How Haryana outcome would impact seat talks in Maharashtra

The Haryana victory will be a morale booster for the Bharatiya Janata Party and increase its bargaining power in the Mahayuti's seat-sharing talks for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, according to political analysts.

Conversely, the Congress, which had won the maximum number of constituencies during Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, may lose the edge in Maha Vikas Aghadi's seat-sharing deliberations.

The BJP coasted towards a hat-trick win with its biggest tally in Haryana and the National Conference-Congress combine was set to form government in Jammu and Kashmir, voters in both places giving the victors a decisive edge as counting day progressed with many a surprise on Tuesday.

"During the seat-sharing talks (of the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra), the BJP was initially criticised for its poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections (held earlier this year)," said political analyst Abhay Deshpande.

However, the Haryana performance will send a message that the BJP has made a comeback from the reversal in the general elections, he said.

Additionally, politicians sitting on the wall will reconsider deserting the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), he said.

"The Congress, on the other hand, will have to be softer while discussing seat-sharing with its allies Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar and Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray," he added.

Deshpande, however, added a caveat, saying Maharashtra's political landscape is different than Haryana.

"In the northern state, it was a straight fight between Congress and the BJP, but there are six parties in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and a couple of smaller regional parties are also present in the political arena. Additionally, the voting pattern of Haryana can not be equated with that of Maharashtra," he added.

Deshpande pointed out that the issues of Marathas versus OBCs and Dhangars versus Scheduled Castes didn't exist in Haryana.

"These caste equations are complicated and could affect the voting pattern in the western state to an extent," he said.

Political commentator Prakash Akolkar said the MVA has to learn a lot from the Congress' example.

"The Congress was upbeat after its performance in the Lok Sabha polls and has been staking a claim to seats in regions like Konkan where it has little presence.

"The Congress should understand that people's mandate can change within four months. It should not make unnecessary claims in the seat-sharing talks," he said.

Noting that factionalism could be a factor behind Congress's defeat in Haryana, Akolkar said the party must get its house in order in Maharashtra.

The Shiv Sena-UBT too should try to tell people what it can offer them rather than repeating the 'traitors' and 'betrayal' themes.

Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde said voters in Maharashtra like their counterparts in Haryana will reject 'divisive tactics' and choose the stability and progress offered by a double-engine government.

NCP working president Praful Patel said the Haryana verdict will make 'outgoing' and 'incoming' political leaders rethink their political moves.

He said the poll results have enthused the Mahayuti allies Shiv Sena, led by CM Eknath Shinde, BJP, and the NCP headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

Congress leaders, however, rejected the notion that the Mahayuti would reap electoral success in Maharashtra elections like Haryana.

Senior leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Haryana verdict won't impact Maharashtra polls and asserted that the party cadre was not demoralised.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are likely to be held next month.

The Congress is a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in the state along with the Shiv Sena-UBT led by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar's NCP-SP.

"The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will unitedly defeat the Eknath Shinde-led government and the Congress wasn't demoralised with the Haryana assembly election trends," Chennithala, the All India Congress Committee in-charge of Maharashtra, said at a press conference in Mumbai.

Political situations in Maharashtra and Haryana are completely different, he said.

Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference in Jalna, Shrikant Shinde said the Haryana verdict is a 'clear rebuke to the Congress and opposition parties indulging in caste politics'.

"The people are seeing the positive impact of a double-engine government at the state and the national levels. I am certain that this will reflect in the upcoming Maharashtra elections," he added.

Shinde highlighted several major initiatives, including the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Lake Ladki, Youth Work Training Scheme, free electricity for farmers, and the Solar Agriculture Pump Scheme launched by the Mahayuti government.

"People are satisfied with the Mahayuti's work over the last two years, and the chief minister is focused on delivering positive results for the people despite opposition criticism. I am confident that the Mahayuti will win the upcoming elections with a decisive majority," said Shrikant Shinde, son of CM Eknath Shinde.

The Shiv Sena legislature party leader in Parliament accused Congress and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi of fomenting divisions along caste and religion during the Lok Sabha elections.

In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP had emerged as the single largest party in Maharashtra, bagging 105 of the 288 seats, while its then ally Shiv Sena (undivided) won 56 seats.