Sena flays BJP for demanding separate ministry

Mumbai, July 12: Even as the ''natural allies'' Shiv Sena and BJPdisagreed on the Presidential candidate, the rift between the twoparties seems to be widening with Sena mouthpiece ''Saamna'' todaystrongly criticising the BJP for its demand for a separate ministry tooversee Mumbai affairs.

An editorial, ''Ha suddha vishwasghatach (This, too, is betrayal),said a separate ministry for Mumbai implies a first step towardsseparating the metropolis from Maharashtra. Such a demand is a betrayal.

Recently, Mumbai BJP chief Prakash Mehta had submitted amemorandum to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh making sucha demand.

The editorial, while flaying the demand, pointed out that 105 persons had been martyred over Maharashtra's formation.

The editorial also touched upon the Sena's disagreement with theBJP over the Presidential candidate and referred to senior BJP leaderGopinath Munde's remarks in this regard.

Mr Munde, while speaking to reporters, had observed that althoughthe Shiv Sena continues to be an ally, its ''different'' stand on thePresidential election is nothing but ''betrayal''.

The editorial said it is because of the Shiv Sena that no one hasbeen able to divide Maharashtra although there are some elements whowant to form a separate state of Vidarbha.

The BJP was supportive of the separate Vidarbha demand but retracted the demand after its alliance with Shiv Sena.

The edit recalled that earlier also there were attempts to form aseparate ministry for Mumbai when Sharad Pawar was the Chief Ministerbut even he did not commit this ''sin''. No one should dare to appointa separate minister for Mumbai, it cautioned.

UNI