Maharashtra MLC poll results reflect impregnable BJP can be defeated by a united front, says Sena

Buoyed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi's victory in Maharashtra Legislative Council polls, Shiv Sena on Saturday said that impregnable BJP can be defeated if parties fight elections together.

"Elections were held for 6 seats of the Legislative Council, out of which Maha Vikas Aghadi won 5 seats. Graduate, Teachers Election Association is known as impregnable BJP bastion where well educated, well-settled voters preferred to vote for the BJP. This myth has been busted," read the editorial in Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana.

"The defeat of the BJP in Nagpur and Pune is a call of changed stormy air... We have seen how a miracle happens when all the groups of Congress, leaders come together. The Congress high command should also take cognizance of this victory. The BJP's pocket borough can be demolished by a united front, it is seen in Maharashtra," it said.

The editorial termed the results from Nagpur as "most shocking" stating that BJP suffered on the seat which it has been winning for the past several years.

"Teachers and graduates voted for Maha Vikas Aghadi everywhere in Maharashtra. The most shocking result has come from Nagpur. For the last five decades, the BJP has been victorious over the Nagpur Graduate Election Association," it said.

"The headquarters of the Sangh are in Nagpur, but despite the strong association of Sangh ideologues, Nagpur Mayor Sandeep Joshi had to accept defeat. The stronghold was tunnelled, now the foundation has been shaken," it added.

Sena also accused BJP of fielding rebels to bring down its numbers when both parties used to contest elections in the alliance.

"BJP-Shiv Sena used to fight together, then the BJP used to spoil the game by putting secret rebels in place to pull the leg of Shiv Sena. Now, this has not happened among the three, the BJP should learn a lesson from this," the editorial said.

Of the six seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council where polling was held earlier this week, the BJP could win only one while the MVA bagged four. Shiv Sena fielded candidate only on one seat in Amravati where too it suffered defeat.

The elections were held on December 1 for the six seats -- three Graduates' constituencies (Aurangabad, Pune and Nagpur), two Teachers' constituencies (Pune and Amravati), and one Local Bodies' constituency in Dhule-Nandurbar.

( With inputs from ANI )