Five significant sidelights from Maharashtra election results
The BJP, Shiv Sena have made major inroads into the western Maharashtra, a traditional strong hold of the Congress and the NCP
Mumbai: The Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has won two seats in the state elections. Is this the beginning of a trend? Muslims in Maharashtra are disenchanted with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) but can a party like the AIMIM capitalize on that?
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena have made major inroads in western Maharashtra, a traditional stronghold of the Congress and the NCP. Could this presage a change in the control of the vast network of cooperatives that dot the region? The Congress and the NCP have wielded huge influence in this region through sugar and milk cooperatives, cooperative banks and educational institutions. Control over the cooperatives gives Congress and NCP politicians control over the rural
economy and, consequently, local politics.
Both the Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have lost ground, but the latter is by far the bigger loser. It won one seat this time, compared with 12 in the 2009 assembly elections.
Despite not making the demand for a separate Vidarbha a poll issue, BJP’s internal assessment about the region proved to be correct, as the party won 43 out of the 62 seats there. The BJP’s internal assessment forecast 45 seats. A key factor for the success could be that three top leaders—Devendra Fadnavis, Sudhir Mungantiwar and Nitin Gadkari— seen as chief ministerial candidates are from Vidarbha.
The consolidation of Marathi votes in favour of the Shiv Sena benefited the BJP in Mumbai and Thane regions. Gujaratis and North Indians, who are the largest linguistic group in the area after Marathis, consolidated behind the BJP. The BJP’s candidates won 24 seats in the region.
Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Narayan Rane’s defeat in the Kudal constituency of Sindhudurg district in the Konkan region was the most prominent casualty among political heavyweights.
A committee appointed by the former United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government under ecologist Madhav Gadgil to suggest ways to protect the biodiversity of the Western Ghats had proposed a ban on mining in the Konkan region, but then industry minister Rane had openly opposed it.
He also declared his support to the Jaitapur nuclear power project in Ratnagiri, which is opposed by locals. Allegations of rampant land-grabbing by so-called Rane supporters also fuelled popular unrest against him. Anger against Rane surfaced in the Lok Sabha elections when his son Nilesh Rane was defeated in the Ratnagiri Lok Sabha constituency. The Congress was wiped out in the Konkan, with the party winning only one out of 15 seats in this region.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!