MBMC rout highlights crisis in NCP

Mumbai: The Mira-Bhayander results have once again brought to the fore the crisis within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). While the party had bagged 26 seats in 2012, five years down the line, it hasn’t managed to even open its account. The NCP’s continued downward slide is being attributed to various reasons including image, positioning in Maharashtra and a refusal to budge from the old ways of politics.

Despite the debacle in the 2014 general and assembly elections, the party has not seen any sign of revival with Mira-Bhayander the latest example of this crisis. NCP has lost all municipalities that were once the party’s strongholds i.e. Nashik, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur and Amravati. In the Zilla Parishad elections as well, the party’s presence was reduced to a few districts such as Pune, Satara and Parbhani.

Party observers attribute NCP’s downfall to three main reasons, not least of which is the popular perception that it is corrupt. NCP top-brass including Chhagan Bhujbal, who is in jail; Ajit Pawar; and Sunil Tatkare are facing serious corruption charges. The other reason is nepotism, where the process of identifying and fielding fresh new faces has all but stopped. The party has now become synonymous with nepotism.

Political analyst Prakash Bal said, “The most important reason for NCP’s debacle is its proximity to BJP. The party is in opposition but it is close to BJP. Why would people vote for it in such a context? Voters need a clear choice. NCP’s dealings are not being perceived as straight.”