Thackeray Alliances Face Setback in BEST Polls: BJP Claims Victory

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) alliance suffered a major setback in the recent elections for the BEST Employees Cooperative Credit Society Limited, losing all 21 seats they contested. This loss comes as a strategic blow to the two parties amid speculation of a potential pan-Maharashtra alliance.

The BJP wasted no time in mocking the defeat, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticizing the politicization of the credit society polls by focusing on the 'Thackeray brand'. He remarked that the election results reflect a clear rejection by the public, as the alliance's claims of strength failed to materialize.

Despite downplaying the defeat, Sena (UBT) leaders emphasized that the elections were not a decisive factor for future polls. The polls were seen as a trial for their potential alliance, which ended in an unexpected victory for rival panels and underscored the waning influence of the Thackeray cousins in Maharashtra politics.

(With inputs from agencies.)