Third Front collapses before taking shape

PUNE The assembly election results delivered a severe blow to smaller parties that had hoped to carve out a space as part of a Third Front. The alliance, branded Mahashakti, fielded 121 candidates, none of whom managed to secure a win. Many lost their deposits, leaving the alliance in tatters and raising questions about its political relevance.

Smaller parties have struggled to make an impact in elections in recent years, and the latest results further underscore their declining influence. Prominent leaders associated with the Third Front—including Raj Thackeray, Bacchu Kadu, Raju Shetti, Prakash Ambedkar, and Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati—faced rejection at the ballot box.

Shetti, a farmers’ leader and former MP, expressed concern over the diminishing space for issue-based politics. “We have been raising genuine issues—farmers’ distress, rural challenges, and even urban problems through the MNS—but voters no longer prioritize these. Elections have increasingly been dominated by religious and emotive narratives,” he said.

Shetti highlighted the plight of farmers, citing pressing issues like soybean, sugarcane, cotton, and onion prices. “Despite fighting for these causes, the response from voters has been disappointing. If this trend continues, it will discourage leaders who want to focus on real issues. Every social worker needs some power to bring about change,” he added.

Shetti lamented the decline in public support for smaller parties and issue-based campaigns, noting that even his earlier electoral success was backed by farmers who contributed to his campaign fund. However, he has faced consecutive defeats since 2014.

“If young farmer leaders start following the trends set by bigger parties, the essence of grassroots politics will be lost,” Shetti warned, adding that the future of smaller parties and their role in Indian politics remains bleak if voters continue to favour larger, identity-driven narratives.