NCP, Congress routed in State
For the two parties that once ruled in Maharashtra undisputedly, the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will now need to just more than introspection. From a strong cadre-based parties to struggling to retain their bastions in Ulhasnagar, Solapur, Pune and PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporations. However, the bigger set back is has been in the Zilla Parsihad and Panchayat Samitis, which have been the foundations of the two parties. This decimation of the two strong parties began in 2014, in the Lok Sabha elections, when the mandate was clearly against the Congress and NCP.
Ulhasnagar was once the stronghold of NCP, when Pappu Kalani who was promoted by NCP president Sharad Pawar. Kalani spread terror in Ulhasnagar and has been charged with Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) (TADA), Arms Act, murder and attempt to murder. Kalani was jailed and is currently out on bail. After this stint, the Kalani family has shifted their loyalty to the BJP and had given the ticket to Omi Kalani who won from Ulhasnagar.
Solapur, the bastion of Sushilkumar Shinde, the former chief minister and whose daughter Praniti is a legislator, too has suffered a setback as the BJP won 39 seats in the municipal corporation polls. In 2012 Congress had won by 45, this time BJP has won 39 seats pushing Congress down to third position with only 11 seats.
Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, the one-time stronghold of the NCP, had won 51 seats in Pune and 83 in Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporation polls in 2012.
NCP leader Supriya Sule on Thursday said the results of the civic polls in Maharashtra were a "setback" to the party as it lost three municipal corporations and a Zilla Parishad to the BJP. She, however, put to rest any speculation of resignation of her cousin and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar or other post holders in NCP.
The loss to Congress and NCP definitely highlights the two main factors that have caused this set back. The dynasty rule that voters have rejected them since 2014 general elections and the colossal failure to build a strong second cadre in the party leadership. The fact is that in Congress all the former chief ministers have ensured that their family members get tickets and such has been their stronghold that they have won time and again.
On top, the repeated change of stance by the NCP chief Sharad Pawar in support to BJP government strained relations between the two former alliance partners. Immediately after BJP won the state elections, Pawar extended support. Recently, when Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray threatened to pull out from the state government, Pawar said he would not support BJP-led government. However, as a result, the Congress preferred going solo and many party leaders feel this separation has also been a factor of their loss.