'Sena support to Patil is part of deal with Cong'

New Delhi, June 26: BJP general secretary and former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Gopinath Munde today accused the Shiv Sena of having struck a deal with the Congress to support UPA presidential candidate Pratibha Patil against Vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Describing the Shiv Sena's decision to support Ms Patil due to her being a Marathi, as unfortunate and one which would be detrimental to the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra, Mr Munde alleged that under the deal, the Congress would ensure that state Revenue Minister Narayan Rane was not made the next chief minister of the state.

The BJP leader also argued the Shiv Sena support to Ms Patil on the issue of Maratha pride ''holds no water'' as the Bal Thackeray-led party had sent a number of non-Marathis to the Rajya Sabha, including Mrs Chandrika Kenia, Mr Mukesh Patel, Mr P K Dhoot, Mr Sanjay Nirupam, Mr Suresh Keshwani and Mr Pritish Nandy.

Besides, it was the same party which supported Mr Shekhawat as Vice-President against Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde, a senior Marathi politician, five years back.

He said the Shiv Sena's move was a serious setback to the NDA.

''How can the Shiv Sena be a part of NDA after supporting a Congress candidate, that too, against Mr Shekhawat?'' the BJP general secretary asked.

UNI