Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: BJP sharpens claws with confidence after Haryana triumph

The saffron party is crafting narrative to counter Congress' 'Save Constitution' campaign.

New Delhi: Emboldened by its success in the Haryana elections, the BJP, in tandem with the RSS, has quietly doubled down its efforts in poll-bound Maharashtra to counter the Congress' 'Save Constitution' campaign hinged on Rahul Gandhi’s demand for a caste census that inflicted widespread damage to the ruling BJP-Sena Mahayuti in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The RSS, along with its affiliates, has since knuckled down to draft a counter-narrative to the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, especially in states set to hold Assembly elections this year.

Among multiple Dalit outreach efforts, including some in association with loosely coupled platforms, the Samvidhaan Jagar Yatra in August and September from Chavadar Talle — the pond with 14 springs in Raigad where Dr Ambedkar led his water satyagraha — to Dadar in Mumbai was the first organised pushback by the ruling dispensation through its apolitical affiliates.

The common refrain during the yatra was the 'anti-Constitution' conduct of the Congress including 'Nehru's opposition to Ambedkar' and constitutional amendments piloted by former PM Rajiv Gandhi after the Shah Bano judgment.

The yatra culminated in Mumbai and the valedictory function was addressed by Union Minister Kiran Rijiju.

"The main purpose of the yatra is to provide correct information regarding the Constitution and expose those who have been trying to mislead people," says Nilesh Gadre, RSS Paschim Kshetra member, who is associated with the yatra.

The Haryana outcome has made the BJP and its allies more optimistic about their prospects in Maharashtra, which goes to the polls on November 20.

As in Haryana, the Opposition Mahayuti led the ruling MVA by less than 2 percentage points in terms of vote share in the LS polls. Four months later, in the Assembly elections, the Jat-dominated Congress resurgence triggered counter-polarisation, giving the BJP a third consecutive term.

Maratha support

In Maharashtra too, the Mahayuti would be relying on Maratha (land-owning intermediary caste like Jats) support to stage a comeback. That opens up possibilities for anti-Maratha mobilisation.

Another factor being closely considered is the division in Chamar and non-chamar votes in Haryana, with the latter shifting towards the BJP. Encouraged by the developments, the ruling MVA is working to build an alternative social alliance to the Congress’ Mahar-Muslim-Maratha coalition.

With Mahar (as Mala or Right Dalit in Karnataka) and neo-Buddhists aligned with the Congress, the BJP has been focusing on wooing the Matangs (as Madiga or Left Dalits in Karnataka), the second-largest Dalit community in Maharashtra.

Wooing Matangs

In July, the Shinde government announced the establishment of the Annabhau Sathe Research and Training Institute (ARTI), dedicated to uplifting the Matang community.

As in Haryana, just ahead of the polls, the state government accepted a report recommending sub-categorisation of the Schedule Caste reservations after a 7-member bench of the Supreme Court declared that Dalits can be considered a heterogeneous group for affirmative action.

The Maharashtra government, too, had last year set up a sub-committee to examine demands for sub-categorisation of SC reservations after aggressive protests by the Matang community.

The Supreme Court order has given impetus to the demand.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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