Mumbai: The results of the Lok Sabha election, which will decide the fate of four Union ministers and two Congress stalwarts from Maharashtra, is likely to impact the political situation in the state, which will go to polls a few months later. Leaders of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) admit that the party, which gets more seats as compared to its ally, will have an upper hand in the adjustments of seats in the Assembly polls.
Though the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) did not contest Lok Sabha polls, its impact will decide its negotiation power. There are indications that even Congress could go back on its stand and accept the Raj Thackeray-led party to be a part of its alliance. However, all depends on the Lok Sabha results that will be declared on Thursday.
Senior journalist and political analyst Prakash Bal Joshi said, "In my view, the MNS will be contesting the Assembly election on its own and it will try to tie up with like- minded parties. It is to be seen whether the Congress and Sharad Pawar led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will accommodate the MNS in their alliance
in Maharashtra.”
The poll results of Lok Sabha election will also be used for deciding the re-nomination of sitting legislators in the state polls, which is scheduled for later this year.
State Congress spokesperson Ratnakar Mahajan said although the political dynamics for the state and Lok Sabha elections are different, the results of the parliamentary polls do make a notional impact on the assembly politics. "This doesn't happen always. In 1999, after the Lok Sabha results, those who formed the government at the Centre were defeated in the state assembly polls held later that year," Mr Mahajan said.
After Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 seats, Maharashtra is at the second position in the country. In 2014, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or BJP-Shiv Sena had won 43 seats, highest for any alliance so far.
However, a Congress leader said that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s contribution by not contesting election and campaigning would be considered only if Milind Deora from South Mumbai wins or Nationalist Congress Party’s candidate Sanjay Dina Patil from North Mumbai gets elected.
Four Union ministers —Nitin Gadkari, Hansraj Ahir, Subhash Bhamre and Anant Gite — and two Congress veterans —Ashok Chavan and Sushilkumar Shinde —were among the 867 candidates who were in the fray in state, which went to polls in four phases in April. Mr Gadkari is seeking re-election from Nagpur. He was pitted against Nana Patole of the Congress.
In 2014, Mr Gadkari had defeated Congress’ Vilas Muttemwar by a margin of over two lakh votes.
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