BJP won fewer seats, but strike rate better: Fadnavis

The Bharatiya Janata Party has won fewer seats compared to the 2014 Assembly polls, but its "strike rate" this time is better, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday.

He also thanked the people of Maharashtra for giving a "clear and decisive mandate" to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Fadnavis also said that the BJP and Shiv Sena will go by what was "pre-decided" between them on sharing of power.

He noted the BJP suffered in the state elections due to rebellion by some party leaders, but added that 15 of those are in touch with him.

Fadnavis, however, expressed shock at the defeat of party candidates Udayanraje Bhosale in the Satara Lok Sabha bypoll and minister Pankaja Munde in Parli assembly seat.

"I thank the people of Maharashtra for giving a clear mandate to the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance). No doubt, the next government will be ours," he said.

"In fact, it is time to celebrate and not analyse. But if we look at the result, the BJP had in 2014 contested 260 seats and won 122. This time, we fought 164 and are likely to get 105. Our strike is rate better, we won 70 per cent of the seats," he said.

Noting that he BJP received 28 per cent of the total votes in the 2014 Assembly elections, he said, "This time we have got 26.5 votes despite contesting 164 seats."

He also hit out at Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, saying the veteran leader said the opposition parties would ensure clean sweep in the election.

"We suffered only because of the rebels, they (opposition) need not be happy. We only are forming the government, they are far from being able to do that," Fadnavis said.

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