Following the outcomes of the elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the political conflict in Maharashtra is now being fiercely waged. During a discussion, the head of a finance firm in Mumbai mentioned, “You may not be aware that BJP has the potential to emerge victorious in Maharashtra too.” Congress believed they would win the Haryana election, but the outcome for Congress is uncertain at the final moment.
Congress did not anticipate losing the Haryana elections. A worker in a village in Satara district of western Maharashtra echoed similar sentiments. He stated that the Ladki Behen Yojana has had an impact.
Most women have received Rs 4500 in their accounts, while some have been given up to Rs 7500, reducing the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s impact to a certain extent. The activist stated that the political situation has not undergone a total transformation.
Both individuals expressed uncertainty about the outcome of the Maharashtra election due to the close contest and unpredictable electoral atmosphere.
The sympathy factor that dominated the Lok Sabha elections was the division caused by the BJP between the Shiv Sena and the NCP within the MVA. It should be remembered that the Lok Sabha election outcomes in Maharashtra favored the MVA and disadvantaged the Mahayuti. The elections in Maharashtra are scheduled for November 20 and there is little time remaining for voting.
Maharashtra and Mumbai are significant business centers in the country, making the election outcomes crucial.
Haryana’s support has revitalized the BJP, which was feeling let down post the Lok Sabha election outcomes. However, should MVA emerge victorious in the Maharashtra elections, the election outcomes of Haryana will be overshadowed and quickly forgotten by the public.
Even though each state is unique and elections focus on local issues, there will still be a significant ‘H’ factor at play between Mahayuti and MVA in Maharashtra. The emergence of the ‘H’ factor, also known as the Haryana factor, has rejuvenated the morale of disillusioned BJP workers, instilling in them the belief that victory is still possible even in seemingly defeated situations.
According to aides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s body language was complete after Haryana’s victory. The situation has shifted, and now BJP can negotiate more with its allies in the Maharashtra elections, including Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP.
During a seat-sharing meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah reminded Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that they had made sacrifices to appoint him and now it was his turn to do the same. Shah intended for Shinde to reserve additional seats for BJP.
Nagpur is where the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is headquartered and they are now actively supporting the BJP. Some time ago, there were multiple meetings held between RSS leaders and the top BJP leadership. Despite contesting the elections led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is considered the party’s most effective leader within the Mahayuti.
BJP will aim to gather the support of OBCs (Mali, Dhangarh, Vanjari) in Maharashtra, just as it did in Haryana. It achieved a significant win thanks to the division between Jat and non-Jat. Following the Maratha reservation movement in Maharashtra, the Maratha-OBC division has increased. MVA expects that this will be advantageous for them during the elections.
Eknath Shinde has been consistently improving himself following the Lok Sabha election outcomes. Thanks to Majhi Ladki Behen Yojana, he has gained popularity and it appears this initiative will be a game changer for the Mahayuti party, much like it was for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. Within this program, women aged 18-60 years will receive Rs 1,500 monthly from the state government.
MVA boasts prominent figures such as Sharad Pawar in their ranks. Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi are also giving importance to Pawar’s words, which could be a significant factor for the MVA.