The newly elected 15th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly may function without the Leader of Opposition (LoP). As per the legislative rules, a party with 10 per cent of the 288 seats or 29 seats can claim the post.

Accordingly, either Shiv Sena(UBT) or Congress need to get 29 seats to be eligible for the post. However, the present trends show that the MVA parties may fall short.

As per the latest trends, Shiv Sena(UBT) was leading in 20 seats, Congress in 19 and NCP(SP) in 12 seats. This means neither Shiv Sena(UBT) nor Congress will be in a position to stake claim over the LoP post. The Leader of Opposition’s post cannot be bagged based on the combined strength of opposition parties, as per the rules.

This is probably the first time since the first Assembly came into existence in the state in 1960 that there will be no LoP. It will be a major embarrassment for the Maha Vikas Aghadi as none of its constituents will be able to get the post. This means that the seat next to the deputy speaker in the front row on the opposition benches will lay vacant in the newly elected state Assembly.

During the 14th Assembly, Ajit Pawar was appointed as the LoP after the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government collapsed. However, after Ajit Pawar joined the MahaYuti, the Congress legislator Vijay Wadettiwar became the LoP. It will be similar to the 16th Lok Sabha which did not have a Leader of Opposition. According to Parliament rules, the biggest Opposition party in the House has to have at least 10 per cent of the total strength of the Lok Sabha, or 55 seats, to be eligible for the post of Leader of Opposition.

No party had that number in the 16th Lok Sabha (June 2014 to February 2019). The Congress, with 44 MPs, emerged as the largest Opposition party, closely followed by J. Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK, at 37. There was no LoP in the Lok Sabha during the Prime Ministerships of Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi, when the Congress enjoyed a brute majority in the Lok Sabha, and the Opposition space had shrunk considerably.

–IANS

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The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has proved to be a game changer for the MahaYuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Despite the opposition terming it a ‘bribe’ to the women, the MahaYuti made special efforts to promote the scheme by organising functions across the state. Each of the over 2.36 crore eligible women beneficiaries received Rs 7,500 (Rs 1,500 each for five months from July to November) and they overwhelmingly supported the MahaYuti.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his reaction admitted that the Ladki Bahin Yojana had done wonders for MahaYuti resulting in resounding performance. Incidentally, the women and child development department headed by NCP Minister Aditi Tatkare and her team strived to make the scheme a great success as it was implemented smoothly without major errors. Of the total 9.70 crore voters, 6.40 crore voters cast their votes in November.

Of the 6.40 crore voters, 3.06 crore were women and 3.34 crore men. The MahaYuti’s pro-women campaign worked as they came in a large number to vote. The women voters responded positively to MahaYuti’s assurance to increase the monthly aid to Rs 2,100.

The Chief Minister during a series of rallies announced that the MahaYuti government after being voted to power will increase the monthly aid in phases to Rs 3,000.

On the other hand, Maha Vikas Aghadi’s promise of monthly aid of Rs 4,000 under the Mahalakshmi Yojana did not enthuse the women voters much. Women voters showed by voting in large numbers that they were happy with the MahaYuti’s fulfilment of its promise and its resolve to continue to the Ladki Bahin Yojana after coming to power again.

They were not prepared to wait for Maha Vikas Aghadi’s aid of Rs 4,000. The MahaYuti leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Dy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, strongly projected that Maha Vikas Aghadi would close down all welfare and development schemes launched by the MahaYuti government.

CM Shinde and his two deputies also rubbished the opposition’s claim that the Ladki Bahin Yojana would be wound up as it was an election ‘jumla’. The Chief Minister and two Dy CMs reiterated that the welfare and development schemes have been launched considering the state’s financial condition by making adequate allocation.

The government has earmarked Rs 46,000 crore for Ladki Bahin Yojana during 2004-25. On the other hand, Maha Vikas Aghadi failed to create magic with its promise of Rs 4,000 aid.

MahaVikas Aghadi went on to criticise the state government over the rising fiscal deficit which was reported at Rs 2.30 lakh crore and public debt of over Rs 7.82 lakh crore cautioning that the state is heading for a major financial crisis.

However, it did not work in its favour as the women voters and the beneficiaries of other welfare and development schemes seem to have been convinced that the state government is in a position to mobilise necessary resources internally and also with the strong backing of the Centre.

–IANS

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Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Eknath Shinde has slammed the opposition for moving court against the ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ and said that if the scheme was a crime, he was ready to go to jail. “I am ready to go to jail for the Ladki Bahin (beloved sisters),” he said after the inauguration of the office of the party nominee Vishwanath Bhoir from Kalyan West late Monday night.

The Chief Minister asked the women voters to support Shiv Sena and the MahaYuti for defeating the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which has been pressing for discontinuing the Ladki Bahin Yojana. “Dear sisters will get Rs 1,500 every month under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. The opposition has been consistently advocating the closure of the Ladki Bahin Yojana. If they (the opposition) approach you (women voters) during the poll campaign, ask them why they are opposing the Ladki Bahin Yojana,” CM Shinde said. Further, the Chief Minister called upon the women to grill the opposition asking them why they went to court to stop the scheme. “This is the government of the common man. So whoever comes to you – the stepbrothers, rivals or opponents – show them their place for opposing the Ladki Bahin Yojana,” he advised.

He further claimed that those who will close down the Ladki Bahin Yojana and other welfare schemes will face a backlash. The Chief Minister said that Shiv Sena and MahaYuti were counting on a slew of development projects launched during the last two and half years. “Let the Maha Vikas Aghadi tell about the development works during its rule. We are ready to give our account. Is Maha Vikas Aghadi ready for this?” he asked. At another rally after the inauguration of the election office of the party nominee from Worli seat Milind Deora, the Chief Minister accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led government of putting speed breakers by stalling various development projects including the Mumbai Coastal Road, Aarey Metro car shed, Mumbai Metro 3, Atal Setu and park in Mahalakshmi Race Course.

“The MahaYuti removed all speed rakers and completed these projects. Had it not been done, then these projects would not have been completed in 15 years,” he claimed. He said that the MahaYuti government will work to bring back the Marathi Manoos, who were thrown out of Mumbai, to the metropolis.

He criticised the Shiv Sena-UBT for running a campaign that Mumbai will be separated from Maharashtra after the elections were over. “It won’t happen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the Centre’s desire for Mumbai to become a world-class city and a powerhouse. The double engine government means a double guarantee,” he said.

–IANS

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Shiv Sena supremo and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday, in the run-up to the Assembly elections, criticised his former boss and SS-UBT president Uddhav Thackeray, claiming his party freed Shiv Sena from those who betrayed the thoughts and ideologies of Bal Thackeray.

“Their agenda is corruption first, ours is the nation first, theirs is a fake narrative, ours is only work. Haryana Assembly poll results will be replicated in Maharashtra. The state (Maharashtra) could take development to new heights due to support by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” said Shinde in his speech at the Dussehra rally in the Azad Maidan here. He sounded the bugle for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, exhorting the people to vote for Shiv Sena and MahaYuti to speed up Maharashtra’s development and make the state economy a $1.5 trillion one. “People will overwhelmingly support MahaYuti with a higher percentage of votes. Ladki bahin, brothers, farmers have become MahaYuti’s ambassadors,” Shinde said.

The Maharashtra CM urged the people to cast their vote and also pay attention to updating the voters’ list. He asked the party workers to demolish the fake narratives spread by the opposition and help MahaYuti collect more and more votes. He called upon the party workers to defeat “those who have left Hindutva”. “You (Shiv Sena-UBT) are speaking the language of Pakistan. There is no difference between AIMIM and Shiv Sena-UBT. Balasaheb Thackeray’s dreams, including the abrogation of Article 370 and construction of Ram temple were fulfilled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A fake narrative will not last long. As long as the sun and moon are there, the Constitution crafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar will remain intact,” CM Shinde said.

The Maharashtra CM said the MahaYuti government, in a short span of two years, had become a beloved government and launched welfare and development schemes for sisters, brothers, farmers and other sections. “Had the uprising not been carried out by us, true Shiv Sainiks would have been humiliated and Maharashtra would have gone back many years,” he added. Shinde accused the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government of blocking various development projects, saying that the state’s debt rose by Rs 17,000 crore due to the arrogance and stalling of the projects.

He lashed out at Shiv Sena-UBT in particular for its repeated claims that since he took over, the government would fall, but said it survived, and became stronger. “I want to say one thing to all Shiv Sainiks, wherever Eknath Shinde goes in Maharashtra, everyone welcomes him with a smile and blesses him. This is what we have earned in the last two years. Balasaheb Thackeray had told us, if there is injustice, rise up and do not tolerate it,” he added.

–IANS

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The Eknath Shinde government’s decision to grant the status of ‘Rajya mata’ to Indigenous cows in Maharashtra has earned the backing and support of its key ally, the BJP, also one of the strongest proponents for treating cows as venerable figures. Welcoming the decision, the BJP termed it a reinforcement of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy.

BJP National Spokesperson Prem Shukla emphasised the significance of this decision, stating that it aligns with the ideals of Hindavi Swaraj established by Shivaji. Shukla also criticised the Congress and Sharad Pawar, asserting that such a declaration should have been made years ago. He also highlighted that the ban on cow slaughter was only implemented under the Devendra Fadnavis government. “This decision honours the tradition of Chhatrapati Shivaji,” he stated. Addressing the opposition, Shukla noted that numerous elections occurred in Maharashtra from 1960 to 2024, during which Congress and Pawar failed to make similar proclamations due to political calculations.

He further accused them of prioritising appeasement over moral decisions. Shukla further elaborated on the historical significance of cow protection in Maharashtra, tracing its roots back to the Vedic period and underscoring the cultural importance of cows in regions like Marathwada, West Maharashtra, and Vidarbha. Talking about the importance of cows in Maharashtra since ancient times, Shukla further said there has been a tradition of protecting cows in Maharashtra since the Vedic period. Cows have always been protected and promoted in many areas of the state, including Marathwada, West Maharashtra and Vidarbha. Chhatrapati Shivaji is also described as a cow protector.

The state Cabinet led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took the decision months before the Maharashtra Assembly election. Notably, the cow is given the status of mother and is worshipped in Hinduism in India. Apart from this, its milk, urine and dung are sacred and used in abundance. Cow milk is very beneficial for the human body, while cow urine is claimed to cure many diseases.

–IANS

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday asserted in Nashik that the MahaYuti government will come back to power while asking the BJP functionaries to work in close coordination and unity with allies Shiv Sena and NCP and also bring the workers of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) into the party fold.

On his second-day visit to Maharashtra, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the interactive meetings with the party functionaries in Nashik and Kolhapur. He encouraged them to demolish the opposition’s fake narratives as the country focused on the upcoming state Assembly election.

On Tuesday, the Home Minister addressed the meetings at Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and warned that the party will not tolerate rebellion, factionalism and dissent after announcing the party nominations. At the meeting in Nashik, HM Amit Shah reiterated that the MahaYuti, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, will contest the state Assembly election with full strength and with the sole objective of retaining power in Maharashtra.

“BJP is in power in 16 states with more seats than all others put together. BJP will come back to power with full majority in the coming assembly election,” he said. The senior BJP leader also added that India is on the way to becoming the third-largest economy in the world, adding that the opposition only wants to play politics.

“The Assembly election is quite crucial as it will change the face of Maharashtra. It is an ideological battle,” he said while asking the party functionaries to work hard for MahaYuti’s victory. “Once we win the election, we will cross 300 seats again in 2029,” HM Shah said.

Home Minister Amit Shah urged the party functionaries in Nashik to fight the assembly election with a resolve for a victory, thereby erasing the failure of winning fewer seats in the Lok Sabha elections. “An attempt is being made to break your confidence but neglect that to fight with full strength,” he said. The Home Minister took a dig at the opposition, saying that some contest elections to become Prime Minister or Chief Minister. However, he said that the BJP is contesting elections to build India. “Did anyone think that Article 370 will be abolished? Did anyone think that Ram Mandir will be built,” Shah said.

He further noted that it was possible as the BJP was in power at the Centre. He said the Waqf Board Act will be passed in the winter session. He strongly defended the Center’s policies to curb terrorism and naxal activities in the country, saying that Maoists and terrorists are counting their days. “There were attacks from terrorists and Pakistan. If anyone tampers with the border of the country, they will be beaten by entering their homes,” the Home Minister said. On Tuesday, the Home Minister had set an ambitious target of winning 45 of the total 62 seats in Vidarbha and 30 of the total 46 seats in Marathwada by MahaYuti in the Assembly election.

He asked the party functionaries to focus on increasing the voting by 10 per cent, especially by stepping up outreach with voters up to the booth level. Meanwhile, the Home Minister on Tuesday met the Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP national president and DCM Ajit Pawar at Sambhajinagar and discussed the MahaYuti’s seat-sharing arrangement for the assembly election. Shinde declined to divulge further details but said that the MahaYuti’s seat sharing will be announced soon.

–IANS

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday lashed out at the Congress government in Karnataka after the police in the neighbouring state’s Mandya town held back an idol of Ganpati during the procession and kept it in the police station.

He said that those doing politics over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue at Rajkot Fort in Malvan were responsible for “creating hurdles” during Ganpati festival celebrations in Karnataka. Shinde spoke about the Mandya incident at a rally in Dharashiv in the Marathwada region. The rally promoted the state government’s flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.

Referring to the image of Ganpati idol that went viral on social media after being held back by Mandya Police as the procession was attacked by miscreants, sparking outrage against the Congress government, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said: “People doing politics in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are responsible for stopping Ganapati festival celebrations in Karnataka… the Congress government arrested Ganpati Bappa in Karnataka.”

The Karnataka Police are yet to verify the claims regarding the holding back of the Ganpati idol. “You (referring to Congress) do this with Lord Ganesha in Ganeshotsav. Where will you pay for this sin? After the fall of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Sindhudurg district, the opposition played politics on this issue. However, the Ganapati idol was arrested in Karnataka,” Shinde further said, criticising the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government. The Maharashtra Chief Minister also criticised Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s statement on the reservation. “My sisters will now do the work of sending these Congressmen home.”

Meanwhile, Shinde strongly defended the MahaYuti government’s decision to implement the Ladki Bahin scheme and other welfare and development schemes for women, youth, farmers, and other sections. He reiterated that the MahaYuti government if voted to power in the upcoming Assembly polls, will increase the current monthly financial aid of Rs 1,500 — provided to the eligible women beneficiaries — to Rs 3,000. “The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana will not be discontinued. The government will increase financial assistance and make the sisters millionaires. If women are strong, then the country is strong. Women’s development is the country’s development,” the Maharashtra CM said.

–IANS

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In a climate where the Sakal Hindu Samaj (a coalition of several Hindu socio political organizations) took to the streets, and with Maharashtra witnessing more than 125 rallies, it’s indeed hard to envision the popularity of such demonstrations without the participation of the majority Maratha community. The overwhelming support for these rallies underscores the significant role played by the Maratha community in these events.

In this backdrop of extensive rallies, the sudden demand for Maratha reservation and the subsequent agitation have undeniably left a profound impact on the political landscape of Maharashtra. Both the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena have astutely capitalized on this issue to their political advantage.

The involvement and influence of the Maratha community in these developments have been pivotal, shaping the dynamics of the region’s politics. The interplay of community support, political maneuvering, and social dynamics has made this issue a central and transformative element in the political narrative of Maharashtra.

Political dynamics in Maharashtra have been in constant flux since 2019. However, signs of political instability emerged earlier, around 2017, when the Shiv Sena began criticizing the BJP, despite being in a coalition government. Initially perceived as friendly banter, this friction continued and escalated over time. The Shiv Sena, realizing that anti-BJP sentiments were gaining momentum, intensified its critique.

Tensions between the Shiv Sena and BJP reached a crucial point when Uddhav Thackeray, in a public meeting in 2018, launched a direct verbal assault on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, using strong language. However, despite these differences, the two parties later reconciled and contested together in the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections in 2019.

The turning point occurred when the BJP secured 105 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 63 seats. This led to a power struggle over the Chief Minister’s position, eventually resulting in the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance by NCP, aimed at keeping the BJP out of power. The BJP’s return to power became a reality after the Shinde faction broke away from the MVA and allied with the BJP. Following a protracted legal battle, the Supreme Court ordered the Speaker to decide on the disqualification of MLAs by December 31.

The intricate political maneuvering surrounding the Maratha reservation agitation can be summarized as follows:

The agitation was ignited by a man from Jalna district in the Marathwada region, who went on a hunger strike to demand Maratha reservations. This drew police lathi-charges, bringing Jarange Patil to the forefront as the face of the movement. The Maratha community rallied behind Jarange Patil, and opposition parties began visiting him.

As the agitation gained momentum, members of the ruling party engaged in negotiations. Initially, Jarange Patil demanded the inclusion of Marathas from Marathwada as Kunbi in the OBC category. The government accepted this demand and established a committee under Justice Shinde to facilitate the necessary proceedings. Subsequently, Jarange ended his hunger strike. Simultaneously, the OBC community began protesting against Jarange’s demand.

The coincidence of Jarange Patil’s agitation and the Supreme Court’s deadline for deciding on the disqualification petitions is indeed a compelling and intriguing factor. In the complex landscape of Maharashtra politics, the significance of not losing a Chief Minister from the majority community during such a high-intensity agitation cannot be overstated.

Historically, Maharashtra’s politics has been marked by sub-regionalism and caste-based considerations. In the Konkan region, for example, the Kunbi and Maratha communities are roughly equal in numbers and often political rivals. In Vidarbha, the movement led by Punjab Rao Deshmukh ensured that nearly all Marathas obtained the Kunbi certificate, shaping the political landscape. Western Maharashtra and Northern Maharashtra, on the other hand, revolve around issues related to sugarcane cooperatives.

Marathwada, as you’ve rightly pointed out, faces distinctive challenges, including drought, early marriages of girls, and limited landholdings. This region has garnered significant attention and support for the Maratha reservation agitation. Marathwada has a historical pattern of competition between Maratha strongmen and OBC leaders. Before 2014, leaders like former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, a Maratha, and former Home Minister and OBC stalwart Gopinath Munde, emerged as successful grassroots leaders.

Following the passing of leaders like Munde and Deshmukh, Marathwada experienced a leadership vacuum. This vacuum inadvertently allowed Jarange Patil to step in and, at least for the less privileged Marathas, assume a leadership role in the region.

The interplay between regional dynamics, caste considerations, and leadership gaps adds layers of complexity to the Maratha reservation agitation and its political implications. It underscores the intricate nature of politics in Maharashtra and the factors that influence the political landscape.

In a calculated move, Devendra Fadnavis personally assured the OBC community that Marathas would not be included in the OBC category. Shinde, on the other hand, managed Jarange’s protest, and it was notable that the Shiv Sena, particularly a faction of Marathwada leaders, aligned with Shinde. It became evident that both Fadnavis and Shinde stood to gain politically from this agitation.

While the blame for the agitation is often attributed to Sharad Pawar’s opposition, it is important to note that in such situations, when the dominant caste becomes more vocal, the minority caste often consolidates against it. Jarange’s actions, which included a direct attack on Devendra Fadnavis, garnered sympathy from other communities, potentially strengthening the BJP’s position in upcoming elections. Additionally, Devendra Fadnavis, who had faced accusations of sidelining the OBC community, regained popularity among this group. By the end of the agitation, it was clear that Shinde had emerged as a prominent Maratha leader, further solidifying the political landscape.

Vipin is a political analyst and researcher based out of Maharashtra

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The ruling Eknath Shinde faction of Maharastra’s Shiv Sena, received endorsement and validation from the late founder, Bal Thacker family.

Bal Thackeray’s elder son and other Thakarey family members shared the Dussera stage with current Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr. Eknath Shinde.

Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, younger son of Bal Thackarey, the recently ousted Chief Minister of a Shiv Sena coalition in Maharashtra, was no doubt disappointed.

His Shiv Sena led government which was in a coalition with the Congress and the NCP, fell to a strategic coup from within his party, in alleged protest against a coalition made up of ideologically different partners .

An annual Dussera meeting and celebration has been a Shiv Sena tradition since Bal Thackeray’s times.

This year’s feature was expected to be unique, in that, the party’s two rival factions were both expected to hold it.

In the end, Mr. Eknath Shinde who heads the current government with the support of the BJP in the state, may have tipped the scales in his favor, when he talked about aligning with ideologically similar parties and not betraying the Shiv Sena’s core voter base of Hindutva supporters.

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Most of us including me were expecting Devendra Fadnavis to become the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra but BJP being BJP took a very different and unthinkable route. Eknath Shinde became the Chief Minister and we were told first that Fadnavis will not be in the government at all. Suddenly, things again changed with BJP National President JP Nadda appealing to Devendra Fadnavis to be a part of the government and within a half hour or so, Devendra Fadnavis swore in as the Deputy CM.

This was like a political thriller movie with lot of twists and turns where the director threw the audience off with an unexpected climax at the very end. This story started with the hero, Devendra Fadnavis, being unceremoniously ousted from his house by his partner who betrays him and join hands with two others. He vows to come back and patiently works towards to it. A day finally comes when he ousts the three people from his house using saam, daam, dhand, bhed and takes his revenge. When the audience expects him to take over the house, he surprisingly gives it to someone else. The whole village hails the hero and everyone lives happily ever after.

On a more serious note, if we have to look deep into these events, we will realize the super political acumen that the BJP top brass has. Only a selected few knew the plan and executed it to the tee along with Eknath Shinde. The million dollar question is why Fadnavis was not made the CM immediately. There seems to be a strategy behind it. By giving Eknath Shinde the CM post, BJP has shown the Marathi manus that it cares for Maharashtra more than their party interests. It has shown that it will do what is right and is not power hungry. With this one action, BJP won the hearts of the Shiv Sainiks. It has almost made the elite families, Thackerays irrelevant, Gandhis a non-entity and Pawars powerless striking a death blow to parivarvaad in Maharashtra.

The internal Shiv Sena power struggle will be sorted between themselves and Eknath Shinde now has the power to sort that out. With a Shiv Sainik as CM now, Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut can’t do any politics around that. This will greatly help BJP in the upcoming BMC and Lok Sabha elections. The other parties will struggle to put across a stronger narrative that will influence the voters. Deputy CM Fadnavis can still influence the government decisions so that they are in line with the Central Government. It will be almost a double engine Sarkar in Maharashtra.

Internally within Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray will have the role of just a brand ambassador as the real power will be with Eknath Shinde. Uddhav Thackeray will no more have the followers he had in Shiv Sena although he will continue to have sympathizers outside the party including some Bollywood actors. Eknath Shinde will give him all the respect that he deserves as the son of the great Sri Balasaheb Thackeray.  The legacy of Balasaheb will continue and Shiv Sena will continue.

Devendra Fadnavis would have personally wanted to come back as CM but a professional that he is, he understood the strategy of his party and graciously agreed to become the Deputy. With this move, a point will come in Maharashtra politics where BJP will on its own get a majority in the Assembly and can form its own government without depending on anyone although Shinde Sena will continue to give their support. Fadnavis will eventually get his due or if things don’t pan out as expected, the party will give him a plum post at the centre given his proven skillsets as a next generation leader in BJP. The only thing that BJP could have avoided is the public appeal to Devendra Fadnavis to become the Deputy CM which is so much not like BJP who don’t issue internal appeals in public but they might have done it just to further strengthen Devendra Fadnavis’s image as a selfless leader who only looks at Maharashtra’s interests and the interests of the party. It was still avoidable.

BJP has done a ‘Swacch Maharashtra Abhiyaan’ of sorts and have emerged decisive winners. This is also a great turning point in Maharashtra politics with an auto driver becoming a CM that will inspire youngsters to aspire for great heights by working hard to serve the people of Maharashtra.  Politics will never be the same in Maharashtra. Very importantly, Maharashtra has won!

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