Expected more, but we are No 1, asserts Uddhav

In an unprecedented poll results, the Shiv Sena and BJP are at a close 84:82, not getting absolute majority for either of the two parties. Yet, not conceding defeat, speaking to the media after the results, the Sena president Uddhav Thackeray thanked Mumbaikars for voting for Sena in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Thackeray attributed the win to the Sainiks.

"But, whatever we have won, we have won on the merit of our Sainiks (workers). We are thankful to Mumbaikars who have kept their faith in us for the fifth consecutive time," he said.

Thackeray indicated that he is not in a rush to decide on the alliance and said that the party has not yet decided on the Mayor’s post.

He added that the party has done better than the last polls as it has won seats even in Muslim dominated areas. “What is the hurry to decide on alliance? Sweeten your mouths with the victory sweets. We have not thought about alliance. I only know the fact that we are number one party," he said.

The Sena chief, however, agreed that the party had expected more seats than the number of seats they have won."I am proud of our Sainiks and I am thankful to Mumbaikars who have kept their faith on us. He attributed the win to his Sainiks saying, “People have voted us on the merit of our Sainiks and our Sainiks have worked hard for it.”

Further elaborating on the missing names of voters, Thackeray alleged that it was deliberately done and the culprits should be punished. The polling day (Feb 21) witnessed chaos as the voters were unable to find their names in the voting list despite having voted in the last election. Around 12 lakh names of voters were missing from the voting list. The Free Press Journal had reported that names of residents of an entire building from Mulund were missing due to which around 150 people couldn’t vote.