New Delhi: Advising BJP that it should not get swayed by its performance in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena has asked its alliance partner to keep its feet on ground in view of the part's debacle in the by- elections.
The advice comes in the wake of BJP's poor performance in recently concluded by-poll elections.
"Keep your feet on ground. Don't get swayed by the frenzy of victory in Lok Sabha polls. Only those who learn this lesson will win Maharashtra. Or else the public will do the needful,” the party said in the editorial of its mouthpiece ‘Saamna'.
"This is a big lesson for Maharashtra elections. This is for everyone. Our feet should be on the ground. These results are not only surprising but also unexpected," added the editorial.
It should be recalled that Shiv Sena and BJP are trying to bargain hard in order to extract maximum number of seats for upcoming assembly elections in the state.
The Shiv Sena is insisting on contesting 150 seats out of 288 seats in Maharashtra assembly. The BJP, on the other hand, buoyed by its success in Lok Sabha elections in the state is pushing for greater share in seat sharing.
"In Lok Sabha polls, BJP made great strides in UP but now the bypoll results have been the opposite. This is a lesson for Maharashtra polls. It is a lesson for all. Don't take people for granted," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.
"People's minds are fickle. It is their decision. The bypoll results are lesson for October 15 Maharashtra Assembly polls. It is a lesson for all," the Sena said.
"Keep your feet on ground. Don't get swayed by the frenzy of victory (in Lok Sabha polls). Only those who learn this lesson will win Maharashtra. Or else the public will do the needful," the Sena said.
The BJP was dealt a severe blow in its strongholds in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat when it lost 13 of the 23 seats held by it there while the Congress put up a surprise showing in two of these states in the Assembly by-elections.
The Sena mouthpiece said, "The bypoll results should not be linked to the Modi wave. It should be noted that there is a difference between general and state elections."
"Modi is doing a great job at international level," it said.
"Who is to blame if the work done by Modi in 100 days hasn't percolated down," it said.
Swami Adityanath raised the 'love-jihad' issue but the bypoll results show that it did not have any impact, Sena said.
"Nobody should credit Sonia or Rahul Gandhi for Congress performance in the latest bypolls," it said. Similarly, nobody should also claim that the results are a mandate against Modi, it added.
The strong remarks in the Sena editorial are being construed as a warning for BJP to tone down its demand for more seats to contest in the Maharashtra polls.
BJP president Amit Shah is expected to discuss seat sharing issue with Sena in a meeting with his party's senior state leaders in Mumbai today.
