There is hardly any governance worth its name when power-hungry "scoundrels" come to rule. And Indian second largest state-Maharashtra- is all set to be ruled by a Shiv Sena with two parties, whom Shiv Sena founder Bal Bal Thackerey once called as scoundrels.
But there is no permanent friend and foe in politics. Friends can turn foe as BJP has become to Shiv Sena and foes as friends as are now Congress and Sharad Power's NCP now to Shiv Sena. For power-hungry "netas", ideology or political philosophy doesn't matter. What matter is grabbing power by hook and crook. So, the khalish (hardcore) Hindutva outfit, Shiv Sena pitching Maharashtra for Marathis (lately it has started courting Muslims with 'Me Marathi Musalman'-I am Marathi Muslim campaign), has gladly joined hands with secular "scoundrels".
As of now this unholy alliance looks set to grab power in Maharashtra. And I am sure Congress will be the greatest loser. It has lost much of its ground to NCP in western Maharashtra, and to Shiv Sen in Marathwada to BJP in Vidhrabha and Konkan. Muslims have, by and large, supported Congress in Maharashtra so far because the Grand Old Party was putting up a secular face. Its alliance with Shiv Sana is likely to shake Muslims' confidence in Congress. They may tilt towards Sena.
The Shiv Sena has been courting Muslim votes consciously for past few years. Remember during the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in 2017, Shiv Sena fielded Muslim candidates and even had brought out campaign material in Urdu. In the past, Sena even forged an electoral alliance with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) while fgangster Karim Lala had tried his luck with the party.
Going by the Karnataka experience, Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance, if comes to power, is set to collapse sooner than later.The pulls and pressures of power pangs won't let the alliance to stay put. Congress, which has ruled the state for many years, can't play second fiddle to Shiv Sena and even NCP. Even if alliance stays there for full five year, Congress as a party stands to lose heavily.
(Chander Sharma)
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