Top Contenders of 2009 in Maharashtra
Maharashtra has traditionally seen fight between two major coalitions: The BJP-Shiv Sena combine at one end and Congress-NCP combine at the other.
While the 1990's belonged to the BJP-SS combine, 2000 onwards has seen Cong-NCP marching ahead in Maharasthra . The latter has been ruling Maharashtra since past 10 years.
Over the years, Shiv Sena has ben gradually weakened because of the ill health of its patriach Mr. Bala Sahab Thackrey. Creation of MNS by Raj Thackrey, once considered as close to Bal Thackrey, has also led to Shiv Sena's vote bank getting depleted. BJP, on the other hand is trying to regain lost ground after the drubbing in 2009 General elections. After the elections, BJP has just been dividing itself on petty issues and losing some of its prominent members like Jaswant Singh.
NCP was formed in the latter part of 1990's on a anti-Sonia plank. It's only ironical that they have been together with Sonia and Congress for the past 10 years. Over the years, Sharad Pawar's NCP has strengthened its base in Maharashtra and it was no wonder that they managed to deny BJP-SS even a single seat in the Mumbai region for the first time ever in the recently concluded general elections.
Apart from the two major contenders is Raj Thackrey's MNS. Although not yet a contender to form the state Goct on its own, it does have the ability to severely cut on the vote bank of BJP and Shiv Sena. What Raj Thackery can do for the SS, Samajwadi party can do, albeit to a much lesser extent, for the Congress. Mulayam's SP can field its candidates against the Congress to cut down its vote share.
There's also news of the Third Front coming up which includes 15 factions of the Republican Party of India (RPI). Ironically, while the Republican movement was started by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, his grandson Prakash Ambedkar's party, Bahuj Mahasangh (BBM) was not included in this new coalition.
2009 Maharashtra Assembly Elections Contenders:
Political Party |
Election Symbol |
Leader |
| NCP |
|
Sharad Powar |
| INC |
|
Sonia Gandhi |
| Shiv Sena |
|
Bala Sahab Thackrey |
| BJP |
|
L K Advani |
| MNS |
|
Raj Thackrey |
| Third Front |
|
Ramdas Athavale, Rajendra Gavai, Jogendra Kawade
(Republican Party of India (RPI)) |
|
