In Maharashtra, Mahayuti i.e. the alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP is confident about its vote base and more than that, this alliance has confidence in populist decisions and promises. After all, just before the elections, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has started distributing cash of Rs 1.5 thousand per month to women under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. When Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the manifesto of the alliance in Mumbai on Sunday, many more big promises were made in it. The alliance said that if they win, they will increase the Ladki Bahin Yojana from Rs 1.5 thousand to Rs 2100 per month. The government will provide 25 lakh new jobs and loan waiver of farmers has also been promised.
However, despite the vote base and populist announcements, Mahayuti is facing a big problem. There have been indications of a major change in the politics of Maharashtra in the last three days. There has also been a rift in unity between the parties of Mahayuti. NCP leader Ajit Pawar has said in very clear words that he does not accept BJP’s star campaigner Yogi Adityanath. He rejected Adityanath’s slogan of ‘If we divide, we will be divided’ and said that Maharashtra is not such a state. Ajit Pawar said that some other state may have this agenda but Maharashtra is a state that takes everyone along. Not only this, Ajit Pawar did not invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his election campaign. It is reported that he stopped Modi from coming to Baramati. Later he said that there was a family fight going on in Baramati hence he did not call Modi.
It is reported that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also supported Ajit Pawar’s line on ‘Katenge to Batenge’. They also do not want politics on this issue in Maharashtra. Both the allies of BJP are denying the divisive agenda. Both hope for secular votes. More than that, both of them believe in the traditional politics of Maharashtra. It is being said that the leaders of Shiv Sena and NCP i.e. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar along with other leaders of both the parties are also not very comfortable with the agenda of BJP. Meanwhile, the interview of BJP leader Poonam Mahajan has created a stir in the party. It is being told that efforts are going on to convince him.
Some time ago, his sister Pankaja Munde was unhappy in the relationship, so she was pacified by making her MLC. On the other hand, even in the business world there is no comfort regarding BJP’s politics. It is believed that when Rahul Gandhi wrote an article against the policy of creating monopoly, it got huge support in Mumbai. Small and medium businesses are supporting Congress and its alliance. The issue of Maratha reservation and conflict with OBCs is creating problems for the BJP. Everyone knows that seats will be divided between the six parties of the two alliances and no party will be anywhere near majority. Therefore, there remains a dilemma regarding the political prospects after the elections.