Sena-BJP combine concedes defeat in Maharashtra

Mumbai: As initial trends showed that the Congress-NCP combine is surging ahead in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena-BJP combine on Thursday virtually conceded defeat in the assembly elections.

"If it is a defeat, it has to be accepted by everybody," Shiv Sena leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi said when asked if the party conceded defeat in the elections.

"We are thinking as to how these results have come. We never expected these results," he added.

Initial trends showed that the ruling Congress-NCP combine leading in 119 seats, while Shiv Sena-BJP combine ahead in 92 seats.

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Asked about the reasons behind the performance of the combine in the state, BJP state president Nitin Gadkari said, "If there is a defeat, it is a defeat of everybody. If it is a victory, it is everybody's victory. I don't want to blame anybody for the defeat."