Pratibha Patil thanks Thackeray for Sena support

Mumbai, July 19 (UNI) UPA-Left Presidential nominee Pratibha Patil today telephoned Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray after the close of polling and thanked him for his party's support to her.

This is the second time Ms Patil spoke to Sena supremo over telephone. The first time was when Mr Thackeray had announced his support to her candidature for being a Maharashtrian.

Ms Patil's telephone conversation assumes significance in the backdrop of her cancelled visit to Mumbai as part of her campaign because a section of the Congress was opposed to her personally calling on the Sena chief at his residence in suburban Bandra during her visit here.

Yesterday, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil visited the Thackeray residence 'Matoshree' and thanked him on behalf of the UPA for his support to Ms Patil. They are also said to have apprised Mr Thackeray the circumstances for which Ms Patil could not make it to Mumbai.

All Shiv Sena MLAs and MPs cast their votes in Vidhan Sabha together, after paying homage to martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement at Hutatma Chowk here this morning.

UNI