November 8th 2023.
The results of polls held in more than 2,300 gram panchayats in Maharashtra have sparked debate over whether these can be seen as a litmus test of political trends in the state. The elections were not held under any election symbol given to political parties, but MLAs from various parties formed their own panels and contested the polls through their representatives.
The elections to over 14 municipal corporations and 25 district councils in Maharashtra have been pending for more than 18 months now. This period saw a series of political twists and turns, with leaders changing sides, political parties shifting their stand and a change in government. This led to speculation about the outcome of the next polls, and whether or not there was public acceptance of the actions of various leaders.
Considering the municipal polls have been repeatedly postponed, many have turned to the gram panchayat polls for some indication of the public mood. Despite the relative lack of attention from the national media to the poll results declared on Monday, these polls have set the trend for the upcoming bigger state assembly and Lok Sabha polls, as these gram panchayats or self-rule bodies are the basic building blocks of the assembly constituency.
What conclusions may be drawn, based on the panchayat poll results? Firstly, the Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde has fared well in these elections, in most parts of Maharashtra. This comes despite some skepticism about his ability to carry the party, and the 40-plus MLAs who had split from Uddhav Thackeray and joined him.
The second point is that of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar gaining confidence on his home turf of Baramati. He and Sharad Pawar had drawn battle lines between them and competed for control of 33 village bodies in the Baramati area. Ajit Pawar’s supporters won in 30 of the 33 bodies, suggesting he has more mass support in the region.
Lastly, the results are a shot in the arm for the BJP, which had included Ajit Pawar in their government. The party has the largest number of MLAs in the state assembly and took full advantage, fielding its panels and getting maximum numbers in the panchayat polls.
In conclusion, these poll results have given an indication about the lay of the land in the state’s rural and remote areas. It is clear that the ruling alliance has a slight edge, having notched up wins in over 1,200 panchayats. Despite this, the opposition parties, the Congress, the Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP did not do too badly, managing to win over 750 village panchayats all over the state.
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