The spectacular victory the BJP-led Mahayuti scored in Maharashtra election has altered the landscape in one of the most economically advanced states in the country, and national politics.
After the setback in the Lok Sabha elections, the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), bounced back to score a landslide victory in the 288-strong assembly. It demonstrated the ability of the BJP and allies to analyse the reasons clinically and undertake course correction in five months to coast home as victors.
Of course, the results in Jharkhand, which went to polls along with Maharashtra to elect a new government, gave the I.N.D.I. Alliance some breathing space. Yet the sheer scale of Mahayuti’s victory relegated the Jharkhand triumph, recorded by the JMM-Congress plus alliance, to the back burner.
Armed with this massive victory, the BJP emerged stronger. The inability to secure a simple majority in the Lok Sabha is now a thing of the past. The BJP leadership, which has shown its resolve to run a tight ship, remains undiminished and will no longer feel compelled to consider trimming its sails while moving forward at full steam.
The impact of the Maharashtra outcome will be felt immediately in the winter session of Parliament. The government will push ahead with its legislative agenda, particularly the controversial Waqf Bill, weathering fierce opposition and discomfort from allies.
PM Narendra Modi’s unequivocal reference to the law and its anachronistic existence on Saturday should dispel any doubts about the approach to the proposed law, following the completion of the necessary parliamentary procedures.
The Select Committee examining the Bill has time till the end of the first week of the session to submit its report. Once the report on the Bill is presented to the Houses, the government is expected to put it on the list of businesses for Parliament to consider and pass.
The changed political atmosphere would blunt the strength of the opposition. Its passage will be testing the waters for the BJP to bring forward the last and third issue of its core agenda – Uniform Civil Code.
The other Bill, which the government intends to put on the business is the One Nation One Election. This action based on the report of a committee headed by former President Ramnath Kovind is bound to face stiff opposition and strong views from either side of the aisle. Adding to the debate would be the arguments on the technicalities involved in enacting this major constitutional amendment.
The session between November 25 and December 20 would be a ground for the governing coalition and the Opposition to fiercely contest each other’s ideas. From now on, the bench strength of the Opposition gets a boost with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joining the ranks adding vigour to the debates.
Maharashtra’s outcome allows the BJP to push forward with its core Hindutva agenda with renewed vigour. The ‘Batenge to Katenge’ slogan, popularized by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has become a template, leaving little to the imagination regarding the plan to consolidate the majority vote. Meanwhile, PM Modi has focused on spreading the ‘Ek Hain to Safe Hain’ message, with scores of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) karyakartas knocking on every door to drive the point home. This aggressive campaign could become the standard approach in the months ahead.
The decisive victory sends a strong message to the allies in the NDA: there can be no rearrangement of the pecking order. Although the two crucial supporting parties in the coalition-the Telugu Desam Party and the Janata Dal (United)-have been less vocal with their demands, Maharashtra’s result will likely sober the party leadership and curb any Oliver Twist hunger pangs for more.
Ranchi’s result was a major spoiler for the BJP’s celebration in Mumbai. The people’s verdict delivered another subtle message. The JMM-led government employed welfare-oriented measures similar to those in Maharashtra to reap a political harvest, while stalling the BJP’s narrative of an imminent threat from Bangladeshi infiltrators. The tribal population rejected this argument and spoke with their votes for Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
This outcome may offer some comfort to the Opposition and act as a speed bump, preventing the BJP-led NDA from cruising along with its core agenda. The session offers BJP leadership an opportunity to reassert its pole position in Indian politics, especially since its principal challenger, the Indian National Congress, is less than equipped to check its progress.