Shourie explains disinvestment to Thackeray

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, NOV. 25. Mr. Arun Shourie, Union Minister for Disinvestment, spent about four hours here today with Mr. Bal Thackeray, Shiv Sena Chief, explaining the Government's standpoint on off-loading shares in public sector undertakings.

This follows Mr. Thackeray's missive- first-ever written since the BJP and the Sena became partners - to the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, asking that his party be taken into confidence before decisions were taken and implemented. The Heavy Industries portfolio is with Mr. Manohar Joshi, Sena's leading light after Mr. Thackeray. Mr. Joshi has been opposed to divestment in Air India, for instance.

Mr. Shourie's visit comes a day after a Sena delegation met the Prime Minister in New Delhi protesting against the unilateral ceasefire offered in Kashmir and the killings of truck drivers there after the offer was made.

Though Mr. Shourie did not mention this aspect much after his meeting with Mr. Thackeray, knowledgeable sources said ``one should not expect this meeting not to have touched upon the immediate issues''.

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