Did OPS propel Maha Vikas Aghadi to MLC poll wins? BJP admits ‘voters were unhappy’

For the Maharashtra Congress, the victories are not only a much-needed morale booster but also an opportunity to brush aside the pre-election troubles over candidate selection.

Sensing discontent, both Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Fadnavis altered their earlier stand and assured during the campaign that the government was not negative about the OPS, but it was too little too late for the BJP candidates. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty/File)

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The election results for the five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats indicate that the campaign in support of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) has reaped rich dividends for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) while Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis’s announcement in the state Assembly about not going back to the OPS proved costly for the ruling dispensation.

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“Yes, it is true that 90 per cent of voters were unhappy with the pension issue. But one must note that it was the Congress and the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) government in 2005 that rolled back the OPS. It was not our government’s fault. We will introspect on the reasons that cost us the defeats,” said state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Another BJP minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, too blamed the Congress-NCP, saying had voters been unhappy about the New Pension Scheme (NPS) they should have voted against the Congress-NCP candidates and not theirs.

In the recently concluded Winter Session of the legislature, Fadnavis said, “The government will not revive the OPS. Its reinstatement will put an additional burden of Rs 1.10 lakh crore on the state exchequer.” He later told the state Assembly that the Maharashtra government would have to keep fiscal health in mind in the larger interest of the state.

As the results started coming in on Thursday, state Congress chief Nana Patole grabbed the opportunity and said Rahul Gandhi promised to bring back the OPS and voters understand only the Congress can implement it.

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According to sources present at the counting centres, several ballots in Aurangabad were counted as invalid after voters wrote slogans on them demanding that the old pension scheme be brought back. Impressive performance in the graduate and teacher constituency polls also indicates an increase in Opposition’s appeal among the educated middle class in the areas where the elections took place. The educated middle-class section across India has been shifting to the BJP in the last eight to nine years.

The results turned out to be a boon for the Congress, which has not only snatched the Nagpur teachers’ constituency from the BJP but is on the verge of winning the Amaravati graduates’ constituency, also in Vidarbha. Nagpur is the home district of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Fadnavis, and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. This is the second defeat in less than a year for the BJP. Last year, the Congress’s Abhijit Vanjari defeated the BJP’s Sandeep Joshi in another Nagpur graduates’ constituency poll.

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The result in Amaravati will also be of interest to Fadnavis, as former minister and sitting MLC Ranajit Patil is known to be one of his closest aides.

For the Congress, the victories are not only a much-needed morale booster but also an opportunity to brush aside the pre-poll troubles over candidate selection. Vidarbha is one of the most crucial regions of the state and has given encouraging results to the party since the 2019 Assembly polls, which indicate that it might be regaining its lost ground in the region. In addition, the region, known for infighting within the Congress, is witnessing the emergence of a unified front when it comes to elections.

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As for Satyajeet Tambe — who fought and won from the Nashik graduate constituency as a rebel after he was not given the ticket — Patole said the decision to suspend the former Maharashtra Youth Congress president and his father Sudhir Tambe was taken by the high command and their future would be decided by the central leadership. Sudhir Tambe, when asked if his son should be considered a Congress legislator, asked reporters to wait, as Satyajeet will announce his next political move on February 4.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar too softened his stand, saying Satyajeet will take the “right” decision after his victory. “He has been working with the party very closely. Had the party given him a ticket, what followed would not have happened. His entire family subscribes to the Congress ideology. I am sure that he will make the right decision after winning,” said Pawar.

Alok Deshpande

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More