Exuding confidence that the Marathi voters who favoured Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combine in Mumbai during Lok Sabha polls would support Shiv Sena-BJP alliance during the assembly elections, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday that his party would regain trust of Mumbaikars.
"The Marathi manoos is grieving the division of votes and I am getting reactions from voters who voted for others that
they have committed mistake," Uddhav said, without naming the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, led by estranged cousin Raj Thackeray.
The MNS played spoilsport for the saffron alliance in the general elections leading to Congress-NCP winning all the six
seats in Mumbai. "However, the Sena performed well in rural areas. I thank farmers for reposing trust in us," Uddhav said.
"It is surprising that despite 26/11 terror attacks, blasts and flooding in the city, Mumbai voters still preferred Congress," Uddhav, who was flanked by all the 11 newly-elected
Sena MPs, told reporters at Sena Bhawan in central Mumbai. The Sena's tally in 2004 general election was 12.
Asked about the division of Marathi votes which resulted in defeat of Sena-BJP candidates, Uddhav in an apparent reference to Raj said, "The Sena did not use Marathi manoos for its vested interest."
Replying to a query, Uddhav said, "We did not take people of Mumbai for granted. In fact, the Sena-BJP alliance which
controls the Municipal Corporation here, has undertaken various development projects. During the Sena-BJP rule in the
state between 1995 and 1999, various projects were implemented in Mumbai."