As opposition parties and citizens’ groups take to Mumbai’s streets against the Election Commission of India (ECI), the BJP-led Maharashtra government is working on two fronts: keeping the police in check and taking on the opposition’s narrative.

The government has decided not to use police force to thwart protests, as was done at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, knows law and order is his primary responsibility. Whether it was the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest at Shivaji Park on Friday or the Thackeray cousins’ rally on Sunday, the home department has decided against excessive force. Its directive to the police top brass is to ensure there is no untoward incident and that gatherings pass off peacefully.

A senior BJP functionary, requesting anonymity, explained the difference between the party’s approach in Mumbai and Delhi by recalling the September 2023 police lathicharge on Maratha quota protesters. Fadnavis, then deputy chief minister and home minister in Eknath Shinde’s government, had to apologise publicly. “Fadnavis knows he cannot afford to make mistakes in Maharashtra,” sources said.

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The contrast was voiced by CJP founder Abhijit Dipke at Shivaji Park on Friday. Praising the Mumbai police as the best force in the country, he said, “Mumbai police is so cute.”

Fadnavis had earlier said, “In democracy everybody has the right to voice their views. The police will take the decision based on situation.” But he strongly rejected the opposition’s and the CJP’s charges against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as baseless.

Countering the narrative

With an aggressive opposition and a series of protests, the BJP has decided to counter the opposition politically, taking its arguments to people through meetings, public forums and media interactions.

At a meeting this week, state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan shortlisted half a dozen leaders, including ministers, to speak to the media regularly. The strategy is to respond to every opposition criticism immediately, and collectively rather than individually.

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Minister Ashish Shelar has been asked to hold press conferences more often. Others on the list include Sanjay Kute, Pravin Darekar, Chitra Wagh, Devyani Farande, Niranjan Davkhare, Vikram Pachpute, Navnath Ban and minister Nitesh Rane.

With 230 MLAs, the BJP-led government in Maharashtra is stable. But the party is worried about the anti-government sentiment surfacing through these protests.

“In this battle BJP is isolated. Entire opposition is against us questioning misuse of ECI. Our alliance partners Shiv Sena and NCP clearly have stayed away from the issue,” a senior BJP minister said.