Even before the first votes are counted in Maharashtra, fissures have emerged within the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on who will head the next government with constituents in both camps laying claim over the chief minister's post.
After polling for the 288-member assembly ended on Wednesday evening, the ruling as well as opposition fronts have started claiming that mandate will be in their favour when votes are counted on November 23.
Soon after polling, state Congress chief Nana Patole asserted an MVA government would be formed in Maharashtra under the leadership of his party. Voting trends suggest the Congress will get the maximum number of seats in the new assembly, he said. His remarks did not go down well with ally Shiv Sena (UBT), whose leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday insisted the chief ministerial face will be decided by all alliance partners jointly once the MVA secures majority.
The Rajya Sabha MP said if the Congress high command has told Patole that he will be the CM face then national party's president Mallikarjun Kharge, and its top leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should announce the same.
The MVA, consisting of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) and the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, have expressed confidence that their respective alliance will form the next government after votes are counted on Saturday.
While a majority of exit polls have predicted that Mahayuti will retain power, a few have favoured the MVA. On the Mahayuti side, Shiv Sena MLA and party spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said the assembly elections were contested with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the face.
"Voters have shown their preference for Shinde through voting. I think it is Shinde's right (to be the next CM) and we are confident that he will be the next CM," Shirsat said.
BJP leader Pravin Darekar batted for Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for the top post. "I think if anyone from the BJP is becoming the CM then it will be Devendra Fadnavis," he said.NCP leader Amol Mitkari pushed the name of his party chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar for the coveted job. "Whatever the results, the NCP will be the kingmaker," Mitkari said. Asked about the CM face, Fadnavis maintained all three Mahayuti parties will sit together and take a "good decision".
Speaking to reporters separately, BJP leader Darekar claimed the Mahayuti will form the next government and dismissed the possibility of the MVA coming to power and said the opposition bloc was plagued by "internal rifts". "The people of Maharashtra have given a clear mandate. The Chief Minister will be from the Mahayuti, not the MVA, and certainly not the Congress," he asserted.
Highlighting divisions within the MVA, Darekar said, "Congress MP Praniti Shinde and her father and former CM Sushilkumar Shinde supported an independent candidate against Uddhav Thackeray's nominee in a constituency in Solapur district. These internal rifts expose a lack of unity. How can parties without internal coherence decide on a Chief Minister?" The BJP leader said Patole's aspirations to become chief minister was nothing but "Mungerilal ke haseen sapne" (daydreaming). On exit polls, Darekar remarked, "While no exit poll is final, most have predicted a Mahayuti win.
Even independent candidates (on winning) are likely to back Mahayuti." Taking a swipe at Prahar Janshakti Party leader Bachchu Kadu, he said, "Kadu speaks with grand bravado, but his own seat is under threat. Let him first declare how many of his candidates are winning." Regarding Rahul Gandhi's statements on the Adani group, the BJP leader quipped, "Rahul Gandhi should go to the US and focus on issues abroad, where his commentary might hold weight. His remarks on the fall of the Union government are childish and baseless."
On alleged involvement of NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule and Patole in using bitcoins illegally to fund elections, Darekar said the truth will come out soon. Both Sule and Patole have denied the allegations. "The ED's investigation is uncovering links to MVA leaders. The truth will emerge soon," he asserted. Highlighting increase in turnout in the November 20 assembly polls in the state, Darekar credited the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for their grassroots campaign to encourage voting. He maintained the Mahayuti government's 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' has resonated with women voters.