Mahayuti’s MLC poll setback sparks blame game; BJP points finger at Shinde’s Sena

Mumbai: The ruling Mahayuti alliance’s poor showing in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections has opened rifts within the coalition, with the BJP accusing the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena of failing to support its allies in key constituencies.

The Mahayuti won only two of the five teachers’ and graduates’ constituency seats, while the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi secured three. The BJP’s defeat in Nagpur, considered a party stronghold and home to the RSS headquarters, proved especially damaging.

The result also embarrassed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had earlier posted a social media jibe describing the Congress as a “Big Fat Zero”. He deleted the post after Congress candidate Abhijit Vanjari won the Nagpur graduates’ seat.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Fadnavis for mocking the Congress online. “Coming on social media to mock the country’s principal Opposition party is puerile,” he said, adding that the Nagpur outcome showed graduates had put the BJP in a difficult position.

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar said the loss was significant because Fadnavis had personally campaigned in Nagpur and tried to persuade rebel candidates to withdraw. He said the result should serve as a warning against the “arrogance of power” and congratulated Vanjari.

Rather than accepting collective responsibility, senior BJP leaders directed their criticism at the Shiv Sena. Party spokesperson Navnath Ban alleged that the Sena did not extend expected cooperation in Pune and Nagpur.

He claimed that the Sena’s last-minute support for independent candidate Sachin Sanap in Pune divided the Mahayuti vote and hurt the BJP candidate. Ban also alleged that state minister Abdul Sattar campaigned against the NCP in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

“By supporting Sachin Sanap at the last moment in Pune, the Sena dealt a blow to the unity of the Mahayuti,” Ban said. He argued that the alliance could have won all five seats had its partners coordinated properly.

BJP leader Keshav Upadhye also called for introspection, asking why the Mahayuti managed to win only two seats despite what he described as a clear opportunity to sweep all five.