Shiv Sena mouthpiece scrambles editorial to negate KCR impact in Maharashtra

Saamna, the mouthpiece of Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction, has scrambled an editorial in an attempt to negate the impact that KCR’s hard-hitting speeches and public meetings have triggered in Maharashtra

Hyderabad: The words of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, as he exposed the failures of political parties and successive governments in Maharashtra, appear to be still echoing in the corridors of Matoshree.

Saamna, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction, has on Wednesday scrambled an editorial in an attempt to negate the impact that Chandrasekhar Rao’s hard-hitting speeches and public meetings have triggered in Maharashtra.

---

Attempting to dub the BRS as the ‘B’ team of the BJP, the editorial has tried to imply that the BRS will pave the way for the BJP to split votes that could otherwise go to the Shiv Sena.

“KCR is making an emotional appeal to the farmers of Maharashtra, seeking votes in the name of farmers. But the overall picture is that his party will pave the way for BJP to divide votes. BJP’s politics has always been like this,” it said.

At the same time, Saamna acknowledged what Chandrashekhar Rao has done in Telangana. It said that Chandrashekhar Rao’s role in the formation of the State of Telangana was huge and undeniable.

“It is equally true that if Rao had not fought, Telangana State would not have been formed. Rao became the Chief Minister of Telangana twice. Although he has successfully implemented many such schemes to improve the standard of living of the farmers there, no one can guarantee whether his party will remain in power in 2024,” it said.

After detailing Chandrashekhar Rao’s fight against the Centre’s intimidation tactics, especially against the misuse of central investigation agencies, it also alleges that BJP earlier ‘used’ All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi to divide votes and that the saffron party was now trying to exploit the presence of the BRS in Maharashtra.

Before Saamna, the Shiv Sena (UBT faction) MP Sanjay Raut, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar too had tried to play down the growing influence of the BRS in Maharashtra, stating that the party would not be able to expand its base in the State.