In 2017, after Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) party broke away from the Mahagathbandhan grand alliance with RJD and the Congress to join with the BJP, Shashi Tharoor tweeted his ‘word of the day’: Snollygoster.
Citing the US dialect definition of Snollygoster, which means “a shrewd, unprincipled politician,” Tharoor had listed its first known use as dating to 1845 and its most recent use as on July 26, 2017.
Now, two years since, Tharoor retweeted his old post to refer to the recent events in Maharashtra politics, saying its most recent usage was now November 23, 2019, in Mumbai.
Correction: Most recent use: 23 November 2019, Mumbai https://t.co/W6KKVro1Ra
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 23, 2019
Like with many of the Thiruvananthapuram MP’s verbose moments, Snollygoster soon piqued the attention of netizens.
Some tried to turn it against Tharoor.
Sir, please tell if the usage is correct.
— ajay_prabhu_n (@ajay_prabhu_n) November 23, 2019
Amit shah saved Sonia gandhi from being a snollygoster today in Mumbai
Others tried their own hand at being a sesquipedalian (someone who uses big words).
Snollygoster , perfect ! How about Demagogue and rabble rouser clandestinely and hugger muggerly in cahoot with coterie proved once again in kakistocracy tyrannical have the last laugh. The chicanery and skulduggery dwarfed democracy.
— Hukum111 (@hukum111) November 23, 2019
The word Snollygoster possibly originates from the Pennsylvania German language “schnelle geeschter” which means “swift spirits”.
The Maharashtra Assembly Elections, held in October, resulted in a split outcome, with no single party earning a majority in the state. While the BJP and Shiv Sena were initially poised to take control using their alliance, the partnership soon broke apart after the Shiv Sena demanded the Chief Minister's seat for their role in the coalition.
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The Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena then tried to form a coalition and form a government. By November 22, the plan was to make Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray the CM—although negotiations between the parties were still ongoing. On Friday night, the BJP pulled a surprise move by enticing Ajit Pawar—nephew of Sharad Pawar—to join the BJP, bringing several NCP members along with him. On Saturday morning, the Governor of Maharashtra swore in Devendra Fadnavis as the CM.
Doubts remain over how many NCP MLAs had defected with Ajit Pawar, with only a floor test being able to prove the coalition government’s majority. Since then, Ajit Pawar has been removed from his post as head of the NCP legislature. The Supreme Court on Sunday asked the Centre and the Maharashtra government to show the letter by the Governor inviting them to form the government as well as the letter of support by Fadnavis.