Confusion Party of Maharashtra

Even as the assembly elections fever is yet to catch up with public, political parties are finding it difficult to manage the unbearable tension. On the one hand, no party is sure as to whom it should align to. Secondly, the political atmosphere is so divided and obscure that no one has any idea of clicking it big this time. This is the most confusion times in Maharashtra.

Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, ruling for almost ten years in the state, are still entangled in the seat sharing war. Congress wants NCP to blink first and it has justification for its demand. It has garnered most seats in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. At the same time, NCP has suffered huge losses due to various factors. One of the major failures of NCP is in Satara district. Sharad Pawar, national chief of NCP chose Udayanraje Bhosale, 13th descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji as party's candidate to consolidate Maratha votes. Even though Bhosale was elected, and he was destined to be as his leadership is unchallenged in the Satara constituency, he refused to align himself with the party's stand. Right from the campaigning, Udayanraje acquired a posture which more or less eroded party's position in Satara and eventually Western Maharashtra.

Unable to bargain for more seats, NCP is now trying its hard to hold on to existing seat sharing formula. But it is unlikely that it will get 124 seats. Congress leadership in the state was forced to eat many bitter pills in last ten years due to NCP's better position. Now, all the side effects of those pills are spilling out. Even if the sharing takes place, there will be much internal manoeuvring for the detriment of each other. A meeting of both parties is to take place at Varsha, the official residence of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

Opposition parties do not have a much unenviable position. While Shiv Sena has suffered losses in the urban belts in Lok Sabha elections, Bharatiya Janata Party has to put its own house in order before plunging in elections. The only solace these parties have is that they have an alliance in place and their seat sharing formula is almost finalised. Shiv Sena even though accepted to give same number of seats to BJP, but is yet to be convinced that its ally will be able to stand on its feet what with recent drama in the party. There was talk in the inner circle of BJP that Lal Krishna Advani will not be invited for the campaigning in the state. Neither will be Narendra Modi. This puts the onus on Gopinath Mundhe only.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the new enfant terrible on Maharashtra's political scene is in the eye of discussion over the period. But it is still unclear whether the party will go it alone or will fight the election with others' help. Raj Thackerey, party's chief has made it clear that the party will not field candidates in all constituencies in the state. Besides, in some recent interviews to local newspapers and news channels, he has made it clear that his party will not share power with anyone. “My plan is to assume full power and never until then,” he has said. This effectively takes wind out of MNS' ship. The only thing now the party will achieve is eating in of the votes of Shiv Sena. Since both parties claim to address the same voter base.