Shiv Sena reacts on Taliban's threat to PM Modi

Mumbai:  The Shiv Sena has reacted sharply to a warning of "revenge" issued earlier this week on Twitter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by a new Pakistani Taliban group.

"The Talibanis should not cross paths with Prime Minister Modi. Therein lies their well being. We will do all that it takes to ensure the security of our PM," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna said on Friday.

The Sena's show of support comes as two of its leaders are reportedly to be included in the PM's council of ministers - an expansion is planned on Sunday. That move is intended to clear the way for a formal reunion in Maharashtra, where the parties have been inching their way to a compromise over how the Sena can join the BJP government.

Their 25-year alliance broke in Maharashtra before the election there, but the Sena said the partnership had not been dissolved entirely because its representative in the union government - Anant Geete - was not extricated.  Starting Sunday, Mr Geete is likely to have two more ministerial colleagues who belong to his party, a major component of the new agreement that's being negotiated for Maharashtra, where the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis will face a trust vote on Wednesday to determine if he remains Chief Minister.  So far, his is a minority government.

"PM Modi is on the hit-list of the Taliban as he is a staunch supporter of Hindutva," the Sena said in its newspaper today.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the group behind last weekend's deadly attack on the Pakistani side of the Wagah border tweeted, "You (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) are the killer of hundreds of Muslims. We wl take the revenge of innocent people of Kashmir and Gugrat" (sic).

The tweet did not show the next day, but the Prime Minister was briefed by his security advisers who say the Wagah attack was a clear message to India about future terror strikes from across the border.