Vidhan Parishad Election: 'Don’t Leave Us in This Position, Then Which Vehicle Should We Sit In?' Shambhuraj Desai Laments
Shambhuraj Desai said Shinde Sena was not invited to campaign for the Satara-Sangli council poll, signaling strain within Mahayuti.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Desai expressed anger that only BJP leaders were seen campaigning for Mahayuti candidate Dhairyashil Kadam in the Satara-Sangli Legislative Council race. After meeting Eknath Shinde, he also criticized the BJP’s go-it-alone approach and dismissed Sanjay Raut’s comments.
A party leader said his side was not asked to join a big election campaign, even though it is part of the group. It is like a school team planning a game without telling one player when to come.
Analysis
What happened
Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra tourism minister Shambhuraj Desai said his party had not been invited to participate in the campaign for the Satara-Sangli Legislative Council election, even though Shiv Sena is a constituent of the Mahayuti alliance. He said this while speaking to reporters in Bamnoli.
The immediate trigger was the campaign around Mahayuti candidate Dhairyashil Kadam. Desai noted that, so far, BJP leaders were the ones visible in both districts. When journalists asked whether he had received an invitation to campaign for the BJP-backed candidate, he responded with visible displeasure and questioned how the alliance expected Shiv Sena to be involved if it was not even invited.
Signs of strain inside the alliance
The article says Desai met Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday at Dare village in Mahabaleshwar taluka, where the two spoke for about an hour. After that meeting, Desai sharply criticized what he called the BJP’s go-it-alone approach. He said Shiv Sena and other alliance partners were not being consulted for meetings related to the Legislative Council election.
His comments suggest that, at least around this campaign, cooperation inside Mahayuti is not appearing smooth on the ground. The paper frames this as evidence that not everything is calm within the alliance over the candidate and campaign strategy.
His response to Sanjay Raut
Desai also responded to Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut, who had said that if Shinde Sena wanted to return, the doors of Matoshree were open. Desai rejected that remark, saying Raut should worry about his own side first and not act as if he could predict their future. The exchange added another layer to the political tension around the story.
Key points
- Shambhuraj Desai said Shinde Sena was not invited to campaign for the Satara-Sangli council election.
- He questioned how his party should participate if it was not even told where to join.
- Desai criticized the BJP’s go-it-alone approach and said alliance partners were not being consulted.
- He also brushed aside Sanjay Raut’s comment about the Matoshree doors being open.
- The article suggests tension inside Mahayuti during the campaign for candidate Dhairyashil Kadam.
If the alliance resolves the misunderstanding, all its partners could campaign together and present a more united front. That could reduce public friction and make the Satara-Sangli campaign look more coordinated.
If the exclusion continues, it could deepen mistrust between alliance partners and make joint campaigning harder. Public disagreement may also weaken the impression that Mahayuti is fully united in this election.
