The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming to wrest over 220 seats and decimate the opposition in elections to the 288-member State Assembly, which will be held in a single-phase on October 21. Even though an alliance with the Shiv Sena has not yet been announced officially, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is hopeful that the parties will fight the polls together.
At an event in the city on Saturday, Mr. Fadnavis said the BJP would certainly tie-up with the Sena. He said, “The talks on seat sharing are going on. We don’t dictate terms to the Shiv Sena. We take decisions unitedly. There are several aspirants in both parties and we will definitely try to please them till the last moment.” Mr. Thackeray had said on Friday the alliance would be declared within two to three days.
Meanwhile, the Opposition is putting up a brave face amid the mass exodus of its MLAs to either the BJP or the Sena. The Congress is staring at a leadership vacuum despite having two former chief ministers and over a dozen senior leaders in its ranks, while Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar is waging a lone battle with the youth brigade.
Opposition leaders claimed on Saturday that the ruling alliance’s good showing in the Lok Sabha polls was due to division of votes. They said that the voters in the State would overthrow the government responsible for rising unemployment and sloppy flood relief work.
Nawab Malik, NCP city unit chief, said October 24 will bring ‘parivartan’ in the State. “From industrialists to farmers, nobody wants this government. The voters have decided to change this government and it will be visible on counting day,” he said.
How the parties stack up
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Riding high on the recent Lok Sabha victory, the BJP is confident of retaining power by winning 220 seats. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis concluded his three-phase Mahajanadesh Yatra on September 19 in Nashik in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the yatra travelled through all Assembly constituencies, it received criticism over high expenditure and avoiding flood-affected areas in western Maharashtra.
Leadership: Devendra Fadnavis
Mr. Modi clarified in Nashik that Mr. Fadnavis will be the CM if the BJP returns to power. The party is presenting him as a leader with a clean image and pro-development agenda.
Chandrakant Patil
Hailing from western Maharashtra, Mr. Patil is the State president and close aide of national president Amit Shah. A second-rank minister in the State Cabinet. He is one of the masterminds of the party’s poll strategy.
Agenda
With abrogation of Article 370, it was clear that the BJP would be making it an electoral issue. The recent speeches of Mr.Modi, Mr. Shah and BJP working president J.P. Nadda have proved the point. The party has decided to organise public meetings on the issue across the State. The party is also highlighting its social justice record.
Congress
The party is facing its worst phase since the formation of the State in 1960. The party appears to be leaderless. The old guard has either gone on silent mode or chosen to join the saffron parties.
Leadership: Balasaheb Thorat
Mr. Thorat was given the responsibility to lead the party’s State unit just three months ago. A softspoken, media-shy former minister and Congress loyalist, he is battling to keep his party in the race. A State unit battered with factionalism has appointed five working presidents to assist him. Mr. Thorat is tasked with stopping the exodus from his party and encouraging the cadre to take on the BJP.
Agenda
Congress has decided to focus on the economic slowdown, rising unemployment, and agrarian distress in its campaign.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
The NCP never sat in the Opposition since its formation till it lost the Assembly polls in 2014. The poor performance in the 2019 general elections has resulted in half of the top leaders quitting the party to join the BJP or the Sena. The party, known to be dominated by the Maratha community, has faced electoral losses and allegations of corruption against its top leadership.
Leadership: Sharad Pawar
At 79, Mr. Pawar is waging a lone battle against the BJP and the Sena by travelling across the State and holding rallies twice a day. His rallies are getting a huge response from the youth and he has been appealing to the voters to show traitors their rightful place. With a few of his family members joining the BJP, Mr. Pawar is gaining sympathy among the masses.
Amol Kolhe
A TV star-turned-MP, Mr. Kolhe is emerging as a star campaigner for the party. Given an opportunity to tour and address every rally in the party’s Shiv Swarajya Yatra, Mr. Kolhe is attracting voters in large numbers.
Agenda
The youth is on NCP’s mind and it is directing resources to attract more youngsters. It is also coming out of its old image of being a Maratha party with the OBC leadership being given prominence and opportunity to lead. NCP is focusing on farmers’ issues and the economic slowdown.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)
Starting with 13 MLAs in 2009, Raj Thackeray’s party was down to one in 2014 and is now left with none. The MNS did not contest the Lok Sabha polls, but Mr. Thackeray campaigned extensively against Mr. Modi and the BJP. It did give him visibility but did not have an electoral impact. He also led anti-EVM protests in the State. With the Enforcement Directorate questioning him for a day, Mr. Thackeray seems to have gone on silent mode for over a month now. The party is yet to announce its decision to fight the Assembly polls.
Leadership: Raj Thackeray
The party rests on one man’s shoulder. But since the 2012 civic polls, Mr. Thackeray has not been able to translate his popularity into votes. He is known as a rash but captivating speaker with acute political sense.
Agenda
The MNS is known for its violent agitations against north Indians and strong opposition to the growing domination of the Gujarati community in Maharashtra. With its ‘sons of the soil’ agenda and blueprint of development, the MNS is likely to enter the fray.
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA)
The Opposition blames the VBA, an alliance of Prakash Ambedkar’s Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), for the loss of around 10 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. An alliance of deprived castes, as Mr. Ambedkar calls it, the VBA has faced troubles over the last few days. The AIMIM has quit the VBA, while a few other leaders have accused it of being hand-in-glove with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The VBA is in talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to forge an alliance. However, AAP has clarified that it cannot be with the VBA if the AIMIM is going to make a return to the alliance.
Leadership: Prakash Ambedkar
The grandson of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar has been getting support from the Dalits and OBCs based on the party’s Lok Sabha results.
Agenda
The VBA works to hand power to the deprived castes. It is claiming to build the organisation by taking along individuals from neglected castes and communities.
