As the nomination window closes on October 29, Maharashtra gears up for a high-stake election to the 288-member Assembly on November 20. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who came to power in 2022 after he walked out of Shiv Sena which led to a split in the MVA and joined hands with the BJP, is seeking a renewed mandate. This election pits two major coalitions against each other: the Mahayuti, consisting of the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, Sharad Pawar’s NCP faction, and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction.
Also Read:Maharashtra Elections 2024: In a bid to secure tickets, 5 BJP leaders switch to other parties within Mahayuti alliance
Eknath Shinde or BJP’s pick
When discussing potential chief ministerial candidates within the Mahayuti, Eknath Shinde stands out. He played a decisive role in the 2022 downfall of the MVA government by leading 40 MLAs to join forces with the BJP-led alliance. Now, he stands as a potential frontrunner. However, election results could reshape this narrative, raising questions over whether Shinde will retain his leadership role if the Mahayuti secures a win, or if the BJP may look to position one of its leaders for the chief minister’s seat.
Also Read Maharashtra Elections 2024: In a bid to secure tickets, 5 BJP leaders switch to other parties within Mahayuti alliance ‘If you fail to get position only once, will you break the family?’: Sharad Pawar’s dig at nephew Ajit Pawar in Baramati Pune-Solapur Highway accident: Two people killed, 64 injured in major ST bus collision The educational backgrounds of Ratan Tata, Jamsetji Tata, Noel Tata, Dorabji Tata, and family members who built a Rs 33 lakh crore business empire
Author and analyst Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, who penned a biography of Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “He (Eknath Shinde) broke the Shiv Sena and had the numbers with him to bring along, which is why he formed the government. Either they say that we will decide it after the election if anybody has to be projected before it has to be Shinde, otherwise Shinde is going to sabotage the elections.”
Also Read:Maharashtra Elections 2024: Chandrashekhar Bawankule’s homecoming in Kamptee challenges Congress’s strategy
Mukhopadhyay added that,
» Read More