<p>"This was a family visit. We have close relations with the Thackerays for the last several years. I know Uddhav, Raj from my birth. And after the incident in Delhi, the Thackerays stood by us firmly," she said.<br /><br />"I felt it was my duty to visit and express gratitude to them on behalf of my family."<br /><br />Pawar was slapped by a youth in New Delhi earlier this week. It was condemned across the party lines, and Bal Thackeray had said that the incident was reprehensible.<br /><br />Asked if she carried any message from her father -- whose party, NCP, is a partner in the ruling coalition with Congress in Maharashtra -- for Bal Thackeray, Sule said, "Balasaheb is like my uncle....My father can meet him directly. He would not need me to be intermediary."</p>
<p>"This was a family visit. We have close relations with the Thackerays for the last several years. I know Uddhav, Raj from my birth. And after the incident in Delhi, the Thackerays stood by us firmly," she said.<br /><br />"I felt it was my duty to visit and express gratitude to them on behalf of my family."<br /><br />Pawar was slapped by a youth in New Delhi earlier this week. It was condemned across the party lines, and Bal Thackeray had said that the incident was reprehensible.<br /><br />Asked if she carried any message from her father -- whose party, NCP, is a partner in the ruling coalition with Congress in Maharashtra -- for Bal Thackeray, Sule said, "Balasaheb is like my uncle....My father can meet him directly. He would not need me to be intermediary."</p>