Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday could breathe in "freedom"'. That is how he described the return of his adult franchise.
Thackeray's right to vote had been suspended for eight years after he was indicted for making inflammatory comments during one of his speeches at a previous election rally in Maharashtra.
"I hope to live to be eighty (he is 77) and vote again, '' Thackeray told reporters after casting his vote in Mumbai North West constituency.
The Sena chief described elections as a big gamble.
"It is like horse racing. If your horse wins, well okay. If it does not, well, it is good money down the drain. But despite that the gamble has to be undertaken.''
The Sena supremo reiterated his earlier stance over a possible alliance with the NCP at the Centre: If that ever happens, then the Sena will keep out of the Government, but stay with the BJP out of respect for the Prime Minister.
Thackeray took the moral high ground on this issue stating that for years now and even at this election he had been highly critical of Sharad Pawar.
"I have been calling him all sorts of names. People have been hearing me call him those names and they know how much I dislike him. Then to become part of an alliance with him at the Centre would be cheating the people. And I cannot do that.''
{{/usCountry}}"I have been calling him all sorts of names. People have been hearing me call him those names and they know how much I dislike him. Then to become part of an alliance with him at the Centre would be cheating the people. And I cannot do that.''
{{/usCountry}}Thackeray's acerbic comments soon prompted BJP leader Gopinath Munde to state, "Our friendship with Thackeray is more important to us than a possible alliance with Thackeray.''
As is his wont, Thackeray seems to have had his way with big brother BJP, which needs to be on the tiger's right side if it wants to win the Assembly elections this September.