With Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) patriarch Sharad Pawar stating that the merger of the two party factions is likely to “be discontinued’, the BJP has chosen to adopt a wait-and-watch stance on the family’s final decision, even as Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late NCP leader Ajit Pawar, is set to be sworn-in as the new deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.
According to BJP insiders, while all eyes now are on what Sunetra Pawar chooses to prioritise –the party’s political turf back home or looking for representation at the Centre through the Rajya Sabha, or both—recent developments have necessitated that the BJP go for a significant balancing act in the state, in the face of a possible more assertive Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.
“It is a matter that pertains to a separate political party, and what happens next is solely under their ambit. But, that being said, it has certainly brought both Maharashtra and national politics into play in the contest of the BJP’s alliance dharma,” a senior BJP leader said.
“While Sunetra ji has been accommodated by the NDA government wholeheartedly in Maharashtra, in the same position as her late husband, the current mayoral polls in the state have brought the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde into focus,” the leader added.
According to BJP insiders, with the late Maharashtra deputy chief minister’s wife required to vacate her Rajya Sabha seat—one of three held by the party—there was a lot of curiosity over whom the party would send to replace her in the Upper House.
“A view within the BJP is that the NCP might utilise its Rajya Sabha seat to affect a generational shift from within the Pawar household, which might bring a request for accommodation for the new Rajya Sabha MP in the council of ministers at the Centre, alongside an existing berth, that of Shiv Sena’s Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav (Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare),” a source said referring to a likely rejig of the Union Cabinet.
“But this will depend on whatever decision the NCP takes; as far as the BJP is concerned, alliance dharma is supreme and will be followed like always,” the source added.
Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism.
Expertise
High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including:
The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls.
National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus.
Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities.
National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements.
Academic Credentials:
Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions.
Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read More
