Maharashtra politics hit by break ups

The run-up to the Maharashtra Assembly polls now seem to be fast turning into a season of political divorces. And the unions that are ending have lasted decades and played a crucial role in shaping the state's political environment.

In the end, the 15-year-old alliance between the Congress and the Nationalist Congress-Party (NCP) and the 25-year-old BJP-Shiv Sena alliance were both done in by tricky negotiations on seat-sharing arrangements.

The BJP has been reluctant to give a greater role to the Shiv Sena ever since it swept the Lok Sabha polls thanks to the Modi Wave. The Congress also did not want to play second fiddle to the NCP even though the latter had done better than them in the parliamentary polls.

In the past few weeks, there had been whispers that things were not working out in both the camps. There have also been whispers about a possible coming together of the BJP and NCP.

These whispers have grown louder ever since NCP chief Sharad Pawar spent three days closeted with industrialist Gautam Adani, considered to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Rajasthan in May.

Perhaps this was what Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chauhan, a Congress leader, was alluding to on Thursday when he tweeted: "NCP breaking alliance with us immediately after Shiv Sena-BJP parted ways - curious coincidence. Maybe, new alliance in the offing tomorrow."

Many had predicted a sweep by the Shiv Sena-BJP combine, given the strong anti-incumbency generated by 15 years of rule by the Congress and NCP. But the decision by the BJP and the Sena to part ways could set in motion events that could lead to a major political realignment.