Uddhav seeks answers from BJP over support to Patil

Mumbai, July 25 (UNI) The Shiv Sena, while referring to the BJP's allegation that the party's support to Ms Pratibha Patil in the Presidential elections was a "betrayal", sought to know whether the same applied to the Trinamool Congress and the Janata Dal (S).

In an interview, appearing in Sena mouthpiece ''Saamnaa'', party executive president Uddhav Thackeray justified his arty's stand and said the party had supported Ms Patil by virtue of her being the first Maharashtrian woman to occupy the top post.

''We supported Ms Patil on the grounds of her being a Maharashtrian, and not the Congress,'' Mr Thackeray said, citing the example of Giani Zail Singh who was supported by entire Punjab, and the Akali Dal as well, during the then Presidential election. The Sena executive president roted that P V Narsimha Rao was supported by N T Ramarao for the prime minister's post, while entire West Bengal came to the streets when Saurav Ganguly was removed from the Indian team. Even Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee took up Saurav's cause, he pointed out.

Mr Thackeray pointed out that the Janata Dal (S) with whom the BJP is sharing power in Karnataka, had abstained from voting in the presidential elections and had, therefore, indirectly helped Ms Patil. The Trinamool Congress did the same thing and the party had not even voted for Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in the last vice-presidential elections also, Mr Thackeray pointed out.

The National Conference also voted for Ms Patil, he said and wanted to know what the BJP had to say about this. ''They too are your allies, aren't they?'' Mr Thackeray asked the BJP.

Replying to a question on the continuation of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, Mr Thackeray said, ''I don't think the BJP leaders will commit the mistake of severing ties with us. At a time when Hindutva parties were considered 'untouchables'' in the country, it was the Shiv Sena which stood by the BJP then.'' UNI