Mumbai: Admitting that the results of Maharashtra Assembly polls were not to their expectations, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and Shiv Sena today (Oct 16, 2004) said they accepted the people's verdict and would play the role of an aggressive and constructive Opposition.

"The results are not to our hopes and aspirations but people are god and we accept their verdict," BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan and Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane told a joint press conference in Mumbai.

"BJP and Shiv Sena served the people with total sincerity and dedication but may be there were few lapses on our part because of which we could not capture enough seats to rule the State," Mahajan said.

Final Party Position for Maharashtra Assembly

However, Mahajan did not subscribe any reasons for the "below expectation" performance of BJP saying it was too early to comment and the party would introspect only after going through all the results.

BJP and Sena combine got just eight to ten seats less each as a result of which it has to sit in the Opposition, Mahajan said.

To a question, Mahajan disagreed that both BJP and Sena had failed to raise the issue of non-performance of Democratic Front (DF) Government effectively.

"We did raise this issue as well as other issues against the DF Government and are satisfied with our poll campaigning but ultimately we have to bow down to the people's verdict," he said. The BJP general secretary said he was accepting total responsibility for the party's performance in Assembly polls.

However, Mahajan disagreed that his career graph may go on a decline due to party's "below expectation" performance.

"I am a small man and my future is linked to my party's future. In the last four months we did our best to strive for BJP's victory and I do not feel guilty for party's performance", he said.

Mahajan said the Assembly results would not affect the relationship between Sena and BJP and both would continue to serve the people just as they had done in the past 25 years.

"We are in the habit of sitting in Opposition and therefore shall not feel tired of serving the people," the BJP general secretary said.

Mahajan said BJP had lost Chembur, Matunga and Khetwadi seats in Mumbai with a slender margin but disagreed that the party's defeat could be attributed to the lack of support from a particular community.

Rane, answering a question, admitted that there was rebellion in Shiv Sena at few places but disagreed that the party had fared badly in Konkan region. He said in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts, Sena had fared reasonably well.