Today, October 24, 2024, there have been a lot of big changes in Maharashtra’s politics as the state gets ready for the Assembly elections on November 20, 2024. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its partners are stepping up their campaigning, while controversies and back-and-forth between political parties are shaping the news before the elections.
Important Events in the Political Arena
BJP candidates file their papers
Today is the official start of a very important part of the BJP candidates’ campaigns: filing their registration papers. The party is closely monitoring how people feel and is waiting for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance to finalise how seats will be shared. This expectation is very important because it will affect the BJP’s plan going forward. Well-known people like Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are likely to play big parts in getting people to vote for candidates in different constituencies[1, 2].
List of NCP and Shiv Sena Candidates
Also in the news is the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which released its first list of 38 candidates. Ajit Pawar will run from Baramati, a seat he has held in the past. The Shiv Sena has also released its list of 45 candidates, which includes Chief Minister Eknath Shinde from Kopri-Panchpakhadi. This planned placement shows how competitive Maharashtra’s political groups are as they try to get people to vote for them[2, 3].
There are disagreements about the choice of candidates
There are growing disagreements within the ruling Mahayuti party about which candidates to support. The BJP is unhappy with two candidates who are connected to troublesome people: NCP leader Nawab Malik, who is being accused of serious crimes including money laundering and having ties to criminals; and Shiv Sena’s Swikruti Sharma, whose husband has a troubled history with the police. Ashish Shelar, the president of the Mumbai BJP, has said in public that Malik’s candidature is unacceptable because he is thought to have links to organised crime. These disagreements show deep-seated problems within the alliance that might affect how well they do in the election[1, 3].
What this means for the way politics work
Not only will the upcoming polls show how strong each party is, but they will also show how politics work in Maharashtra as a whole. The BJP wants to strengthen its position in power even though it is facing more challenges from both old rivals and problems within its own alliance. The MVA alliance, which includes Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction and Sharad Pawar’s NCP, wants to use these differences to gain power again after a rough time with many leadership changes and party splits.
As election day gets closer, how people feel will be very important. The BJP’s focus on high-profile rallies led by top leaders could sway voters who aren’t sure yet, especially young people who like charismatic leaders like Fadnavis. On the other hand, getting people to back the MVA coalition will depend on how well they can stand together against the BJP’s power.
Bottom Line
Maharashtra’s politics are full of excitement as important people get ready for an important election. The next few weeks will be very important for shaping not only the future of these political groups but also the government of Maharashtra. Candidate nominations are already under way, and problems are starting to arise within alliances. As people get ready to cast their votes on November 20, their choices will affect both local problems and larger political trends in India [1, 2, 3].
Citations:
[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/maharashtra-politics/news
[2] https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/politics/maharashtra-assembly-election-2024-shiv-sena-releases-first-list-of-45-candidates-19497294.htm
[3] https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/maharashtra/maharashtra-assembly-elections-2024-14th-assembly-has-been-tumultuous-changed-course-of-the-states-politics-3232689
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Maharashtra_political_crisis
[5] https://www.scobserver.in/cases/challenge-to-mla-disqualification-proceedings-against-eknath-shinde-and-others/
[6] https://indianexpress.com/about/maharashtra-political-crisis/
[7] https://frontline.thehindu.com/politics/maharashtra-assembly-election-2024-vote-november-20-shiv-sena-ncp-caste-bjp-congress-politics/article68735638.ece
[8] https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/assembly/story/mahayuti-seat-sharing-bjp-ncp-shiv-sena-mumbai-seats-maharashtra-elections-2622089-2024-10-23
