The Hindu : Front Page : BJP, Sena patch up

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Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007
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BJP, Sena patch up

Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena have patched up their differences declaring a “full stop” to the bickering that started with the presidential election.

Acknowledging that “distance” and “misunderstandings” grew after the Sena declared its support and voted for the United Progressive Alliance candidate Pratibha Patil against the BJP-backed Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, leaders of the two parties on Tuesday vowed to make their alliance stronger than before.

Happy turnaround

The turnaround in the 20-year-old political marriage, which was on the rocks, came at a lunch hosted by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani to Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

BJP president Rajnath Singh, general secretary Gopinath Munde and Maharashtra State president Nitin Gadkari were present. From the Sena, the former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi and Anand Geete, MP, took part in the discussions that led to the announcement that the coalition would continue.

“No need for divorce”

A press conference was addressed jointly by Mr. Thackeray, Mr. Munde and Mr. Gadkari at the residence of Mr. Joshi. “Our workers were keen on the alliance continuing,” Mr. Munde said. “After 20 years of marriage, they said, there was no need for a divorce.”

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