Independents, rebels, and friendly fights deliver a blow to MVA

Pune: The 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections saw political alliances struggling to maintain dominance as independents, rebel candidates, and intra-alliance rivalries disrupted the race for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The impact was seen with over 50 constituencies turning into battlegrounds where these outsiders played a pivotal role in altering outcomes.

The MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Congress, bore the maximum brunt of “friendly fights” between allied candidates. In at least 21 constituencies, infighting led to vote splits that weakened the coalition’s chances, allowing rivals to capitalise on the fractured support base.

In Indapur, a traditional NCP stronghold, the contest saw NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) candidate Dattatraya Bharne face off against NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) candidate Harshvardhan Patil. The entry of rebel candidate Pravin Mane, also from the Sharad Pawar faction, added an unexpected twist. Bharne secured 117,236 votes, narrowly defeating Patil, who polled 97,826 votes, by a margin of 19,410. Mane’s 37,917 votes significantly impacted Patil’s prospects, demonstrating how internal discord within NCP (SP) played a decisive role.

Another such fight was witnessed in Hadapsar, a fiercely contested constituency, where NCP candidate Chetan Tupe edged out NCP (SP) candidate Prashant Jagtap by just 7,122 votes. Tupe garnered 134,810 votes, while Jagtap received 127,688 with Shiv Sena (UBT) rebel Gangadhar Badhe and VBA candidate Afroz Mulla collectively secured nearly 10,000 votes, further affecting Jagtap’s chances.

Similarly, Shrirampur, one of Congress’s few victories in western Maharashtra, highlighted the impact of rebels from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti. Congress candidate Hemant Ogale won with 66,090 votes, defeating Shiv Sena’s Bhausaheb Kamble, who secured 52,726 votes, by a margin of 13,373. Notably, NCP rebel Kanade Lahu, contesting independently, garnered 42,571 votes, splitting the Mahayuti vote and altering the outcome.

Chitra Lele, professor of political Science at SNDT College, said, “Rebel candidates and independents have highlighted the cracks in alliance politics. Their success in attracting votes demonstrates growing voter disillusionment with established party structures.”

Pandharpur witnessed a close contest where BJP candidate Samadhan Awatade won with 125,163 votes, defeating Congress’s Bhagirath Bhalke by a slender margin of 8,430 votes. The division of MVA votes between Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) candidate Anil Sawant, who secured 10,217 votes, proved decisive, handing the saffron party a narrow victory.

In Bhor, NCP candidate Shankar Mandekar triumphed over Congress’s Sangram Thopte by 19,638 votes. Two independent candidates, Kuldeep Konde and Kiran Dagade, collectively polled over 54,000 votes, splintering support for Thopte in what was traditionally considered a Congress bastion.

Karmala saw NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) candidate Narayan Aba Patil win by 16,085 votes, defeating Shiv Sena’s Digvijay Bagal. The race was complicated by NCP rebel Sanjay Mama Shinde, who contested as an independent and secured a staggering 80,006 votes, further diluting Bagal’s chances.

In Aurangabad East, BJP candidate Atul Save narrowly defeated AIMIM’s Imtiaz Jaleel by just 2,000 votes. The presence of over 10 Muslim candidates, who collectively secured more than 12,000 votes, fragmented the opposition vote, paving the way for Save’s victory.

Rebel candidates and ‘Trumpet’ symbol

Rebel candidates, particularly from the NCP (SP), wielded the “trumpet” symbol to significant effect in several constituencies, drawing crucial votes away from official party nominees. This further weakened the chances of NCP (SP) candidates, underscoring the challenges of maintaining party unity in a highly competitive political environment.