Alliance with Ajit Pawar reduced BJP’s brand value, says RSS mouthpiece; NCP reacts

Sharada cites Maharashtra as a prime example of 'unnecessary politicking and avoidable manipulations done by the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership'.

An opinion piece in the latest edition of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece Organiser termed the entry of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) into the BJP-Shiv Sena government an ill-advised step.

In his article, columnist and RSS worker Ratan Sharda said Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s admission “reduced the “brand value of BJP’ and made it ‘just another party without any difference”.

Sharada cited Maharashtra as a prime example of “unnecessary politicking and avoidable manipulations done by the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership”. It also spoke about the decision of allying with Ajit Pawar although the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena had a comfortable majority. “Why was this ill-advised step taken? BJP supporters were hurt because they had fought against this Congress ideology for years and were persecuted. In a single stroke, the BJP reduced its brand value. After years of struggle to become numero uno in Maharashtra, it became just another political party without any difference,” stated the article.

It said “well-performing Parliamentarians” were ignored to accommodate such “latecomers”. The article said the party was “enjoying the glow reflected from Modiji’s aura” but “not listening to the voices on the street”.

Meanwhile,  Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party’s chief spokesperson Umesh Patil reacted to the article. Patil said his party was sure that BJP’s central leadership does not agree with the views expressed in the Organiser article. “The NDA’s co-ordination committee also has RSS members. As per my information, in the review taken about (the Mahayuti performance in Maharashtra), the NCP has not been blamed for the results. The BJP’s central leadership has allied with Ajit Pawar, who is seen as an able leader, considering the long-term view,” Patil told reporters.

In the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Mahayuti performance was hit with the alliance winning just 17 of Maharashtra’s 48 seats while MVA won 31 seats, including one Independent candidate.