Maharashtra civic polls are victory of power, not principles: Shiv Sena (UBT)

The Shiv Sena UBT on Monday said those who voted for the BJPShinde alliance in Mumbai have effectively signed a death warrant for the city reported news agency IANSIt suggests that the history of Maharashtra will remember the victors not as leaders but as the states assassinsBJPShinde alliance victory in BMC described as waferthinThe Thackeray camp in the party mouthpiece Saamana argued that while the BJPShinde alliance won the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC the victory remains slim with a lead of only four seats reported IANSDespite having state power immense financial resources and the support of the Election Commission the ruling alliance barely crossed the finish line it saidPM Modi credits NDA success to lsquogood governancersquoFollowing the recent municipal corporation elections across Maharashtra Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his gratitude to the public attributing the National Democratic Alliances NDA success to their policies of good governanceHowever the editorial painted a far more contentious picture of the results characterised by allegations of administrative bias and the marginalisation of local interestsSaamana accuses bureaucracy and police of acting as BJP agentsPrime Minister Modi has thanked the public for granting the NDA victory in the states municipal elections He expressed that the enthusiastic citizens of the state have blessed the NDAs policies of good governance Simultaneously BJP workers credited Chief Minister Fadnavis for the recent victory in Maharashtra Workers claim Fadnavis is worthy of congratulations because his strategic use of power led to the win in the municipal elections In reality all municipal commissioners district collectors and police acted like BJP agents which simplified Fadnaviss victory alleged the editorial reported IANSElection Commission accused of ignoring voter complaintsIt further said the Election Commission of India has been hollowed out by corruption becoming mere cats that ignore voter complaintsAccording to the editorial all eyes were on the Mumbai resultsPrime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah did not campaign in Mumbai likely due to the fear of the BJP losing it saidHotel stay of Shinde group corporators linked to fragile majorityAlthough the combined numbers of the BJP and the Shindeled Sena show a majority it is a slim margin of only four seats Over 100 corporators from the Shiv Sena MNS Congress and others will sit on the opposition benches and these hundred will outweigh the meagre majority of four A majority is as volatile as mercury and could slip away at any moment This is likely why the elected corporators of the Shinde group have been confined in hotels claimed the editorial reported IANSEditorial questions lsquoChanakyalevelrsquo strategy of FadnavisWhere is Chanakyalevel brilliance in this Would this result have been possible if Fadnavis was not the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was not wrong when he said it is difficult for the opposition to fight local body elections when the ruling party holds state power said the editorial reported IANSMarathi heartland of Mumbai stayed with Thackeray brothers says SaamanaThe Thackeray camp said that despite the alliances numbers the Marathi heartland of Mumbai remained loyal to the Thackeray brothers with Shiv Sena and MNS candidates winning in predominantly Marathispeaking areasBJP gains concentrated in nonlocal lsquooutsiderrsquo pocketsConversely the BJPs gains were largely concentrated in nonlocal outsider pockets It warned that the BMC is run under this good governance pattern which involves the inclusion of corrupt elements historic headquarters risks becoming a hub for mafias and goons reported IANSAIMIM surge flagged as part of votesplitting strategyThe editorial highlighted the unexpected rise of the AIMIM which secured over 100 seats across various corporations including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and NandedBJP dependent on allies in majority of civic bodies claims SaamanaIt hinted at a hidden strategy behind this surge intended to split the Congress vote bank to benefit the BJP However the editorial said while the NDA claims control over 23 out of 29 municipal corporations reports indicate that in at least 17 of these the BJP is dependent on crutches allies to maintain powerThe Congress maintained its ground in Kolhapur led by Satej Patil and saw success in ChandrapurWith inputs from IANS