Thackeray lauds voters for showing way to entire nation

Taking a jibe at its ruling partner in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has suffered a defeat in the assembly elections in five states, the Shiv Sena president, Uddhav Thackeray, has congratulated voters for bringing in change into the states. Uddhav remarked that voters had ignored useless distractions, shown ‘courage’ and deserved congratulations.

“Voters did not think about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the distribution of money, muscle power or who was the alternative, but rejected whom they did not want.”

Thackeray added, while political parties keep winning and losing elections and the winners need to be congratulated in these five states, it is the people’s courage that should be lauded, as they have shown the way forward to the country at large.

Sena leader Sanjay Raut remarked sarcastically, "A word to the wise is sufficient." He also advised the BJP to introspect over the results. Speaking to the media at the state BJP headquarters, state party president Raosaheb Danve said the party had accepted the verdict in these five state assemblies with humility. He argued that the assembly elections were fought on local issues and would not have any impact on the Lok Sabha elections.

He further added, the assembly election results would not have any adverse impact on the BJP's ties with the Sena. Assembly election results in one state did not increase the bargaining power of parties in other states, argued Danve.