While developments in the Maharashtra BJP have enthused the Opposition Congress and the NCP, besides BJP ally Shiv Sena, the Eknath Khadse factor will help them politically, irrespective of whether h
While developments in the Maharashtra BJP have enthused the Opposition Congress and the NCP, besides BJP ally Shiv Sena, the Eknath Khadse factor will help them politically, irrespective of whether he remains in the Cabinet or is sacked on serious charges.
Mr Khadse has never been comfortable with the chief minister and has ignored the fact that Mr Fadnavis was the choice of PM Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah for the top post.
Mr Khadse would be completely marginalised if he succeeds in prolonging his stay in the Cabinet for some time. If he is sacked, he could become a dissident who would be friendly with the Opposition, and with the Shiv Sena as well, sources said.
Mr Khadse has been a strong leader of the BJP in north Maharashtra and is its OBC face in the state. Action against him could be a message from the BJP high command to prospective dissidents that it will not tolerate any voice against the CM.
Sources said Mr Fadnavis had deliberately given a long rope to Mr Khadse to make a strong case against the latter. But this will not make the Shiv Sena happy because the two Hindutva partners have been fighting for space in Maharashtra. While the BJP’s line of a Vidarbha state has already annoyed the Shiv Sena, the two parties could separate in the coming BMC elections which will decide who is the senior partner.
The BJP could get aggressive against the Shiv Sena in the BMC polls and may try to expose the latter with selective leaks about corruption involving Shiv Sena leaders, sources said.
For the Congress and NCP, these are good developments which could help their revival. Though these two parties have been lacking a “credible and clean” face, the caste combination, institutional strength and poor governance could help to some extent in the coming local body polls.
The BJP has gained in Assam and has an aggressive approach towards the coming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, but it could lose Maharashtra where the situation is heading for a new political game.
