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Shiv Sena versus BJP

The BJP’s charge that the Shiv Sena has betrayed its oldest alliance partner by extending support to the UPA’s presidential candidate, Pratibha Patil, appears strange. While it finds fault with the Sena for siding with a Maharashtrian, it does not seem to find anything wrong with Natwar Singh, technically still a Congressman, who signed the nomination papers of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat — independent candidate backed by the NDA — because he is a son of Rajasthan. If the Sena has committed an act of betrayal by dumping its long time ally, how is one to describe the BJP’s act of dumping Uma Bharti and Madanlal Khurana?

Basheer Ahmed,
Bangalore

The BJP says Vice President Shekhawat is a non-partisan candidate though it is well known that he is a committed RSS worker. It has no right to accuse the Sena of going against coalition dharma because the BJP-led NDA has not put up its own candidate. Just as the BJP supports an independent, the Sena has decided to support a Maharashtrian. As for Natwar Singh who signed Mr. Shekhawat’s nomination papers though the party to which he belongs has put up its own candidate, it would have been commendable had he resigned as MP before signing the papers. It is lamentable that the august office has been thoroughly politicised by all, including the present incumbent.

M.E. Manickavasagom,
Nagercoil

I do not see anything wrong in the Sena pitching for Ms. Patil because she is a Maharashtrian. The States have been reorganised on the basis of language and ethnicity. It is but natural for a person to feel elated when someone belonging to his region achieves something. Don’t Maharashtrians take extra pride in Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar’s achievements? When Viswanathan Anand became the world champion in chess, Tamils did feel more proud. Let us not read too much into a natural human tendency.

N. Nageswaran,
Chennai

The Sena’s decision to support Ms. Patil is a major setback to the NDA in general and the BJP in particular. That regional parties have grown in strength over the years to the extent of posing a major challenge to national parties is a cause for serious concern. The Sena’s support will no doubt help Ms. Patil emerge successful. Slowly and steadily, the NDA is slipping from the BJP’s hands. It will be a Herculean task for the party to realign its forces before the 2009 general election.

Inamdar Ramchandra,
Bangalore

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