Maharashtra braces for political logjam ahead

With traditional Ganesh Visarjan (immersion) processions ending peacefully, the state of Maharashtra is bracing for political turmoil ahead in wake of alleged irrigation scam which claimed the scalp of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) strongman Ajit Pawar.

 

The former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, also the nephew of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar resigned from his position after an uproar over his name surfacing in the multi-crore irrigation scam.

 

Sources have told The Sunday Indian, that “the honest Chief Minister of Maharashtra will have to keep a lot at stake, if he continues to bow to the demands of the NCP which has been milking the important portfolios in the state without any check”. 

 

Meanwhile, the earlier rumours of Congress leader Narayan Rane taking the new hat of the Chief Minister have disappeared amidst Congress-NCP crisis in-between the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the state. Rane, who earlier had called on Sonia Gandhi had received an unwelcome gesture as he was kept waiting for two days in Delhi before clearing an appointment to meet the Congress Chief. 

 

Of late, the closeness of NCP and BJP too has been doing rounds in political circles across Maharashtra, especially between BJP President Nitin Gadkari and a senior NCP functionary from Nagpur. Interestingly, observers believe that NCP Chief has kept his cards open in view of the 2014 general elections and those in Maharashtra assembly to retain power in a coalition format.

 

However, the in-fight inside NCP and the tussle in-between the Congress and the NCP hasn’t gone too well off late with NCP leaders almost accusing Congress of a planned witch-hunt against them.

 

Adding to the already politically charged environment is the return of Raj Thackeray, Chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) whose party has performed spectacularly in the BMC elections last year. The rumours also suggest a backdoor compromise between the MNS and the Shiv Sena which may not be revealed to the public in view of a strategic political partnership in the state.

 

The days ahead in the state of Maharashtra will unravel a lot of hidden alliances and may even surprise many by breaking old friendships. Congress has had to change several chief ministers in the state due to one or the other controversy.

 

Moreover, the recent death of Vilasrao Deshmukh, Congress' chief political strategist in the state, has only added to the party's woes in Maharashtra. Only days ahead will reveal if the ‘honest’ chief minister of the state will be able to sustain the coalition government or will the sunken spirit of Congress workers during Ganesh Visarjan celebrations reveal an altogether different story in the days ahead.

 

Related stories

Ajit Pawar's resignation accepted

Sharad Pawar meets nephew Ajit

Junior Pawar will beat a retreat: Bal Thackerey