Shiv Sena's hyperbole! Party defeated by BJP, but still believes no Modi wave

Mumbai, Oct 19: Senior Shiv Sena leader and former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi Sunday said there is no 'Modi wave'.

"There was no Modi wave... No...," he told TV channels shortly after meeting Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

On being asked about government formation in Maharashtra, Joshi said: "It would be decided in our style... Uddhav Thackeray will take the final decision in the matter."

The trends of the vote count by 1 p.m. indicated the state was headed for a hung assembly for the first time in its history.

However, BJP state president Devendra Fadnavis expressed confidence that the party would form the next government with its member as the chief minister even though all results were yet to be declared.

"Let all results come out... We shall decide our strategy later... Maharashtra's interests will be prime... BJP has performed exceedingly well all over the state," Fadnavis said.

The BJP is emerging as the single largest party but might fall far short of a simple majority - 145 legislators in the 288-member House - making it dependent on other parties to form the next government.

In fact, top BJP leaders have been already making conciliatory statements and friendly overtures towards its former ally of 25 years, Shiv Sena, since the trends started emerging in the morning.

IANS