Bharat Jodo Yatra
Photo: Samvad

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Shiv Sena’s re-entry in Kashmir in Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra has heated up the market of discussions in the politics of Maharashtra. Shiv Sena is not only seeing itself strong in the BMC elections to be held in the coming days, but Congress is also laying the foundation of strong politics in 2024 Lok Sabha elections with Shiv Sena. Political analysts say that Shiv Sena leaders are constantly trying to prove that they are not going to meet the Bharatiya Janata Party in any way by meeting the Congress. On the other hand, with the assurance received from the Congress, the Shiv Sena is ready to fight with the BJP in Maharashtra.

Rahul Gandhi Bharat Jodo Yatra will end in Srinagar after a week. Congress has invited all the major political parties and leaders of the country on the conclusion of its Bharat Jodo Yatra. Even before the end of this journey, when Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut joined hands with Rahul Gandhi in Kashmir, discussions started in the politics of Maharashtra. A senior leader associated with the Mahavikas Aghadi formed in Maharashtra says that the support of the Congress is very important for the Shiv Sena at the moment. Explaining the reason behind this, he says that a strong ground for Shiv Sena can be prepared in Maharashtra only when some big political organizations are associated with it. For this political organizations like Congress and NCP, Shiv Sena have compulsion as well as need. This is the reason why Shiv Sena is seen standing shoulder to shoulder with Congress when needed.

Senior journalist and political analyst Himanshu Shitole says that Shiv Sena’s alliance with the Maha Vikas Aghadi and smaller parties of the state continues even after the estrangement from the Bharatiya Janata Party. He says that this is very important for the Shiv Sena to retain its political ground ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and subsequent assembly elections. He says that Shiv Sena has built its strength with NCP and Congress in many small political parties and big parties including Sambhaji Brigade, Kamgar Party and Shikshak Party. Political experts say that with the strong alliance of Eknath Shinde and the Bharatiya Janata Party, unless the Shiv Sena strengthens its ground by forming an alliance with a major political party, the BMC elections will also seem like a big challenge for it. This is the reason why Shiv Sena is leaving no stone unturned to strengthen not only the Congress but also the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

In fact, it is believed from the pace between Rahul Gandhi and Sanjay Raut in Jammu and Kashmir that many political equations are being worked out in the politics of Maharashtra, along with the political ground for the Congress should also be prepared before the Lok Sabha elections. Has been Political analyst Jiten Wadwalkar says that the manner in which Rahul Gandhi attacked the central government while defending Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut shows the strong relationship between the Shiv Sena and the Congress in the coming elections. However, Wadwalkar Par says that the Congress is preparing a strong fort for 2024 in collaboration with smaller parties through the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Going into the Lok Sabha elections with a strong alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra seems like a profitable deal for the Congress at the moment. This is the reason that despite all the ideological differences, the Congress alliance with the Maha Vikas Aghadi remains intact.

Political analyst Himanshu Shitole says that Shiv Sena does not have any special political base outside Maharashtra, but due to Hindutva thinking and a Hindutva ideology, the party’s identity remains in the entire country. A senior leader associated with the MVA alliance says that soon after Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, a big convention of Congress and Shiv Sena is also going to be held in Maharashtra. He says that Shiv Sena is walking shoulder to shoulder with Rahul Gandhi but is also participating in his social movement. He says that in the coming days, from the BMC elections to the Lok Sabha elections and then the upcoming assembly elections, the alliance will fight strongly in Maharashtra.