A season for jodo and todo

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, CM Eknath Shinde and MNS Chief Raj Thackeray at the inauguration of the Shivaji Park Diwali lights on Friday. Rumours have been rife about the possibility of Raj getting into an alliance with the ruling parties. Pic/Ashish Rane

Politics comprises the battles we can see as well as those we can't. When the hidden battles are executed with sniper-like precision, the falling of the target becomes definitive. Political parties in Maharashtra have been warring by applying both types of battle formats ahead of the 2024 general and Assembly elections, which will be preceded by the local body polls, the BMC included, to be held as early as possible depending on the court directives on delimitation and other matters.

Recently, a hidden battle took place between the Thackeray Sena and the BJP-Shinde Sena while they were simultaneously engaged in the streets of Andheri East. A truce was called and the BJP pulled out from the fray. By that time, the Sena had lost its parent body's name and symbol, but the pullout provided it with another plank, "the BJP backed out because we were certain to win". The BJP dismissed it, saying it was more prepared to defeat the Thackeray Sena if its candidate was contesting. The BJP left the field with a wider focus on the forthcoming BMC polls.

The Thackeray camp is relieved as far as winning Andheri is concerned, but at the same time it is trying to gauge, as do political observers, what the ruling parties will come up with next, especially in view of the bonhomie between the BJP-Shinde alliance and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). It was MNS chief Raj Thackeray who brokered peace between the Thackeray camp and Thackeray Sena. Nationalist Congress Party boss Sharad Pawar further eased the way that ultimately led to the withdrawal of the BJP candidate in Andheri. Later, on the first day of Diwali, Raj invited CM Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis to inaugurate his party's festival of lights at Shivaji Park. Tongues have been wagging ever since about the possibility of Raj forging an alliance with the ruling parties. If it were to happen, would it be pre-poll or post-poll? Or will it be selective and tacit? Shinde doesn't have major stakes in Mumbai but the BJP and MNS do. The BJP wants to displace Thackeray in the BMC, while Raj wishes to rise again, if not as the single largest party but as one without which no other party will be able to install its mayor.

A thought similar to Raj's resolve to be a decisive factor is prevailing in a large section of the Congress, but with a strong wish that the party fights solo in the BMC and not ally with the Thackeray Sena. There is still a big question mark on the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the BMC and other polls that, unlike village panchayat polls, are fought on symbols and offer a true picture of party-wise strength. While it has taken a cautious approach about the alliance, the Congress doesn't want to sour relations with Thackeray. The Congress supported Thackeray in Andheri and later invited him to join Rahul Gandhi in the Bharat Jodo Yatra - a move that prompted BJP to hit out at Thackeray for being a Congress pawn.

We have learnt that Thackeray has accepted the invitation and proposed to send his son Aaditya to participate in the yatra at least for two days. MVA's another important ally, NCP boss Pawar, has also been invited to walk the anti-BJP talk along with Rahul. The MVA's plan is to present a united face to the people who are expected to give Rahul and also the opposition parties that are seen with him, political traction ahead of the ensuing elections in the state. However, Thackeray did not miss an opportunity to reach out to the people a fortnight before Rahul is scheduled to enter Marathwada and hog the limelight. On Sunday, he visited Aurangabad and its rural neighbourhood to meet rain-affected farmers. It was his first outstation tour, albeit a brief one, after the parent party's split in June.

Obviously, the hidden battles have begun much before all-party leaders and candidates bombard the electoral field. Camouflaged moves, defection and deception will be an integral part of the strategies that respective parties will resort to against each other, be it within the alliance or outside it. After all, everyone wants to win.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore

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