Uddhav defends Bal Thackeray's comments on Mumbaikars over poll defeat

Mumbai, Oct.26 (ANI): Shiv Sena's Executive President Uddhav Thackeray on Monday defended party chief Bal Thackeray's recent remarks in an in-house editorial in which he blamed local residents for his party's defeat in the recently held State Assembly polls in Maharashtra.

Writing in an editorial in Shiva Sena's mouthpiece 'Samna' , Bal Thackeray blamed Mumbaikars (residents of Mumbai) for the defeat of the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata party alliance in assembly elections.

"Well, I did not visit various regions of Maharashtra for election purposes only. I have been going around since long and met the villagers, the farmers, and the tribals. I even undertook crusades against price hike and all these were not solely for elections. As for Balasaheb's editorial , it is a reminder for the Marathi people as to how hundreds of sacrifices took place. Since he (Bal Thackeray) is concerned about Marathis, he has vent his anger. The current issue is that we are not after power but whenever there is injustice, we will rise to the occasion," Uddhav Thackeray said here.

Congress-Nationalist Congress Party alliance, led by Congress Party won 144 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra state assembly.

The Shiv Sena fought the Assembly elections in an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But it miserably failed, as it could secure only 90 seats. The Shiv Sena could win only 44 seats and the BJP 46 seats. (ANI)