Mumbai, Jan 19 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (SS-UBT) remarked on Monday that those who supported the BJP-Shinde coalition in Mumbai have effectively sealed a "death warrant" for the city.

It implies that the annals of Maharashtra will remember the winners not as leaders but rather as the state's "assassins".

In its official publication, 'Saamana', the Thackeray faction contended that even though the BJP-Shinde coalition triumphed in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), their victory is marginal, boasting a mere four-seat advantage.

Notwithstanding their hold on state power, substantial financial backing, and the "endorsement" of the Election Commission, the ruling coalition barely managed to secure a win, they argued.

In the wake of the recent municipal elections across Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his appreciation to the public, attributing the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) victory to their approach towards "good governance".

However, the editorial presented a more contentious narrative surrounding the results, marked by claims of administrative bias and the sidelining of local interests.

"Prime Minister Modi has conveyed his gratitude to the public for endorsing the 'NDA' in the state municipal elections. He stated that the enthusiastic populace has blessed the NDA's governance strategies. Concurrently, BJP workers applauded Chief Minister Fadnavis for his leadership in this recent victory in Maharashtra. They argue that Fadnavis deserves accolades for his adept utilization of power that led to this electoral success. In truth, all municipal commissioners, district collectors, and police officials behaved like BJP operatives, facilitating Fadnavis's triumph," the editorial alleged.

It further claimed that the Election Commission of India has become compromised by "corruption", now merely functioning as "cats" that ignore voter grievances.

The editorial emphasized that the focus was primarily on the Mumbai election outcomes.

Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly abstained from campaigning in Mumbai, possibly due to the "fear of defeat" faced by the BJP.

"Although the combined tallies of the BJP and the Shinde-led Sena suggest a majority, it is a fragile margin of just four seats. More than 100 corporators from Shiv Sena, MNS, Congress, and others will occupy the opposition benches, rendering this 'hundred' more influential than the slender majority of four. A majority is as unstable as mercury and could easily slip away. This likely explains why the elected members of the Shinde faction have been 'confined' in hotels," the editorial claimed.

"Where is the 'Chanakya-level' cleverness in this? Would this result have been achievable if Fadnavis were not the Chief Minister? Akhilesh Yadav was not mistaken when he remarked that it is challenging for the opposition to contest local body elections when the ruling party possesses state power," the editorial expressed.

The Thackeray faction asserted that despite the coalition's numbers, the "Marathi heartland" of Mumbai remained loyal to the Thackeray brothers, with Shiv Sena and MNS candidates prevailing in predominantly Marathi-speaking regions.

In contrast, the BJP's victories were largely concentrated in non-local "outsider" areas. It cautioned that the BMC operates under this "good governance" framework, which facilitates the involvement of corrupt elements, with historic centers at risk of becoming hubs for "mafias and goons".

The editorial also underscored the unexpected emergence of the AIMIM, which secured over 100 seats across various corporations, including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nanded.

It alluded to a "hidden strategy" behind this growth, aimed at fragmenting the Congress vote bank to the BJP's advantage. Nonetheless, while the NDA claims authority over 23 out of 29 municipal corporations, reports indicate that in at least 17 of these, the BJP relies on "crutches" (allies) to sustain its power.

The Congress maintained its position in Kolhapur, spearheaded by Satej Patil, and achieved success in Chandrapur.