Hits and misses of Maharashtra’s 2020 politics

The year 2020 – the first year of the five-year term of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra – was overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic,

The year 2020 – the first year of the five-year term of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra – was overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which not only posed health challenges, but also left the state in an economic crisis, which will have a cascading effect on at least the next two years.

Uddhav Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis. (Hindustan Times)

After 2019, which saw an unprecedented political development, an alliance of three parties with different ideologies – the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress – to form the government in the state, political uncertainty loomed over 2020. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) kept issuing veiled threats to pull down the MVA government, keeping the Thackeray government busy on two fronts – battling the Covid-19 challenge and keeping the government floating. On November 28, as the government completed a year, it got a sense of stability, but not without the newer challenges.

While the possibility of an alliance between the Sena and BJP is ruled out, the forthcoming elections to the civic bodies may see a better camaraderie between the Sena and NCP, leaving the Congress, the junior partner in the MVA government, fuming.

New alliance, newer equations

The New Year will see mini Assembly polls to five major municipal corporations, 10 more corporations (of the total 27) and 27 (of the total 34) district councils. During its five-year term in power, the BJP had emerged as the single-largest party in local bodies, winning more than half of the corporations and district councils that govern the city and district administrations, and jumping from the fourth to the top slot.

Repeating the success may be tough for the BJP this time, given the change in the equations at the state level, and what was seen from the results in the recently held elections for six Council seats for teachers, graduates and local body seats. “However, all is not well within the alliance too. Although the three ruling parties have decided to fight all elections together, differences have started to emerge at local level. The Shiv Sena and NCP are coming together in many corporations and districts to keep the Congress away. This may lead to more fighting within the alliance over the next two years,” a Congress leader said, requesting anonymity.

The Shiv Sena’s recent attack on the Congress leadership and demand for a change of guard in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was seen as an attempt by the former to woo the NCP leadership, creating a rift between the two ruling parties. Shiv Sena MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut batted for Sharad Pawar for the post of the UPA chief. “In the state, the Congress is a junior partner at all levels – from the Assembly to corporations and councils, in terms of its strength. If the Sena and NCP share cozy relations, they should not have any objections,” said a senior Sena leader.

The challenges ahead

After the initial havoc over the outbreak of Covid-19 in the state, the Thackeray government got a pat on the back for its handling of the situation. The Dharavi model and transparency in record-keeping was praised by World Health Organization and even a few international publications. However, the pandemic has paralysed the economic sustainability of the state. Against the estimated revenue receipts of ₹2.56 lakh crore in FY 2020-21, the state is staring at a shortfall of about ₹1 lakh crore. This has badly affected development projects and spending on assets generation. The state has so far borrowed more than ₹65,000 crore, most of which has been for salaries, pensions and interest payment.

“The state has the Herculean task of bringing the economic growth on the track. The setback in the GDP growth will show its effect for the next few years and will hamper the development works, ” said an IAS officer in the state government, requesting anonymity.

“Of the 12 months, 10 have gone fighting the pandemic, which shrunk our resources too. In 2021, the development works initiated by us will be visible. From infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to job generation and foreign direct investment, the results will be significant,” said minority welfare minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik.

Covid-related challenges

The state spent around ₹1,300 crore a year on health services and it is less than 1% of the state GDP and much less than many other states, including Delhi (₹3,145 crore), Andhra Pradesh (₹2,150 crore) and Kerala (₹1,985 crore) in 2019-20. The total bed capacity of public health institutions in the state has been 103 beds per 1 lakh people, from 88 beds per lakh people in 1971.

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced to erect a 5,000-bed hospital in Mumbai to fight contagious diseases. The project has reeled under controversy over allegations of corruption in acquiring the land for it. The Opposition has also alleged large-scale corruption in jumbo Covid facilities. “There was no proper planning while erecting these facilities and most of them were erected for the benefit of contractors,” said Pravin Darekar, leader of opposition in the legislative Council.

Friction between Sena and BJP

The two former allies – Sena and BJP – were at loggerheads over various issues, including alleged ideological shift, joining hands with the Congress and NCP to form a government, row over the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, bills related to CAA and farm laws and shifting of Metro car shed from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg.

The BJP played the role of a combative Opposition over the past 13 months. The BJP’s attempt to take the rivalry to personal level by raising questions over state minister and Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya hurt the Sena the most.

Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari joined the BJP in taking on the state government on multiple occasions. His denial to appoint Thackeray to the Council from the governor’s quota had posed a question mark on his continuation in office in April-May. The CM was later elected to the Upper house. A similar face-off between the CM and governor was witnessed later, when the latter shot a letter to Thackeray questioning his Hindutva. The CM wrote back in a similar fashion and made the letter public.

“The rift between the Sena and BJP has widened not only in the state, but also on Central level. It will affect the welfare of the state as the funds given by the Centre during the BJP-led government rule in Maharashtra were much more than what were released to the Thackeray government,” said Hemant Desai, political analyst.

Darekar said the BJP was not interested in pulling down the government. “The performance of the Thackeray government has been dismal on all fronts. The state has gone back by 10 years in every field be it agriculture, industrial growth or overall development,” he said.

Discontent

The MVA government also faced public wrath on some of its decisions. Its retraction over the announcement of waiver to consumers from the inflated electricity bills issued during Covid-19 lockdown led to discontent among citizens. Energy minister Nitin Raut expressed his inability to extend the waiver, which could have cost the exchequer more than ₹1,000 crore.

The Marathas, too, are not happy with the way the state handled the reservation issues. The community leaders blamed it for the interim stay by the apex court.

Insiders in the government and within ruling parties believe the decision of shifting the car shed to Kanjurmarg from Aarey Colony was hasty, without proper study. A section of the Sena leadership, too, has admitted that the high court decision of staying the work of the car shed at Kanjurmarg has been a major setback for the government.

“The BJP is politicising the issue by involving the issue of ownership of the Central government. We are hopeful that Pawarsaheb will resolve it at the earliest,” said minority welfare minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik.

Malik said that after the electricity waiver setback, the ruling parties have decided to not make any announcement before due consultation within the government.