Tiger with Clock sniffs Lotus in Shiv Sena's party symbol-filled post

While the saffron alliance - 'Mahayuti' retained power in Maharashtra Assembly polls on Thursday, the improved status of Shiv Sena and the diminished power of the BJP has put Sena on the front foot. This confidence was displayed on Friday by Sena's Rajya Sabha MP and Saamna editor Sanjay Raut, who tweeted a caricature of a 'tiger' smelling a 'lotus' indulgently while wearing a 'clock' (timepiece) around its neck. The caption on Raut's tweet read 'the wonder of a satire artist. Don't get offended, it's Diwali'. The cartoon tiger also has an open paw, with its claw out, alluding to Sena ready to strike.

Raut's satire on mandate

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Shiv Sena's growing power over BJP?

The cryptic caricature has raised many eyebrows on the Sena's growing power over its ally BJP. With BJP's diminished final tally of 105 compared to 122 in 2014 the Sena improved its strike rate securing 56 of 124 seats contested compared to 63 seats of the 282 seats. The tweet alluded to this fact, as Sena has also reminded CM Fadnavis of the 50:50 alliance agreed upon prior to the polls. Apart from this, posters were also spotted in Worli on Friday, demanding Yuva Sena chief and newly elected MLA Aaditya Thackeray be made CM; which has been a long-standing Sena demand. The above tweet seemed to allude to the power the Sena held now in Maharashtra over its ally, while talks about CM post will be held between the party chiefs.

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Shiv Sena- NCP alliance?

Meanwhile, the 'clock' featured on the cartoon alluded to the fact that NCP had allegedly offered an ally with Shiv Sena on Thursday, as the initial poll trends indicated that NCP and Congress had performed better than expected. Claiming that there is a rift between BJP and Shiv Sena, NCP's Nawab Malik had said, "Let's wait. Politics is all about the game of possibilities." Both NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Sena Supremo Uddhav Thackeray had denied any such offers and has refused to ally with each other, adding it will remain in 'Mahayuti'.

READ | Maharashtra Election Results 2019: Sharad Pawar mulling Sena alliance?

Poll results in Maharashtra 

The saffron alliance swept Maharashtra on Thursday, winning a combined tally of 161 (BJP- 105, Sena -56) to award CM Devendra Fadnavis a second term. But the comeback of the 'Maha- Agadhi' alliance (NCP-Congress) took the Mahayuti by surprise as the NCP bagged 54 seats while the languishing Congress too bagged 44 seats. Though the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will form the next government, it was handed a diminished mandate compared to 2014 where it won 185 seats.

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