The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Saturday vehemently criticised the Bihar Assembly election results, alleging a "collusion" between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to secure the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) victory.
Shiv Sena-UBT said that the results were not surprising and reflected a collapse of public trust in the electoral process. The party’s remarks appeared in an editorial in its mouthpiece, Saamana, titled ‘Long Live Election Commission’, which sharply accused the Election Commission of India and the BJP of acting in concert during the polls.
The editorial carried a sharp remark asking, “When the watchman of elections himself helps the thieves, whom should the public trust?” It said the situation in the country had become serious and troubling, adding that it felt “as if the unlimited reign of the Kauravas has begun over the Mahabharata and there is no end to it.”
Calling the Bihar verdict “a scam in Indian democracy,” the editorial argued that elections had “lost their meaning under the Modi-Shah regime.” The piece stated that any celebrations in Delhi after the Bihar result, with “drums and trumpets,” should not be mistaken for a simple victory gathering. Instead, it described the scene as “a warning that the funeral procession of Indian democracy has begun.”
The editorial questioned the credibility of the elections and said the atmosphere in the country had become troubling. At the same time, the editorial added that the Constitution had the strength to withstand setbacks and that public resistance would continue.
According to the editorial, the Bihar verdict followed a pattern seen earlier in Maharashtra. It said the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which had expected a stronger performance in Maharashtra, failed to cross even 50 seats, and drew a parallel with the Bihar result where the Mahagathbandhan headed by Tejashwi Yadav suffered a heavy defeat.
The editorial said Tejashwi Yadav and his alliance had put up a determined campaign, but alleged that the ruling side still secured a large win. Commenting on the scale of the NDA victory, the editorial said, “Indian democracy has also collapsed unconscious on Bihar’s soil.”
The editorial criticised what it described as the overwhelming deployment of national political figures and resources in Bihar. It said one Prime Minister, several Chief Ministers, ministers, and legislators from different states were involved in the campaign.
It also pointed to the use of financial incentives and administrative machinery. The editorial said that the Prime Minister had transferred Rs 10,000 into the bank accounts of lakhs of women in Bihar shortly before polling and repeatedly told them at campaign meetings, “I will send the next instalment immediately, vote for BJP.”
It said the impact of this was evident in the final outcome in Bihar. According to the editorial, the arrangement now meant that “the BJP will rule Bihar by placing a disabled Chief Minister on the chair.” It added that the party had two Deputy Chief Ministers who had not been elevated earlier but might now see an opening.
If given that chance, it said, they would not hesitate to “sideline Nitish Kumar, take over his party, and secure the Chief Minister’s post.” The Saamana editorial also raised questions about the effectiveness of the “Voting Rights Yatra” taken out by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, saying the public had welcomed the campaign, but doubts now remained over how the votes had been counted.
It described the previous five years of governance in Bihar as unstable and criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that even his allies had grown unsure of him. It asked how someone seen as inconsistent in public life could continue to lead the state.
“How will such a disabled person take Bihar forward?” the editorial asked. The editorial said the BJP had repeatedly declared Nitish Kumar as its choice for Chief Minister, but the party had now secured more seats than its ally. It observed that such an equation might lead to further political churn in Bihar.
It added that the wider impact of the Bihar results on national politics remained to be seen. The editorial asked whether the Bihar verdict would hinder the wider effort to “protect democracy, Parliament, and constitutional institutions like the Election Commission in this country.”
According to the editorial, those in power made fresh development promises whenever elections approached, announcing schemes meant to address unemployment and poverty, while also influencing voters through direct cash transfers. It claimed that the Election Commission “watches all this silently” and that similar patterns were visible in Lok Sabha, Assembly, and local body polls.