Shiv Sena wants 'Hindutva rubber stamp' as next President of India

Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, which has backed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as the next president, on Friday called for installing a "Hindutva rubber stamp" at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Shiv Sena, which shares power with its ally BJP in Maharashtra, stated that the country needs a person who can seal its fate as a 'Hindu Rashtra' and who can resolve issues like the "Ram Mandir" and Article 370.

The party expressed its views regarding the upcoming presidential election in a fiery article published in its 'Saamana.'

"So far, rubber stamps with secular credentials resided at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Now, to resolve the issues of Ram Mandir, Uniform Civil Code and Article 370 of the Constitution, it is required that a Hindutva rubber stamp assumes the post of president," the article said.

Uddhav Thackeray's party has made a strong pitch in favour of incumbent RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as the next president.

Bhagwat, 66, however, said that he is not interested in the president's post.

The Sena editorial comes nearly a month ahead of the presidential contest which is due to be held on July 17.

The BJP, however, is hopeful of securing the support of the Shiv Sena's contingent of 18 MPs and 63 MLAs.

Shiv Sena, which has been backing Bhagwat, calculated that 23 constituents of the NDA have 48 percent vote share for the president's post among themselves while the UPA, with its 17 constituents, has 26 percent vote, on paper.

Shiv Sena, which had embarrassed BJP in the last two presidential elections by backing rival candidates, yesterday said it may take an "independent" stand in the upcoming poll.

It had in the 2012 presidential poll backed UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee while the BJP supported P A Sangma for the post.

In 2007 as well, the Sena ignored NDA's presidential candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and instead voted for UPA candidate Pratibha Patil, who hailed from Maharashtra.

Interestingly the Sena article heaped prise on President Pranab Mukherjee and said that people like him and Dr A P J Abdul Kalam have ensured that the honour of the post is maintained.

"Though Pranab Mukherjee hails from the Congress lineage, he has been an able and a strong president. His wide experience in various fields has proved immensely beneficial for the country," said the editorial.

With PTI inputs