Not just Pawar and Thackeray, Maharashtra polls will determine future of many

Mumbai: The upcoming Maharashtra assembly election on November 20 is shaping up to be a critical juncture for the state’s political landscape, with the recent splits in two regional parties – Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – emerging as a key factor.
The election’s outcome will significantly influence the political futures of several key figures: Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, and even Devendra Fadnavis, who publicly acknowledged his role in the political upheavals since June 2022.
The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), formed in 2019 by Pawar and Thackeray in alliance with Congress, was seen as a template for opposition unity. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) countered this by supporting rebels within these parties, leading to the fall of the Thackeray-led government and subsequent loss of official party status for both Pawar and Thackeray factions.
Since then, both leaders have been working to rebuild their parties under new names and symbols. Their performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections – with Thackeray winning 9 seats and Pawar 8 – demonstrated their continued ground support. However, the assembly election poses a more crucial test.
“If the MVA wins power, both Pawar and Thackeray will continue to influence Maharashtra politics and can further build their parties,” notes a political insider. “Conversely, if the Mahayuti returns to power, their rivals will attempt to finish the opposing factions by luring elected representatives.”
Sharad Pawar has been particularly active in western Maharashtra, creating a buzz and winning over several leaders from the ruling BJP and NCP. Thackeray, while maintaining a lower profile, has been holding strategic meetings in Mumbai.
Their rivals are equally determined. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who won 7 Lok Sabha seats, has been making calculated moves to woo various sections of society. Ajit Pawar, despite facing challenges in his uncle’s stronghold, has hired a political consultant and launched a campaign targeting women voters.
For Devendra Fadnavis, the election could determine his role in state or national politics. “If BJP returns to power, Fadnavis can hope to return as chief minister. If not, he may shift to Delhi politics,” a BJP minister stated, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Political analyst Pratap Asbe cautions against premature conclusions. “The MVA has yet to build a compelling narrative against the Mahayuti government,” he observes. “This election is a survival test for all key players, and the performance of Pawar and Thackeray depends on the narratives they set, which are not yet visible.”