Odishatv Bureau
Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has given BJP, his alliance partner of over two decades, food for thought with his remarks on longevity of the alliance, saying he was not close to the younger generation in the ally.

"In politics, nobody is close to anybody," he told a news channel, adding that he was not ideologically close to the BJP`s new generation the way he was with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani.
 
"There is no question of being close in politics. (They) come and go. The spelling of the word `close` is also different. You are close (to somebody) and you also close the door (on someone)," the 83-year-old Sena chief said.

When pointed out that he was ideologically close to the BJP, Thackeray said, "Not (with) this new generation. When Vajpayee was there, when Advani was there, 20 years back, that time was different."

Asked how it is different now, Thackeray said, "They are all newcomers before me".

Asked if he was ideologically as close to BJP as he used to be, he said, "In politics, there is no ideology."

When asked if the BJP-Sena alliance be taken for granted in years to come, in the 2014 general elections or next Assembly elections, Thackeray said, "In politics, you cannot have a big canvas and paint your things. No, it will be too early. It can be a modern art but not the real one. And nobody knows and understands what that picture is."

Asked if the Sena and BJP can work together in years to come, Thackeray said, "This is a new generation which is there in power as far as the BJP is concerned. I am the old guard actually. I belong to the old category. But it is for (son and Sena executive president) Uddhav, you can ask this question.

"It is Uddhav`s generation and this new generation of Nitin Gadkari, when they can go hand in hand, is to be asked. But to me, not to that extent," he said.

The Sena chief also criticised social activist Anna Hazare`s campaign for the Lok Pal Bill.

"I am a political cartoonist. I know the political side of the thing. You are overpowering the other four pillars of your democracy. Your democracy, not my democracy. I don`t believe in democracy. I believe in Shiv Shahi (Shivaji’s rule) and not Lok Shahi (democracy).... You are overpowering the Supreme Court, the President," he said.

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