A lot is happening in Maharashtra politics right now because the state is getting ready for the Assembly elections on November 20, 2024. With the release of candidate names from major parties, big changes are happening on the election battlefield.
The BJP’s plan for candidates
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its first list of candidates, which includes 99 people running for different seats. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is one of the important people who will be running. He will be running from his home seat in Nagpur South West. The party also puts a lot of emphasis on family politics. For example, Sreejaya Chavan, daughter of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, is running for Bhokar after her father switched parties and joined the BJP. This approach is part of a larger trend in which candidates from well-known political families continue to dominate the candidate lists of all parties [1, 3].
More disagreements and partnerships
The BJP’s choice of candidates has caused some debate. The party is currently in tough talks with its partners, especially the Shiv Sena, which is led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. As tensions rise over candidate choices and party loyalty, these talks are very important because they try to finalise seat assignments [2, 4].
Zeeshan Siddiqui, son of the late NCP leader Baba Siddique and former head of the Mumbai Youth Congress, has joined the NCP and will run for office from Bandra East. This is a big change. People think that his joining the NCP is an effort to gain more support among young people in Mumbai, which will make the race for urban seats even tougher[1].
How the Opposition Works
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is made up of the Congress, the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), is also getting ready for fight. They both said they were going to run for 85 seats, and talks are still going on about the other places. The Congress has released its first list of candidates, which includes well-known figures like Nana Patole, the head of the state party, and Prithviraj Chavan, who was the chief minister of Maharashtra. They want to keep their power in key areas[3, 4].
Effects on the Way Politics Work
These changes are very important for Maharashtra’s politics. The BJP’s focus on family ties might turn off younger voters who want new leadership, while the MVA’s plan to work together against a shared enemy might appeal to people who are tired of dynastic politics. The results of these elections will probably change not only the balance of power between parties but also the way policies are made about important issues like building infrastructure, social aid programs, and getting the economy back on track after the pandemic[1, 4].
As Maharashtra’s election day comes, how the established political families and new leaders interact will have a big impact on how people feel about the election and how many people show up to vote. As they fight for power over one of India’s most important political states, the risks are high for everyone.
Citations:
[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/maharashtra-politics
[2] https://www.business-standard.com/politics/no-impediment-in-appointment-of-7-mlcs-maharashtra-govt-tells-hc-124101500395_1.html
[3] https://www.deccanherald.com/elections/maharashtra/mh-polls-candidates-kin-3246932
[4] https://frontline.thehindu.com/politics/maharashtra-assembly-election-2024-vote-november-20-shiv-sena-ncp-caste-bjp-congress-politics/article68735638.ece
[5] https://www.scobserver.in/cases/challenge-to-mla-disqualification-proceedings-against-eknath-shinde-and-others/
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Maharashtra_political_crisis
[7] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/maharashtra-politics
[8] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/assembly-elections/maharashtra/maharashtra-elections-is-eknath-shindes-stronghold-crumbling-under-corruption-accusations/articleshow/114273663.cms
