By IANS,
Mumbai : Beleaguered Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi, in a spot over his alleged “hate speeches”, Wednesday thanked Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray for supporting him and endorsing his views.
“I thank Bal Thackeray for his support,” Varun has been quoted as saying in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna.
“I am indeed grateful for his support at this critical time and situation,” said Varun, who is hopeful of contesting the elections from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, Thackeray, commenting on the controversy, had said that he found nothing wrong with Varun’s utterances in an election rally in Pilibhit.
“He is one Gandhi we like. Varun has spoken the truth and so there is no need for him to apologise in the matter,” the Sena chief, who is also editor of Saamna, had said.
Son of BJP leader and former union minister Manekar Gandhi, Varun – nephew of Congress President Sonia Gandhi – had earlier claimed that the CDs of his election speeches were doctored.