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Friday, Jan 21, 2005

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National

Pawar should come back: Thackeray

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, JAN. 20. The Shiv Sena leader, Bal Thackeray, says he is willing to be conciliatory with the Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, to be able to establish Maratha rule in the country but he calls him ``a slave of that foreign woman.''

In an interview to his party organ, Saamna, he said: ``We were great friends... but unfortunately we are separated. Had we remained together, nobody else would have dared us and nobody else would have had an upper hand in New Delhi,'' Mr. Thackeray said.

Asked about the possibility of achieving such a clout, he said that one could not clap single-handed. Mr. Pawar should also be willing to ``come back and desire to build Maharashtra and control the country.''

But the Sena chief would not commit himself that he would accept Mr. Pawar's hand of friendship, if extended. He did not want Mr. Pawar to be his ``slave'' like he is of ``that foreign woman'' but he should consider how to build Maharashtra and bring the Marathas back to power in the country. He would not approach Mr. Pawar on his own but expected the NCP leader to come back to him.

``Where has the bravery and self-respect and pride of Chhatrapati Shivaji gone?,'' he asked.

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