BJP prime ministerial candidate L K Advani’s endorsement of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s comments on “local support” to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks have not found support from two crucial NDA allies — the Shiv Sena and the BJD.

“A thorough investigation of 26/11 must be carried out. In addition, investigation should be carried out against local supporters of the perpetrators,” Advani said on Tuesday while speaking on the motion of thanks to the President’s address, where he lashed out at the UPA Government on a host of other issues.

Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete not only touched upon Advani’s “local support” theory, but also thanked the Centre for treating Mumbai attacks as an attack on the country and warned the Government about the dangers posed by terrorists who have not been accounted for.

Speaking on the motion of thanks in the Lok Sabha, Geete said the Mumbai Police Commissioner had said there were 16 terrorists involved and added that “the remaining six” still posed a danger to the country.

His speech, however, focused on the plight of cotton farmers in Vidarbha.

The BJD for its part criticised the Government for “white-washing” its anti-terror policy but maintained a distance from the “local support” theory of Advani.

“In a knee-jerk reaction, the Government changed the Home Minister after the Mumbai terror attacks and revived an old legislation to tackle terror-related cases,” BJD leader Tathagat Satpathy said in his speech without referring to Advani’s contention.

Samajwadi Party’s Mohan Singh urged the Government to categorically tell Pakistan that it would not hand over captured terrorist Kasab for prosecution and would hold his trial in India itself. A number of MPs cutting across party lines voiced their concern regarding the economic downturn in the country.