Did Mahayuti dynamics change? Ajit Pawar’s NCP aims for parity with Shiv Sena | from Shinde India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Has the momentum within the Maharashtra government Mahayuti changed? Ajit Pawar’s NCP, which came under severe attack from several quarters including the RSS after Mahayuti’s dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, appears to have moved closer to the BJP after the Assembly elections.
While the Shiv Sena played hardball over the CM’s post and attributed the spectacular ‘Maha’ results to Eknath Shinde’s performance as chief minister, Ajit Pawar threw his weight behind Devendra Fadnavis and helped the BJP counter Sena’s pressure games.
The NCP has openly sought parity with Shiv Sena, arguing that their strike rate in parliamentary elections is better than that of Shinde Sena and therefore they deserve the same number of seats in the new government.
“If we look at the success rate in our alliance, the BJP is at number one, followed by Ajit Dada’s group at second and Shinde group at third. So our success rate is also good and we demand that we get as much as possible. representation as they do,” senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said as the three allies meet to decide on power-sharing in Mahayuti 2.0.
Bhujbal’s claim is contrary to facts as Shiv Sena’s strike rate of 70.4% (57/81) is slightly better than that of NCP, which holds 41 of the 59 seats it contested with a strike rate of 69 .5%. The BJP, meanwhile, was far ahead of its allies with a strike rate of 88.5%, winning 132 of the 149 seats they contested.
The BJP and the Shiv Sena came together in 2022 – after Eknath Shinde led a successful revolt against Uddhav Thackeray, leading to the fall of the opposition MVA government. The BJP then gave the CM’s post to Shinde and made Fadnavis work as his deputy, a move that took everyone by surprise.
Ajit Pawar joined the NDA government almost a year later after leading a successful rebellion against his uncle Sharad Pawar and became the second deputy chief minister of the Mahayuti government. Both Shinde and Pawar eventually gained full control of their parties, including the official names and symbols.
However, after the Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar, who could win only one seat, was staring at a tense future in Mahayuti, while Eknath Shinde consolidated his position as the BJP’s Hindutva ally. The RSS openly attacked the BJP for including NCP in the alliance.
The Assembly elections marked the turnaround of fortunes for Ajit Pawar as he decimated rival Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, winning as many as 41 seats. When the Shiv Sena, with 57 seats, again claimed the chief minister’s post for Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar played the spoilsport by openly backing BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, who led the saffron party to a record performance of 132 seats.
In the last ten days, while Eknath Shinde grumbled and his Shiv Sena negotiated hard, Ajit Pawar, who is again assured of the deputy CM’s post, played his cards right and backed the BJP. One of the Sena leaders admitted that Ajit Pawar’s NCP had reduced his party’s bargaining power against the BJP.
The BJP has given Shinde Sena a long rope despite falling just 13 seats short of a majority in the 288-member assembly. When it comes to numbers, the BJP might be without either of its two allies.
The BJP, which made a bold statement by appointing junior partner Shinde as chief minister in 2022, may not want to take away the gains it has built by trampling its Hindutva ally in the state. By unilaterally announcing December 5 as the date for the oath ceremony, the BJP has already sent a strong signal that it will take the lead in Mahayuti 2.0.