Mon Nov 18 11:55:02 UTC 2024: ## Maharashtra Assembly Elections: Fractured Parties Face Uncertain Future

**Mumbai, Nov 18 (ANI)** – Maharashtra’s upcoming Assembly elections on November 20th are shaping up to be a six-way battle, marked by the unprecedented internal divisions within the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The Lok Sabha elections in 2024 served as a preview of this fragmentation, with both parties witnessing significant splits impacting their vote share and seat count.

The Shiv Sena, once a unified force, is now contesting under two banners: Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, retaining the party symbol and name, and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT). While Shinde’s faction demonstrated a higher strike rate in the Lok Sabha elections (46.67% compared to UBT’s 40.91%), the combined vote share of both factions (29.67%) surpassed that of the undivided party in 2019 (23.5%). Political analysts suggest Thackeray’s UBT faction has gained support among minority and anti-BJP voters, offsetting losses among traditional Hindutva supporters.

Similarly, the NCP is divided between Ajit Pawar’s faction and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP). Sharad Pawar’s faction significantly outperformed Ajit Pawar’s, achieving an 80% strike rate compared to Ajit Pawar’s 25%. Analysts predict Ajit Pawar’s faction faces an uncertain future due to unpopularity of the party split and his limited political influence outside of Baramati.

The upcoming Assembly elections will see the two Shiv Sena factions contesting on 83 and 93 seats respectively, clashing directly in 49 seats. The two NCP factions are contesting on 52 and 86 seats, with direct clashes on 38 seats.

Political analysts predict the election results will significantly impact the future of these fractured parties. While reconciliation appears unlikely, the possibility of a new, Maharashtra-centric political narrative focusing on local issues and culture is being discussed as a long-term possibility. The final outcome, however, remains uncertain, particularly given the potential influence of independent candidates and the complexity of post-election coalition building.

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