In latest trends, the BJP is emerging as the biggest party by far, leading on 124 seats. Its ally Shiv Sena (Shinde) is leading in 57 seats. The NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are leading on 35, 22 and 21 seats respectively. It looks like a BJP wave in the state but behind the party’s strong performance lie sharp strategies and consistent hard work.
What went wrong for Sharad Pawar?
Despite winning in Lok Sabha against nephew, the Senior Pawar was not able to strategise enough to wi Baramati back during assembly polls. While in Lok Sabha, his daughter Supriya Sule clinched victory against Ajit Pawar’s wife, in assembly polls, Ajit Pawar emerged victorious.
Additionally, Western Maharashtra, with 70 assembly seats across six districts, has been a crucial battleground that has remained historically a Congress-NCP bastion. In this year’s polls, the ruling Mahayuti was leading in 41 of the 58 Assembly seats in western Maharashtra, and Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in 11.
During the campaigning process, the 83-year-old leader had hinted at his retirement from parliamentary politics and inclination to pass on the baton to the youth “I have contested 14 elections from Baramati. You always elected me. It was because of you I became legislator, minister, then chief minister four times. Then, you sent me to Lok Sabha as MP a few years ago. I decided not to contest general elections and became Rajya Sabha MP. I am an MP in Rajya Sabha, and my term will expire in one-and-a-half years. I am now thinking of not to become a Rajya Sabha MP again,” Pawar has said. For Sharad Pawar, this election was more than just another poll; it’s a referendum on his legacy. A victory would cement his position as one of India’s greatest political strategists and a leader who defied age and adversity. Despite whirlwind tours and mega rallies by Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi, the Maha Vikas Aghadi seems to have failed miserably to checkmate the MahaYuti while catching the undercurrent against it. They made all efforts to flag off the rising crime, unemployment, inflation and deteriorating finances, but the voters did not go by their campaign as they were happy with the dole-outs given by the MahaYuti government.
Pawar’s magic in Maharashtra:
The 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections brought the simmering rivalry between Pawar and Fadnavis into sharp focus. BJP contested with its longtime ally Shiv Sena, while NCP allied with Congress under the Democratic Front. BJP secured 105 seats, emerging as the largest party but falling short of the halfway mark in the 288-member house. Shiv Sena demanded a rotational chief ministerial arrangement, a condition BJP refused to accept. This stalemate broke the BJP-Sena alliance, throwing Maharashtra into political chaos.
Sensing an opportunity, Pawar worked his magic. He convinced Uddhav Thackeray to switch sides and form MVA govt with NCP and Congress, despite having ideological differences. It was a masterstroke, showcasing Pawar’s ability to stitch together seemingly impossible coalitions.
Adding to Sharad Pawar’s woes, Election Commission granted NCP’s name and symbol to Ajit’s faction. Yet, despite the odds, the veteran leader launched an aggressive statewide campaign to rally his supporters. His efforts bore fruit in the Lok Sabha polls, where NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) secured 8 out of 10 seats it contested.
