Maharashtra: After assembly results, Shiv Sena takes jibe at BJP
Before Maharashtra polls, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis predicted that the combination of BJP and Shiv Sena would win 200+ seats out of the 288. But Thursday's results dispelled all his predictions as BJP settled for 105 seats and Sena won 56 seats. Rubbing the disappointing results on BJP's face, Sena on Friday said the verdict was an answer to the arrogance of the powerful.
Sena took a jibe at Fadnavis' numerous rallies
Notably, Fadnavis toured over 200 constituencies before elections for his Maha Janadesh Yatra. Taking a dig at the same, Sena, in its editorial Saamna, wrote there was no "maha janadesh". Pointing out that BJP performed worse than it did in 2014, Sena said the results showed no amount of engineering defections and "splitting" opposition parties can help in sweeping states.
Results are a warning to rulers: Shiv Sena
Further, the Maratha daily underscored that BJP claimed that it broke NCP in a way that the party's prospects looked dim. "But 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 the arrogance of power... its a rap on their knuckles," the article went on to add.
Editorial also mentioned that Sena's tally came down
"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). 25 seats have gone to other smaller parties. This shows people have said beware...if you show arrogance of power," it added.
About Satara's verdict, Saamna said political opportunism won't be tolerated
Meanwhile, the defeat of Udayanraje Bhosale from Satara also found a mention. The 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji had ditched NCP, after winning from the same constituency in summer polls, to join BJP. He was defeated by NCP's Srinivas Patil, a close aide of Sharad Pawar. About this, Sena said voters will not allow political opportunism in the name of the great Maratha ruler.
Sharad Pawar proved more powerful: Saamna
"There is a lesson to be learned from this defeat (in Satara, where the NCP won). Fadnavis said he was a powerful wrestler but Sharad Pawar proved more powerful. Maharashtra doesn't accept arrogance of power," the party, led by Uddhav Thackeray, said.
