BJP’s Plan B for Maha: Push for mid-term elections in six months

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a Plan B in place in the event of an adverse Supreme Court ruling dealing a blow to the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra–midterm state assembly elections in the next six months. “The Supreme Court will interpret case laws to rule on the legitimacy of the disqualification notices issued to 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, by Narhari Zirwal, the Deputy Speaker in Maharashtra’s Vidhan Sabha. If the bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana decides that the notices were valid and disqualifies the 16 MLAs, the BJP high command will then plan for mid-term polls in Maharashtra even while simultaneously pursuing a review petition before the apex court,” a person familiar with the development told First India. He added that, generally, neither Members of Parliament or Members of Legislative Assembly are keen to face the electorate before the five-year tenure is complete as it entails huge costs and logistical challenges.

“Indira Gandhi made the same mistake after the Emergency, and it did not work for the Congress party. Similarly, Pramod Mahajan’s ‘Indian Shining’ effort in 2004 cost the ruling government power at the Centre. Both approached the electorate before their respective tenures were over,” he added. A senior BJP leader noted, “Legal counsels for the Shinde camp submitted before the SC that the fundamental issue of the legitimacy of pre-poll alliances crumbling post elections — as happened in Maharashtra--needs to be considered. Chief Justice Ramana prescribed the setting up of a bigger constitutional bench as a panIndia political precedent was sought to be set.”

Another BJP leader, however, disagreed with this premise. “In today’s context, the larger fundamental issue of misguiding gullible voters is not the SC’s immediate priority. The pre-poll alliance issue is an academic one whereas the court has to go strictly by law. Did the Deputy Speaker of the state legislature cross his limits and brush aside his responsibilities? That is the core issue being litigated right now,” this person said.Even the Shiv Sena, which had demanded mid-term polls right after the vertical split in the party, may not press the issue if the rebels get disqualified in the current political scenario.