Ties with Sena intact: State BJP chief

He was talking to the media during a meeting of party’s state unit. The meeting, attended by national general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal, Gopinath Munde, Bal Apte, Kaptan Singh and Vamanacharya, discussed various issues, including the future of the alliance with the Sena and plan of action for the coming civic polls in Nanded.

Gadkari said the meeting was not a reply to the Sena’s recent meeting where chiefs all district units of the party demanded snapping of ties with the BJP. “This meeting was organised according to the programme of Ram Lal. The Shiv Sena and the BJP are two separate parties and each has its own identity and right to take steps to expand the party. We respect their demand (to break ties), but till today our alliance is intact and we can talk on this issue,” Gadkari said.

The ties between the Shiv Sena and the BJP, which have been allies for the past 23 years, soured after the Sena decided to support Pratibha Patil, the UPA nominee, in the presidential election. Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray had earlier stated that it was for the BJP to decide, before August 10, on whether to continue the alliance with his party so that the Sena could take a firm stand on the vice-presidential election.

Asked if he is responsible for driving a wedge in the alliance, Gadkari said: “After the bypoll to Ramtek, Uddhav Thackeray had openly lauded my, as well as BJP worker’s efforts and he gave us equal credit for the Sena candidate’s victory. How can anybody hold me responsible for a possible break in ties?”

On the controversy surrounding the Wakf Board land deals, Gadkari said: “There is huge corruption in the land deals in Aurangabad and other parts of the sate. The Congress-NCP Government has sold Wakf Board properties for peanuts. We have published booklets in Urdu and Marathi to expose the corruption. We are getting huge responses from Muslim leaders and the Government will have to face the issue in the coming Assembly polls.”