Sena hits out at BJP again, questions its victory in assembly polls

In an editorial in its publication Saamana, the Shiv Sena mocked the BJP for its motto of ‘Shat Pratishat, BJP’, stating the party wasn’t clocking even 1% in four of the five states that voted in new assemblies.

For a second consecutive day, the Shiv Sena poked holes in the BJP’s celebratory bubble for its performance in the state elections this week. Mocking the BJP for its motto of ‘Shat Pratishat, BJP’ (100 per cent, BJP), the Sena claimed the party wasn’t clocking even 1% in four of the five states that voted in new assemblies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP president Amit Shah after winning the Assam assembly election. Results of the 2016 assembly elections of five states were announced on May 19. BJP swept up votes in Assam for the first time, but barely registered any in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala. (Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times)

Despite being a part of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Sena argued against its alliance partner attributing its performance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s policies.

“If that was the case, then why did people in TN, WB not support the BJP, despite all their efforts? Must we believe that people supported Mamata and Jaya for implementing Modi’s policies correctly?” an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece, Saamana, questioned.

Read | Opening an account not equivalent to ‘acchhe din’: Sena on poll results

On Friday, the publication had questioned the BJP’s success for winning Assam, saying that opening an account in the other states didn’t amount to much.

“We have to admit that the BJP could not defeat the regional parties,” the editorial read.

In its latest attack, the Sena also took potshots at the BJP’s often-stated mantra of having a ‘Congress-Mukt Bharat’.

“In Delhi itself, its call for a Congress-mukt India failed when voters rejected the BJP in 7-8 of the 12 seats and Congress won about four seats in civic bypolls. In Tamil Nadu, the BJP couldn’t even open its account. But, it won’t be fair to say that the people of TN want the state BJP-mukt.”

This isn’t the first time the Sena has used the publication to criticise BJP and Modi. Last year, a Saamana editorial derided Modi, taking shots at his foreign tours and Bihar election campaign, among other issues.

Read | Shiv Sena taunts PM Modi in party mouthpiece Saamna, yet again