The appointment of Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has clearly indicated the strong ties between RSS and BJP. The recent victories in Haryana and Maharashtra have demonstrated that the BJP and RSS are forming a powerful alliance that will dominate elections in the Hindi-speaking belt. This partnership seems unlikely to be challenged by any opposition party. To effectively counter this alliance, a strong coalition of dedicated and influential workers is necessary—something that no party has managed to form so far.
In contrast, many parties in Hindi-speaking states are focusing on family-based politics and personal praise, making their strategies difficult to comprehend. Regional parties are struggling to secure their own survival, while Congress has become a mere pawn in this political game. Congress strategists seem unable to grasp that, like in 2004, their previous tactics won’t work again. The key to Congress’ success lies in strengthening its organization and contesting elections independently across the country.
In Maharashtra, both Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena are struggling for survival. The issue of EVMs is frequently raised, and Pawar is no longer the force he once was due to health and age. His daughter, Supriya Sule, is unwilling to step out of his shadow and build her own path, while his nephew, Ajit Pawar, attempted to lead but faced challenges. In Uddhav Thackeray’s party, only two leaders remain: Uddhav himself and his son Aditya, along with Sanjay Raut, who functions as a Congress-like advisor. This situation highlights the importance of facing reality and serves as a valuable lesson for the opposition. Fadnavis’ patience has paid off with success.Fadnavis was the truly deserving candidate for the Chief Minister post in Maharashtra. In the 2019 elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, led by Fadnavis, won the majority. Technically, he should have become the CM. However, Uddhav Thackeray, obsessed with the CM position, left the BJP and joined forces with opposing ideologies, such as Congress and NCP, to form a government. Thackeray believed that this alliance would strengthen his position, and he thought it would be easier for him to expand his influence, both among Hindus and non-Hindus. He underestimated the strength of the new BJP and its leadership.The outcome was predictable. While being CM, Thackeray failed to protect his party from splitting. Today, his party faces a crisis of survival, and Thackeray is struggling to maintain his political relevance.
He realized that he could not rely on the Congress and NCP forever, especially with the upcoming Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections. Without the Muslim vote, he knows he needs to reconnect with Hindu voters to survive. This indicates that Thackeray’s future in politics will be difficult and uncertain.On the other hand, Devendra Fadnavis showed patience and loyalty.
He respected the decision of the BJP high command and accepted the role of Deputy Chief Minister. Even though his position was reduced, he did not stop working and remained committed to his duties. His hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed, and he was the top choice of the Sangh and BJP high command. After the election results, Fadnavis was quickly given the Chief Minister position without any delay from the BJP leadership.
In this way, Fadnavis regained the CM position after five years, a position that had been taken away from him in 2019. His story is a reminder to the opposition parties about the importance of staying grounded in reality and not relying solely on family-based politics.
Congress, SP, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, BSP, and other regional parties are all struggling because they focus on family leadership rather than strengthening their organizations and adapting to the changing political landscape.
The opposition needs to understand that the political environment is shifting. Parties based on one family’s leadership, like Congress and others, are falling behind because they fail to address the larger needs of the people. The sooner these parties realize the changing dynamics and work to strengthen their organizations, the better it will be for their future.
Political dominance
- Fadnavis’ appointment as CM signals strong BJP-RSS alliance dominance.
- BJP and RSS form powerful partnership in Hindi-speaking belt.
- Opposition parties struggle with family-based politics and lack strong coalitions.
- Congress needs to strengthen organization and contest independently.
- Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray face leadership challenges in Maharashtra.
- Fadnavis’ patience and loyalty led to his return as CM after 2019 setback.
- Thackeray’s reliance on Congress and NCP weakened his political position.
- Opposition parties need to adapt to changing political dynamics and strengthen organizations.
