When the Battle is Lost, Who do You Blame? Sanjay Raut Certainly Knows!
Date: Nov 24, 2024 01:12 PM IST
Sanjay Raut’s party could win only 20 out of 95 seats it contested in the Maharashtra election.
Sanjay Raut, that bold leader from the Shiv Sena (UBT), recently reeled off some spectacular commentary after his party’s crushing defeat in the Maharashtra assembly election. Losing out on 75 seats? Ouch! That’s enough to make even a seasoned comedian cry into their jokes!
With election results sharper than a well-aimed punchline, Raut took to the airwaves claiming that Justice DY Chandrachud had somehow empowered the defectors by leaving them in limbo regarding their disqualification petitions. Now, that’s a legal saga that sounds more like a sitcom than real life! Raut was on fire, suggesting Chandrachud’s name will go down in history “in black letters.” I mean, talk about dramatically overcooked metaphors! Perhaps next he’ll be saying that Chandrachud will be in the history books next to “Voldemort.”
The numbers are in, and they’re bleak: 20 seats for Raut’s party against the 95 it contested. Meanwhile, the Congress, in true ‘hold my beer’ fashion, managed to snag only 16 out of 101 seats. Sharad Pawar’s NCP? A dismal 10 seats. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if we find all these parties hitting the karaoke bars for some much-needed therapy.
Let’s rewind a bit. Back in 2022, Uddhav Thackeray was knocked off his throne by a little rebellion led by none other than Eknath Shinde—who promptly popped over to the BJP camp and revived his political career as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. You know what they say, right? If at first, you don’t succeed, try defecting! Raut criticized this turn of events, implying that Chandrachud threw open the doors and windows of democracy, and boy, did the defectors come rushing in!
Post-election, Raut expressed a tinge of sadness—”but not disappointment”—which is like saying you’re mildly irritated after losing a game of poker, but hey, you still love the cards. He also claimed that the “division of votes” and the RSS’s “poisonous campaign” were to be blamed for this electoral catastrophe. You’ve got to love a good blame game! It’s like a round of musical chairs, but instead of chairs, it’s seats of power.
In jest and in truth
In a particularly cheeky jab at the BJP, Raut suggested that the swearing-in ceremony for the new government should be held in Gujarat—a nod to where the BJP often shines brighter than a freshly polished trophy on a mantelpiece.
And so, as we sit back, sipping our chai or perhaps something a bit stiffer, it’s clear the electoral landscape of Maharashtra is shifting faster than you can say “unfounded optimism.” With the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance sweeping over 230 of the state’s 288 seats, Raut and his party might need more than just sharp rhetoric to get back in the game.
Justice Chandrachud may have retired, but the drama certainly won’t be taking a break anytime soon. After all, in politics, the show must go on—or at least the blame must be deftly passed around. Stay tuned, folks; this is far from over!
Nov 24, 2024 01:12 PM IST
Sanjay Raut’s party managed to secure only 20 of the 95 seats contested in the recent Maharashtra election.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut voiced his discontent on Sunday, asserting that former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud played a pivotal role in empowering political defectors by failing to address their disqualification petitions. This criticism was launched shortly after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance suffered a disheartening defeat in the Maharashtra assembly election.
Sanjay Raut further declared that Justice DY Chandrachud’s legacy would be forever stained in history for enabling defections. “He (Chandrachud) has removed the fear of the law from defectors. His name will be inscribed in black letters in history,” he remarked, as reported by news agency PTI.
Sanjay Raut pointed out that by neglecting the disqualification petitions, Justice Chandrachud kept the pathway open for political defections, complicating the political landscape.
In a significant electoral setback, Sanjay Raut’s party could secure merely 20 out of the 95 seats it contested during the Maharashtra assembly elections, starkly reflecting the decline in their political influence. The Congress party, too, fared poorly, capturing only 16 out of the 101 seats it contested, while Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP) managed to win just 10 seats.
The political struggle intensified in Maharashtra when, in 2022, Uddhav Thackeray was ousted from power by his confidante, Eknath Shinde, who defected with a substantial number of MPs and MLAs from the Shiv Sena party.
After his defection, Eknath Shinde allied with the BJP and assumed the role of Chief Minister of Maharashtra, altering the political dynamics in the state.
When Thackeray sought legal recourse, the apex court shifted the responsibility of addressing the disqualification petitions to the assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, who later deemed the Shinde-led faction as the authentic Shiv Sena.
Reflecting on the electoral outcome, Raut expressed a mix of sadness and resolve, stating, “We are sad but not disappointed. We will not leave the fight incomplete.” He attributed the election loss to the division of votes and claimed that the RSS played a significant role in influencing the campaign negatively against them.
In a sharp critique directed at the BJP, Raut quipped that the swearing-in ceremony for the new government could just as well be held in the neighboring state of Gujarat, highlighting the perceived political maneuvering.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance triumphed in the election, securing over 230 seats out of the 288 total available, with the BJP emerging as the largest single party in Maharashtra.
It is noteworthy that Justice Chandrachud retired from his position as Chief Justice on November 10, 2024, marking the end of a notable tenure.
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What implications do the recent electoral results have for the future strategies of traditional parties like Raut’s Shiv Sena faction in Maharashtra?
Otes and pointed fingers at the BJP’s campaign strategies, calling it “poisonous.” Raut’s remarks underscored the continued volatility and fragmentation within Maharashtra’s political landscape, suggesting that the recent elections have only added more layers to the existing drama.
The elections have indeed reshaped the political map of Maharashtra, with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance dominating, capturing over 230 of the 288 available seats. This result highlights a considerable shift in voter sentiment and indicates that the traditional parties, like Raut’s Shiv Sena faction, are struggling to regain footing.
As Sanjay Raut laments the dismal performance of his party while simultaneously placing blame on Judicial failures and election dynamics, it becomes evident that Maharashtra’s political theatre is far from over. With ongoing power struggles and undercurrents of dissatisfaction simmering among the electorate, it remains to be seen how the opposing parties will regroup and strategize for the political future ahead.
Moreover, the allegations against Justice Chandrachud and the judicial system hint at a deeper discontent that could influence upcoming political narratives. As the dust settles from the recent elections, all eyes will be on how Raut and his allies navigate their political future and whether they can resurrect their influence in a landscape increasingly dominated by the BJP.
while the electoral results are indeed sobering, the political implications are vast, and the fight for relevance will undoubtedly continue in the months to come. Let’s keep our popcorn ready for what could unfold next in this ongoing saga of Maharashtra politics.