Poonam Mahajan seeks Uddhav Thackeray’s blessings

“Poonam is like someone from our family. We are happy that she is in the fray and wish her all the best,” Uddhav told reporters after meeting her at the Thackeray residence `Matoshree’ in suburban Bandra.

“The Mahajan and Thackeray families share old ties. I will be voting for her as she is contesting from my Lok Sabha constituency,” the Sena leader said.

Poonam, who is taking on the sitting Congress MP Priya Dutt,said, “Uddhavji is like my elder brother. I came to seek his blessings and am confident of victory.

“Giving one vote to Congress is akin to voting for corruption, while a vote for BJP will be a vote for development,” Poonam said.

Poonam, a BJP secretary, has a tough task on her hands as Dutt, the daughter of late actor-politician Sunil Dutt, had won comfortably last time from this constituency.

Dutt had secured 48 per cent of the total votes polled in 2009; BJP’s Mahesh Jethmalani was not even close to the halfway mark. He managed to secure a mere 21 per cent votes. The MNS candidate came in third with 19 per cent votes.