The Maha Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Maharashtra seems to be heading towards a massive crisis. A dozen of NCP MLAs are in touch with the BJP and are likely to join it by this weekend, say sources.
According to highly-placed sources, most of these 12 legislators are from western Maharashtra, who have almost made up their mind to switch over to BJP. Sources told The Daily Guardian that they are in touch with the central BJP leadership.
Currently, in Maharashtra assembly, the NCP has 54 MLAs, whereas the BJP has 105 legislators. If the NCP’s 15 MLAs switch over to the BJP taking its strength to 120, then Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi will be in massive trouble.
Sources say that these MLAs are unhappy with the way the Maharashtra government is functioning. These MLAs are the ones who had supported NCP senior leader Ajit Pawar to form Devendra Fadnavis-led government in 2019. Ajit Pawar had taken oath along with Fadnavis.
It is a fact that in the seven months of the MVA government, Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have had many issues with each other. Most of the legislators have complaints about what they called unilateral functioning of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Many times in these seven months several incidents happened that suggested massive lack of coordination within the government. The leadership style is not going down well with many in the Congress and the NCP.
Officially the MVA has been issuing a statement that all the three constituents of the government have decided to speak in one voice. But simmering discontent is always there. With the situation getting from bad to worse, the NCP legislators are now taking such steps. They are now eager to join the BJP and cause a fall of the Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra.
As far as the BJP is concerned, it does not want to be seen as doing something that results in toppling of the government. But it also does not want to leave any change to cobble up numbers and form a government dislodging the present incumbent. Now all eyes will be set on what direction Maharashtra politics takes in days to come, as NCP MLAs are said to be joining the BJP by the end of this week.