Maharashtra polls verdict: Big mood swings at Matoshree

MUMBAI: Chants of 'Wagh ala re Wagh ala, Shiv Sena cha Wagh ala' (The Tiger has come, The Tiger has come, Shiv Sena’s Tiger has come) rent the air outside Matoshree, the residence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, on Sunday afternoon even as the party was trailing BJP by more than 40 seats and its former alliance partner had surged close to the 110.

The seemingly incomprehensible enthusiasm among the party workers sprang from the realisation that the Shiv Sena had halted the BJP juggernaut well short of the half-way mark in the assembly elections. Their confidence that the BJP would have to approach the Shiv Sena to form the government, after parting ways just ahead of the polls, was reason enough for the party workers to celebrate.

However, as the clock ticked, the mood turned sombre at Matoshree as the party workers realised that the BJP had crossed the 120 barrier and the Nationalist Congress Party had offered outside support to the BJP. As realisation dawned that the NCP’s public offer had left the Shiv Sena with little bargaining power, the celebrations ceased and Uddhav Thackeray remained ensconced with a select group of party workers to come to grips with the election results and consider the constricted options afresh.