Maharashtra opposition fails to unite post-election defeat

Opposition parties in Maharashtra are struggling to unite against the government after their defeat in the assembly elections last October. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes three parties, has not shown much enthusiasm in challenging the ruling government. Despite having strong reasons to criticize the ruling party, they have not acted effectively in the current budget session. The MVA holds only 46 seats in the assembly, while the ruling Mahayuti has over 230. In the past, smaller opposition groups have successfully held the ruling party accountable. However, the MVA has failed to present a united front. Interestingly, even members of the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena have called for investigations into alleged corruption within government contracts. Inside the MVA, some legislators seem uncertain about how to approach the government. Personal relationships among the factions, especially within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), appear to be cordial, contrasting with the tensions in the Shiv Sena. Meanwhile, the ruling coalition's 100-day mark was notably subdued, with no major celebrations. Issues such as financial troubles and conflicts between top officials are looming over the government. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has faced criticism for rejecting potential aides with questionable backgrounds, which has angered some ministers and former officers. He publicly addressed attempts by disgruntled former officials to undermine his office. In a different vein, artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining attention in government discussions. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar recently met with state NCP leader Jayant Patil to talk about introducing AI into the sugarcane industry. Their closed-door meeting sparked rumors of a potential political shift, but it is unclear if the discussion centered only on AI initiatives.