Sena says support to Pranab, not to Cong

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The UPA’s presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee, who has got support of over 20 political parties, will meet Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray when he visits Mumbai next month.

Mr Mukherjee has already spoken to Mr Thackeray twice to seek the Shiv Sena’s support in this election.

Mr Mukherjee, who will begin his campaign from Saturday (June 30) from Chennai, will visit Hyderabad, Bengaluru the next day. He will go to Lucknow on July 3 and is expected to visit Mumbai on July 13.

In Mumbai, he will meet the MPs and legislators of the UPA and the supporting parties who have backed his candidature.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday made it clear that the Shiv Sena supremo backed Mr Mukherjee keeping in mind the national interest. The Shiv Sena’s support to Mr Mukherjee should not be construed as a support to the UPA or the Congress, he said.

Mr Raut said the Shiv Sena’s stand with regard to the presidential election has been clear and consistent. The nation needs a Rashtrapati who has standing, calibre and acceptability across party line. “Balasaheb wanted this election without a contest,” he said. Mr Raut, who is also the leader of the Shiv Sena Parliamentary Party in the Rajya Sabha, said his party did not sign a set of Mr Mukherjee’s nomination papers deliberately.

This is because it is neither part of the UPA or the supporting party and has been playing the role of Opposition in Parliament and in Maharashtra.