In a candid discussion at a recent media conclave, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reflected on the BJP's disappointing performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, stating, ?Poor Ajit vote transfer let us down.? Fadnavis acknowledged the initial hesitation among the BJP's core supporters regarding the coalition with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), but he noted that now, ?80 percent of voters understand the necessity of such political compromises.?

Fadnavis elaborated on the electoral landscape, revealing that the ruling coalition, which includes the BJP, NCP, and CM Eknath Shinde?s Shiv Sena, secured only 17 of the 48 available seats in Maharashtra. This represents a significant decline for the BJP, whose seat count dropped from 23 in 2019 to just nine this time around. ?It?s true that this was the BJP?s worst performance in recent general elections,? he conceded.

The Deputy CM emphasized that the BJP contested 28 seats but won only a handful, admitting that they lost 12 seats by narrow margins of about 3,000 to 6,000 votes. He pointed out that despite the setbacks, the BJP received the highest number of votes in the elections.

Fadnavis further remarked on the challenges faced by the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the NCP during this election, stating, ?For the Shiv Sena and NCP, this Lok Sabha election was primarily about consolidating their voter bases, which proved challenging for both.? In contrast, he indicated that the BJP?s voter base remained more stable, making it easier for the Shiv Sena to transfer votes to the BJP due to their long-standing alliance. However, he noted that the NCP struggled to transfer votes because of historical competition with the BJP.

Looking ahead, Fadnavis expressed confidence that the voter bases of both the Shiv Sena and NCP are now more stable, suggesting that issues with vote transfer may not reoccur in future elections. He stated, ?Winning is more important than worrying about how things look,? underlining a strategic shift in focus for the upcoming assembly elections, likely to be announced in November.

As discussions continue regarding seat-sharing among the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, Fadnavis indicated that negotiations for approximately 80 percent of the 288 assembly seats are already in progress. He concluded that in politics, ?winnability is more important than focusing on perceptions,? a sentiment likely to guide the coalition?s strategy moving forward