The Changing Fortunes of India's Regional Political Forces
New Delhi witnessed a dramatic shift in political dynamics over recent decades. Regional parties once held the keys to power in Delhi, acting as crucial kingmakers during coalition governments. Leaders like Lalu Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan proudly embraced their roles as political weathervanes. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee famously blamed regional satraps for the collapse of his short-lived 13-day government back in 1996.
Political landscapes never remain static. Nearly thirty years later, the situation has transformed completely. Many regional parties now face significant internal challenges. While these organizations continue to play important roles in national politics, most struggle with persistent problems. Infighting, factionalism, and uncertainty about future leadership plague numerous regional political groups across India.
Rashtriya Janata Dal: Family Feuds and Electoral Setbacks
The Rashtriya Janata Dal experienced visible cracks even before its disappointing performance in the November Bihar Assembly elections. As campaigning intensified, Lalu Yadav expelled his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav from the party. This dramatic move followed Tej Pratap's public confession about a long-term relationship on social media.
After his expulsion, Tej Pratap established his own political outfit called the Janshakti Janata Dal. He fielded candidates directly against RJD nominees in the elections. The RJD suffered a major electoral blow, securing only 25 seats. This represented one of the party's poorest performances since its formation in 1997.
Further complications emerged when Rohini Acharya, Lalu Prasad's second daughter and his kidney donor, launched serious accusations against the family. She claimed that key members of Tejashwi Yadav's inner circle had humiliated, sidelined, and coerced her. Following a heated argument with her brother about the election results, she announced her departure from politics and effectively disowned her family.
Lok Janshakti Party: Family Power Struggle and Political Resurgence
The death of former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan in 2020 triggered an intense power struggle within the Lok Janshakti Party. His son Chirag Paswan and brother Pashupati Kumar Paras competed for control. In 2021, Chirag faced ouster from the party through a coup led by his uncle and rebel MPs. Many blamed him for the party's disastrous performance in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections.
Paras initially gained the upper hand when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla recognized him as the LJP leader in the House. The Election Commission subsequently allotted new names and symbols to both factions. Chirag's group became the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) with the helicopter symbol, while Paras's faction adopted the name Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party with the sewing machine symbol.
Chirag's political fortunes changed dramatically during the 2024 general elections. His party won all five Lok Sabha seats it contested in Bihar. Meanwhile, Paras's faction found itself pushed out of the BJP-led NDA alliance. Chirag repeated this success in the 2024 Assembly elections, emerging as the third key player in the NDA's landslide victory. His party won 19 of the 29 seats it contested, helping the NDA cross the 200-seat threshold.
Nationalist Congress Party: Split and Partial Reconciliation
Ajit Pawar led a significant split in the Nationalist Congress Party, breaking away from his uncle Sharad Pawar along with several senior leaders. His faction joined hands with the BJP and Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. Ajit objected to Sharad Pawar continuing as party chief despite his advanced age, preferring alignment with the ruling coalition instead.
The Election Commission later recognized Ajit's faction as the legitimate NCP and retained the 'clock' symbol. Sharad Pawar's group adopted the 'tutari' (curved trumpet) symbol as NCP (SP). After setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ajit Pawar admitted that breaking away from his family had been a mistake, though he justified the split as necessary for stability and progress in Maharashtra.
Ahead of upcoming local body polls in Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, both factions decided to come together temporarily. Ajit Pawar announced that for the sake of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections, the 'clock' and the 'tutari' had united. However, this alliance remains limited to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, with Sharad Pawar not involved in the decision-making process.
Shiv Sena: Rebellion and Symbol Battle
The Shiv Sena experienced a major split in 2022 when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion and formed the Maharashtra government with BJP support. Shinde, along with nearly 40 MLAs, accused then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray of betraying Bal Thackeray's Hindutva ideology and diluting the party's core principles for power.
On June 20, Shinde and rebel MLAs moved to Surat and later Guwahati, prompting Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to call for a floor test on June 22. Uddhav Thackeray resigned on June 29 without facing the trust vote, paving the way for Shinde to become chief minister on June 30, with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as deputy chief minister.
The Election Commission recognized the Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena and allotted it the 'bow and arrow' symbol based on parliamentary and legislative support. In the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 57 seats, while Shiv Sena (UBT) managed only 16.
Bahujan Samaj Party: The Nephew Dilemma
BSP supremo Mayawati has built a reputation for crushing factionalism with an iron fist. However, she repeatedly made headlines for the turbulent relationship with her nephew Akash Anand. In May 2024, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister removed Akash Anand as her political heir and stripped him of all party posts, only to later re-designate him as her successor.
This reinstatement proved short-lived. In March 2025, Akash faced removal again as national coordinator of the party. Reports suggested Mayawati believed Anand was under the influence of his father-in-law Siddharth. Additionally, Akash failed to make an impact in the Haryana and Delhi assembly polls after being appointed in-charge. He had also questioned the BSP's traditional fundraising method known as the 'Kitaab system'.
Mayawati eventually pardoned her nephew and re-inducted him into the party. She claimed that Akash had been reaching out to party workers and seeking forgiveness after his expulsion.
Samajwadi Party: Family Discord and Reconciliation
The seeds of discord within the Samajwadi Party were sown in 2016 when then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav moved against his uncle Shivpal Yadav. He sacked ministers and bureaucrats believed to be loyal to Shivpal, who had played a key role in merging the Quami Ekta Dal of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari with the SP.
During the family feud, party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav acted as mediator and warned his son that the SP would split if Shivpal resigned from the state cabinet. Despite this warning, Shivpal broke away and launched the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) in 2018. His party contested 30 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but failed to win any.
Following Mulayam Singh Yadav's death, efforts were made to reunite the family. This culminated in the 'chacha-bhatija' duo coming together to ensure the victory of Dimple Yadav in the bypoll necessitated by the SP founder's demise.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi: Daughter Versus Cousin Conflict
K Chandrashekar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samithi found itself embroiled in a power struggle after the former Telangana chief minister expelled his daughter K Kavitha. This action followed her criticism of her cousin and former minister T Harish Rao.
After securing bail in the Delhi excise policy case last year, Kavitha began the second phase of her political career. However, she became increasingly vocal against her own party. She accused Harish Rao of having a tacit understanding with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to defame her father, particularly after the Congress government ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project built during the BRS regime.
Recently, Kavitha announced that she would soon form a political party and vowed to return to legislative politics as a political force.
These examples illustrate how regional parties across India face complex internal challenges. From family conflicts to ideological differences, these organizations navigate turbulent waters while trying to maintain their political relevance. The transformation from kingmakers to crisis-managers marks a significant shift in India's political landscape.
