The Shiv Sena on Friday threw the ball in the Bharatiya Janata Party's court on the issue of ties between the two parties, saying it "always considers the BJP as our friend" and has "no problem" with the National Democratic Alliance.
The statement by Shiv Sena executive president Udhav Thackeray came a day after BJP's parliamentary board discussed the future of its ties with its alliance partner in the wake of the Sena's decision to vote for United Progressive Alliance candidate Pratibha Patil in the presidential election.
Thackeray told PTI from Mumbai that his party would take a decision on its stand in the vice presidential election scheduled for August 10 once the BJP clarifies the situation and the Sena's status with regard to the NDA.
Noting that his party has no problem regarding the NDA, Thackeray said the Sena supported Pratibha because she is a Maharashtrian.
He also said the Sena was "not apologetic" about its action in any way. On Thursday night, BJP top brass, including Lal Kishenchand Advani and party chief Rajnath Singh, met for the first time after the presidential election in the backdrop of the party's statements that it would review its ties with the Sena after the July 19 presidential poll.
They heard party leaders from Maharashtra, including Gopinath Munde and Nitin Gadkari.
The state BJP leaders had been harsh on the Shiv Sena for supporting Pratibha, and leaders like Munde even alleged that the Sena had entered into a secret deal with the Congress, a charge rejected by the party.
While the BJP is the senior partner in the alliance at the national level, the Shiv Sena is the bigger party in their combine in Maharashtra.
After Thursday's meeting of the BJP leaders, there were no signs of the party parting company with the Sena despite tough posturing by some leaders.
BJP chief Rajnath Singh is in touch with Thackeray on the issue of supporting Najma Heptulla, the NDA candidate in the vice presidential election.
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