The Samajwadi Party, which has won four seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, on Thursday expressed satisfaction that it had retained its “support base among the minorities and secular-minded people”.

The BSP had contested 281 of the 288 seats in Maharashtra but failed to open its account in the state. Spokesman of SP, Rajendra Chaudhary, said: “Though the chief minister misused public funds in the Assembly elections of other states and tried to whip up passions, it failed to find favour with the electorate there.” He added that even the Dalit electorate was amazed at the “five-star lifestyle of Dalit ki beti”, who has only concentrated on erecting statues and building parks.

Asked about BSP’s dismal show in Maharashtra, party general secretary Suresh Mane, who is based in Mumbai, said: “The BSP expected to win five to seven seats, but the votes cast in favour of the party did not convert into seats.”

Blaming the Third Front and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Mane added: “While the Third Front was strategically used by the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, the MNS was used by the Congress. We were marginalised in the process.” The party, however, has marginally increased its vote share to 5 per cent from 4.16 per cent in the 2004 Assembly polls. The Third Front comprising the Left parties, SP, JD(S), Republican Party of India and smaller Maharashtra-based parties like Shetkari Sangathana and Peasants and Workers Party won 9 seats.

On the debacle in Haryana, where the BSP has won just one seat, Mane maintained said the split in the pre-poll alliance with Bhajan Lal-led Haryana Janhit Congress worked against the interest of the BSP. Haryana Janhit Congress won six seats. The BSP had contested 86 out of the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana.