NEW DELHI: Congress Party's strongman and former chief minister Narayan Rane's crushing defeat in recently held Bandra East assembly by-poll creates not only a question mark on his political future, but it has further affected the declining fortunes of the Congress Party which has headed a coalition government with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for 15 years.

Widow of Bala Sawant, a Shiv Sena (SS) legislator, Trupti Sawant's win by a margin of 19008 votes is a vindication of the Shiv Sena's grip on this traditional stronghold. While she got 52,711 voters, Rane secured 33,703 followed by 15050 votes by Rahbar Khan of the AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen).

It has come as shot in the arm for the Sena at a time when bickering with its senior partner, the BJP on one count or the other has become order of the day. In a three cornered contest, the poor show by MIM candidate Rahbar Khan, who lost his deposit shows that the party which had made successful forays by winning two assembly seats in the 2014 assembly polls (Aurangabad Central and Byculla constituencies) might face permanent roadblocks in the future.

After the win, supporters of Shiv Sena gathered and danced holding white chickens in their hands outside Matoshree,the headquarters of SS and vented their anger against Rane asking him to return to his original business of 'selling chickens'.

For another widow, nominee of NCP Suman Patil, wife of late deputy chief minister and home minister R R Patil, it was a walkover in Tasgaon-Kavthemahankal bypoll. She won by over 1.12 lakh votes over her rival and rebel BJP candidate Swapnil Patil.

In both constituencies, the sympathy factor worked for the success of both Sawant and Patil. An editorial in 'Saamna' titled 'Matoshriche Tadakhe' (Lashes of Matoshri) described Rane as 'Kis Zad Ki Patti'. Congress leaders, however, were cautious to react. Ashok Chavan, the PCC president was quick to minimize the damage when he held Rane for taking up the challenge and added that the party would not be bogged down by the defeat. Putting up a brave face, Chavan asserted that despite Rane's loss, he would continue to lead the party. Reports say that the camp of former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and recently declared leader of the Opposition, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil has heaved a sigh of relief, for if Rane had won, he would have been able to snatch the post of LOP from Patil.

Rane has been an ever aggressive leader of the Congress and never hid his ambition to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. To assuage his feelings, even after he lost 2014 assembly election from Kudal (Konkan), party president Sonia Gandhi made him in-charge of Congress Campaign Committee for Lok Sabha polls. As late as in March, he had even threatened to break away from the party after he was overlooked for the post of the Maharashtra Congress president. Now that he has lost by-poll, he may be accommodated in the Legislative Council in the near future. When he left SS and joined the congress, he had the support of 11 MLAs. All that has vanished.

Meanwhile, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar continues to hold his sway on state politics. During the general as well as assembly elections, he had given a call for 'Congress Mukta Maharashtra.' Although, his open alliance with the BJP has dented his political credibility, his capacity to manoeuvre state politics while keeping proximity to the centre is not in doubt. However, not everything is hunky dory with the NCP. It continues to face political hits from the government headed by the BJP chief minister Devendra Fadanvis.

Last year in December, the state government informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court that it had given the green signal for an open anti-corruption bureau (ACB) enquiry against Ajit Pawar and former water resources minister Sunil Tatkare. Both are alleged to have played role in the Rs.72,000 crore irrigation scam in Vidarbha. Fadnavis has also given his approval to a similar inquiry against another NCP senior, former PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal for his alleged involvement in the scam related to Maharashtra Sadan construction in Delhi.

In a politically significant development last week, Ajit Pawar led panel was jolted in Malegaon cooperative sugar factory elections. The factory falls in Pune's Baramati taluka, considered stronghold of Pawar. This has certainly affected the traditional domination of his family in the state's powerful sugar lobby. The 'Sahakar Bachav' panel fielded by Chandraraao Tawre, once considered a close associate of Sharad Pawar defeated Ajit Pawar's panel.

The state has been affected by incessant rains and hailstorms which have destroyed crops in thousands of acres with hundreds of farmers in deep distress. It is resulting in mounting rate of their suicides. The Shiv Sena may relish victory in the by-poll and the BJP may be happy with stability, but challenges are enormous and the governance continues to face flak. Chief Minister Fadnavis's recent visits to Davos to attend the world economic forum summit and later to Germany, have been a morale booster, but realization of investment promises may take few years. Meanwhile, he will have to steer the state and give result oriented performance while doing some tight rope walking.

(Vijay Naik is Consulting Editor, Sakal Papers, New Delhi.

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