The massive twists and turns in the Maharashtra politics over the last few weeks have put some of the best Bollywood thrillers to shame. The events have also inspired memes that shared on social media platforms and What’s App literally non-stop. While the jokes passed around are indeed hilarious and applaud-worthy, the situation is far from funny.

Over the last few years ever since the boom of social media, politics has suddenly become one of the most favourite topics for people across age groups. This has also given rise to most people clinging on to one party and becoming its ardent supporters. So, obviously, the ideology of their favourite party becomes their ideology.

The flipside of this is that most of the supporters of each party start defending their favourite party and its leaders with fierce determination; at times even when they themselves are aware that they are defending the indefensible.

This, in turn, has seen plenty of old friendships being broken over the last few years just because of difference in political views. Those who used to hang out with each other now don’t see eye to eye, literally.

Now, the dramatic events of the last few weeks after the results of the recently concluded Maharashtra Assemble Elections were declared have made supporters of all parties look like fools to say the least.

Maha U Turn:

It all started when Shiv Sena went rogue soon after the results. They fought the elections in alliance with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and people voted for them because of this reason. However, they broke the alliance post-results for their demand of a bigger share of power despite earning almost half the number of seats won by BJP and shockingly tied up with the Congress and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party).

It will be an understatement to say that the two parties have been Shiv Sena’s arch enemies. They have continuously slammed Congress and NCP for the corruption cases against them over the years. You don’t need to be an iota of expert in politics to know how Balasaheb Thackeray, the founder of the party, hated the two parties and made Shiv Sena successful only by his campaign against the two.

Now spare a thought for the Shiv Sena supporters who have been lambasting Congress and NCP over the years or even decades. The same can be said also for the supporters of Congress and NCP who have been sternly against Shiv Sena for its Hindutva ideology.

Maha surprise:

Last morning the nation got a jolt after knowing that Devendra Fadnavis was suddenly sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra after getting support from NCP’s Ajit Pawar and other rebel MLA’s (Member of Legislative Assembly) of his party. Ajit Pawar apparently turned rogue against his uncle and party head Sharad Pawar at the last moment just when Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress were about to form the government.

Ajit Pawar has got highly rewarded for his coup as he is made the deputy CM of Maharashtra. Interestingly, he has been named in irrigation scam when he was the Irrigation Minister from 1999 to 2009. He got a clean chit later from the then Congress-NCP government in 2012.

Also read: Does Thackeray hint at Shiv Sena’s changing relationship with Congress?

Now this is where it gets more interesting. After BJP-Shiv Sena government came into power in Maharashtra in 2014, they, under Fadnavis’ leadership, re-initiated enquiries into the alleged irrigation irregularities. Now, the same BJP awarded the post of the deputy CM to the person alleged in the same scam.

You don’t need to go too far to recall how India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi called NCP as ‘Naturally Corrupt Party’ more than once (read HERE). Funnily, a past video of Fadnavis vowing never to tie-up with NCP has also resurfaced.

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Hence, now it is the time of the BJP supporters to feel embarrassed. Any regular social media user would know how Ajit Pawar has faced flak from BJP supporters over the years.

The events and twists of this month have proven that the ideology of a party is only followed by its supporters. And only ideology their leaders follow is power.

Let’s hope this turns out to be a wake-up call.

By: Keyur Seta

Additional reading:

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