COALITION politics is not something very unique for the people of parliamentary government. Wherever no political party gets a majority in the elections to the Lower or popular house of the legislature, a number of political parties join hands to form a coalition government.
Coalition politics takes a different form and makes different impact on various factors according to their social, cultural and economic conditions.
A jolt to BJP with love from Thackeray Sarkar, reads the headline of the write-up. An angry leader of opposition (LoP) and erstwhile CM Devendra Fadnavis wished all the best to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for his three-wheeled type rickshaw government.
Devendra Fadnavis was in deep denial, as a fact it was difficult to digest in angst caused by the failure to grab the power, so he took a jibe at Thackeray Sarkar, in the Nagpur winter Session.
Of course, BJP was associated with Uddhav Thackeray, who went to become the Chief Minister with the help of Congress and NCP, and tweaked the Sena-BJP alliance which lasted for three decades.
But Uddhav Thackeray gave a befitting reply in response of former Chief Minister’s potshot, “That the poor is happy and can afford the three-wheeled Rickshaw instead of a Bullet train. But during Vidhan Sabha poll campaigns Devendra who gave a war cry like Rana Bhimdev, ‘Mi Punha Yein (I shall return). Failed to gauge the uncertain politics coming his way. Historically he is supposedly only the Chief Minister of the state to complete a full tenure of five years.
The BJP’s failure to predict uncertainty, alongwith what any journalist or political pundits couldn’t predict.
The only exception is that of the Shiv Sena MP and the Editor of the Saamna, however could possibly predict in his daily Saamna!
He conducted a marathon of press conferences, which were bold in nature and didn’t failed to stress on the demand of CM for two and a half years. It proved blooper for the BJP by not extending the post of CM to the Shiv -Sena, as demanded by them for two and half years.
Because, the Shiv Sena, got the opportunity to form a Government with Cong, NCP, where the Congress and NCP destined to sit in the Opposition got much more than expected in the form of Ministership, cabinet portfolios’, by sheer luck!
And the BJP & Devendra had to satisfy with Opposition and Leader of Opposition, whose leader had given clarion call of returning to power backed by thunderous applause; such was the fate of the BJP. The Shiv Sena’s formation of a Government with the Congress and NCP shall prove to be a turning point not only for Maharashtra but also for the National polity.
The Uddhav Thackeray broke the tradition of Remote Control Government initiated by Late. Balasaheb Thackeray, instead he resonated more of his Grandfather’s Prabodhankar’s reformist attitude rather than the fanatic Hindutva of Balasaheb.
Shiv Sena is the oldest friend of BJP and was a natural ally of BJP on the common bond shared by them, ‘Hindutva’. But today they are foes and Sena has exited from the NDA, which makes BJP look like a loner in the State politics.
And that is why the Sena cleared its intentions behind the separation, that the BJP’s mixing of religion & politics made them some damages and this gave them deep remorse, in a bit. Also Sena made it clear that it was going for a mass- appeal over Hindutva, which was only meant for the BJP.
Even the other regional allies, where it had already shun the NDA, as in the previous polls, it has shown in the state of Bihar, Punjab, the Janata Dal (United) and the Akali Dal have dented BJP’s toll. On a national front, the regional parties have been upset by the Hindutva polity of BJP, as many have opposed the Citizenship Amendment’s Act, which highlights that these regional parties have left the BJP alone and its allies may further continue to ditch it, as it has impacted on their vote banks.
In an unusual co-relation, in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray and Nitish Kumar in Bihar are the two cases in where the regional party align or form alliances with the national parties, to grab the power, in the respective states.
However, while implementing anti-Muslim policies, and trying to polarise 80 percent Hindu votes, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is losing its allies and tally, which can cost the BJP dearer further in 2024 Elections.
In Further assessment, in Maharashtra, to talk on the poll prospects of Maha Vikas Aghadi, there will be reverberations on 48 seats from upcoming Loksabha Polls to Gram Panchayat polls, as because the Elder Thackeray has preferred to stitch an alliance with the Cong- NCP in Maharashtra. Then there is no option left for Raj Thackeray, but to align or side with the BJP.
As during 2019 Lok-Sabha polls, his live wired campaign against the BJP ‘Laav re toh video’, (Please put that video on) was a raging fever amongst the public.But Raj’s declared support to the Citizenship Bill, a week ago, hinted at that he may be coming under the hood of BJP, which is a possibility surely to be denied.
The Congress, which has slipped to number four due to its alliance with Uddhav Thackeray, has received a shot in its arm, due to winning the Jharkhand polls. As Sharad Pawar is back in the role of Kingmaker after a gap of five years.The Shiv Sena, which had referred to waive off complete farmer’s loans, but decided to only waive off loans up to two lakh rupees only. This is only the beginning and it is told from sources inside the Government that another loan waiver will be extended soon. It seems obvious that Shiv Sena has started paying attention to the farmers while surrendering the title of the Hindutva as a whole!
– JAYANT MAINKAR
