The Hindu : National : Uddhav asks Pawar to rejoin Congress

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Uddhav asks Pawar to rejoin Congress

Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday suggested that Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar rejoin the Congress as his party did not seem to have any problems with Rahul Gandhi becoming Prime Minister.

Mr. Thackeray was replying to a question at a press conference to announce the entry of Congress corporator and office-bearer Vaibhav Naik from Kankavli into the Sena.

Mr. Thackeray said Mr. Pawar should explain why he formed another party in the first place — even if Mr. Pawar had forgotten, people had not and there was lot of evidence to show that he did form the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after he raised objections on the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin. At that time, Mr. Pawar had said the Congress had no self-respect. Now things seemed to have changed and may be he should go back to his old party, Mr. Thackeray said.

He also clarified that there was no question of any alliance between the NCP and the Shiv Sena. He said the Sena was part of the NDA and L.K. Advani was the Prime Ministerial candidate for the next elections. Sena chief Bal Thackeray had also backed this decision.

Reviving party

The Sena has appointed new office-bearers in Sindhudurg district to rejuvenate the party and take on its rival and former loyalist Narayan Rane, who hails from Malvan in this district.

Vaibhav Naik is the nephew of Sridhar Naik of the Congress who was murdered some years ago. Mr. Rane and his associates were accused in this case, but he was later acquitted. Vaibhav is one of the two new Sindhudurg district presidents of the Sena.

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