MUMBAI: Following Congress's recent defeat in Haryana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has launched a scathing attack on the party, asserting that Congress has a tendency to turn potential victories into defeats
In its editorial in the mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena (UBT) criticised Congress for its overconfidence, which it claims led to the party's failure in the state elections, despite a favorable atmosphere.
The editorial highlighted that while the INDIA alliance celebrated victories in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress's decision to exclude AAP from the alliance in Haryana backfired, resulting in a significant loss. "The Congress should take a lesson from its defeat in Haryana," the editorial stated.
It was anticipated that Congress would perform strongly in Haryana, yet the party faltered due to the overconfidence of some local leaders.
The editorial pointed out that this is not an isolated incident, referencing similar situations in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The internal factionalism within Congress, it argued, has allowed the BJP to maintain its hold on power.
"While there was anger among the people of Haryana against the BJP and its policies, Congress failed to capitalise on this anti-BJP sentiment," the Saamana editorial asserted.
It noted that although Jat voters leaned towards Congress, other communities counter-polarized against it. The lack of a robust Congress presence on the ground contributed to this outcome. "Despite projections of a wave against the BJP, the opposite occurred," it stated.
Shiv Sena (UBT) expressed confidence that a similar fate would not befall the Maharashtra elections. "Maharashtra is different. Here, the MVA will emerge victorious. The Marathi people are opposed to Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, and the Modi-Shah duo, and they will vote against the Mahayuti in the upcoming state polls."
