Chatterjee should have followed party directive: Joshi

Thane, Aug 3 (UNI) Senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi today said decision of Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee not to quit office after his party's directive was his personal decision, but as per protocol, he should have relinquished the office.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 19th Thane Mayor Varsha Marathon here, Joshi, a former Lok Sabha speaker, said, ''Mr Chatterjee got the office due to his party. He should not have forgotten this and obeyed the party directives.'' ''Even I was the speaker of the Lok Sabha and I never forgot that I became the speaker due to my party, which was instrumental in my growth.'' Replying to a query regarding the incident that took place on Saturday, in which an angry mob of Sainiks attacked party rebel MP Tukaram Renge Patil and Renge subsequently pulled out a revolver, Mr Joshi said it was an outburst of angry Sainiks.

''Any betrayer of the Sena knows as to how the Sainiks react and this was just their reaction and nothing more,'' he added.

Regarding Uma Bharati and the recent outburst by her, he said it was an outcome of provocation by some political parties. Once anyone is out of the party, that person indulges in such acts, Joshi said.

''She might have been provoked by the Samajwadi Party or the Congress,'' he said.

Replying to another query regarding the role of Thane in the next general elections, he said Thane is the district which will decide as to who will be the next Chief Minister of the state.

''Thane is the bastion of the Shiv Sena,'' he added.

Earlier, as chief guest, he flagged off the Thane Mayor Marathon, in which several thousands, including large number of children, participated.

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