We lost seats due to Muslim consolidation behind Sena (UBT): Shrikant Shinde

“The Mahayuti also suffered because of the Maratha agitation,” Shinde told HT in an exclusive interview

Mumbai: Newly elected Shiv Sena MP and chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde said the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) trumped the ruling alliance in the state owing to polarisation and the consolidation of Muslim votes behind Shiv Sena (UBT), which he termed as a temporary phenomenon. “The Mahayuti also suffered because of the Maratha agitation,” Shinde told HT in an exclusive interview. Edited excerpts:

Kalyan India - June 17 2023 Pics. Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde in Kalyan with BJP leaders resolving conflicts during inauguration of a bridge and party conclave in Kalyan on Saturday: .Pics by Pramod Tambe. on Saturday . in India 17 2023 (Photo by Pramod Tambe HT)

What were the lessons the Shiv Sena learned from the Lok Sabha 2024 poll results?

This election was fought on polarisation. The opposition started a campaign of ‘Samvidhan Bachao’ and incited Muslims and Dalits. If you see, our candidates lost in Muslim-dominated areas as voters rallied en masse behind opposition candidates. They spread lies and we could not break the narrative. It’s dangerous for the nation when voting happens in this manner.

Besides, shuffling of our candidates and delay in announcing some names cost us four to five seats such as Nashik, Ramtek, Yavatmal Washim, Hingoli and South Mumbai. This should not have happened. Candidates should have been selected earlier.

What went wrong in South Mumbai?

Our candidate lost in South Mumbai only because of minority votes.

Shiv Sena (UBT) has been claiming that four MPs affiliated to your party are in touch with them.

This is not true – they have gone mad and must be put in an asylum.

Shiv Sena depended entirely on the BJP for declaration of candidates and poll strategy. Why did your leaders not have a final say?

This is not true. We have a coalition government and the three parties chose candidates together. But, surveys to gauge winnability led to delays in announcement of candidates. This could have been done in a better manner.

Has the poll performance stalled the entry of new faces into Shiv Sena from the Thackeray faction and other groups?

New people will come. It is an ongoing process – a lot of people are coming to us and more will join in future. Our vote share is also better than the Thackeray faction’s. We got 14.5% votes while they got 4.5%. The vote bank of Shiv Sena (UBT) comprising Muslims and Dalits is temporary and will not be with them on a permanent basis. They voted with vengeance in this election because of false propoganda. This won’t work every time. We are the original Shiv Sena.

Did the BJP machinery wholeheartedly help you in the polls?

We fought as a coalition government and all cadres worked together in all constituencies.

The Shiv Sena has got a raw deal in the state cabinet and many MLAs are dissatisfied.

This question can only be answered by the chief minister and the deputy chief ministers.

How many seats will your party ask for in the assembly polls?

Let us see. We will ask for maximum seats, but have not decided on a number as it is too early.

What impact did the Maratha agitation have on the polls?

It affected us in Marathwada. Even though we provided reservation to Marathas without touching the OBC quota, a false narrative was created.

Did the split in the Shiv Sena affect your party’s prospects?

We secured 14.5% votes only because we are the original Shiv Sena. In Mumbai itself, we got two lakh more votes than Shiv Sena (UBT). In Sambhaji Nagar, our candidate Sandipan Bhumare was the winner, the AIMIM candidate Imtiyaaz Jaleel was the runner up, and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Chandrakant Khaire came third.

These factors show that Shiv Sena (UBT) won only because of minority votes. This is true of Mumbai as well as Parbhani. The INDIA alliance too won in Bhiwandi because of minority votes.

When will civic polls be held in Maharashtra?

I really don’t know whether it will be held before or after the assembly polls.

What plans do you have for Kalyan over the next five years?

I want bring in more development, such as a separate dam for supplying water to Kalyan and Dombivali. We want to revamp schools under the KDMC and zilla parishads, aligning them with CBSE standards. We also want to have a robust mechanism for health in my constituency.