A day after the results of Maharashtra polls were out, the Shiv Sena was back to its usual self when it targetted its ally BJP saying that the outcome is a lesson for those who are high on power.
"The mandate has rejected the notion that elections can be swept by engineering defections and splitting opposition parties," said an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, whose editor is Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.
The editorial seems to carry the sentiments of Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
"It was no maha janadesh," it said in an apparent reference to the state-wide tour of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Taking a viewpoint of opposition, the Saamana editorial said opponents can't be finished in politics.
The BJP broke the NCP in such a manner in run-up to elections that people wondered if the party had any future, but the NCP bounced backcrossing the 50-seat mark, while a leaderless Congress won 44 seats, it said.
"The results were a warning to rulers not to show the arrogance of power... its a rap on their knuckles," it said.
"The BJP tally came down from 122 (in 2014) to 105 (in 2019), whereas the Shiv Sena's tally also saw a decrease (from 63 to 56)...as many as 25 seats have gone to other smaller parties (and Independents). This shows people have said beware...if you show the arrogance of power...," the editorial said.
The mandate has rejected the BJP's thinking that elections can be swept by engineering defections and splitting opposition parties.
People have also taught a lesson to turncoats, it said, referring to large-scale desertions from the NCP- Congress to the ruling camp.
The editorial also referred to the Satara Lok Sabha bye-elections in which NCP's Shrinivas Patil defeated Udayanraje Bhosale, the 13th descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
"The chief minister declared that since Udayanraje is with BJP, Shivaji Maharaj's blessings are with BJP. Still, Satara defeated Udayanraje," it said.