Is Sharad Pawar losing his ‘chanakya’ magic? After Lok Sabha high, NCP (SP) hits all-time low 

One of the stalwarts in Indian politics, Sharad Pawar is widely referred to as ‘chanakya’, but his magic seems to have fizzled out.  

As of 2 pm, the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP was ahead in only 13 of the 288 seats after contesting in 87 seats, which is the veteran leader’s worst ever performance. The party had a strike rate of 80% in the Lok Sabha polls just six months ago. 

Recently, the senior Pawar hinted that he will quit active politics after his Rajya Sabha term ends in 2026. If the 84-year-old sticks to his plan, he will retire with one of the lowest scores while at the helm of his party in an otherwise stellar career. 

It has been somewhat tough time for the NCP veteran, who lost his party identity to nephew Ajit Pawar after the Supreme Court ruled in the latter’s favour.  

With today’s results, its seems that Sharad Pawar-led NCP has lost its bastions with the master strategist at its helm, who is known for turning tides when least expected. as well his showcased his worst performance of all times. 

As per the latest trends, BJP is emerging as the biggest party by far leading on 124 seats, while its ally Shiv Sena (Shinde) is leading in 57 seats.  

Despite mega rallies by Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi, the Maha Vikas Aghadi seems to have failed miserably to checkmate the Mahayuti while catching the undercurrent against it. The Mahayuti alliance is on its way to a landslide victory in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, crossing the crucial majority mark. 

Despite a stellar show in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the senior Pawar was unable to keep the family citadel Baramati during the assembly polls.  

In the western Maharashtra, which has historically remained a Congress-NCP bastion and has 70 assembly seats across six districts, the INDIA bloc failed to create a dent. The ruling Mahayuti is leading in 41 of the 58 seats in western Maharashtra, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is leading in 11. 

For Sharad Pawar and his faction, it is even more painful given that they trail the Ajit Pawar faction by 26 seats in a battle that is critical for survival for both sides.  

In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls, the undivided NCP had won 54 seats, more than its ally Congress, which managed to get 44. All that has changed in these elections. This time, Sharad Pawar’s NCP is set to have the lowest number of assembly seats among major political parties in the state, behind Congress and even Shiv Sena (UBT) whose party had also suffered a split after a rebellion by Eknath Shinde in 2022.  

Known for his relationships across party lines, Pawar was also the brain behind Maha Vikas Aghadi in 2019 bringing Congress and NCP with Shiv Sena (UBT) together.  

This election was not just another poll for Sharad Pawar it was also a referendum on his legacy. An astounding victory could have cemented his position as one of India’s greatest political strategists and a leader who defied age and adversity.