The gloves are off with the Election Commission of India announcing October 15 as the date for the assembly polls. Enthused by its unexpected sweep in the Lok Sabha polls, the resurgent Shiv Sena and BJP-led rainbow coalition will take on the Congress and NCP, which have been ruling the state for past 15 years.
While the ruling combination stares at an anti-incumbency wave, drought in several parts of the state, allegations of corruption against ruling party ministers and politicians, irregularities in toll contracts and in the co-operative sector, it is banking on the last-minute slew of measures like quotas for Marathas, Muslims and Lingayats to see it through.
The NDA government will also face a litmus test in Maharashtra, where the Shiv Sena and BJP led six party 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance) is already seeing friction over demand for more seats by their smaller partners.
Smaller alliances and parties like Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Left front, the hardline AIMIM led by the Owaisi brothers, the Mayawati led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) may either look to keep their survival intact, play spoilers or struggle for a political opening in Maharashtra.
However, with things getting micro, even leaders of the saffron alliance admit that the Lok Sabha's voting patterns – Mahayuti led in 243 of Maharashtra's 288 assembly segments – may not be exactly replicated in the state polls.
While the BJP is demanding that the previous seat-sharing formula of 169 seats for the Shiv Sena and 119 for them be reworked, senior BJP leaders say that they have lost precious time in striking a seat-sharing agreement among the six parties that make up their rainbow alliance. While the Sena is keen to see party president Uddhav Thackeray become the chief minister, the BJP has a number of hopefuls ranging from leaders of the opposition Eknath Khadse and Vinod Tawade to state chief Devendra Fadnavis.
Meanwhile, Sena and BJP are willing to concede nearly 20 seats for their Mahayuti allies.
BJP leaders are confident of sweeping the polls. "These are not just polling dates, but the dates for the declaration of a Congress and NCP free Maharashtra," said former BJP state unit chief and MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar, adding that the people would vote out the corrupt on October 15 before celebrating Diwali.
The ruling alliance too is hopeful of making a comeback. "People of Maharashtra will vote for us," said NCP chief spokesperson and MLA Nawab Malik, adding that their achievements like transforming Mumbai into a world-class city through projects like the Metro and Mono railway, giving aid to the drought affected, 60 lakh new power connections and a stronger network of roads would see them through.
The NCP is demanding that its share of seats be increased from the previous 114 due to "the changed ground-level situation" as the party has twice the number of Lok Sabha seats than the Congress in Maharashtra. Though influential voices in both—the NCP and the Congress--are threatening to go it alone, sources said the two parties may arrive at an understanding in next few days.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}