The BJP's move to send renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam to the Rajya Sabha is seen as a strategy to balance Marathi politics. This step is viewed as a response to the regional narrative of the Thackeray brothers.
Maharashtra Politics: Language and identity have long been major issues in Maharashtra's politics. This issue has once again heated up, especially in Mumbai and urban areas, before the BMC and local body elections. In this context, the nomination of the well-known lawyer Ujjwal Nikam to the Rajya Sabha is not just an appointment of a legal professional but is considered a political signal.
Thackeray vs. Thackeray: Two Powerful Faces on the Marathi Pitch
In Maharashtra politics, the parties of Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray are adopting an aggressive strategy by keeping Marathi identity at the center. Both leaders recently announced a movement against the Maharashtra government's Three Language Policy. The government had to withdraw this policy, but the controversy still remains. The BJP is being constantly cornered on the issue of Marathi identity.
Ujjwal Nikam: A Symbol of Marathi Identity?
Ujjwal Nikam is from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, and comes from a Marathi family. His father was in the judicial service. Nikam is recognized as a government lawyer in some of the most high-profile cases in the country, with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks trial being the most prominent. In 2024, the BJP also gave him a Lok Sabha ticket, although he could not win the election.
This nomination by the BJP is considered not just an appointment of a legal professional to the Rajya Sabha but also a b political message for the Marathi community.
The Politics of Political Signals
The BJP has long been considered adept at symbolism and the politics of messaging. Ujjwal Nikam's entry into the Rajya Sabha is also considered part of this strategy. Political analysts believe that this appointment is a move to counter the Marathi politics of the Thackeray brothers.
Political analyst Amitabh Tiwari says that Ujjwal Nikam is a great lawyer, but whether he will be an effective answer to the Thackeray brothers' Marathi narrative, only the future will tell.
The Prime Minister's Conversation in Marathi: A Political Message
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nikam in Marathi immediately after his nomination, the message was clear that the BJP respects the Marathi language and culture. Amitabh Tiwari says that this was a signal from the BJP to the Marathi community that the party's top leadership also respects Marathi and that this controversy should now end.
Local Body Elections and the Marathi Vote Bank
BMC and other local body elections are to be held soon in Maharashtra. In such a situation, the BJP will have to strengthen its position on the issue of Marathi identity. The Thackeray brothers are already aggressive on this issue. By bringing forward a Marathi face like Ujjwal Nikam, the BJP not only wants to send a message to Marathi voters but also wants to show that the party is serious about Marathi identity.
Strategy Similar to Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
Ujjwal Nikam's entry into the Rajya Sabha is being linked to the BJP's strategy adopted in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In both states, the BJP had taken steps related to symbols and pride to woo tribal voters, such as declaring Birsa Munda Jayanti as Tribal Pride Day and building memorials. This strategy proved effective in the elections there.
