Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena after Rutuja Latke’s win in the Andheri Assembly bypoll was declared on Sunday. BJP leader Ashish Shelar, however, claimed that Latke won because of the BJP, and not the Maha Vikas Aghadi, and said that if the BJP had contested the election, her defeat would have been certain.

Talking to media persons, Thackeray said, “Those who froze our election symbol and party name were not even around the election. We won this election with a new symbol and a new party name. This is the victory of Shiv Sainiks and the Congress, NCP, Communist party, Vanchit Aghadi and others who supported us. This is a start with a win. The BJP withdrew from the election as they feared defeat.”