Saying that he had loss a "dear friend" in Bal Thackeray's death, Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar today described the Shiv Sena supremo as a "magnanimous" leader who was ready "to pay any political price" for his stand.

"Fierce pride about Maharashtra, willingness to pay any price for the interest of Marathi language, Maharashtrians, but at the same time the readiness to contribute on Maharashtra's behalf for the sake of the country, these were the hallmarks of Balasaheb," Pawar told reporters while paying his tributes to Thackery, leader of NCP's political foe Shiv Sena.

"Regarding issues of Mumbai, Marathis, we were sometimes at conflict. We were friends, but at such times he did not cut down on his trademark 'Thackeray' language while criticising us, and we too paid back," said Pawar.