Crucial piece in Maharashtra puzzle, how BJP is trying to regain lost ground in onion belt

In the 2019 Assembly polls, the BJP emerged arsenic the person successful the region, with wins successful 13 constituencies, followed by the undivided Sena astatine six, the undivided NCP astatine seven, the Congress astatine five, and the AIMIM astatine two, with the remaining 2 seats going to Independents.

The caller Lok Sabha elections for the region’s six parliamentary seats saw the Congress and BJP triumph 2 each, and the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) triumph 1 each. Five years earlier, it was full NDA dominance arsenic the BJP won 5 seats and the Sena one.

Taking lessons from its mediocre Lok Sabha outcome, the Mahayuti has taken respective people corrective measures to undo the damage, particularly successful the bulb belt. In December 2023, the Narendra Modi authorities astatine the Centre banned the export of onions to tackle home proviso issues and guarantee dependable prices. Before the ban, it had imposed a 40% export work connected onions. The export prohibition continued till April-end earlier being lifted connected May 4, successful the mediate of the Lok Sabha elections. Later, connected September 13, the Centre reduced the export work connected onions from 40% to 20%, a determination aimed astatine diffusing the unrest among farmers and boosting their incomes.

In the 2019 Assembly polls, the BJP emerged arsenic the person successful the region, with wins successful 13 constituencies, followed by the undivided Sena astatine six, the undivided NCP astatine seven, the Congress astatine five, and the AIMIM astatine two, with the remaining 2 seats going to Independents.

The flip-flop connected bulb exports turned farmers successful northbound Maharashtra, which accounts for 30% of the country’s bulb production, against the Mahayuti. To what grade the corrective measures assistance the BJP reverse its losses successful this loop remains thing to ticker retired for. The BJP has its task chopped retired arsenic Sharad Pawar’s strategy is to exploit farmers’ unrest for the Opposition alliance’s benefit.

The Maratha quota agitation led by activistic Manoj Jarange Patil, which has turned against the BJP, volition besides beryllium a origin to immoderate grade successful the region. However, BJP MLA and authorities Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan, who has represented the Jamner Assembly constituency for six consecutive presumption from 1995 to 2019, said, “In the Assembly elections, we volition bash overmuch amended successful northbound Maharashtra. Reducing export work connected onions and escaped energy for farmers person fixed them large relief.”

Religious polarisation

In the past six months, the Mahayuti’s high-decibel Hindutva docket has besides recovered resonance successful northbound Maharashtra, wherever Nashik, a large Hindu pilgrimage centre, is located. Right-wing and affiliated outfits are utilizing the “Hindu khatre mein hain (Hindus are successful danger)” slogan to antagonistic the alleged consolidation of Muslims successful favour of the MVA.

The undercurrent of spiritual polarisation is acceptable to beryllium a important origin successful this election. Alleging Muslim consolidation against the Mahayuti, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis past period warned of “vote jihad”. Fadnavis cited the effect successful the Dhule Lok Sabha seat, wherever contempt starring successful 5 of its six Assembly segments, BJP campaigner Subash Bhamre mislaid by nether 4,000 votes to the Congress’s Shobha Bacchav, who polled 1.98 lakh votes successful the Malegaon Central conception alone.

Though polling information does not enactment the BJP’s narrative, enactment insiders said polarisation was the lone mode to get a bulk of Hindu votes. When Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj, a spiritual leader, made anti-Islam remarks successful August, the government’s effect was seen arsenic soft. CM Eknath Shinde shared a dais with Ramgiri Maharaj 48 hours aboriginal and praised him for serving people. Though FIRs were filed, the spiritual person was not arrested. In September, aft quality dispersed of his arguable remarks, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane threatened to “enter mosques to bushed up Muslims” if anybody dared talk against Ramgiri Maharaj.

Big names who whitethorn contest

Among the salient leaders successful this portion who are apt to contention the Assembly polls is NCP (SP) person Eknath Khadse, who ended his four-decade-long relation with the BJP to articulation the past undivided NCP successful 2020. However, during the caller Lok Sabha polls, Khadse announced helium was returning to the BJP and campaigned for its candidates, including his daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse, who contested and won the Raver parliamentary constituency and is present a Union Minister of State.

However, aft the BJP did not reinduct him into the enactment and name him Governor, Khadse earlier this twelvemonth joined the NCP (SP), which is apt to tract his girl and the party’s women’s helping main Rohini Khadse from Muktainagar.

The portion volition person immoderate well-established leaders contesting the polls, including the Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s OBC person Chhagan Bhujbal, who is apt to contention from Yeola, which helium has won successful consecutive elections since 2004. The Shiv Sena is besides apt to tract astatine slightest 2 ministers successful northbound Maharashtra, Dada Bhuse from Malegaon Outer and Gulabrao Patil successful Jalgaon Rural.