wants to work for the party.
- This move by Sr Pawar jolted Ajit Pawar and looks like this triggered Ajit to take action about his future, as he understood that can not have any party post so he engineered this revolt. As per his statement yesterday when he said that “ when NCP can form an alliance government with Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray, then what is wrong in going with BJP?
- As per Ajit Pawar, the majority of MLAs and MPs are with him, and going by the example of Eknath Shinde whose group was recognized by the Election Commission as the real Shiv Sena with their symbol, and another group led by Uddhav Thackeray is now known as Shiv Sena (UBT), he feels that his group will be recognized as real NCP by the Election Commission as he has got the support of majority of MLAs and MPs. But in my opinion, it is too early to comment on this topic.
- Sharad Pawar must have got a big jolt of his life when he saw that even Praful Patel who was nurtured by him also joined hands with Ajit Pawar.
The case of Sharad Pawar and Balasahib Thackeray is identical. Raj Thackeray, nephew of Balasahib was with him from very young days, and all the Sainiks at that time were thinking he will be the successor to Balasahib when the time comes. But when the time came Balasahib appointed his son Uddhav (a political novice) as his successor, bypassing Raj. In the end, Raj left Shiv Sena and started Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). In the case of Sharad Pawar also, he ditched his nephew Ajit Pawar (who was with him before even Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar) in favour of his daughter Supriya.
In a press briefing, Ajit Pawar was all praise for the work being done by PM Modi.
With Ajit Pawar’s strike against Sharad Pawar, one of the tallest leaders of the country’s opposition, the rebellion is also seen as a blow to efforts by the country’s fragmented opposition parties to unite against PM Modi and the BJP ahead of national elections next year.
Maharashtra NCP’s President Jayant Patil has moved the disqualification petitions against Ajit Pawar and eight others who ditched MVA and took oath as ministers in the NDA government led by Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena. He has asked the Assembly speaker to give them (NCP) a hearing at the earliest. But as per Sharad Pawar, he will not be pursuing a legal battle and instead go to the people directly, even as at least 37 of his 53 MLAs are set to defect and join hands with BJP/Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra. “ There is no need to fight this battle legally, and neither do I have an issue if someone claims ownership over the NCP. We will go to the people and seek their support”. This statement by Sharad Pawar gives the impression that numbers are with Ajit Pawar, and legally Sharad Pawar group will have the slightest chance.
In the end, it looks so obvious that BJP has settled their score with both the leaders Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray who ditched them in 2019.
Let us wait and watch for the further development in this matter.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
3rd July 2023