In his upcoming autobiography, 'Lok Majhe Sangti', Sharad Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, has made startling revelations about the 2019 Assembly Election in Maharashtra.
Pawar claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was determined to eliminate its 30-year-old ally, Shiv Sena, in the state. The reason behind this was the BJP's belief that it could not gain prominence in Maharashtra unless the Shiv Sena's existence was downplayed, stated a report in India Today.
BJP wanted power on its own
According to reports, the book states that during the 2019 Assembly Election, the Shiv Sena contested 171 seats, while the BJP contested 117 seats. However, the BJP was eager to get power on its own and without the support of the Shiv Sena.
Therefore, the saffron party demanded to contest on more seats - 164 of them, leaving only 124 for the Sena. The BJP was overconfident of winning a majority and getting power, which would have further eliminated the Shiv Sena, claimed Sharad Pawar.
Narayan Rane's Swabhiman Party merger
Furthermore, the BJP rubbed salt on the Shiv Sena's wounds by merging Narayan Rane's Swabhiman Party with it, according to Pawar. Rane is considered a traitor by the Shiv Sena. The move was seen as an attempt to weaken the Shiv Sena and strengthen the BJP's position in the state.
Rebel Candidates
Interestingly, Pawar's book also claims that the BJP fielded and supported rebel candidates in nearly 50 constituencies against the Shiv Sena. The move was an attempt to damage the Shiv Sena's numbers and increase the BJP's chances of gaining an undisputed claim on power.
Shiv Sena's Anger
The revelations made in Sharad Pawar's book shed light on the Shiv Sena's simmering anger against the BJP post the 2019 Assembly Election. The book exposes what led the Shiv Sena to split from the BJP and form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) amid rumours of political turmoil. The book's claims have sent ripples through political circles in Maharashtra.
Elimination of Shiv Sena was BJP's goal
In summary, Sharad Pawar's autobiography reveals that the BJP sought to eliminate the Shiv Sena during the 2019 Assembly Election in Maharashtra. The BJP's goal was to downplay the Shiv Sena's existence in the state and gain power on its own. The revelations made in the book have put on record the events that led to the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and have raised questions about the BJP's tactics in gaining power.
