Resorting to some plain speaking after the Assembly bypoll outcome that saw the BJP lose out to the RJD-JD(U)-Congress alliance in Bihar and cede to the Sonia Gandhi-led party one seat each in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, the Shiv Sena said here on Tuesday that instead of depending merely on the ‘Modi-wave’ for its electoral success, the ‘Mahayuti’ would have to work hard to post a victory in the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls.
“The lesson to be learnt from the Assembly bypoll results is that we, in the Mahayuti will have pull up our socks and work hard for our victory in the State Assembly polls. People in the State are indeed in a mood for a change of power in the State. But, we cannot win elections merely on the basis of Modi wave,” the Sena stated in an editorial published in in its official mouth-piece Saamana.
“The people in the State supported Modi overwhelmingly in the recent lok Sabha polls so as to make provide good Government at the national level. But, both wave and poll arithmetic in the State are different. It is essential for us to learn a lesson or two from the bypolls in Bihar and Karnataka so as to ensure against such a result in Maharashtra,” the Sena editorial stated.
The Sena, in essence, advised its long-time saffron ally BJP to do some “self-introspection” of the bypoll results and make necessary amends to ensure against the repeat of electoral setback. In Punjab, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress won one seat each. Out of the 18 seats for which bypolls were held on August 21, the Congress and its allies won 10 while eight went to the BJP its ally.