Thackeray blames Muslims for defeat

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray is an angry man today.

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In an article in party mouthpiece, //specials.rediff.com/news/2004/oct/18samna1.jpgSaamna, Thackeray on Monday blamed anybody and everybody, except his own party, for its humiliating loss in the Maharashtra assembly election.

The Shiv Sena chief attributed the Congress-Nationalist Congress party's victory to strategic voting by Muslims and non-Maharashtrians against his party.

He said the Congress-NCP alliance and the country will one day pay dearly for relying on Muslims for winning elections.

Thackeray also warned that it will be mistake to rely too much on Sonia Gandhi. "When the country faces the crisis that the Congress is building by patronising  Muslims, Sonia will quietly pack her bags and leave for Italy with her children," he said.

Trying to boost party morale, Thackeray said he will address the party's annual 'Dushehra' rally. "There will be no change. We will all gather for the rally as we have done every year," he said.