Not severing ties with Shiv Sena over Pranab: BJP

Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata P president Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Wednesday that the 25-year-old alliance with Shiv Sena would not be snapped although Bal Thackeray's party had extended support to Pranab Mukherjee for presidential polls.

"We (Shiv Sena-BJP and the Republican Party of India) will contest 2014 Assembly polls in the state together. Shiv Sena is an independent party and it is their decision. As they have extended support to Pranab Mukherjee it does not mean that we will snap ties with them," he said.

However, terming the Sena's backing Pranab Mukherjee as "unfortunate", he asserted that this decision would encourage the Congress party men.

"There is an anti-Congress wave in the country. We cannot take a decision that will strengthen the Congress-NCP and because of which our votes will get divided," Mungantiwar said while addressing a press conference ion Mumbai.

"If Pranab Mukherjee has assured Shiv Sena that after becoming the President he will hang Afzal Guru then, it's a good thing. Otherwise how much it will benefit the NDA and the people of the country is a big question," he said, while alleging that the United Progressive Allaince was protecting Afzal Guru (convicted in the 2001 Parliament attack case).

Stating that the BJP is not feeling "insecure" over increasing proximity of the Shiv Sena with the Congress, he exuded confidence that the NDA would emerge stronger in days to come.         

Recently, Shiv Sena had forged an alliance with the Congress in the Thane and Bhiwandi municipal corporations for mayoral elections, which led to eyebrows being raised in the BJP.