'Overconfidence': Shiv Sena replies to Nana Patole's 'will go solo' comment

The editorial said that without having a majority such comments are a display of ‘over-confidence’.

Shiv Sena on Thursday attacked Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole over his statement where he had said that the party will contest the next Assembly polls on its own and not as a part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole created a stir when he said that he is ready to Congress' chief ministerial candidate. ( Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times)

Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said Patole’s political ambition is not wrong but to become the chief minister of Maharashtra, he has to ensure that he has 145 MLAs with him as ‘parliamentary democracy is a game of political figures’. The editorial said that without having a majority such comments are a display of ‘over-confidence’.

“Parliamentary democracy is a game of majority figures. Those who will win the game will sit on the throne. There is nothing wrong in having desire and ambition in politics. Hence there is no point in such walking and talking if you do not have a majority figure on your side,” the editorial said.

“The Maharashtra Congress chief is a grassroots leader. Patole asserted that he will bring his party to power by contesting alone in the upcoming elections and will make a Congress leader the chief minister. This announcement has been made in over-confidence. He has no doubt regarding who will be the chief minister,” the editorial further added.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Monday said he was ready to contest as the party’s chief ministerial candidate citing Congress’ displeasure over the profile given to the party in the MVA alliance.

The editorial likened Patole to Fadnavis and said that the former chief minister was confident of a return but his party’s majority of 105 went in vain as Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena formed an alliance. Shiv Sena also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and reminded them that nothing is permanent in politics. Saamna’s criticism of the BJP was in response to Union minister Raosaheb Danve’s recent comments where it had said that BJP too will contest the polls alone.

Shiv Sena while pointing out that Congress is an important part of the alliance also said that if both national parties decide to fight the polls alone then the party has to join hands with the NCP.

“Nana Patole's party is in power in Maharashtra. Congress is an important component in Maha Vikas Aghadi. The 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly polls are far away, but major political parties are suddenly talking of contesting the elections independently. Are there any plans to have mid-term polls?” the editorial said.

“If the main political parties are speaking of going alone, the other two parties - Shiv Sena and NCP - will have to join hands in the interest of the state. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar have already spoken about it,” Shiv Sena further added.