What is brewing in Maharashtra--the state with as many as 48 Lok Sabha MPs

Tribune Web Desk

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, April 19

Maharashtra politics is seeing new and somewhat curious turns of events by the day. The political temperatures in the state remain as high as the current weather. Maharashtra sends the second largest number of members to the Lok Sabha after Uttar Pradesh. With as many as 80 MPs, UP is an important state for any political party, likewise Maharashtra and the 48 Members of Parliament it sends to the Lok Sabha. Apart from Lok Sabha, the Assembly elections are also due in the state in 2024.

While the dynamics of the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis-led government continues to occupy the centrestage thanks to the ongoing court case regarding the disqualification of the 16 MLAs, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar too have been lending headlines in the past few days.

The buzz is that a section of NCP MLAs led by Ajit Pawar could support the Shinde-led government in Maharashtra in case the Supreme Court rules in favour of the disqualification of 16 rebel MLAs, still further they may also join the BJP.

Some observers however say that Ajit Pawar’s current actions have nothing to do with the disqualification plea.

Even if the MLAs are disqualified, the Shinde-Fadnavis government will not fall, they claim

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar have termed these as nothing but rumours.

Daughter Supriya Sule, however,has predicted something “big” in political circles in the next fortnight.“There will be two big political explosions in the next 15 days, one in Delhi and the other in Maharashtra,” she was quoted as saying.

Eknath Shinde angle

Today a spokesperson of the Eknath Shinde group created a stir by saying that if Ajit Pawar joins the BJP with a group of NCP leaders then his side will not be part of the government in Maharashtra.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said that they left the MVA, which includes Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena, the Congress and the NCP, because they did not want to be a part of the group that had let down those who supported the Shiv Sena’s ideology.

“Our policy is clear about it. The NCP is a party which betrays. We will not be with the NCP even in power. If the BJP takes NCP with them, Maharashtra will not like it.

“We decided to move out (Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena) because people didn't like us going with the Congress and NCP,” agencies quoted Shirsat as saying.

“If he(Ajit Pawar) leaves the NCP, we will welcome him. If he comes along with a group of NCP (leaders), we will not be in the government”, he said.

Ajit Pawar factor

Amid the speculations that Ajit Pawar may join the BJP, sources say senior NCP leaders were also spotted together at a luxury hotel in the Colaba area today.

Observers say Ajit Pawar’s actions can be linked to son Parth Pawar who lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. Ajit Pawar is concerned about hisfuture, therefore the soft corner for the BJP. Meanwhile, here is also a history to the relationship between the BJP and Ajit Pawar.

A “Fadnavis-Pawar” government was formed in the wee hours after the BJP failed to get the requisite numbers in the 2019 Assembly elections. According to Ajit Pawar, “I am in NCP and will remain in NCP only”.

Sharad Pawar and Gautam Adani angle

Meanwhile, there also seems to be a Sharad Pawar angle in the latest political developments in the key state. The NCP chief has been talking to his MLAs.

Dismissing the speculations that the entire NCP was moving in with theBJP, he called the meeting with MLAs “routine”. Though a section in the NCP is said to be of the view that they can benefit if they go with the BJP in the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections next year. His supporters say that Sharad Pawar's recent meeting with the Congress leadership proved his intentions regarding the opposition unity against the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

However, there seems tobe anotherangle tohis meeting with seniorCongress leaders in Delhi. Their argument is that Pawar coming out in open support of businessman Gautam Adani was not liked by many in his cadre. It was his political compulsion to be seen with the Congress to prove that he continues with the Opposition side on the Adani issue.

Meanwhile, the watch is on thenext political move in Maharashtra.

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