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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Fadnavis hero of BJP's victory

Mumbai: In a resounding testament to his strategic prowess, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the architect of the BJP’s impressive election victory in the state. The way he orchestrated the campaign, crafted his message, and selected candidates has left observers and allies alike hailing his mastery of the political landscape. Even as the Municipal Council results unfolded, most of the political analysts were reminded of the Mahayuti’s resounding victory during the assembly...

Fadnavis hero of BJP's victory

Mumbai: In a resounding testament to his strategic prowess, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has emerged as the architect of the BJP’s impressive election victory in the state. The way he orchestrated the campaign, crafted his message, and selected candidates has left observers and allies alike hailing his mastery of the political landscape. Even as the Municipal Council results unfolded, most of the political analysts were reminded of the Mahayuti’s resounding victory during the assembly elections last year. While Fadnavis played crucial role even in those elections, the credit for those results was given primarily to the then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, under whole leadership the Mahayuti had contested the election. However, Fadnavis, who took the charge of the state last year after the assembly elections, successfully demonstrated that even after a year in the saddle, he has been able to not just keep the popularity of the Mahayuti intact, but has actually increased it. Fadnavis’ strategy was built on a delicate balance of people-centric initiatives, social pragmatism, and a keen understanding of the state’s complex political dynamics. His relentless focus on development, coupled with a sharp eye on social arithmetic, helped the BJP connect with voters across demographics. Grassroot Workers Yet another decisive factor that worked in favour of Fadnavis was the positive reinforcement that he provided to the grassroot workers of the BJP in particular and Mahayuti constituents in general. These elections of Nagar Palika and Nagar Panchayats are considered to be the elections driven entirely by the grassroot political workers. Through is tiring campaign trail Fadnavis assured these grassroot workers that he would stand by their side and for them in their testing times. “Grassroot workers are the real nerves for any political party. Fadnavis not just reached out to people for them, but also presented the grand vision of developemnt for their respective areas, making the victory easy for them. When juxtaposed with leaders like Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, who didn’t even address a single rally for these elections, the importance of Fadnavis’ efforts from the point of view of grassroot workers emerges taller,” said one of the senior officials of CMO, while highlighting the difference between Fadnavis and the opposition leaders, who, in his opinion left the grassroot workers of their respective parties alone to fight for themselves. Stark Contrast State BJP president Ravindra Chavan highlighted the stark contrast between Fadnavis and his opponents. Fadnavis, who addressed over 50 large rallies to campaign for these elections, never criticized any of the opposition leaders. His single minded focus was on the development agenda that he has set for the state and explaining to people as to how he has been advancing it. He reached out to people over phone and through the internet to places where it was impossible for him to reach due to time constraints. Even in those short interactions he could convince the people that he is well aware of their issues and aspirations and he also assured them of solutions to their problems. On the contrary the opposition leaders tried to spread a false narrative against him. Social Fabric Apart from Fadnavis’ ability to strike a chord with the masses through his rallies, Fadnavis also demonstrated his grasp of the state’s social fabric by ensuring representation to various communities in the candidate selection process. The BJP’s list of candidates was a testament to his ability to balance competing interests and create a diverse yet cohesive team. Fadnavis’ leadership style, often described as decisive and inclusive, has earned him recognition as one of the BJP’s most effective leaders in the state. His ability to navigate complex political situations, including the split in the Shiv Sena and the alliance with Eknath Shinde, showcased his strategic acumen. As the BJP’s star campaigner, Fadnavis cramped the opposition’s style by projecting himself as a leader above narrow politics. His emphasis on good governance, transparency, and accountability resonated with urban voters, who are increasingly looking for leaders who can deliver results. The results are a testament to Fadnavis’ ability to connect with the people and his party’s commitment to serving them. As he looks to the future, the onus is on him to deliver on his promises and take Maharashtra to new heights.

From muscle-flexing to rationalising

The council polls reset Mahayuti’s power balance

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Mumbai: The recently concluded Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections have delivered a sobering "reality check" for Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance. While the BJP emerged as the single largest force, bagging approximately 100 Nagar Palikas and 30 Nagar Panchayats, the results have fundamentally altered the internal power dynamics between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.


On paper, the BJP’s performance is dominant. The party’s haul is more than double that of its closest allies, providing CM Devendra Fadnavis with significant political leverage. However, the internal mood within the BJP remains "disturbed."


Sources indicate that internal surveys had projected the party winning 200 out of 256 Chairperson seats that it contested on its own party symbol. Even after the first phase, estimates were pegged at 175. Finishing below the 130-mark suggests that the BJP’s "micro-management" strategy failed to account for the tenacity of regional strongmen. Despite this "inflated claim" being exposed, the sheer volume of seats won allows the BJP to maintain its "Big Brother" status within the alliance.


Bargaining Power

The most immediate impact of these results is the dilution of the bargaining power previously held by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Ajit Pawar (NCP). Earlier this month, both Deputy CMs had engaged in visible "muscle-flexing," demanding a larger share of seats for the upcoming 29 Municipal Corporation elections.


With the BJP now holding a commanding lead in the rural and semi-urban hinterlands, the Shinde and Pawar factions are being forced to "rationalize" their demands. CM Fadnavis has already signalled that these results are a precursor to the Corporation polls, effectively telling his partners that seat-sharing formulas will now be dictated by "ground reality" rather than political posturing.


Regional Defiance

Despite the BJP's overall dominance, the results highlighted critical vulnerabilities in the party’s armour, like the Shinde Factor in Nashik, where the BJP laid claim to several seats but Shinde’s Shiv Sena delivered a "surprise" performance, outperforming expectations and proving that his faction retains a grassroots base independent of the BJP.


Similarly, the NCP kept its bastions intact. Ajit Pawar’s NCP demonstrated continued supremacy in Western Maharashtra and showed resilience in parts of Marathwada. These localized victories provide the NCP with a shield against a total BJP hegemony within the alliance.


The Municipal Council results serve as a strategic "galvanising" force for the Mahayuti. While the BJP has been humbled by its own high expectations, and the allies have been forced to lower theirs, the alliance now has a clearer map of its collective strengths and weaknesses.Political analysts suggest that the internal friction over seat-sharing for the 29 Municipal Corporations – including the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) – will likely settle into a more pragmatic arrangement. The BJP is expected to use its "mammoth" numbers to claim the lion's share of seats, but the "surprising" performance of Shinde in Nashik and Pawar in Marathwada ensures that the junior partners cannot be ignored entirely.


As the state shifts its focus to the "Mega-Battle" of the Corporations, the Mahayuti enters the fray with a bruised ego but a clarified hierarchy. For the BJP, the goal is to bridge the gap between "claims and reality," while for Shinde and Pawar, the mission is to protect their remaining turf from their own ally’s expansionist ambitions.


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