Old rivalries: On Maharashtra’s ruling coalition
The underlying differences are beginning to hurt Mahayuti
Ajit Pawar was the first to offer an unconditional apology for the statue’s collapse. Both the BJP and the Sena have had a long tussle with the NCP, and Ajit Pawar personally, before becoming political partners. A Sena Minister recently said that sitting in close proximity to NCP members in cabinet meetings made him feel nauseous. Many in the BJP blame the Ajit Pawar group for the debacle in the Lok Sabha election. Ajit Pawar also appears unsure of his association with the BJP and the Sena. He surprised his alliance partners by admitting that fielding his wife Sunetra against his cousin Supriya Sule in the general election was a mistake. He also said that he had asked the BJP not to target Sharad Pawar and felt that Mr. Modi’s remark calling Mr. Pawar a ‘Bhatakti Atma’, or an aimless soul, while on the campaign trail in the run-up to the general election did not appeal to the people. Clearly, he has not burnt his bridges with the larger Pawar family. The underlying rivalries are beginning to hurt the Mahayuti.