BMC & Maharashtra Local Elections: 10 Things the Verdict Tells Us
What do the results of the BMC and other local elections mean for politics in Maharashtra and across the country?
1. The Tiger Triumphs
The Shiv Sena has failed to perform while at the helm of the BMC, but the party has still managed to fare well in the Mumbai civic polls. Its network of over 200 shakhas and the emotional polarisation of Marathi votes played crucial roles in ensuring this.
The polls result have proved once again that BMC elections are more about emotions and less about real issues. The fact that Shiv Sena hardly talked about its work in its poll campaign proves this.
2. Uddhav’s Victory
The credit for Shiv Sena’s triumph in Mumbai goes to party chief Uddhav Thackeray, for his strategic and ‘micro’ planning. He is leading the party in tough times, and yet he managed to take it to greater heights. With this win, Uddhav has ensured a fourth straight victory for the Sena in the BMC elections.
3. Impact on State Govt
The Mumbai win will give confidence to Shiv Sena leaders and workers, while also ensuring that the party’s voice in its running battle with the BJP gets a tad louder. The Sena, though, is unlikely to pull out of the BJP-led state government right away. But it may now be tempted to consider the option ahead of the 2019 Assembly elections.
4. Fadnavis Has Arrived
CM Devendra Fadnavis’ position has now become stronger with the BJP doubling its tally in Mumbai, and the party set to bag Pune and Nashik, besides retaining Nagpur and Akola.
During the campaign, Modi’s name or image wasn’t visible at all; it was Fadnavis all the way. The CM crisscrossed the state, just like Modi had toured the country ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In the process, the Chief Minister held an average of five rallies a day over two weeks.
5. BJP Is No. 1
The BJP has established itself as the number 1 party across Maharashtra. Only the Congress had enjoyed a pan-Maharashtra presence before the saffron party.
The BJP had won the 2014 Assembly elections riding on the Modi wave, but it has now proven that it has a solid grassroots-level presence.
6. Congress Loses Cities
The Congress performed poorly in Mumbai, Pune and other cities. It appears to be doing fine though in the Zilla Parishad elections. The party is fast losing the opposition mantle in the battle between a dominant BJP and its aggressive ‘ally’ Shiv Sena.
7. Pawar Loses His Bastion
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP has lost its bastion Pune and performed poorly in other cities. It is doing well only in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation near Pune and in rural western Maharashtra. After this setback (and having flirted with the BJP for two years), it will need to work hard to regain credibility.
8. Secular Space Shrinking
The BJP and the Shiv Sena, members of the ruling alliance in the state, have been caught up in a long-running battle. Which has led to the bizarre situation where the BJP is acting like the ruling party and the Sena the opposition. So, the secular, liberal space has shrunk considerably in the last two years. The Congress and the NCP will now be forced to reconsider their decision to fight polls separately.
9. Raj Routed
The MNS, which had emerged as a major force in urban areas five years ago, has been wiped out in these polls. It has only bagged 3 seats in Nashik, where it was the ruling party for the last five years. After this rout, Raj Thackeray will have to go back to the drawing board if he hopes to remain relevant in politics.
10. Impact on National Politics
Since around 2 crore voters across Maharashtra have delivered their verdict in these elections, the poll results are bound to have implications at the national level. They will obviously boost the BJP’s confidence, which now treats local polls across the country as seriously as Assembly elections.
The election results will also force the Congress to urgently think about a damage control plan, with the party losing relevance across urban centres.