Hailing the victory of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance candidate in the bypoll to Kolhapur North Assembly constituency, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said the result showed that playing "dirty politics" over the issue of loudspeakers at mosques and recital of Hanuman Chalisa did not work.
Congress-MVA candidate Jayashri Jadhav on Saturday bagged 96,176 votes, while BJP's Satyajeet Kadam polled 77,426 votes. Ms. Jadhav emerged victorious by a margin of 18,750 votes, election officials said.
The by-election to this Assembly segment in Kolhapur district of western Maharashtra was necessitated following the death of sitting Congress MLA Chandrakant Jadhav due to COVID-19 in December 2021. Jayashri Jadhav is the late legislator's widow. Congress shares power with Shiv Sena and NCP in the state.
"When the campaign was at its peak in Kolhapur, the issue of loudspeaker at mosques and Hanuman Chalisa was brought up. But the people of Kolhapur have given them the answer and the loudspeakers have been removed. The politics of loudspeakers has ended today. Everybody knows who was behind the loudspeaker issue...," Mr. Raut said while targeting the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the opposition BJP.
In his two rallies held earlier this month, MNS chief Raj Thackeray had warned that if loudspeakers were not removed from mosques, then Hanuman Chalisa would be loudly played in front of these religious places. He also gave an 'ultimatum' to the state government to take action on his demand before May 3. The BJP has supported him over his demand.
Talking to reporters in Nashik, Mr. Raut further said, "Over the years, we have been celebrating Hanuman Jayanti and Ram Navami with religious fervour peacefully. But this time there were communal riots on the day of Ram Navami. This did not happen in the past. There were riots in 10 states on Ram Navami. Creating riots wherever there are elections and winning the polls is the BJP's strategy now." The Sena MP alleged that attempts were being made to create a communal discord in the states going to polls in a few months. The Hijab issue was over after the Uttar Pradesh elections and now new issues like loudspeakers have come up, he said.
"In 1987, Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray gave a call for Hindutva and won the Vile Parle by-election. Some people are a cheap copy of the late Sena supremo. But it is of no use...Those who have taken Hindutva on rent should not teach Hindutva to us. Those who boast of reciting the Hanuman Chalisa cannot say even the first two stanzas of it by heart. They cannot even recite the national anthem and Vande Mataram," Mr. Raut said in comments apparently targeted at Raj Thackeray.
"Creating communal riots and winning elections is a pattern and package now. But it will divide the country into pieces. Playing loudspeakers up to the permissible decibel limits are allowed...The politics of loudspeakers is leading to social unrest. Even the two great Hindutva leaders – Swantantryaveer Savarkar and Balasaheb Thackeray did not raise the issue. No one should do it," Mr. Raut said.
"With the result of this bypoll, this dirty politics has ended," he said.
Mr. Raut visited the famous Kalaram temple in Nashik in the morning, where he offered prayers.
Meanwhile, NCP spokesman Mahesh Tapase said the people of Kolhapur have given a "befitting reply to BJP's communal politics".
