Pawar keeps NCP relevant; Sena proves its worth

New Delhi, Oct 24  For long, Sharad Pawar nursed a dream to be Prime Minister of India.

Often flattered as the Maratha strongman, Mr Pawar faced a major challenge this time as in the run-up to the 2019 polls, several of his lieutenants switched loyalties to the Bharatiya Janata Party or Shiv Sena.

Some Indian National Congress leaders had even mocked at Nationalist Congress Party's poll prospects, asserting that Mr Pawar's outfit would be compelled to merge with it. There were also corruption charges against him and his nephew Ajit Pawar. But when it came to poll management, the 79-year-old patriarch has yet again proved his mettle.

Another important takeaway from the Maharashtra polls this year is the manner Shiv Sena was able to put up a spirited fight and has perhaps enhanced its bargaining power vis-a-vis BJP.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray hinted that all may not be so well with its longtime partner.
"We have been accommodating during the Lok Sabha elections. But I can't keep doing that anymore. I have to make sure my party flourishes," he said tongue-in-cheek.
In the ultimate analysis, NCP is now set to win at least 56 assembly seats from the 123 it contested at an average strike rate of 43.5 per cent.
The INC, having contested as many as 145 seats, would win around 46 at a strike rate of 31.7 per cent.
The prestigious post of Leader of the Opposition in state Assembly would come to NCP now and also importantly, it's tally is not far behind Shiv Sena - which is likely to win 57 seats out of 124 it contested.

It is true, Sharad Pawar came 'closest' to the position of Prime Minister's Office in 1991 after the INC emerged as single largest party in the wake of a sympathy wave post-Rajv Gandhi assassination .

Much to the credit of Mr Pawar, the INC returned an overwhelming about two dozen MPs from his state but the party decided to settle for a near-retired P V Narasimha Rao and Pawar had to be contented as his Defence Minister.

Acidly, Rao later shunted him back to the Mantralaya in Mumbai making him again as the Chief Minister.

In the run up to the state assembly polls, the detractors and even a section of INC leaders, including Sushilkumar Shinde, sought to mock at NCP's poll prospects, asserting Sharad Pawar's outfit could be compelled to merge with it.Such a prospect now looks remote.

As many as seven sitting ministers - Pankaja Munde, Ram Shinde, Madan Yerawar, Arjun Khotkar, Vijay Shivtare, Bala Bhegde and Anil Bonde have been defeated.  

However, the mild-mannered Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis displayed his Kautilya-variety of shrewdness.

The second Brahmin Chief Minister of the state claimed that 15 rebels are in touch him and that the BJP's tally may go up. Obviously, such remarks are only seen as an attempt to counter ally Shiv Sena’s bargaining power.

Mah, Haryana mandate sends wake-up call to BJP

New Delhi, Oct 24 The 'party with a difference'-committed to the developmental card - 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' - the slogans given by the BJP seem to have eroded with prolonged agarian distress, mounting unemployment and people's anguish due to stagnant rural and urban income reflected in the poll outcome in Maharashtra and Haryana on Thursday.

Irrespective of whether Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena returns to power in Maharashtra or the BJP, which has emerged the single largest party in the Haryana Assembly, can manage turncoats to touch the magical 45 figure - the big worries now also include whether Government will go in for  'populist' game plans.

Certainly, the verdict would be seen as an endorsement of the Modi government’s bold measures in Jammu and Kashmir in a way but there are also questions on what next for reforms.

The mandate in Haryana and Maharashtra suggests in more ways than one that agrarian distress and economic slowdown especially in Vidharbha region in Maharashtra have clearly harmed the prospects of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the western state.

The message from the commercial hub of the country and Haryana also show the undercurrent of distress vis-a-vis joblessness and economic slowdown have left its impact.

In general sense, while the opposition parties had highlighted issues concerning joblessness and economic slowdown, the BJP leaders largely depended on nationalistic agenda.

The fact that BJP's 'muscular' policy towards Pakistan did not cut much ice with the voters in Haryana - which sends one member out of three to the nation's armed forces - makes it clear that the slowdown has had its impact.Economists aver that consumption growth in rural India has fallen to a seven-year low in July-September and  is lagging in urban regions as well.Even Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai admitted that economic slowdown has affected the poll outcome though the Thackeray family-led outfit has improved its overall tally.The BJP, which won 122 seats in 2014, may end up with only around 100 this time.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Rawat, however, said: "The alliance with BJP will continue". But at least two Sena leaders sought to keep everyone guessing.

When asked whether Sena will tie up with Nationalist Congress Party if Aditya Thackeray is 'offered' chief Ministership, they maintained nothing can be ruled out in politics.

BJP spokesman Sambit Patra, as expected, strongly ruled out such a possibility.        

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that putting a check on farmers' suicide would be main challenge for his government. But 15,000 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra between 2013 and 2018, RTI data revealed. What certainly went against BJP and Mr Fadnavis is that out of the total 15,356 farmer suicides during the six-year period, 396 cases were reported between January 1 to February 28, this year.

The government has provided ex-gratia to 102 families out of 396 suicide cases.

"Honestly, there is slowdown globally. The government of India cannot work in isolation," BJP leader Syed Zafar Islam said and maintained that necessary steps are already being taken and their impact will be seen sooner than later.

Another BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi said, the "decimation" of Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party in Maharashtra might have also gone against the interest of his party.

"There can be also due to economic slowdown....which is happening globally," he said adding "assigning any single reason which can be called a wake up call is too much to interpret".

In Haryana, BJP was able to retain the position of single largest party in a state -where it gave a non-Jat Chief Minister for last five years; but its final tally is falling short of half-way 45 seats mark.

The trends of the vote count on Thursday indicate that the ruling BJP's hardliner nationalistic agenda vis-a-vis Article 370 did not help much in rural areas both in Maharashtra and Haryana.

In rural Haryana, the saffron party seemed to have lost ground in as many as 16 constituencies.

According to trends, the Indian National Congress seemed to have taken leads in at least 24 assembly seats in rural Haryana and 32 in total in the 90-member House.

Nascent Jannayak Janata Party of Dushyant Chautala has emerged a key player and may even get the chance to play 'king maker'.

A jubilant Dushyant Chautala, a former MP, could not conceal his glee and said: "Till the other day, everyone dismissed us as 'baccha' (kid's) party. But most giants from the rival parties have been humbled by our candidates."
With JJP already beginning to get feelers from both the BJP and the INC, Dushyant said, "I can say for sure, in Haryana the vote is for change."

Modi credits Khattar, Fadnavis for BJP win

New Delhi, Oct 24 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said BJP's performance in Maharashtra and Haryana was unique and miraculous as both the states offer major challenges politically and in terms of governance.

''Our Chief Minister was new, the team was also new and despite this the ability to return to power after five years is commendable,'' Mr Modi said addressing party workers at BJP headquarters here.

He said it goes to the credit of leadership of Manohar Lal Khattar that the party could brave the major hurdles of incumbency.

In reference to criticism made in media and by political detractors, the Prime Minister said to emerge as the single largest party, is also no mean achievement.

In the context of Maharashtra, the Prime Minister said the BJP has always played second fiddle to Shiv Sena and even when the alliance was in power, the government was headed by Sena only.

''There is a special feature about Maharashtra politics. You will be surprised to know that in last 50 years, no chief minister before Devendra Fadnavis survived for five years at a stretch. It was for the first time that Fadnavis could serve the state continuously for five years,'' the Prime Minister said amid applause from the gathering which included among others BJP president Amit Shah and senior ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari.

Mr Modi said it is imperative that a chief minister rules for five years which gives stability to the state, that is economic hub of the country.

''In such a state, political stability makes a lot of difference,'' he said.

The Prime Minister also said in Haryana, party's voteshare increased by 3 per cent to 36 per cent.

Earlier, setting the tone, Mr Shah sought to dispel notion rather strongly that the party's performance was not upto the mark in the two states.

Notwithstanding minor reverses, he termed the outcome of the polls as 'victory' for the party.  

"In Modi-2, the first two elections have gone in favour of the BJP," party chief said.

Mr Shah pointed out that prior to 2014, the BJP never had Chief Ministers in these two states.

Despite minor setbacks, Amit Shah credits party workers and two CMs for electoral win

New Delhi, Oct 24 (UNI) Notwithstanding minor reverses in Maharashtra and Haryana polls, the ruling BJP on Thursday termed the outcome of the polls as 'victory' for the party.

"In Modi-2, the first two elections have gone in favour of the BJP," party chief Amit Shah said addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters here.

Mr Shah pointed out that prior to 2014, the BJP never had Chief Ministers in these two states.

But now in these two states, the saffron party ruled for five years and in both the states, the party and party-led alliance governments have returned to power yet again, he said.

"Dono jagah BJP ki jeet hui hae (In both the states, we have won)," he said adding Prime Minister
Narendra Modi deserves credit for the party victory.

On his arrival at the party headquarters, a beaming Prime Minister Modi signaled 'V' with his fingers and waved hands enthusiastically towards the party workers. 

He also said the victories reflect the success of two Chief Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Devendra Fadnavis.

Thanks to Hung assembly; Six Independents in Haryana may have Diwali bonanza

New Delhi, Oct 24  Every election leaves victors and vanquished.

But in Haryana - ironically the original homeland of Aya Ram-Gaya Ram politics - the six Independent candidates may have the last laugh this Diwali season.

While five others are leading in their respective constituencies; rebel BJP leader and Independent legislator Nayan Pal Rawat from Prithla had reasons to smile about his newly acclaimed glories.
He won the seat by defeating nearest Congress rival Raghuvir Tewatia by a margin of 16429 votes. In 2014, the seat was won by BSP nominee.

The fractured mandate in Haryana - which has made BJP single largest party - perhaps the festive season linked to prosperity and merry making may now bring glories and good times to Rawat and five others Balraj Kundu from Meham, Randhir Singh Gollen from Pundri, Gokul Setia from Sirsa, Ranjit Singh from Rania and Rakesh Daultabad from Badshapur assembly constituencies.

Of course, the prospect of their reaping the harvest of 'political luck' would come to a naught if Dushyant Chautala-JJP - which may bag at least 10 seats - decide to back BJP, which is likely to win 38 seats in the 90-member assembly.
JJP has already won five and is leading in five others. But Mr Chautala said, "the mandate in Haryana is for change".

Asserting that the mandate in the Haryana assembly elections was clearly against the BJP, former state chief minister and Congress stalwart Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son Deepender Singh Hooda said all other parties and Independents should unite against the saffron party. BJP and come together to form a strong government in the State.

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