Mumbai: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray once referred Senas saffron ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as "Kamalabai" because of its election symbol, Lotus. On Wednesday, he equated the partys relations with BJP with that of a quarrelling husband-wife.

"It is like this couple we once had as neighbours. The husband used to beat the wife each morning; and in the evening, he took her out to a beach and treated her to bhel and coconut water. Our relationship may be like this," said Thackeray in an interview to Sena mouthpiece Saamna.

Thackeray praised his son Uddhav, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar and deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, but refused to comment on his estranged cousin Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.

Thackeray, who is known to enjoy cordial relations with Pawar, evaded a query on chances of the Maratha leader to become prime minister, saying that he did not want to comment on the issue as of now.

He said that he did not look at MNS from a "political point of view".

"He (Raj) grew up at my house. I wonder what he has become now. Some vagrant people poisoned his mind," he said.
Source : Central