Mahayudh, Maharashtra

It8217;s easy enough to reel out the reasons why the coming assembly election in Maharashtra are crucial. So let8217;s give it a shot. This is the first election after the general election and could, therefore, be viewed as a mini-referendum on the Manmohan Singh government. Its results will certainly influence the UPA8217;s policies in the near term. Similarly, it8217;s the first election that the BJP will contest after its shock defeat last May and its future political strategising will depend a great deal on whether it wins the state or loses it. It will also determine the future of a Shiv Sena presided over by Bal Thackeray; the success of Mayawati8217;s Dalit consolidation in the state; and the longevity of Sharad Pawar8217;s Nationalist Congress Party.

But, ultimately, elections are more than politics and power play 8212; or Pawar-play 8212; as the case may be. Voters are getting increasingly astute in their expectations, and these expectations are now increasingly colouring their political choices. By and large, they are looking for politicians who can actually impact upon their lives and change them for the better. Two elections 8212; the state elections of 2003 and the general elections of 2004 indicated this clearly enough. BJP wrested Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, not by whipping up communal fury or flogging cultural icons, but by repeating the mantra of bijli-sadak-pani in every nook and corner of the two states. Similarly, the Congress used the pragmatic language of development for the 8220;aam janata8221; to beat its way back to the treasury benches in Parliament this May. In Maharashtra 8212; the land of Shivaji and Sarvarkar 8212; the temptation to play with cultural icons is considerable and the two big formations in the fray, the BJP/Shiv Sena and the Congress/ NCP, have already attempted to harness cultural politics for electoral gains. But as D-Day draws nearer, wisdom seems to be dawning. The BJP in Maharashtra has already signalled its disinterest with Uma Bharati8217;s tricoloured histrioncs or indeed in whipping up frenzy over the alleged disrespect shown to Savarkar and wishes to come across as a 8220;responsible8221; party committed to 8220;good governance8221;. For the Congress/NCP, claiming to do this is a little more difficult given the fact that its record in office has been pretty abysmal and the malnutrition deaths in Melghat may come to haunt the ruling coalition yet.

Maharashtra8217;s Maha Yudh is then poised for an interesting finish as the early numbers from the Indian Express-Loksatta-NDTV polls indicate. But the only prediction we can make with absolute confidence is this: bijli, sadak, pani and the aam janata still remain top of the pops.