The Political Winds in Maharashtra Are Shifting. But in Which Direction?
By Vikrant Joshi | OFF THE RECORD
Politics is often about timing. And in Maharashtra, timing has a way of changing the course of history.
On the occasion of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ birthday, political conversations have once again turned towards a question that has been quietly circulating in Mumbai and Delhi alike:
Could the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) eventually find its way into the NDA?
At the moment, there is no official confirmation that such a move is under consideration. Yet, politics is rarely driven by official statements alone. It is shaped by meetings, signals, strategic silence, and changing equations.
If such a political realignment were ever to materialize, the next question would be even more significant.
Would the BJP’s central leadership want Devendra Fadnavis to accommodate Sharad Pawar’s NCP in the Maharashtra government?
For years, Fadnavis has built his politics around being one of the BJP’s strongest faces in Maharashtra. He has repeatedly positioned himself against the politics of Sharad Pawar and the NCP. Any decision involving political cooperation would therefore carry both strategic and symbolic implications.
On the other hand, Indian politics has repeatedly shown that yesterday’s rivals can become today’s allies if electoral arithmetic demands it. Maharashtra itself has witnessed alliances that few believed were possible.
That is why this discussion cannot be dismissed outright.
The BJP’s national leadership has consistently demonstrated that electoral strategy often takes precedence over political history. If a broader alliance strengthens the NDA’s position in Maharashtra ahead of future elections, the leadership may choose pragmatism over past differences.
However, that would also depend on another equally important factor—whether Devendra Fadnavis is willing to accept such an arrangement.
Would he agree if the decision came from the top? Or would he argue that expanding the coalition could weaken the BJP’s independent political identity in Maharashtra?
These are questions that only the coming months can answer.
For now, there is no certainty—only speculation, political calculations, and an atmosphere filled with possibilities.
One thing, however, is becoming increasingly evident.
The political mood in Maharashtra is changing.
Whether that change results in a new alliance, a new political equation, or simply another chapter in the state’s unpredictable politics remains to be seen.
In Maharashtra, political winds often change before the headlines do.
And perhaps, this is one of those moments.
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
