There was a time when Shiv Sena and Congress were staunch rivals. Today both these parties are seen doing misunderstandings. After Maharashtra, Shiv Sena has now decided to contest elections together in Uttar Pradesh and Goa as well. Although, this may hardly cause any loss to the Congress, but Shiv Sena may definitely get a big setback in the coming times.
How Shiv Sena will have to go with Congress?
Shiv Sena has been considered a party of Hindus whose secular party was never formed from Congress. Or rather, in opposition to the Congress, Balasaheb Thackeray had laid the foundation of Shiv Sena. Contrary to the views of Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena had joined hands with Congress for the post of Chief Minister in the year 2019. At that time, there was a lot of displeasure among its supporters. Its effect can be seen in BMC elections. Other than this,
- Recently, Shambhuraje Desai, Minister of State for Shiv Sena quota had to face defeat in the cooperative elections in Satara district.
- In May this year, the BJP won the by-election to the Pandharpur-Mangalvedha Vidhan Sabha seat in Solapur district, giving a setback to Mahavikas Aghadi.
Be it Uddhav’s protest during the Ayodhya Yatra, or his silence against Congress on Veer Savarkar’s issue, or his insistence on giving Muslim reservation, these issues have negatively impacted the Hindutva image of Shiv Sena.
Now going with the Congress in the UP and Goa elections, Shiv Sena may have to face a big loss in the upcoming elections of 227 seats of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to be held next year.
Going with the Congress in another state will give the BJP another opportunity to corner the Shiv Sena on the issue of Hindutva in the BMC elections.
In the year 2017, BJP had won 82 seats by taking a big lead, while Shiv Sena got 84 seats.
This time the BJP may try to consolidate the Marathi vote by encircling the Shiv Sena. The BJP is showing a lot of respect towards Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in its rallies, which may make the road difficult for Shiv Sena.
Opportunity for BJP in UP with Congress joining Shiv Sena
For some time now, Shiv Sena party has been seen making efforts to woo Muslims along with its core Hindu vote bank.
However, Shiv Sena says that it will defeat the BJP with the same strategy. Both Nationalism and Hindutva are part of the ideology of Shiv Sena which is not different from BJP. Shiv Sena is confident that it will cause big damage to BJP.
But there is also a reality that going with NCP and Congress has had a negative impact on the Hindutva image of Shiv Sena.
- When Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray left for Ayodhya Yatra, the saints of Ayodhya were opposing him.
- Last year, Swami Paramhans of Ayodhya had protested saying that ‘Balasaheb Thackeray had said that we will not allow Shiv Sena to become Congress. If this happens then Shiv Sena will not contest the elections, but Uddhav Thackeray forged an alliance with Congress for power.
- Mahant Raju Das, the priest of Hanumangarhi, had given a stern warning to Shiv Sena saying that ‘The Shiv Sena party, which gave 5% reservation to Muslims, has now gone from the path of Hindutva, will not allow Uddhav to come to Ayodhya.’
- It is clear that Shiv Sena which was once famous for the image of Hindutva, that image has been tarnished. The way Congress and BJP are face to face on Veer Savarkar issue, BJP can also use it against Shiv Sena.
May be the BJP converts this into an opportunity and polarizes the Hindu vote in the UP elections. If this happens, the BJP can once again be successful in making the equations of UP elections in its favor.
The record of Shiv Sena outside Maharashtra is bad.
Shiv Sena could hardly show anything special in Uttar Pradesh and Goa. If we look at the history of Shiv Sena, its record outside Maharashtra has been very bad. It is not that Shivsena is waving its hands and feet outside Maharashtra today itself.
- In the Bihar assembly elections in the year 2020, Shiv Sena got less votes than NOTA. Shiv Sena got 0.05 per cent votes, while NOTA had 1.68 per cent votes.
- The party unit was in discussion in Delhi, but could never win a seat in the assembly.
- Shivsena Shivsena is contesting Rajasthan assembly elections since 1998, but never able to register presence
- Shiv Sena had contested Vidhan Sabha elections thrice in the 90s in UP, but it got only one seat in the year 1991.
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What did Shiv Sena say?
Let us tell you that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut met Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in New Delhi on Wednesday. After this he announced, “We are looking at working together in Uttar Pradesh and Goa.”
Shiv Sena is joining hands with Congress to give tough competition to BJP in Goa and UP. Here the aim of Shiv Sena is to surround the BJP on the issue of Hindutva and Nationalism. Now how much this move of Shiv Sena will benefit it in UP, only time will tell.
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