Rejected by voters of Maharashtra, targeted by RSS: Is Ajit Pawar's future tense?

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra is one of the key states which helped the opposition puncture Prime Minister Modi's claims of "abki baar, 400 paar" in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections. The BJP ended up with just 9 seats, which is less than half of 23, the number of seats it had won in the state 5 years ago. Unfortunately BJP's "engineered" allies also failed to contribute to the NDA target.
While the split Sena, now the actual Shiv Sena, performed reasonably well, the split NCP, now the official NCP - stares at a tense future. According to news agency IANS, BJP is conducting an internal survey to assess the possibilities of contesting the upcoming assembly elections alone

NCP chief and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who had rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar and walked out of the party with most of the MLAs and MPs, finds himself in the wilderness after a disastrous showing in Lok Sabha polls. Ajit Pawar's NCP contested 4 Lok Sabha seats and managed to win only one. Contrast this to the performance of Eknath Shinde, who had rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray, split the Shiv Sena, joined hands with the BJP and went on to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. Shinde's Sena contested 15 seats and won 7 with a strike rate better than the BJP.

RSS slams BJP-Ajit Pawar tie-up
What's worse - the RSS has come out in the open questioning BJP's wisdom in joining hands with Ajit Pawar. An article in "Organiser" magazine, which is linked to the RSS, slammed BJP's move and called it "unnecessary politicking." It said the induction of Ajit Pawar's NCP into NDA had reduced the brand value of BJP.

"Maharashtra is a prime example of unnecessary politicking and avoidable manipulations. NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joined BJP though BJP and split SS (Shiv Sena) had a comfortable majority. Sharad Pawar would have faded away in two-three years as NCP would have lost energy with infighting between cousins," RSS lifelong member Ratan Sharda said in the article.
"Why was this ill-advised step taken? BJP supporters were hurt because they had fought against this Congress ideology for years and were persecuted. In a single stroke, BJP reduced its brand value. After years of struggle to become numero uno in Maharashtra, it became just another political party without any difference," he added.

The NCP leaders have tried to play down the criticism calling it the personal opinion of the RSS leader. They claim that their alliance with BJP would continue. But the party's reduced bargaining power post elections was evident when PM Modi formed his council of ministers.

NCP's claims ignored
The NCP is one of the allies who does not have a minister in Modi 3.0. When the contours of the NDA government was being discussed, NCP was the first party to go public with its disappointment over portfolio allocation. Ajit Pawar's party refused to accept minister of state with independent charge post that was being offered for its leader Parful Patel. Pawar said it was a conscious decision taken unanimously as Praful Patel had been a Cabinet minister at the Centre earlier and the offered post would be demotion for him.
"I was earlier a Cabinet minister in the Union government, so this will be a demotion for me. We have informed the BJP leadership and they have already told us to just wait a few days, they will take remedial measures," Patel had then told reporters.

The corruption tag
BJP's decision to take Ajit Pawar on board also gave the opposition an opportunity to mock PM Modi over his much-talked about crusade against corruption. This was because the Prime Minister and top BJP leaders had in their earlier rallies accused Ajit Pawar of corruption in the state's irrigation scam.
Waiting for Rajya Sabha boost
Marginalised after Lok Sabha polls, Ajit Pawar now appears to be waiting for the Rajya Sabha boost to make bigger claims within the NDA. With bulk of NCP MLAs with him, Ajit Pawar will see an increase in the party's tally of MPs in the Upper House. He has already fielded his wife Sunetra Pawar, who had lost Lok Sabha elections to Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule in Baramati, as NCP candidate for Rajya Sabha elections.
Clearly, as BJP now gears up for the assembly elections in the state due later this year, Ajit Pawar may face testing times ahead. Shinde has proved that he will be more valuable as a partner to the saffron party than Ajit Pawar.
(With inputs from agencies)