Potential Shifts in Maharashtra Politics: NCP's Future with BJP

Is Maharashtra Politics on the Brink of Change?

Could there be significant changes in Maharashtra's political landscape? Recent discussions have intensified regarding the astute and unpredictable Sharad Pawar reaching out to the BJP. However, sources indicate that the BJP leadership is not keen on incorporating the NCP (SP) as a separate entity within the NDA; they prefer that this faction reunites with the NCP led by Supriya Pawar before joining the alliance. The BJP has also dismissed the possibility of merging NCP (SP) into their party. Additionally, the BJP has offered an incentive: if both factions of the NCP reunite, there may be consideration for ministerial positions for each faction at the center. Since the split in Shiv Sena and NCP, the BJP has emerged as the dominant party in Maharashtra, fully aware that including NCP (SP) as a separate party could create instability and insecurity among its current allies.

What Benefits Could This Move Bring to BJP in Parliament?

This development comes at a time when NCP (SP) has hinted at a more lenient stance on the delimitation bill, which the government has linked to the women's reservation law. The aim of the constitutional amendment bill is to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 850. For the BJP, the inclusion of NCP (SP) in the NDA would bring them closer to a two-thirds majority in Parliament, which is essential for passing the constitutional amendment bill. This is why the Narendra Modi government was unable to pass the delimitation bill during the special parliamentary session in April. However, the parliamentary math has shifted since then. Twenty MPs from the Trinamool Congress have joined a lesser-known organization called the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and have supported the BJP-led NDA. Additionally, six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction have also joined the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.

NCP(SP) Seats and Future Speculations

The NCP(SP) holds eight seats in the Lok Sabha and one in the Rajya Sabha. However, they have not made any formal statement of support. Earlier this week, Baramati MP Supriya Sule mentioned that if the proposed delimitation is based on a uniform 50% increase in seats across all states, there would be no significant reason to oppose it. Nevertheless, Sule dismissed rumors regarding the party's potential inclusion in the NDA, stating that the media has been predicting her swearing-in and ministerial positions for the past twelve years. On Saturday, Sharad Pawar further fueled these speculations, stating that there is no point in discussing this matter at the moment.