In Maharashtra, some BJP leaders have second thoughts about alliance with NCP.

Maharashtra was one of the three states that dealt the biggest blow to the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the national elections. An article in the Rashtriya Swayavmsevak Sangh (RSS) publication, Organiser, on the performance of Maharashtra’s Mahayuti in the Lok Sabha elections has shone the spotlight on the discomfort within a section of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over continuing its alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party in the assembly elections later this year. Maharashtra was one of the three states, that dealt the biggest blow to the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the national elections, the first after the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party split to team up with the BJP in June 2022. A senior BJP leader said a decision on the next steps would be taken after the party completes its analysis of the Mahayuti’s losses in the Lok Sabha elections. He said the party was conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the alliance. “Ajit Pawar has 40-odd MLAs with him. Most of his MLAs come from western Maharashtra and pockets in Marathwada and north Maharashtra. The Lok Sabha results indicate that half of them could be in trouble in assembly elections. On the other hand, we are facing the ire of a section of voters over taking his faction along,” he said. The Organiser article reflected the unease in the Sangh Parivar over the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, arguing that the alliance with Ajit Pawar’s NCP had affected BJP’s brand value. “Maharashtra is a prime example of unnecessary politicking and avoidable manipulations. NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joined BJP though BJP and split SS (Shiv Sena) had a comfortable majority. Sharad Pawar would have faded away in two-three years as NCP would have lost energy with infighting between cousins. Why was this ill-advised step taken?” the article, “Modi 3.0: Conversation for course correction”, published in the June 10 issue of Organiser, said. The BJP’s initial feedback also indicated public anger over its alliance with the Ajit Pawar-led faction and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. While there was sympathy for Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar among the traditional voters of the two parties, many people who supported the BJP in the past indicated they were upset about inducting NCP leaders into the alliance.