Maharastra Current CM : Eknath Shinde (SHS)
All Party Of Maharastra Politics
Maharashtra Opposition Leader: Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar (INC)
Bharatiya Janata Party: Devendra Fadnavis
Nationalist Congress Party- Sharadchandra Pawar: sharadchandra Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party: Ajit Pawar
Shiv Sena(UBT): Uddhav Thackeray
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen: Imtiyaz Jaleel
Maharashtra is India’s third-largest state by area and has over 112 million inhabitants. Its capital, Mumbai, has a population of approximately 18 million, while Nagpur serves as the state’s second or winter capital. The state’s government operates on a parliamentary system, with power decentralized to city councils, district councils (zilla parishad), subdistrict (taluka) councils, and village councils (gram panchayat). The Maratha–Kunbi community, which forms a significant demographic, has considerable influence over the state’s politics. Maharashtra features both national and regional parties that cater to various demographics, including those based on religion, caste, and urban versus rural divides.
The Congress party held dominance in state politics for many years following the state’s formation in 1960. However, recent decades have seen increased competition due to splits within the Congress, and the rise of Shiv Sena and BJP. Political families in Maharashtra often dominate local politics and are known for shifting party allegiance to retain power.
In the past five years, Maharashtra’s political landscape has experienced significant changes, including the dissolution of longstanding alliances such as the one between Shiv Sena and BJP. New alliances have emerged, with Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena forming new coalitions. Additionally, regional parties like Shiv Sena and NCP have seen splits, with many of their legislators joining new alliance governments with the BJP.
Politics:
The Indian National Congress (INC) has dominated Maharashtra’s politics, with key figures like Yashwantrao Chavan and Vasantdada Patil leading the state. Sharad Pawar, a prominent political figure for nearly fifty years, twice split from the Congress, founding the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1999, but later joined a Congress-led coalition.
The Congress held unchallenged dominance until 1995, when the Shiv Sena–BJP coalition gained a majority, initiating a period of coalition governments. The NCP and INC formed a coalition from 1999 to 2014, with Prithviraj Chavan as the last Congress chief minister. However, the alliance broke down before the 2014 elections, allowing the BJP, led by Devendra Fadnavis, to form a minority government, which was later bolstered by Shiv Sena.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena, aligned with the NDA, and the Congress and NCP, part of the UPA, competed for power. After their alliance dissolved, Shiv Sena joined forces with the NCP and Congress to form a government in November 2019. This coalition collapsed in June 2022 when a faction of the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, allied with the BJP.
Other notable parties in Maharashtra include the All India Forward Bloc, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Communist Party of India, Peasant and Workers Party, and several Dalit and regional parties.
Nepotism:
Indian politics has increasingly become dynastic, a trend observed across various political parties in Maharashtra and at the national level. This is partly due to the lack of strong party organizations, independent civil society mobilization, and centralized election financing. The Congress party, for instance, has been led by family members since the 1978 split when Indira Gandhi formed Congress (I). The Bharatiya Janata Party also includes several dynastic leaders.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 42% of Maharashtra’s MPs came from political families. Dynasts are often seen as assets in elections, with this trend extending from the national level down to local panchayats and even village councils. The Panchayati Raj system, established in the 1960s, has further entrenched dynastic politics in rural areas. Political families also control various cooperative institutions and local unions.
Sharad Pawar, founder of the NCP, exemplifies dynastic politics, with his daughter Supriya Sule and nephew Ajit Pawar holding key positions in the party. Similarly, local dynasties like the Mohite-Patil clan in Akluj wield significant influence over candidate selection.
Journalist Gopal Joshi notes that ideology often takes a backseat in favor of dynastic interests, with some families shifting from one political ideology to another over generations. For example, the Vikhe Patil family transitioned from communism to the BJP. While dynasticism dominates, internal family feuds can lead to the formation of new parties, as seen with Raj Thackeray’s creation of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena after leaving Shiv Sena.
Political Parties:
· Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
· Indian National Congress (INC)
· Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar
· Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar)
· Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)
· All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen
· Communist Party of India (Marxist)