Maharashtra Election 2024: Make-Or-Break Battle For Pawars, Thackerays, Maliks

Maharashtra Election 2024: While the Shiv Sena is now headed by Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray is leading the Shiv Sena-UBT. Similarly, Ajit Pawar is leading the NCP while Sharad Pawar is leading the NCP-Sharad Pawar.

Maharashtra Election 2024 Voting Date: Maharashtra is all set to vote on November 20 in a high-voltage election that saw regional parties make their last ditch effort to turn the tide in their favour. While the BJP and the Congress are usual rivals, all eyes will be on regional satraps who are locked into a make-or-break fight, especially the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena. Both the parties are headed to the assembly polls for the first time after splits and now, it's up to the voters to decide whom they consider the real faction, beyond what the Election Commission has decided.

While the Shiv Sena is now headed by Eknath Shinde, Uddhav Thackeray is leading the Shiv Sena-UBT. Similarly, Ajit Pawar is leading the NCP while Sharad Pawar is leading the NCP-Sharad Pawar. The assembly election will decide the fate of satraps like Sharad Pawar, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Nawab Malik. How the four regional satraps perform is bound to dictate the politics of the two national parties. The BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the opposition alliance, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and the NCP (SP) 86.

The NCP 'Pawar' Game

Sharad Pawar, who is set to celebrate his 84th birthday next month, dealt a significant setback to his nephew Ajit Pawar, whose breakaway faction was declared the official Nationalist Congress Party by the Election Commission during the Lok Sabha elections. Now, Sharad Pawar is aiming to deliver a decisive blow in the upcoming assembly polls, even as Ajit Pawar strategizes to regain his footing. The nominees of the two Pawar factions are up against each other in nearly 37 constituencies.

The Shiv Sena Tussle

Tthe Shind-led group was recognised as the real Shiv Sena by the ECI and Thackeray is left with a new Sena faction with a challenge to prove that he rule the heart of the people. The two claimants of Shiv Sena's popular legacy have squared off against each other in over 50 seats. At the centre of poll sweepstakes involving the two Sena is the question mark over "Mumbai ka king kaun", as many of their workers said in a reference to the sway the undivided Shiv Sena had over the country's financial capital and which is now being contested by the two parties.

On the other hand, Nawab Malik, former Maharashtra minister is also contesting probably his last election. While NCP has fielded Malik from the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, his daughter Sana Malik is contesting from the Anushakti Nagar seat, a move that shows political transition to next generation.

The results set to be announced on Saturday will not only reveal the public's verdict on the two contrasting agendas but also determine the future of several key figures in the state's political landscape. (With agency inputs)