Ashok Chavan is telling his supporters to wait and see before making any moves to join the BJP. He’s thinking things over carefully.
Some insiders say that according to Chavan’s plan, those who are okay with changing their beliefs to match the BJP’s ‘Hindutva’ ideology can easily join them. But individuals who want to keep their faith and continue to support Ajit Pawar’s NCP would want to give it some thought.
Ashok Chavan’s decision to leave the Congress and join the BJP was a big shock, and many thought other Congress MLAs supporting him would follow suit before the 2024 elections. But right now, it seems like nobody is switching sides.
Even though Ashok Chavan is seen as a big gain for the BJP and has been rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat, his supporters might join him closer to the state assembly polls happening later this year.
Currently, Chavan is advising his 10-13 supporters to wait and see. He has a plan: those who are fine with adopting Hindutva can join BJP, while those who want to stay secular can consider NCP. This way, Muslim MLAs and leaders won’t face backlash in their areas.
When asked about this, leaders from Mahayuti declined to comment.
Chavan, who is the second CM after Narayan Rane to join BJP, has a strong hold in the Marathwada and some Vidarbha regions.
Ashok Chavan told his supporters to wait until the Lok Sabha elections, as he doesn’t want them to risk their careers in case the BJP and its allies fail to form a government. He wants all his MLAs to get tickets during the upcoming state assembly elections to prevent any internal conflicts within the alliance.
According to senior journalist Sanjay Jog, many Congress MLAs are worried about what will happen if their party or MVA coalition doesn’t come to power. They’re concerned about development in their areas and fear backlash from voters. Some also worry about facing scrutiny from central agencies. That’s why some are considering joining the BJP, possibly before the state assembly elections. And others may follow the path of Baba Siddique, who joined the NCP, to maintain their secular stance.