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Journalism of Courage
Commenting on the BJP’s poor performance in the Maharashtra elections, the Shiv Sena Friday said the outcome was “a rap on the knuckles” and a “warning to rulers not to show arrogance of power”. In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamna, the party added there was no “maha janadesh” (massive mandate), in reference to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ state-wide tour ahead of the polls.
The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the state with 105 seats in the 288-member House, but has to lean on the Sena, which won 56 seats, to form the government. In the 2014 election, BJP had won 122 seats in the House.
The editorial observed that the Opposition could not be swept under the carpet and pointed to the NCP-Congress resurgence.
“… the NCP bounced back crossing the 50-seat mark, while a leaderless Congress won 44 seats. The results were a warning to rulers not to show arrogance of power… its a rap on their knuckles,” the editorial read, according to news agency PTI.
“The BJP tally came down from 122 (in 2014) to 105 (in 2019), whereas the Shiv Sena’s tally also saw a decrease (from 63 to 56).
“Twenty-five seats have gone to other smaller parties. This shows people have said beware… Maharashtra doesn’t accept arrogance of power,” Sena said, adding that “our feet were always on the ground.”
The Sena also opined that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has emerged “more powerful” than Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. It cited the Satara bypoll, which was held along with the Assembly elections, where NCP leader Shriniwas Patil defeated Shivaji Maharaj’s descendant Udayanraje Bhosale by some 80,000 votes.
Bhosale had defected to the BJP after winning the Satara Lok Sabha seat on an NCP ticket in May.
Satara bypoll: Sharad Pawar’s rain-soaked speech drowns Shivaji descendant in own backyard
“There is a lesson to be learnt from this defeat (in Satara, where the NCP won). Fadnavis said he was a powerful wrestler but Sharad Pawar proved more powerful,” the editorial said, adding, “Chief Minister Fadnavis declared that since Udayanraje is now in the BJP, Chhatrapati Shivaji’s blessings are with the BJP. Still Satara defeated Udayanraje.”
(With inputs from PTI)
