Cong wins in Maharashtra

The result of the two important by-elections in Maharashtra has confirmed that Shiv Sena supermo Bal Thackeray is losing his charisma.

Revenue Minister Narayan Rane's victory margin got nearly doubled to 63,372 and Congress candidate from Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha constituency Priya Dutt scored a thumping victory, shows that, Sena is fast losing it's grip over Mumbai and Konkan, which were once considered to be the Sena stronghold.

Dutt got this lead despite the fact that merely 35 per cent votes were polled in this constituency.

First signs of senior Thackeray's losing charisma were seen in the last month's elections to the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC), a satellite township of Mumbai.

Where Saffron combine lost it's majority for the first time after corporation was created 10 years ago. This was despite senior Thackeray, personally going for campaigning for the minor civic polls.

Same story got repeated in Kankavli-Malvan by election, despite Sena's working president Uddhav Thackeray personally orchestrating party's campaign their and senior Thackeray addressing a rally Rane won by more than 60,000 votes.

It is also believed, these result would widen the divide between Uddhav and Raj Thackeray who is considered to be more charismatic and mass leader than his cousin but who has been sidelined for while.

However, so far Raj has avoided to take open stance of confrontation as he knows, taking on his cousin means taking on his uncle also, which is trying to avoid.

However Raj's reluctance to take go for show down is frustrating his supporters and they just might start, loosing their patience.

Priya Dutt secured margin which was almost seven times more than her father Sunil Dutt in 2004 general elections. This clearly shows, sympathy wave worked for Dutt. And Sunil Dutt's constituency of slum dwellers who constitute more than 40 per cent of the voter's strength in Mumbai North-West constituency, voted overwhelmingly for Priya Dutt.

Another fall out of these results, is going to be on the relationship of the two parties of ruling coalition, whose relations are already strained.

NCP which secured two more seats, in last assembly polls would found it difficult to digest the fact that, Rane supporter MLAs from Sena quitting their MLA's posts and then contesting the by-elections on Congress tickets which just might take tally of Congress beyond the NCP.

Besides this, a section of BJP leadership which always felt that, alliance with Sena has thwarted party's growth in the state will now put pressure on likes of party's national general secretary Pramod Mahajan who has been considered as an architect of BJP-Sena alliance.