A clear divide has become visible between the BJP and the Shiv Sena over supporting the UPA-Left’s presidential candidate Pratibha Patil.

The Sena mouthpiece Saamna, edited by the party supremo Bal Thackeray, headlined the announcement of Ms Patil’s candidature as “historic moment, Marathi President,” giving indications about the likely choice it will make.
Shiv Sena commands certain votes whose valuation is 22,950 for the presidential polls.

The Sena has been the longest ally of the BJP on the basis of the shared ideology of Hindutva, but the party is also known for its strong pro-Marathi stance, always raising its voice for Marathi-speaking people.

Although the Congress’ earlier choice of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil was also a Marathi person, Mr Thackeray had openly opposed his candidature through the columns in Saamna, by questioning what good Shivraj Patil has done for Marathi people.

In the case of Pratibha Patil, the Saamna spoke of her two qualifications: she is a Marathi and a woman too.
At the same time, the party cannot ignore the BJP’s likely choice of Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Mr Thackeray has, therefore, convened a meeting of senior party leaders to take a final decision, the Saamna said on a front page report.

‘Different stand’

Interestingly, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut has already gone on record stating that the party will take a “different stand” than the NDA to support the Marathi candidate.

 At the same time, former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi, who was the Maharashtra chief minister between 1995 and 1999, pointed out that the Sena representatives occupied several important positions like the speakership and Union ministerships due to its alliance with the BJP, and it is now the party’s duty to support a BJP candidate.

Final choice

However, the final choice would be made by Mr Thackeray himself, he said. Giving mixed signals, an editorial in the newspaper said on Saturday  that though Sena adopted Hindutva ideology, it never abandoned the Maharashtrian pride, and in Pratibha Patil, a Maharashtrian would have the privilege to become the President.

 However, it took a dig at Pratibha Patil’s reaction in which she expressed gratitude to Sonia Gandhi.
“What else would she do? After such a favour from Sonia, to express gratitude is the thing to do as per Congress’ code of conduct,” it said.

The paper also took potshots at Sonia and Congress saying that “a non-Indian woman is wielding the whip and dictating terms”.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh described Pratibha Patil’s candidature as “a proud situation for all Maharashtrians,” and appealed everyone to “come together to elect a woman candidate”.