The outcome of the BEST credit society election has triggered a fresh political storm, with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena launching scathing attacks on Uddhav and Raj Thackeray after their joint panel failed to win even a single seat out of 21. BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar, and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, slammed the Thackeray cousins after the panel backed by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) drew a blank in the high-profile cooperative credit society election.
Fadnavis said the election was unnecessarily politicised. “People rejected the panel led by the Thackeray cousins as they did not like the politicisation of these elections,” he told reporters. The BEST cooperative credit society comprises employees from both the transport undertaking and the electric supply department. Out of 15,093 eligible voters, 12,366 cast their ballots on Monday. Results declared on Tuesday showed the BJP leader Shashank Rao-led panel winning 14 seats, while a BJP-backed panel secured 7. The UBT Sena-MNS alliance, however, failed to open its account.
This was the first election after Uddhav and Raj Thackeray buried their differences and hinted at a broader political alliance for the “pride of Maharashtra.” Despite multiple joint meetings and campaigns, the results have come as a major setback. Many observers are calling it a litmus test ahead of the crucial BMC polls, given that most of the credit society’s voters are Marathi.
Shelar mocked the cousins, saying, “If you add zero plus zero, the answer will be zero. This is the victory of Mumbai and Marathi people.” The results have intensified the ongoing war of words between the BJP and the Thackeray camps. While UBT and MNS leaders claim the polls were a “local matter” and not an indicator of BMC elections, BJP leaders insist Marathi voters are rallying behind development, not dynasty.
UBT leader Sanjay Raut downplayed the outcome, saying: “This is not even a prelim exam, let alone the final test.” On the “Thackeray brand,” Raut maintained: “Thackeray is and will always remain a brand.” Shinde, however, quipped: “If one doesn’t work for the welfare of people, the public can cut any brand down to size (Lok brand cha band vajavto).”
Taking a swipe at the Opposition’s frequent criticism of EVMs, Shinde added, “These elections were held with ballot papers. Now the Opposition has no EVM to blame.” Sandeep Deshpande of the MNS said, “The BEST election results should not be seen as a litmus test or curtain raiser to the upcoming civic polls.”
