BJP to review ties with Shiv Sena after Presidential polls

NEW DELHI: Angry over the Shiv Sena support to the UPA-Left candidate Pratibha Patil, BJP on Tuesday spoke of reviewing ties with its oldest ideological ally after the Presidential polls next month.

"We are pained over the decision. It was not proper to take a decision concerning the next President of India based on regionalism," senior party leader Sushma Swaraj told reporters, skirting queries whether the Sena had come under attack at the current national executive meeting of the party.

While the political resolution adopted by the meet made no reference to the Shiv Sena decision, senior party leaders from Maharashtra - Gopinath Munde as also state party chief Nitin Gadkari - cried foul accusing Sena of betrayal. Munde alleged that the Sena was into a deal with the Congress.

"Some of the remarks of the Shiv Sena were avoidable," Swaraj said apparently referring to Sena Chief Bal Thackarey's statement in which he had accused Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat of "bargaining" for votes as the NDA backed Independent candidate.

Despite a volley of questions on the issue, Swaraj said that right now the BJP's priority was to concentrate on Shekhawat's election by mobilising maximum support for him.

"We will review the ties with Shiv Sena only after the Presidential poll," she said.