After humiliating defeat in Goa and Uttar Pradesh, Shiv Sena needs to self introspect as it has failed to create a magic on ‘’Marathi Manoos’’ plank in the adjoining state and on ‘’Hindutva’’ in the northern state. Shiv Sena, after parting ways with the erstwhile ally BJP, though claims that it has not left Hindutva it’s tie up with NCP and Congress on secularism issue is working against him as the traditional voters may consider twice on their support.
Shiv Sena will have to tweak its strategy in a bid to remain in circulation not just in Maharashtra but while pursuing its ambition of going pan India. Shiv Sena and its ally NCP got fewer votes than NOTA in Goa and also in UP.
Shiv Sena has failed even in the recently held elections to the 106 nagar panchayats and Bhandara and Gondia zilla parishads to win the number one slot despite heading the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Shiv Sena came on poor fourth after BJP, NCP and Congress thanks to lack of due attention of CM, senior minister and party leaders to implement a comprehensive poll strategy.
Shiv Sena in particular and its allies will face a major challenge in the upcoming elections to the 15 municipal corporations, 25 zilla parishads and 232 nagar parishads. Even though the state legislature has unanimously passed two bills proposing powers to the state government on delimitation of wards, fixing number of members and deciding poll schedule in consultation with the State Election Commission, these bills have yet to get the Governor’s nod and later to pass the legal test.
Although, Shiv Sena President and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has stepped up attacks against the former ally BJP terming it ‘’pervert’’ and how they wasted 25 years in its alliance with the BJP, his party leaders along with NCP and Congress are not prepared to take on BJP fearing action from the central probe agencies.
Despite being in power for two and half years, Shiv Sena and allies are unable to expose the alleged corruption and scams of former BJP ministers during the Fadnavis government rule. The party is targeting BJP over the alleged misuse of central agencies but it was unable to effectively counter allegations levelled by the BJP.
A Shiv Sena insider says, ‘’The party president has ruled out any patch up with BJP then he will have to spell out a combative strategy against BJP expecting positive and adverse repercussions. It is high time, the party should chalk out a road map for Maharashtra and for its expansion at the national level and implement it ruthlessly.’’
