Maharashtra Win After Bihar Boost Modi Appeal

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) sweep in a majority of the 29 municipal corporations that went to polls is a strong endorsement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and, coming soon after the BJP-Janata Dal (U)’s handsome win in Bihar, will serve to energise the alliance ahead of tough contests in adverse political geographies like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.

Though Bihar election – and the Maharashtra municipal polls – are not comparable with voter concerns and incumbency calculations elsewhere, BJP’s continuing success creates a buzz about the party and brings Modi’s enduring appeal in sharp focus. The PM did not campaign in the corporation elections but he did, in the run up to the polls, inaugurate several major infrastructure projects such as the phase one of the Navi Mumbai international airport, the “Aqua” Metro Line 3, the “Mumbai One” App among others. The improved road connectivity has vastly reduced travel time from the existing airport to south Mumbai.

BJP dominates Maha cities

The scale of the victories in Maharashtra corporations demonstrate BJP’s dominance in major cities and solidifies the NDA alliance. The failure of the two Nationalist Congress Party factions (Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar) to make headway in the Pune and Pimpri corporations as well as success of the Shiv Sena led Eknath Shinde validates NDA’s viability as a political formation without significant rivals. The functioning of the government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will become smoother even though the trials of politics are a constant and there is no room for complacency.

The dominance of the BJP-led alliance is similar to the NDA victory in Bihar in November last year where NDA was able to snuff out a powerful challenge posed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal-led INDIA bloc that counted on a solid mobilisation of Yadav-Muslim votes. The alliance projecting RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as CM clocked nearly 38% of the vote but failed to make inroads into the NDA base crucial to securing victory. The 202 seats won by NDA proved to be a stunning and comprehensive endorsement of the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but equally underlined Modi’s appeal among voters, particularly the less well off segments who believe in the PM’s credentials.

A New Year Boost

BJP faces a tough task in Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu where it has struggled to make inroads. BJP is the main opposition in West Bengal but has not been able to reach the tipping point. In Kerala its vote has grown and it recently created history by winning the Thiruvananthapuram corporation election and installing a mayor. In Tamil Nadu it has renewed its alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) which should improve its prospects though the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) remains a formidable foe in alliance with Congress, Left and smaller parties like Vaiko’s MDMK.

Just how much of a boost BJP’s string of electoral wins delivers is hard to map, but the party’s promise of development and Modi’s energetic leadership present an alluring vision, more so where continued rule of regional parties has left voters jaded and in search of alternatives. As the results of  the Odisha state election – held along with the 2024 lok Sabha polls – showed, even long-running political shows like  the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) can be uprooted. The BJP appeal is not without its emotive element either as Modi unapologetically presents a cultural narrative with his development vision and the blend comes across as rooted and organic to many voters.