'Mahajan should do introspection'

As the Rajya Sabha member from Shiv Sena weighs his options, he reveals more than he has ever before to HT.

What was the reason behind your resignation? Was it Pramod Mahajan?
The trigger certainly was the Mahajan issue. I was asked to apologise on a statement I had made to a newspaper without even naming him. They kept pressuring me but how could I retract when I hadn't named him?

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Mahajan says he has nothing to do with the Nirupam episode. Any comment?
Mahajan should introspect and say if he really feels he has nothing to do. Isn't he the same man who asked the Sena to restrain Sanjay Nirupam and threatened to break-up the Sena-BJP alliance?

Aren't you being an opportunist... now that Sena is on the decline?
I don't think the Sena is on the decline. It is just that I find the Sena's ideologies faulty.

So, where now? Congress?
There are many options. Except BJP, all parties have been in touch.

Have you got feelers from Congress's Ahmed Patel?
Ahmed is a friend. Even Praful Patel is a friend. Sharad Pawar also called. People should not draw meanings from calls from them.