Setting a dangerous trend

For political observers familiar with the toppling games patented by the BJP leadership, the latest developments in Maharashtra should come as no surprise. The revolt in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by the ever-restive Ajit Pawar, and the swift defection of his faction to the Shiv Sena-BJP government fall into a template that has been mastered by the saffron party over the years. The party which once prided itself for being party with difference has now become famous for breaking other parties using muscle and money power. The BJP is setting an extremely dangerous trend. In Maharashtra, first it broke Shiv Sena, now NCP and there is growing fear that Congress will be the next target.

The biggest irony is that all NCP legislators who switched to the ruling combine have the Enforcement Directorate (ED) cases pending against them explains it all. The political drama will only lead to more instability in the government, with multiple power centres pulling in different directions.

Instead of ‘Double Engine’ Sarkar, the oft-repeated slogan of the BJP, Maharashtra can now boast of a ‘Triple Engine’ Sarkar with Pawar, the nephew of the octogenarian Maratha strongman and the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, taking over as the deputy chief minister, sharing the honours with Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP.

For Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, things could quickly turn nasty as his party will lose its exclusivity and will be forced to share power with a third partner.

The BJP’s reliance on the Shinde faction to run a stable government will be reduced. Shinde’s grip over governance may weaken in the days ahead as Ajit Pawar is seen as a strong administrator and a wily politician with much more experience in governance.