MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, 27 June 2007 — Stung by the Shiv Sena’s decision to back the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Pratibha Patil for the Indian presidency, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday vowed to review its relations with its oldest ally after the July 19 presidential poll.
In the process, the Shiv Sena dumped Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the BJP-backed independent candidate and the main challenger to Pratibha.
Expressing unhappiness over the Shiv Sena move to support Pratibha over her Maharashtra origins, BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said the development had “saddened” the party. But she refused to say categorically if the BJP would sever its long-standing links with the Shiv Sena.
“We are not surprised with the Shiv Sena’s attitude but saddened. We will examine the BJP’s relationship with Shiv Sena after the presidential election. Right now we are concentrating on (the presidential election,” she said.
In a written statement, Bal Thackeray said Shekhawat was contesting as an independent because he wanted the votes of all parties and this, he reckoned, amounted to horse-trading. “It would be great to have a Marathi lady in Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2010 when Maharashtra state turns 50,” he said.
Reacting to the BJP threat to break off alliance with the Shiv Sena, the working president of the Sena Uddhav Thackeray addressing a press conference said in Mumbai yesterday: “It is our desire and wish that our alliance with the BJP should not be over, as we consider the BJP as our friend and trusted ally.”
Proceedings on the final day of the two-day BJP National Executive meet in the capital were dominated by the Sena’s decision while matters such as a strategy for the 2009 general elections and the coming Gujarat elections were given a go by.
“We are saddened on two counts because the Sena decided to support a candidate on the basis of regionalism. The president is elected for the entire country, not from a region,” elaborated Swaraj.
“If we (BJP) had put up a Bengali candidate, would the communist parties have voted for him? By the same token, now that Shekhawat is our candidate, will the Rajasthan Congress support him?” she queried.
When specifically asked about Maharashtra BJP President Nitin Gadkari’s remarks that the Sena’s action was “anti-national” and “anti-Hindutva,” Swaraj kept mum.
BJP General Secretary Gopinath Munde alleged that the Shiv Sena had betrayed his party by not backing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-supported candidate. “This is betrayal. The Shiv Sena is in a deal with the Congress,” Munde charged, alleging the Sena had agreed to throw its weight behind Pratibha in exchange for a guarantee that former Sena leader Narayan Rane, who is in the Congress, would not be appointed the Maharasthra chief minister ever.
Congress Seeks Disqualification of Natwar From Rajya Sabha
The Congress yesterday sought the disqualification of former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh as Rajya Sabha member after he proposed the name of Shekhawat for the presidential election.
Congress leaders also said their move was an indirect attempt to embarrass Shekhawat as he is the competent authority to decide the disqualification issue in his capacity as chairman of the upper house of Parliament.
