Service to people, Sonia's sacrifice got us votes: Shinde

MUMBAI, Oct 16 (UNI): A jubliant Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today attributed the Congress-NCP victory in the state Assembly elections to the Congress' service to the people and the sacrifice made by its leader Sonia Gandhi by rejecting the Prime Minister's post after the last Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to UNI exclusively this evening, Shinde said the Congress-NCP would now work together as per the roadmap laid down in their joint manifesto released before the polls.

"We won because of our work for the people of the state and we will continue with it," he said.

Asked to spell out some of the policy initiatives of the new state government, the Chief Minister reiterated that there would be no deviation from the assurances made to the voters before the elections.

Shinde was kept busy from morning as soon as the first trends in the counting of votes started coming in, by party workers and well-wishers wwho descended on 'Varsha', his official residence here, to greet him.

His office was chock-a-block with bouquets and cards wishing him luck.

Shinde said the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting will be held either tomorrow or Monday to elect the leader after which the alliance would lay its stake for forming the new government.

He hoped that by Monday, everything would be crystalised and the new government would well be on its way in the saddle.