Mumbai: The BJP on Tuesday admitted that the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, played "spoilsport" for the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in the Lok Sabha polls in the state.
"We agree that due to MNS, the alliance lost seats,
especially in Mumbai and Pune," Maharashtra BJP president
Nitin Gadkari told reporters here.
"The alliance leaders did not anticipate that MNS would
play spoilsport in such a big way," he said.
Gadkari also alleged that NCP and Congress helped MNS
divide votes of the saffron alliance.
He, however, said his party is confident that the pattern
would not be repeated during the State Assembly slated in
October.
"People who voted for MNS are regretting because it
helped Congress retain power. We are confident that they will
not vote for MNS or Congress-NCP," he said.
BJP is also trying to concentrate on tribals, Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes voters, Gadkari said. The party
has set up a union for unorganised sector workers, he added.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 21:24