Bangalore: BJP on Saturday said it differed with
its ally Shiv Sena's "Mumbai for Marathis" campaign, but
asserted that it would not break its alliance with that party.
"Our party president (Nitin Gadkari) has made our stand
very clear, that we consider entire India as one unit,
including Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of caste, creed, sex
and religion," senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu told
reporters here today.
"People have got equal rights to go anywhere, settle
anywhere and do anything permissible by law," he said.
"As far as that particular issue (Shiv Sena's) is
concerned, my party president has already clarified (it) and
we stand by that statement and we have differences of opinion
with Shiv Sena on this particular issue".
The senior BJP leader said that in a democracy, political
parties do have differences and dismissed the Congress'
suggestion to break its alliance with Shiv Sena.
"On the basis of one issue, you make or break an
alliance?," he asked.
Pointing out that Congress had differences with NCP and
some of its other UPA allies like DMK, he wondered if they
would break their alliance.
Asked if the BJP would continue with Shiv Sena, Naidu
replied in the affirmative.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 06, 2010, 16:04