Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections will be critical tests for the larger anti-BJP Opposition politics, especially after Congress' meltdown in Haryana. With JMM-led Soren government facing the incumbency test in Jharkhand and Maha Vikas Aghadi front trying to ride the anti-incumbency in Maharashtra, the electoral outcome is bound to have a bearing on the INDIA bloc's national calculations and cohesiveness vis a vis BJP-led NDA.
While its Haryana loss has further reinforced the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress' poor record in fighting BJP in their direct duels, the Grand Old Party depends on entrenched alliance partners in both Maharashtra (Shiva Sena-UBT and NCP-SCP) and Jharkhand ( JMM, RJD and CPI-ML) against BJP+ but Congress' show will be crucial for the overall alliance's show.
If the Lok Sabha poll in Maharashtra gave the MVA a bumper 30 seats (plus an Independent) against BJP's 17, making it the saffron party's second biggest setback after UP, the Opposition front also marked a partial recovery in Jharkhand by winning 5 seats against 9 of BJP-AJSU.
Yet, the fact that the arithmetic and chemistry of elections can be different in the LS and assembly polls has been reinforced by Haryana, something that has now put the Opposition camps on high alert against an anticipated allout BJP campaign in these two states.
"We (Opposition) are hopeful of winning Maharashtra and Jharkhand but these may turn out to be closely-fought elections. The voters have taken out their anger against the Modi government and BJP fully in Maharashtra and to some extent in Jharkhand in the LS poll. But we also saw in the Haryana assembly election, BJP voters regrouping. Therefore, the Opposition too has to improvise in Maharashtra and Jharkhand," said a senior Opposition leader involved in this round of poll.
The Opposition camps, including some Congress leaders, in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are cautious about AICC's 'blame EVMs for Haryana defeat' approach as they fear such tactics, if overplayed, can also end up discouraging some supporters from taking the trouble of coming to polling booths if they were made to feel it is not their votes but EVMs that matter.
Sources said seat-sharing talks have been completed in about 210 seats in Maharashtra and some hitch the MVA faced in the rest due to the state Congress' hard-bargaining in anticipation of a victory in Haryana is now expected to be sorted out.
While AICC has named 11 observers for Maharashtra, including Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Sachin Pilot, and three for Jharkhand, including Tariq Anwar and Adhir Chowdhury, many feel what matters is how Team Rahul, which shall decide crucial aspects of poll management as it did in Haryana, will go about it in these states.
Opposition leaders feel Hemant Soren-led JMM's grip in Jharkhand's tribal belt - where BJP lost all five LS seats - after Champai Soren's exit, the state government's welfare schemes and Congress' performance will be crucial for the Opposition.
While its Haryana loss has further reinforced the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress' poor record in fighting BJP in their direct duels, the Grand Old Party depends on entrenched alliance partners in both Maharashtra (Shiva Sena-UBT and NCP-SCP) and Jharkhand ( JMM, RJD and CPI-ML) against BJP+ but Congress' show will be crucial for the overall alliance's show.
If the Lok Sabha poll in Maharashtra gave the MVA a bumper 30 seats (plus an Independent) against BJP's 17, making it the saffron party's second biggest setback after UP, the Opposition front also marked a partial recovery in Jharkhand by winning 5 seats against 9 of BJP-AJSU.
Yet, the fact that the arithmetic and chemistry of elections can be different in the LS and assembly polls has been reinforced by Haryana, something that has now put the Opposition camps on high alert against an anticipated allout BJP campaign in these two states.
"We (Opposition) are hopeful of winning Maharashtra and Jharkhand but these may turn out to be closely-fought elections. The voters have taken out their anger against the Modi government and BJP fully in Maharashtra and to some extent in Jharkhand in the LS poll. But we also saw in the Haryana assembly election, BJP voters regrouping. Therefore, the Opposition too has to improvise in Maharashtra and Jharkhand," said a senior Opposition leader involved in this round of poll.
The Opposition camps, including some Congress leaders, in Maharashtra and Jharkhand are cautious about AICC's 'blame EVMs for Haryana defeat' approach as they fear such tactics, if overplayed, can also end up discouraging some supporters from taking the trouble of coming to polling booths if they were made to feel it is not their votes but EVMs that matter.
Sources said seat-sharing talks have been completed in about 210 seats in Maharashtra and some hitch the MVA faced in the rest due to the state Congress' hard-bargaining in anticipation of a victory in Haryana is now expected to be sorted out.
While AICC has named 11 observers for Maharashtra, including Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and Sachin Pilot, and three for Jharkhand, including Tariq Anwar and Adhir Chowdhury, many feel what matters is how Team Rahul, which shall decide crucial aspects of poll management as it did in Haryana, will go about it in these states.
Opposition leaders feel Hemant Soren-led JMM's grip in Jharkhand's tribal belt - where BJP lost all five LS seats - after Champai Soren's exit, the state government's welfare schemes and Congress' performance will be crucial for the Opposition.
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