Saamna: Raj split Marathi votes,helped Cong-NCP

Uddhav had handled the partys campaign in the state in the absence of his ailing father,Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. Under fire from his estranged and more aggressive cousin Raj,who is pitching himself as a natural successor to his uncle,Uddhav saw his party draw a blank in Mumbai,with the victory of Anand Paranjpe in neighbouring Kalyan being the only saving grace. The Sena-BJP also lost in Nashik,Pune,Thane and Bhiwandi,primarily due to the vote split caused by the MNS.

The MNS which entered the poll fray in the name of Marathi pride has betrayed the Maharashtrians, said a news item in the Sena mouthpiece headlined He Manaseche paap,Mumbai Marathi dwestyanchya haati This is the sin of the MNS,Mumbai is in the hands of the Marathi haters. Due to the MNS,the Congress-NCP alliance,which has decided to hit out at the roots of Maharashtrians and placate the migrants has managed to get elected on all seats.