'Thackeray's Afzal speech helped Sena'

New Delhi: Reacting to Shiv Sena’s sweeping mood in the BMC election, party senior leader Manohar Joshi said that Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s recent comment on Mohammed Afzal Guru's hanging had made an impact on the people.

"As the results indicate, the people's confidence in the Shiv Sena-BJP remains strong. I had predicted from the beginning that the Shiv Sena would get more than a hundred seats and that is what the trends indicate," PTI quoted Joshi speaking outside Thackeray’s residence.

Talking about Thackeray’s emotion appeal to the voters, Joshi said, "Balasaheb has always had a special place in the hearts of people and the issue he raised about Afzal Guru's hanging has made an impact in these elections."

"People thought that the Shiv Sena was finished after the exit of two leaders - Narayan Rane and Raj Thackeray - but we have proved them wrong," he added.

When asked about the MNS' performance in the Nashik civic polls where it seems to have eaten into the Sena's votes, Joshi said, "As far as I know we have won four seats so far. I do not know what anyone else has won. We will have to go into all that once the final results are out."

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