Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Maharashtra assembly election – a zig-saw puzzle' that was published in Newsband

Maharashtra assembly election – a zig-saw puzzle

Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena will fight the Assembly election in Maharashtra separately and so also the Nationalist Congress Party and Congress. This fact will throw the electoral contest to the Assembly wide open.

The 2014 Assembly election is now an opportunity for the parties to test their individual strengths. Realignments are likely soon after the election.

The question is whether the BJP is stronger than the Sena in Maharashtra? Will the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena replace the Sena as the BJP’s ally? Is a BJP-NCP alliance possible? Is the Congress at its lowest point in Maharashtra? In the long term, Maharashtra 2014 might be remembered for the answers to these questions.

Some political experts are of the view that there should be a law made to stop post poll alliance and the single largest party should be given the chance to govern the states irrespective of the numbers. Indian politics will perhaps get a new life.

The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance broke mainly due to lack of charismatic leaders for BJP and Uddhav Thackeray’s ambition to become the Chief Minister. The Shiv Sena is a party which came up by negative methods and dynastic politics - a trait hated by Modi and the BJP. Sena can display its power only in Maharashtra but at National level it has yet to show its mettle. Another thing is Uddhav Thackeray doesn’t seem to possess the kind of power his late father Bal Thackeray had displayed during his lifetime. All these factors will go against the Sena.

Congress-NCP alliance was already on the rock. With the mammoth corruption/scam by Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, it was just not possible for Congress to continue the alliance. Also, it is a fact that Shard Pawar has been systematically working to ruin Congress as a revenge for denial of Prime Minister’s post.

The total political scenario is wide open with two alliances breaking up for different reasons. All the four major parties are out to prove their point of view. We have to wait and see what would be poll verdict and who gains and who loses and who are going to align, it is a zig-saw puzzle.

It will be interesting to watch the post poll scenario - whether BJP would go for alliance with corrupt NCP who may be planning for an opportunity just to come back to hold power to save from probes against Ajit Pawar. Or will BJP prefer to again join hands with Shiv Sena?