Bal Thackeray to announce Sena's decision on President

Mumbai, June 18 (UNI) Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray will soon announce the party's stand on the Presidential candidate, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said today.

However, he was non-committal on whether it will be announced during tomorrow's Sena foundation day meeting or after that.

Talking to reporters here, Uddhav Thackeray said senior Sena leader Manohar Joshi also indicated this at a NDA meeting in New Delhi.

NDA endorsed the support to Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as the Presidential nominee.

He said Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA-left Presidential candidate Dr Pratibha Patil have been calling up Sena chief and 'this is good', he said.

The BJP leaders were also in touch with the Sena, he said adding that their 23-year-old alliance is bound to continue in future also.

Refusing to answer any questions on whether he considers Dr Patil, whose roots are in Gujarat as a Maharashtrian or what would be the stand on Hindutva issue, Thackeray Junior said ''Shiv sena chief will clear all the queries''.

He admitted that Bharatiya Janshakti leader Uma Bharati had sent a fax to Sena chief, stating that a person willing to resolve the Ram mandir issue should be elected as President.

''We have several expectations from the President and did not approve of the stand taken by President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam on Mohmmad Afzal Guru,'' he added.

UNI