When it came to power in Maharashtra, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition seemed volatile, but their leaders somehow asserted their confidence. Now within two years of the coalition government, BJP heavyweights like Devendra Fadnavis and Narayan Rane have exposed the weak links of the coalition.
MVA coalition dying a slow death
If recent election trends in Maharashtra are anything to go by, then the MVA coalition, a coalition of opposing ideologies is dying a slow death in the state. BJP has reestablished its supremacy on the district cooperative banks in Maharashtra.
Pravin Darekar, BJP’s leader of assembly in Maharashtra Legislative Council has emerged as a victorious leader in the elections of Mumbai District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank. All 21 members supported by Darekar were appointed as Board of Directors. The essence of BJP’s hold on the board members can be gauged from the fact that 17 out of 21 members were elected unopposed. Moreover, the rest 4 members also registered huge victories in their respective elections.
Narayan Rane had registered a similar victory in Sindhudurg
Victory in Mumbai DCC is the second major victory by BJP. During the last week of 2021, Narayan Rane, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises had registered a similar victory for his party in the Sindhudurg district. In Sindhudurg, Narayan Rane promoted Siddhivinayak Panel gained control of DCC; defeating MVA supported sitting chairman and vice-chairman en route. BJP had won 11 out of 19 seats.
Narayan Rane had thanked everyone including activists and leaders for this victory. Declaring his next resolution, he had said, “The next goal is to oust MVA from the district and from the state. The agenda is to win all assembly and Lok Sabha seats in the Sindhudurg district and ultimately the formation of a BJP government and the party Chief Minister in Maharashtra,’’
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DCC victories are directly correlated to assembly elections’ results
District cooperative banks are believed to be the power centre of Maharashtra politics. The cooperative banks are the main lending platforms for small and sometimes big businesses eyeing a low-cost source of funding. Sugar mills, credit societies providing credits to farmers, small shopkeepers are some of the key borrowers from DCCs.
Fundamentally, if a party has a stronghold on these DCCs, they become capable of increasing business activities in respective districts. People are more likely to vote for those who promote the flourishment of small businesses. Basically, a party supporting small businesses through cooperatives has more chances of winning public support in assembly or general elections.
Devendra Fadnavis had already exposed MVA in MLC elections
Not just district cooperatives, MVA coalitions’ stronghold on local politics is also weakening in Maharashtra. Recently, MLC elections were held for six seats in the state. BJP registered victories on 4 out of 6 seats where elections were held on December 10. These victories include crucial seats like Nagpur and Akola-Buldhana-Washim seats, where it is believed that MVA has a stronghold. Former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was leading BJP’s charge in these elections.
MVA Coalition– Mother of all contradictions
Ever since it came to power, the MVA coalition has been volatile and unstable. Congress and Shiv Sena, in fact, harbour differing political ideologies. The political opportunism of Sharad Pawar has been acting as a buffer that is stopping the breakdown of this coalition.
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Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar had also time and again digressed from balancing coalition. His meetings with differing political factions had given birth to rumours of breakdown in the coalition. Moreover, he has also sidelined the Gandhi family from Maharashtra Politics. Recently, it became contentious for him when in order to balance out Congress and Shiv Sena, he claimed that Savarkar promoted the consumption of beef.
Read more: SharadPawar – A clueless politician that Media transformed into a Crafty player
Slowly but steadily, leaders like Rane and Devendra Fadnavis are re-energising the party workers in the state.