Shiv Sena wants repeat of Delhi in Maharashtra

Mumbai, Feb 11 (IANS) Attacking ally BJP, the Shiv Sena Wednesday asked the people of Maharashtra "to take lessons" from the outcome of Delhi assembly polls.

"Delhi has embraced 'Paanch Saal, (Arvind) Kejriwal. The people of Maharashtra must learn from this. They should ponder and move ahead in that direction, that is the outcome of Delhi," the Shiv Sena said in a sharp edit in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana' Wednesday, virtually asking the people of the state to reject BJP.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal bagged 67 of the 70 assembly segments in Delhi, while the BJP got just three seats in the results that were announced Tuesday. The Congress failed to get even a single seat.

The edit pointed out that the trend started three months ago when the (Narendra Modi) 'wave' was halted by Maharashtra, but now the 'tsunami' has reached Delhi.

The Delhi assembly results proved that a 'tsunami' is more powerful than a 'wave' and emphatically reiterated Gandhian Anna Hazare's view that it was "a debacle for Modi", it said.

"The BJP leaders claim this is not Modi's defeat. Kejriwal has won - then who has lost? After all, the entire elections were carried out in Modi's name without the presence of any other BJP leader," the edit said.

Not accepting the contention blaming BJP's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi for the BJP rout, the Saamana said all BJP leaders labeled the AAP leader as 'bhagoda' (deserter) during the campaign, but entire Delhi solidly supported Kejriwal.

"(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi now lives in Delhi, but his 'brahmastra' failed to work at such close quarters, even (BJP chief) Amit Shah's magic didn't work," the Sena said, in a direct attack on the two BJP bigwigs.

It conceded that the BJP was an old friend of Shiv Sena, and it succeeded all over India, barring the national capital where the lotus failed to bloom and added that even US President Barack Obama couldn't breath life into its wilted petals.

"You can't win elections with only promises and speeches. Modi's popularity and Shah's election strategies were at stake here, but a virtual non-entity like Kejriwal uprooted and threw them away. How was this possible?" the edit asked.

It listed the reasons as: the unemployed have still got no jobs, inflation has not been curbed, people without shelter continue to remain homeless, and poll promises have not been fulfilled.

Even the party workers were unhappy that an outsider leader like Bedi was thrust upon them and the electorate, besides the totally negative campaign against Kejriwal and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi which rebounded on the BJP.

On the other hand, Kejriwal went around with folded hands and sought peoples' forgiveness for past mistakes -- "I only quit the government. I did not become corrupt,", which the people accepted, the Saamana pointed out.

It said in 2014 Lok Sabha election, Modi ensured there was no opposition left in Parliament, but despite his presence in Delhi, the BJP failed to get a decent strength as an opposition party in the assembly.

"The people of Delhi have given three seats as 'charity' (daan) to BJP, and the Congress has been wiped out."

The Shiv Sena advised BJP that just as it celebrated victory (in elections) till now, its must accept defeat too, and learn some lessons from it.