After an article in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's mouthpiece Organiser mentioned the BJP's alliance with Ajit Pawar and the NCP as one of the main reasons that the saffron party was at its lowest in Maharashtra, a war of words has ensued between the two Mahayuti allies.
Reacting to the article, senior NCP leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that the article may be true to some extent. "Some have also criticised the BJP for including leaders from the Congress, such as former chief minister Ashok Chavan. Even former Congress leader Milind Deora was inducted by CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and made an RS member," Bhujbal was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
He added that the BJP has not only lost in Maharashtra but also saw a decrease in its Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Chhagan Bhujbal, however, was not the only NCP bigwig to counter the article in the Organiser.
NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel also said that an article in a weekly magazine "does not reflect the BJP's stance" and should not be interpreted in that manner.
Shouldn't have rushed to comment on organisation: BJP MLC
Besides the bigwigs, NCP youth wing member Sooraj Chavan said that when the BJP performs well, credit is given to the RSS but when it is defeated, Ajit Pawar is blamed. Replying to Chavan, BJP MLC Pravin Darekar said, "The RSS is like a father figure to all of us. There is no need to make comments about the RSS. Sooraj Chavan should not have rushed to comment on the organisation."
He added that it would be better if these issues are discussed in the NDA meetings.
RSS article on Ajit Pawar
Ratan Sharda, a life-long RSS ideologue, said in his piece in the Organiser that taking Ajit Pawar and his faction of the NCP into the NDA fold was a huge political blunder on the part of the BJP. "Sharad Pawar would have faded away in 2-3 years as NCP would have lost energy with infighting between cousins. Why was this ill-advised step taken?"
He further said that the step hurt BJP supporters as they fought against this ideology for years and had to face persecution. "After years of struggle to become numero uno in Maharashtra, it became just another political party without any difference," Sharda wrote in his piece.
Will the BJP call it quits with Ajit Pawar?
Moreover, media reports suggesting that the BJP may sever ties with Ajit Pawar and fight assembly elections with the chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as its ally started doing the rounds.
The RSS was not happy with the BJP's decision of breaking the NCP and allying with the Ajit Pawar-led faction before the general elections, The New Indian Express reported citing sources. A source within the BJP also told the publication that the party leadership is deliberating on the impact of not allying with Ajit Pawar in the upcoming assembly elections as the use-and-throw policy may work against it.
Maharashtra Lok Sabha election results 2024
The Mahayuti performed abysmally in the general polls as the BJP could secure only 9 seats whereas the Shiv Sena won 7 seats. The NCP, on the other hand, won the sole seat of Raigad. With this, the NDA managed to secure victory on only 23 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.