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The simplicity and good governance of Eknath Shinde, the excellent execution and strategy of Devendra Fadnavis and the sharp administrative skills of Ajit Pawar have brought the Mahayuti back to power with a bigger mandate
Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar address a press conference following the Mahayuti’s victory in Assembly elections, on November 23, 2024. (PTI)
The scale of the BJP-led Mahayuti’s victory in Maharashtra elections has been so massive that it has left the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance with an embarrassing question – does any of its parties even have the numbers to put up a Leader of Opposition?
The Mahayuti bagged a stunning 230 of the 288 Assembly seats, while the Congress-led MVA managed just 46 seats. The BJP won 132 seats, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) won 57, while the NCP (Ajit Pawar) got 41 seats.
In the MVA, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates won 10 seats, Congress won 16, while Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) won 20 seats.
Here are five factors that led the Mahayuti to triumph over the MVA:
No Internal Bickering
The Mahayuti saw hardly any internal conflicts during seat-sharing talks or ticket distribution. The leaders of all three parties ensured the ticket distribution was smooth, and wherever further discussions were needed, they met top BJP leaders like Amit Shah. A common manifesto and common campaign helped the alliance take its message to the masses.
Even post-results, Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar have maintained that the call on the chief ministerial pick shall be taken mutually after discussions with the BJP high command.
The picture was stark opposite in the MVA camp. Despite multiple rounds of meetings, it could not begin ticket distribution as early as needed.
Election Management
The BJP’s focus on booth management helped the alliance as did the management of the RSS cadre on ground. In fact, top leaders from both RSS and BJP campaigned for all the three parties in the alliance. A key strategy was to bring voters out of their homes to cast their ballot.
Setting The Agenda
The Mahayuti focussed on the issues that mattered to the electorate. It emphasised on development and keeping the growth engine running. Its Ladki Bahini Yojana was also a big hit among women voters, forcing even the MVA to include it in the manifesto after initial opposition. The opposition leaders referring to women voters as “freeloaders” did further damage to the MVA.
Apart from this, the narrative of unity set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not find any counter from the Opposition. This campaign was taken to the ground by Devendra Fadnavis in particular. The opposition’s alleged intent to ban the RSS also struck a chord with the public.
Positive Campaign
The Mahayuti alliance ran a positive campaign, highlighting the work done by the Eknath Shinde government in the last 2.5 years, including the completion of crucial infrastructure projects like Metro expansion and the coastal road project.
Walked The Talk
The Mahayuti also effectively countered opposition allegations that it would alter the Constitution or scrap the reservation. It took its message of development and good governance to every strata of the society with examples of projects completed for public good. From farmers, youth, women to the poor and marginalised, the manifesto covered every section of the society. The alliance had also put in place a vision plan for the first 100 days of the new government.
The manifesto drew inspiration from the vision of Narendra Modi for India by 2047, in which Maharashtra will have a significant role to play. The simplicity and good governance of Eknath Shinde, the excellent execution and strategy of Devendra Fadnavis and the sharp administrative skills of Ajit Pawar resulted in a landslide victory for the alliance.
- Location :
Maharashtra, India
