Maharashtra mandate defines the ‘real Senapati’ and the ‘real Pawar’ | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction are making a strong comeback after the recent Lok Sabha setback and have strengthened their position in Maharashtra this time. While Mahayuti registered a resounding victory in the Assembly elections, the breakaway factions also got the ‘authentication’ stamp from the ‘real’ Sena and NCP after a closely watched battle with OGs Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.
The two Pawars, Shinde and Thackeray were engaged in an intense and compelling struggle to seek popular legitimacy for their parties.
A week before the elections on November 20, a video had gone viral on social media of a man trying to obstruct the convoy of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and calling him ‘gaddar’ (traitor) for splitting the Shiv Sena and siding with the BJP had chosen.
However, in the Sena-Sena battle, Eknath Shinde settled the ‘gaddar’ debate as his party dominated with 59 seats. Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena could manage the win/lead in just 19 seats.
In 2019, the undivided Sena had won 56 seats in alliance with the BJP. Of these, 41 MLAs had joined the Shinde faction and 15 remained with Uddhav Thackeray.
However, Uddhav Sena leader Sanjay Raut alleged that there was a “grand conspiracy” and something “strange” in the Maharashtra Assembly poll results. “I see a big conspiracy in this… This is not a mandate from Marathi ‘manoos’ and farmers,” he said. “We do not accept this as the people’s mandate. There is something wrong in the election results,” Raut added. “How can all the MLAs of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde win? How can Ajit Pawar, whose betrayal angered Maharashtra, win?” the Rajya Sabha MP asked.
However, Eknath Shinde clearly positioned himself as a grassroots leader, supported by Shiv Sainiks. This, along with populist schemes, are considered the factors behind his party and the Mayuti’s stellar performance.
In the Pawar-Pawar fight, Ajit Pawar turned out to be the ‘dada’ of the contest as his faction registered victory/lead in 38 seats. His uncle Sharad Pawar’s party could win/lead only 10 seats.
The contest was very important for the prestige of Ajit Pawar, who last year split the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and joined hands with the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) coalition. Just a few months ago, he faced a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections after his wife Sunetra Pawar lost to his cousin Supriya Sule in Baramati seat, a Pawar family stronghold.
Before the Assembly elections, Ajit Pawar had admitted the mistake of nominating his wife to contest against Supriya Sule. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar had fielded his second cousin against his cousin Ajit Pawar in the Assembly elections.
In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the undivided NCP had won 53 seats. This time, both factions of the NCP were in direct battle for 36 seats in the state.