Maharashtra: The upcoming elections on November 20, 2024, will feature a significant contest among six major political parties. This marks a departure from the 2019 Assembly elections, where the BJP and Shiv Sena competed together.
Since then, the political landscape has shifted dramatically, with major divisions and realignments. Here’s a look at the events leading up to the 2024 elections:
2019: Uddhav Thackeray’s Shift to Power
In the 2019 elections, the Shiv Sena and BJP formed a successful alliance. However, after the results, Uddhav Thackeray accused the BJP of betrayal, suggesting discrepancies between their promises and actions. Feeling sidelined by the BJP, Uddhav chose to form a government with the ideologically different Congress and NCP. This decision aimed to ensure he stayed relevant and secured a political future for his son, Aditya Thackeray. Uddhav was sworn in as Chief Minister on November 28, 2019, becoming the first member of the Thackeray family to hold such a position.
2022: Eknath Shinde’s Rebellion
In May 2022, Eknath Shinde, a key Shiv Sena leader, rebelled against Uddhav’s leadership, garnering support from 39 MLAs. Utilizing a legal precedent from another state, Shinde sought to challenge Uddhav’s authority and gained significant traction. Amid a political crisis, Uddhav resigned as Chief Minister, paving the way for Shinde to take office with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as Deputy Chief Minister on June 29, 2022.
2023: Ajit Pawar’s Defection
On June 10, 2023, during the NCP’s 25th foundation day, Sharad Pawar announced two new executive presidents, prompting Ajit Pawar to feel marginalized. Subsequently, he aligned with the BJP, joining the Shinde government on July 2, 2023, as Deputy Chief Minister. This further fragmented the NCP, leading to two distinct factions within both the NCP and Shiv Sena, resulting in multiple parties vying for influence.
The Current Political Landscape
As of 2024, the major players in the election will include:
- BJP
- Shiv Sena (Shinde faction)
- NCP (Ajit Pawar faction)
- Congress
- Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction)
- NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)
The 2019 election had four main parties—BJP, Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena—but the divisions over the past five years have created a more complex political environment.
Voter Demographics
The number of voters in Maharashtra has also increased significantly, from 8.68 crore in 2019 to 9.53 crore in 2024, adding approximately 85 lakh new voters. The current voter base consists of about 4.9 crore men and 4.6 crore women.
As Maharashtra heads into the 2024 elections, the dynamics among these six parties will be crucial in shaping the state’s political future.
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