Pranab a 'super power' in Congress: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray

MUMBAI: Having declared his party's support for Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential poll, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today described him as "super power" in Congress and said the opposition should be happy that with his election the government will become a "lame duck".

"Mukherjee is a super power in the Manmohan Singh government and because of his going in the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the government is going to become a lame duck. That is why opposition parties should be the most happy ones to see that he is going to Rashtrapati Bhawan," Thackeray said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Thackeray, whose party chose to break ranks with NDA ally BJP to back UPA nominee Mukherjee, praised the Congress veteran, saying he has the "ability to take the right decisions".

"Keeping in mind the present unstable scenario (in the country) and the chaos, anarchy in future, we decided to support Pranab as we are confident that only he can overcome the situation and has the ability to take the right decisions," Thackeray said.

In an apparent reference to former President A P J Abdul Kalam, who spurned Trinamool Congress' offer to be its presidential nominee for lack of consensus, Thackeray said Mukherjee may not be a "missile man" but is no less than a "nuclear bomb".

"Pranab may not be a missile man but his vast experience is no less than any nuclear bomb. Anyway, despite our having the nuclear bomb, Afzal Guru did attack Parliament. Now, Pranab babu should be given the opportunity to tighten the hangman's noose around Afzal's neck," he said.