Lack of pan-Maharashtra narrative, personal vendetta led to MVA’s crushing defeat
The humiliating defeat has also raised the question over the existence of the MVA in the state as Maharashtra at present stands virtually without an Opposition in the legislative house.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray with party leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray during a press conference after the results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, in Mumbai (PTI)
The BJP-led Mahayuti not only won the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections but returned to power by handing over a deafening defeat to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) by bagging over 230 of the 288 seats. But what led the MVA — comprising the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar’s NCP — to register such a dismal performance that it cannot even claim the Leader of Opposition’s post in the Maharashtra Assembly?
Lack of pan-Maharashtra narrative, failure to present a collective leadership as individual leaders relied heavily on their personal vendetta and inability to offer a positive vision to voters led to MVA’s defeat in Maharashtra. The extent of damage to the Opposition is such that the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly may not see a Leader of Opposition for the next five years as none of the parties have managed to reach the 10 per cent seat share of the total strength of 288 necessary to claim the post.
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The humiliating defeat has also raised the question over the existence of the MVA in the state as Maharashtra at present stands virtually without an Opposition in the legislative house.
Among the Opposition, the worst defeat is of Congress as the party has seen its lowest tally ever since the formation of Maharashtra as many of its senior as well as second-rank leaders faced defeat in their respective strongholds.
The Congress failed to devise a narrative different from what it presented during the Lok Sabha elections. Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, relied on the old narrative of the BJP trying to change the Constitution and conducting caste census in his speeches. The five guarantees presented by the MVA were mostly in reply to the promises made by the ruling Mahayuti, such as increasing the direct cash benefit to women beneficiaries to Rs 3,000 from Rs 1,500 — the amount that was being doled out by the previous ruling regime under the Ladki Bahin Yojana.
The decentralisation of power, which worked for the Congress during the Lok Sabha polls, seems to have completely boomeranged in the assembly polls. Senior leaders such as Balasaheb Thorat and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan lost in their respective strongholds while the promising second-rank leadership of Satej Patil from Kolhapur, Amit Deshmukh from Latur, Sunil Kedar from Nagpur and Yashomati Thakur from Amravati failed to win in their constituencies, reducing the party’s tally to 15 — the lowest since the state’s formation.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole’s unnecessary duels with Shiv Sena UBT, failure to take the party leaders along with him and public boasting after the Lok Sabha poll victory did not go down too well with voters as well as party workers.
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Sharad Pawar’s NCP
While Sharad Pawar led an impressive campaign throughout the state, the lack of second-rank leadership in the party harmed the prospects of NCP(SP). The tag of being a Maratha-dominated party seems to have hurt the party’s prospects as it failed to draw votes from all communities.
Three months ago, the veteran politician had given a call to change the present government. However, the MVA failed to continue with the momentum towards the aim with collective effort.
While Sharad Pawar led the NCP(SP) campaign in the state, he failed to get the adequate support on ground from the second-rank leadership to draw votes. The party also failed to wipe the tag of Maratha party and in the wake of the agitation by activist Manoj Jarange-Patil seeking OBC status for Marathas, the non-Marathas consolidated against the party.
With legislative strength reduced, the opposition MVA is unlikely to make an impression inside the house and is now left with no option but to focus on re-organising itself on ground. Both the Congress and NCP-SP will have to focus on their respective state leaderships to strengthen the party.
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Shiv Sena UBT
While Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya, who won from Worli, campaigned extensively across the state, targeting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP by accusing them of indulging in corruption and giving preferential treatment to several businessmen including industrialist Gautam Adani, it failed to ring a bell with the voters.
The party’s strategy, along with the MVA, seemed to have failed to counter the narrative set by the ruling side in which they claimed that the MVA is dividing castes and religions to gain votes and Uddhav has abandoned Hindutva and had taken to appeasement politics to get the votes of the minorities.
The Sena UBT failed to counter the “vote jihad” narrative set by the BJP and Shinde-led Sena and could not even continue with the momentum and sympathy wave the party had during the Lok Sabha polls.
The Shiv Sena, which was weakened after the BJP caused a rift in the party through its Operation Lotus that was driven by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in June 2022, could not recover even after two years and failed to regain lost ground.
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Since the Sena UBT had lost 40 MLAs and 15 MPs and most of the first and second-rung leaders, the party did not have any strong faces to field them in the polls and had to give tickets to either fresh faces who were lightweights as compared to the opponents or the turncoats, who were considered spent force.
During the Lok Sabha polls, the Sena UBT’s tally came down despite its other alliance partners performing better. The Sena UBT seems to have not improvised its strategy for the assembly polls and did not have strong candidates to field in the polls.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena has lost its ground not only in the state’s politics but also in the Opposition bloc. However, with the party managing to perform better in Mumbai where it bagged 10 of the 20 seats it won across Maharashtra, the party has an opportunity to perform better during the civic body polls, including in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, to regain its lost ground and build its base again.
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
Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With approximately seven years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Senior Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai bureau.
Geographical Specialization: Provides exclusive and detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, operating at the epicenter of the state's decision-making in Mumbai.
Core Authority: His reporting demonstrates deep Expertise across critical and often complex state matters, including:
Political Dynamics: In-depth analysis of the ruling coalition (Mahayuti) and opposition (MVA), internal party conflicts, and crucial election updates, including local body polls and municipal corporation tussles.
Governance & Policy: Focused coverage on significant state policies, such as the overhaul of Mumbai's 'pagdi system' (rent control for old buildings) and social welfare schemes (e.g., Ladki Bahin Yojana accountability).
Infrastructure & Development: Reports on major urban and regional infrastructure projects, including the Mumbai Water Metro, Uttan-Virar Sea Link, and Thane Metro development.
Administrative Oversight: Follows legislative actions, cabinet decisions, and reports on issues of accountability and alleged fraud within state departments.
Experience
Current Role: His role at The Indian Express—a leading national daily—validates the credibility and standard of his reporting.
Career Foundation: Prior to The Indian Express, Vallabh contributed to other major metropolitan news outlets, including the Mumbai Mirror and DNA - Daily News & Analysis, providing a solid foundation in rigorous urban and political journalism.
Evidence of Impact: His work consistently breaks down complex political developments and administrative failures, such as exposing discrepancies in government welfare schemes, cementing his reputation as a trusted source for ground-level, impactful news from Maharashtra.
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