Overconfidence due to surveys over seat-sharing caused losses to us: Shiv Sena leader

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat on Thursday claimed that changes made based on surveys over seat-sharing and overconfidence due to it caused losses to them in the Lok Sabha polls.

The ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the NCP headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, on Tuesday won 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

As part of the alliance, the Shiv Sena contested 15 seats and won 7.

The BJP contested 28 seats and won 9, the NCP fielded candidates in 4 seats and bagged 1, while their ally RSP contested 1 seat and lost it.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, whose constituents include the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), won 30 seats.

Speaking to reporters here, Shirsat said they accept the mandate given by the people. But instead of criticizing others, it is more important that they rectify their own mistakes, he said.

"The true epicentre of our seat-sharing was surveys. The changes that were done in the name of these surveys caused losses to us and I accept it clearly. Someone brings one survey, someone comes with another. This survey says this...this survey says that...we had overconfidence due to these surveys. We faced losses due to this," he said.

The mistakes that have happened will be rectified and all the parties in the Mahayuti will see to it that they are not committed in future, Shirsat said.