Coalitions work only when power is shared. With Ajit Pawar gone, that balance is disturbed, paving the way for the BJP to become the single strongest force in the Mahayuti, not just one among equals

(From left) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. FILE PIC/SATEJ SHINDE

Ajit Pawar’s departure is not just another political headline. It is like the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) clock, its symbol, has lost its main hand. The party’s rhythm slows down, and the whole alliance is likely to move differently. This is the kind of moment that will change Maharashtra’s political map. And that is what may now happen inside the “triple-engine sarkar” Mahayuti, made up of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP.

The NCP was already finding it hard to stay strong in today’s broken and changing politics. Pawar’s absence makes the situation even worse. The party depended heavily on his leadership, his control over government work, and his ability to negotiate power. Without him, the NCP risks losing not only a leader, but also its direction.

The signs of change are already clear. The BJP’s recent wins in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations, areas long seen as strongholds of the Pawar family and........

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