With two days left for counting of votes in the high-octane Maharashtra Assembly polls, both the ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) claim to have strong influence over the people.

Some are Exit polls predict Mahayuti alliance with clear majority BJP, Shiv Sena led by Prime Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Others, including the C-Voter survey A close competition was predicted in the state.

India Today TV has conducted a SWOT analysis of some key players in Maharashtra politics:

EKNATH SHINDE

STRENGTHS:

• The incumbent Prime Minister is seen as a hard worker.
• One of the brains behind the Ladki Bahin scheme.
• A well-known Maratha face.

WEAKNESSES:

• Shinde Sena’s dependence on BJP.
• Allegations of opportunism.
• Corruption charges against Shinde Sena leaders.

OPPORTUNITY:

• He could emerge as the decider and become the Nitish Kumar of Maharashtra. It is hardly possible to imagine a scenario in which the BJP would continue to remain in power in Maharashtra without Eknath Shinde’s role.
• It can consolidate Shinde Sena’s gains.
• He may emerge as a dominant Maratha face.

THREATENING:

• The BJP is pushing its own chief minister if the Shinde Sena performs poorly.
• Public sympathy for Uddhav Thackeray Eknath Shinde’s 2022 rebellion.
• Risk of desertion after poor performance.

DEVENDRA FADNAVIS

STRENGTHS:

• Administrative experience and an experienced leader.
• He is the main Maharashtra face of the BJP.
• The opposition was weakened by the departure of NCP and Shiv Sena.

WEAKNESSES:

• Not the Maratha face.
• ‘Jod tod ki rajneeti’ It hurts the image.
• The stature decreased under Eknath Shinde’s rule. Fadnavis had previously served as Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019.

OPPORTUNITIES:

• BJP maximizes its strike rate.
• Fadnavis is again the pan-Maharashtra face of the BJP.
• The BJP cadre wants a party face as the Prime Minister.

THREATS:

NANA PATOLE

FORCE:

• He is serving as the Maharashtra Congress chief and his unit is on the rise following the Lok Sabha results.
• He has political experience at the grassroots level.
• He is a vocal opponent of the Narendra Modi-led government.

WEAKNESS:

• Haryana Assembly election results have demoralized its staff. The BJP has defied exit poll predictions of a Congress victory. It won 48 of the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana. The Congress was completed with 37 members.
• It has limited pan-state status.
• There is factionalism in the Congress.

OPPORTUNITY:

• Anti-inflation and liability opposition to the Mahayuti government.
• Muslim, Dalit and Maratha support MVA.
• Unrest in soybean prices.

THREATENING:

• NDA trumps MVA in high voltage campaign.
• Doubts within the MVA are damaging the alliance.
• Better land connectivity for BJP

AJIT PAWAR

STRENGTHS:

• He has excellent organizational skills.
• There is a territorial connection with local leaders.
• It is an important pivot in government formation.

WEAKNESSES:

• The NCP group is contesting on only 59 seats.
• There is unrest between supporters of the BJP and Shinde Sena.
• There is no pan-state presence.

OPPORTUNITY:

• He may emerge as the undisputed NCP leader.
• Sharad Pawar can bring more leaders from his uncle’s NCP.
• In case of a breakdown in authority, he can change sides.

THREATENING:

• Their MLA may be overturned after poor performance.
• There is a sympathy factor for Sharad Pawar.
• Inorganic alliance chemistry with BJP and Shinde Sena disrupts vote transfer.

UDDHAV THACKERAY

FORCE:

• There is a sympathy factor after Eknath Shinde rebels against him in 2022.
• It is considered acceptable by Muslims and Dalits.
• He has a moderate leadership style.

WEAKNESS:

• He is seen as aloof and unapproachable.
• He is not perceived as hardworking.
• Eknath Shinde’s rebellion divided the Shiv Sena’s vote bank.

OPPORTUNITY:

THREATENING:

• ‘Big brother’ BJP supports Shinde Sena.
• Shiv Sena (UBT) was weakened by poaching of its MLAs after Eknath Shinde’s rebellion.
• Poor performance could ruin Shiv Sena’s (UBT) future prospects.

Maharashtra, which has 288 Assembly seats, voted on Wednesday. The state witnessed the highest voter turnout in 30 years During the parliamentary elections, provincial figures were at 65.11 percent. This marks an increase compared to the 61.44 per cent turnout recorded in the 2019 elections and the 61.33 per cent turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha.