It is a wake-up call for BJP in Maharashtra as its attempt to threaten the Opposition by using Central probe agencies won't work for a long time. The party nominee, Subhash Sabne, who is a former Shiv Sena legislator, lost to Congress candidate Jitesh Antapurkar in the Deglur-Biloli assembly by election.
The move by BJP leaders to issue threats and warnings to the Nanded district guardian minister Ashok Chavan, who led the poll campaign, did not work. The recent raids by Income Tax on Buldhana Cooperative Credit Society, which has provided funds to sugar mills linked to Congress leaders, boomeranged on BJP. The Congress party along with allies NCP and Shiv Sena, could successfully reach out to the voters exposing BJP’s plot to deploy I-T raids during the poll campaigning to harass the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
Further, the state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil had warned of action by the Enforcement Directorate against the Congress leaders. Even though Patil refrained from naming Chavan, the Congress could counter Patil’s threat by exposing BJP’s plot to defame the MVA leaders by deploying the central probe agencies. Chavan slammed Patil saying that it was BJP’s attempt to confuse the voters and remain in discussion by making such provocative statements.
BJP contested the Deglur-Biloli by election under the leadership of Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis who miserably failed to show his magic. Despite BJP’s well oil machinery up to booth level, it could not exploit anger and dissatisfaction against the MVA government. The voters were not amused by Fadnavis’ move to accuse the MVA government of inaction. Ironically, BJP could not mobilise its traditional supporters as it failed to convince Sabne as their candidate.
