BJP leader Shaina NC fiercely responded to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray’s ‘power jihad’ comment, labeling it as a ‘childish’ remark. Reacting to the statement, Shaina NC said, “What a childish statement this is. In a democracy, it is the voter that decides victory and defeat and let’s not forget that Uddhav Thackeray should be reminded of how his MPs got elected in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name.”
The BJP leader also accused Thackeray of attempting to ‘backstab’ the BJP while in power, despite having secured votes under Prime Minister Modi’s name through a conspiracy. “When he was the chief minister, he chose to backstab the BJP despite getting the votes on PM Modi’s name by hatching a conspiracy and then saying that he would put Devendra Fadnavis in jail. Did Devendra Fadnavis go to jail? Absolutely not. Because it is the people’s blessings that these kind of statements do not succeed,” she said.
She further targeted Thackeray and said, “Also, understand when you have Pakistani flags that are seen at Thackeray’s meetings in Nashik and Mumbai, it shows what their ideology is. Balasaheb Thackeray would have never gone with the Congress for power.” Shaina NC also stated that the people of the state will support Prime Minister Modi and Devendra Fadnavis, ensuring that the BJP will return to power.
“So when you accuse certain people or get into polarising different castes and religions for a community that has lived harmoniously, let me please tell you that they will vote for the prime minister and Devendra Fadnavis in the state. BJP will come back to power. It is the Mahayuti that has given stability and security to all citizens without getting into this kind of divisive vote bank politics,” said the BJP leader. This reaction followed Home Minister Amit Shah’s earlier remarks at a BJP conclave.
On July 21, during a BJP conclave in Pune, Maharashtra, Amit Shah referred to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance as an “Aurangzeb fan club” and accused Thackeray of leading it. On August 3, former chief minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray criticised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asserting that the political contest in Mumbai would determine whether he or the BJP remains in power. Thackeray made these remarks while addressing party workers in Pune, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut present.
Thackeray said, “Now the battle is in the field, I said in Mumbai ‘either I stay or you stay’. Here is a poster. In the photo, a Kalingad (Uddhav Thackeray calls Devendra Fadnavis watermelon) is placed at my feet. Some thought I challenged him (Devendra Fadnavis). But, you don’t challenge the clods, you have to crush them with your finger. You are not big enough for me to challenge.”
The state is expected to hold elections for its 288-member Legislative Assembly later this year, as the current government’s term concludes in 2024. However, the Election Commission has not yet set the election dates.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP’s seat count in Maharashtra fell to 9 from 23, with a vote share of 26.18%. Meanwhile, the Congress saw a slight increase in its seat count, securing 13 seats in the state.
Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) secured seven and one seats, respectively, bringing the NDA’s total to 17 seats. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) won nine seats, while the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar obtained eight seats.
