Bombay: The Shiv Sena has broken ranks with the NDA and pledged its support to the UPA’s presidential nominee Pratibha Patil. Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the party supported Ms. Patil as she was from Maharashtra. Sena chief Bal Thackeray said the party was constantly faced with the question whether it would support a “Hindu” or a “Marathi” candidate: “We are both Marathi and staunch Hindu.”
New Delhi: Former external affairs minister K. Natwar Singh of the Congress was a surprise signatory to the nomination papers of Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekawat for the presidential poll. Singh said he backed Shekhawat because he was a “son” of Rajasthan.
The Shiv Sena seems to be the KRV of Maharashtra: Myopic, militant, irrational toward civil rights or diversity.
The Sena has the right to support any candidate, but the reason cited is so parochial — not a sign of a mature or sensible party.
And check out Vijay’s blog to see why the left supported PP. One of the reasons:
She once had a relative who had a friend who was married to a Bengali.
Quite a funny list there….
http://bangaloreblues.wordpress.com/2007/06/26/why-the-left-agreed-to-support-ms-patil/