Happy over defeat of anti-Marathi Karnataka govt: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: Shiv Sena, the alliance partner of BJP in NDA, is "happy" over the defeat of the "anti-Marathi" government in Karnataka even as it asserted that BJP will do well in upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

"Though nobody expected Congress to win in Karnataka, I am personally happy that the BJP government which always meted out injustice to the people in border areas is dislodged from power," Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said. Uddhav, however, added that BJP should not perceive his comments as criticism by the alliance partner. "My statement is in no way criticism of BJP, but a condemnation of a particular government that overlooked the aspirations of the people from the border areas," he added. Maharashtra and Karnataka have been at the loggerheads over the status of the border areas dominated by Marathi-speaking people in the southern state. Uddhav also criticised Congress for "mistreating" Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka. Seeking to offer some solace to BJP which is smarting under the humiliating defeat, Uddhav said that BJP`s performance in Karnataka will have no bearing on the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "BJP will win Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as it is strong enough there," he said. Expressing hope that the new government will be "sensitive" to the border dispute, the Shiv Sena president congratulated two candidates of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) for getting elected. PTI