Friction on Savarkar, Ajit Pawar to Cloud MVA’s Vajrmuth Rally in Nagpur?

In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, opposition parties in Maharashtra have banded together under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance to carry out what they call ‘Vajrmuth’ rallies.

The choice of mythological branding is interesting since vajrmuth is said to be the weapon of Lord Indra that spares none. Tapping into that symbolism, the opposition in the state is attempting to put forth a united front against the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government.

The Congress and NCP are also hoping that the symbolism will help them break the Hindutva and Savarkar pitches of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP. The Congress, especially, has found itself on the back-foot in the state following Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar. The Shiv Sena and BJP had even carried out rallies, called the Savarkar Gaurav Yatra, across districts to denounce the Congress leader’s remarks.

The Congress had been wary of raking up the controversy again but recent remarks against Savarkar by Shivani Wadettiwar, Maharashtra Youth Congress office-bearer and daughter of former minister Vijay Wadettiwar, has put the party in a tough spot just a couple of days before the second Vajrmuth Rally in BJP-dominated Nagpur on April 16.

Shivani, general secretary of Maharashtra Youth Congress, posted a video clip of her speech on her Twitter handle in which she claimed that Savarkar was of the opinion that rape should be used as a political weapon against opponents.

While the first Vajrmuth Rally was held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, formerly Aurangabad, on April 2, the second rally on April 16 holds immense political significance since Nagpur is the home-base of the RSS, the ideological fount of the BJP. It also comes amid hectic political developments in the state, including speculation of Sharad Pawar’s NCP facing a Shiv Sena-like split.

The brief absence of Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar from political action a few days ago had ruffled feathers in the MVA, giving rise to fears that he was joining hands with the BJP. In a public appearance later, Ajit Pawar denied the rumours and claimed he had switched off his phone due to being unwell.

Memories of his dramatic oath-taking as Devendra Fadnavis’ deputy in 2019 are still fresh. The MVA is also said to be unimpressed with Ajit Pawar not going after the government aggressively enough in his role as Leader of Opposition. It would be interesting to see how Ajit Pawar positions himself in Sunday’s rally.

A day after the rally, KC Venugopal, senior Congress leader and close confidant of Rahul Gandhi, will be paying a visit to Matoshree, the residence of Uddhav Thackeray. Speculation is rife that Rahul Gandhi, too, could call upon Thackeray, a meeting that will be keenly watched amid friction between the two over the Congress leader’s Savarkar’s remarks.

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