Maharashtra Elections 2024: Small Parties Aim to Punch Above Their Weight in Assembly Polls

As the Maharashtra Elections draw closer, over 15 smaller parties are vying for relevance in the upcoming Assembly elections. While these parties have little chance of winning a significant number of seats, their participation could potentially influence outcomes in critical constituencies. By splitting votes or shaping narratives, these underdog players are carving a niche for themselves, whether intentionally or not.

Small Parties, Big Impact: The Numbers Speak

Among these smaller players, four parties stand out for contesting over 100 seats each out of the total 288. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), led by Mayawati, tops the list with 239 seats. Next are the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) with 199, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) with 135, and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) with 119 seats.

These numbers are significant not for their potential to win but for their ability to shrink victory margins in several constituencies. Analysts believe such dynamics could turn tightly contested elections into cut-throat battles.

“Even though we are contesting 239 seats, we are focusing on 25 seats, which we are hoping to win,” said Uttan Shevde, a BSP leader, explaining the party’s strategy to secure recognition as a state-level entity. To achieve this, the BSP needs at least 6% of the total valid votes polled and two assembly wins.

Friendly Fights Within Alliances

Some smaller parties are part of larger alliances like the Mahayuti (BJP-Sena alliance) or the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) but still contest seats independently.

For example:

• The Samajwadi Party (SP), an MVA ally, is contesting nine seats—two as part of the alliance and seven as friendly fights.
• The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is contesting one seat as an MVA ally and two others independently.
• The Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP) is contesting one MVA seat and five as friendly fights.

These mixed approaches reflect the fragmented yet strategic positioning of these smaller players, aiming to balance their identity with coalition politics.

Driving Regional and Community Agendas

Several parties have aligned their campaigns with regional and community-specific issues.

Swabhimani Paksha and the Farmer Agenda

Led by Raju Shetti, a prominent farmer leader, the Swabhimani Paksha is contesting under the Parivartan Mahashakti, a third front comprising eight outfits contesting 111 seats.

“We want to bring in new blood, a fresh breed of politicians with a clean image and no baggage, to work towards the betterment of Maharashtra,” said Shetti.

Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati and the Maratha Vote

The Maharashtra Swarajya Paksh, headed by Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, is expected to fragment the Maratha vote. With reservations for the Maratha community remaining a contentious issue, the party’s presence could impact election outcomes significantly.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and OBC Consolidation

The VBA, under Prakash Ambedkar, is focusing on consolidating the OBC community, which opposes Maratha leader Manoj Jarange-Patil’s demand for OBC quota inclusion. While the VBA failed to win any seats in the 2019 state polls, it played a pivotal role in the Lok Sabha elections that year, influencing results in at least eight constituencies.

Personal Rivalries Add Complexity

In some constituencies, personal rivalries are shaping the battles.

Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar

This Muslim-dominated seat in Mumbai has become a battleground between Samajwadi Party chief Abu Asim Azmi, a three-time MLA, and NCP’s Nawab Malik, a former minister. Both face additional competition from the AIMIM and VBA, which have fielded candidates.

“We had a sort of understanding with Abu Asim Azmi that we would not field candidates against each other. But he chose to field one against me, and so I decided to field my candidate against his,” said Imtiyaz Jaleel, AIMIM leader.

Past Performance and Future Prospects

Despite their ambitious plans, most of these parties have struggled to secure wins. In the 2019 elections:

• The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) won three seats.
• The Samajwadi Party, AIMIM, and Prahar Janshakti Party secured two seats each.
• The MNS, PWP, CPI (M), and RSP won just one seat each.

For many of these parties, contesting elections is as much about survival as it is about influence. Their ability to fragment votes could still make them power players in this high-stakes political contest.