The elections in Maharashtra has given a cracker of a result freezing the BJP a few inches behind the finish line and the rest way behind. To form the Government and claim the Chief Minister's chair; the BJP has to kind of decide between the Devil and the deep Blue Sea - namely the NCP - a party it labeled as the "Naturally Corrupt Party" and the Shiv Sena - its former ally whose leadership has been washing dirty laundry in the public even after the results were declared. In a case of warring siblings, both are waiting for the other to blink. The NCP of course; irrespective of the final equation must be laughing itself silly. By offering outside support to the BJP; it has killed two birds with one stone - first; if BJP accepts - then BJP too is susceptible to tainting itself for good as an opportunist that will do anything for power; and second - it has ruined Shiv Sena's bargaining power to near zero making sure that the leadership ego is ground to dust.
There are two more improbable scenarios - one where the 20 independents help BJP cross the finish line - at a cost that would probably be more expensive than making up with the Sena; two - BJP decides to wait it out and hope for re-election - at a cost to the exchequer and the people at large.
A re-election will in all probability deliver BJP well past the finish line but having come this far - no party would have the guts to seek a fresh mandate - even if it is on the strength of a high moral ground. With its victory in Haryana; Delhi is all but certain to fall in BJP hands should elections be called for. Such a possibility is true in Maharashtra as well given that it won more seats on its own than it would have fighting alongside Shiv Sena. The Congress looks all but washed out but not finished. Maybe it will reinvent itself with or without the Gandhi family leading it. It's more of a family political party now and would probably be better off with a non-Gandhi leader that is not a puppet to the family. There are quite a few good men in there and it would be good for an alternative to be in place just in case Mr. Modi falls in love with his own story and self.
Politics is a willy game and not improbable for scenarios five - six - seven and more to emerge including all independents joining the BJP or the Sena seeing a third of its MLAs splitting and forming a Sena B (that supports the BJP). A solution will emerge - however strange it may be. In the mean time the financial markets are celebrating that the Modi magic is more or less intact and he will now get down to doing the business he was elected for; that is make the India Story a sexy story globally once again.
So; on the eve of Diwali and the Hindu New Year - India may once again be the toast of the G-20 summit. I have moved to a new office and hopefully I will be fired creatively to write down more than just my political views. Wishing all my readers the best for the festive season. Pray that Indian festival of light and New year ushers in a new world order where Good is Good and not Breaking Bad.
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