Shiv Sena celebrates Pratibha's triumph with sweets, crackers

Varanasi, July 21 (UNI) Shiv Sena here today celebrated Pratibha Patil's victory in the presidential poll by distributing sweets and bursting crackers.

Led by district unit president Gulshan Kapoor, the saffron brigade took to the streets distributing sweets among commoners to hail Ms Patil's victory to the country's highest office.

The Sena activists later burst crackers near the Chowk crossing, besides lighting colourful flares to mark the ascendency of Ms Patil as the first woman President of India.

Breaking from the NDA line, the Sena -- BJP's oldest ally -- had decided to support Ms Patil in the presidential poll much to the discomfort of its long standing political ally.

The Sena, however, has made it clear that it will back the NDA candidate in the vice-presidential poll slated for next month.

UNI