Maharashtra politics is at a crossroads as the state is moving toward the assembly election that will have far-reaching consequences. The high-stake polls will not only decide the future of stalwart and old war-horse Sharad Pawar and his rebellious nephew Ajit Pawar but also which Shiv Sena, once the party with the Maratha pride, is the real one. The BJP will also go through the litmus test of its brand of Hindutva in a state where a more aggressive Hindutva has been ruling the roost.

‘Batenge Toh Katenge’: Verdict On Divisive Politics

“Batenge toh katenge” (“Will perish if we are divided”), the slogan originally raised by the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the aftermath of the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh, was echoed in Maharashtra by several BJP leaders.

The politics of polarisation did not stop here. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis moved one step forward. Slamming AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, he went to the extent of calling the members of his party ‘descendants of “Razakars”, who tortured the people of Marathwada.’ He said, “They are descendants of ‘Razakars’. The ‘Razakars’ tortured the people of Marathwada, looted their lands, tried to rape women, and destroyed families. How can they talk to us?”

‘Vote Jihad’ And ‘Razakars’

He replied to Owaisi who earlier said “My ancestors did Jihad against Britishers and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Fadnavis cannot defeat him in a debate.”

The BJP is in coalition ‘Mahayuti’ along with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. Ajit Pawar lost no time in expressing his disagreement with the BJP’s slogan and argued that Maharashtra is a different state and cannot be compared with other states.

BJP Ally NCP Revolts

He said to journalists, “I have said this several times. It will not work in Maharashtra. This may work in UP, Jharkhand, or some other places.” Distancing himself from the divisive slogan of the saffron party, he said, “We should be concentrating on ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, not divisive politics.”

Replying to Yogi’s slogan, the seven-time MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister said, that Maharashtra’s political culture has been shaped by people like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, and Mahatma Phule, who stood for unity and social harmony.

The Real Shiv Sena!

After Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena, joined the hands of the BJP, and overturned the Uddhava Thackeray-led government, he became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Both factions have claimed to be the real Shiv Sena and both are in the opposing camps, both of them want to go back to their roots and seek the support of the grass-root workers on whom the party became a behemoth.

As the behemoth split under its weight, the workers and voters are also confused. Will they back the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and accept it as the real party? Or will they back the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena? The Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 will decide the future of both of these parties and their leaders.

Return Of Congress?

Congress Party was shocked at the result of the Haryana Assembly Election 2024, and so was the BJP. The euphoria generated over the increased number of seats and the ability to stop the BJP from forming the government on its own, evaporated after the dust of the result of the Haryana Assembly Elections was settled. Will it form a coalition government with Sharad Pawr-led NCP and the Shiv Sena UBT?

If Congress can do it, it will be able to rekindle the flame of the opposition unity. This may decide the future of the country, ruled by the BJP, which has been weakened. The masses of Maharashtra will soon give their verdict.