Shifting political equations: The new normal in Maharashtra's power play

Recent bonhomie among the Thackeray cousins, Pawar clan engagements, amid purported friction between Fadnavis and Shinde, could shape the contours of local body polls, writes ADITI PHADNIS

In most states, the outcome of an election is considered politically decisive when politics settles down and governance takes over. But it’s not the case in Maharashtra, which saw two sets of elections in quick succession (Lok Sabha polls in May 2024 and the Assembly elections in November). The results were dramatically different, which could be one reason why political waters in the state continue to roil.

  Consider the numbers for the two polls (see chart). If extrapolated to state Assembly segments, the Lok Sabha results suggest that the BJP would have won just 78 Assembly seats, while the