Yogi Adityanath’s provocative “batenge toh katenge” (if divided, will be divided) slogan, delivered at election rallies in Maharashtra, has stirred tensions within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s statement, widely seen as a call for aggressive political rhetoric, has drawn sharp criticism from BJP ally and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who insisted that such remarks do not resonate with the people of Maharashtra.
Reacting to Adityanath’s comments, Pawar made it clear that the people of Maharashtra have always valued communal harmony and secularism, emphasizing that the state does not tolerate divisive statements. “Maharashtra has a long history of maintaining communal peace, and people here will not accept any attempt to stir division,” Pawar said, adding that external leaders should not impose their views on the state. He also referenced Maharashtra’s legacy of social reform, invoking icons like Shahu Maharaj, Jyotiba Phule, and Babasaheb Ambedkar, who promoted unity and secularism.
The controversy comes as the NCP attempts to distance itself from Adityanath’s divisive remarks, fearing it could alienate Muslim voters—who are a key constituency for the party. With the potential for minority votes to shift towards Congress or Uddhav Thackeray’s UBT Shiv Sena, the NCP is wary of further political fallout.
NCP Distances Itself from Yogi’s Comments
The NCP, particularly concerned about its Muslim vote base, has distanced itself from the remarks made by the UP Chief Minister. “Such statements could negatively impact the party’s position and push away the consolidating minority votes,” said a senior NCP leader. Pawar himself was quick to underline that the people of Maharashtra have always maintained peace and that no outsider should undermine the state’s secular values.
In the same breath, Pawar also defended party candidate Nawab Malik, who is contesting the Mankhurd-Shivajinagar seat despite being embroiled in a money laundering case. Malik, currently out on bail, is a key NCP candidate, but the BJP has declined to campaign for him, backing Shinde’s candidate in the same seat. Pawar reaffirmed Malik’s innocence, stating, “No allegations against Nawab Malik have been proved.”
Thackeray Takes Aim at Yogi’s Maharashtra Visit
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray took the opportunity to slam the BJP for bringing in leaders from outside Maharashtra to campaign. “The Maharashtra Assembly election is a contest between those who love Maharashtra and those who betray it,” Thackeray declared. He also accused the Mahayuti government, led by Eknath Shinde, of being the “most corrupt” in the state’s history, citing the controversy surrounding the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, which was unveiled last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Thackeray was quick to criticize the lack of unity within the Mahayuti alliance, pointing to Ajit Pawar’s disapproval of Adityanath’s remarks as evidence that the coalition is fractured. “If the Deputy CM himself is objecting to what Yogi Adityanath is saying, it shows the complete lack of cohesion within the ruling alliance,” Thackeray said, suggesting that such divisions only harm the BJP’s campaign in Maharashtra.
As election day draws closer, the rhetoric surrounding the campaign has intensified, with the Mahayuti alliance grappling with both internal discord and external criticism over its leadership and ideological direction.
