By Tejas Navale
Pune, October 18, 2024: With the Election Commission of India having recently announced the dates for the Maharashtra assembly elections, political activity has intensified across all major parties, including the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Mahavikas Aghadi. As parties have begun preparations to finalise seat-sharing agreements, media reports indicate that the Mahayuti may soon release its first list of candidates.
However, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, which is part of the ruling Mahayuti, is grappling with multiple challenges. Sources suggest that the NCP will be allocated fewer seats compared to its alliance partners, the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde group), in the upcoming seat distribution. Despite holding 40 MLAs and enjoying the support of two independents, the NCP is expected to be allotted around merely 50 to 55 seats, far fewer than the 80 to 90 seats it had initially sought.
Adding to the party’s woes is growing dissent within its ranks. Several NCP MLAs are reportedly considering switching sides, and the situation is particularly fraught in the Maval assembly constituency, where sitting NCP MLA Sunil Shelke now faces internal competition. Initially, the BJP’s former MLA and ex-minister Bala Bhegade had expressed interest in contesting from Maval, but the seat was eventually retained by the NCP. Now, the party faces a fresh challenge as its regional vice president, Bapu Bhegade, has publicly expressed his desire to contest the seat.
During a press conference yesterday, Bapu Bhegade made his intentions clear, stating, “Yesterday, I was appointed as the vice president of the Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education and Research. However, I never requested this post. What I am asking for is the party ticket from the Maval assembly constituency.” He further added that the vice president of the agricultural council position should be given to another party activist who had sought it.
Bapu Bhegade emphasised that he had no interest in holding multiple positions, reiterating that his focus was solely on contesting the Maval seat in the upcoming election. He also revealed that he had met with NCP’s national president, Ajit Pawar, a few days ago, where Pawar informed him that both his name and that of sitting MLA Sunil Shelke were under consideration for the Maval seat. Bhegade said he had received assurances from Pawar that his candidacy would be seriously considered.
Bhegade said that in 2009, the party gave him the chance to contest from Maval, but at that time he got a slipping defeat. But, since then, he has been tirelessly working for the party and is assured that he would get success this time.
However, Bhegade also issued a veiled warning to the NCP leadership, stating that if the party denied him the ticket, he would consult his supporters and decide on his future course of action, hinting at a possible shift to Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) faction or contesting the election independently.
