Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is likely to announce support for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu. As per Times Now report the majority of the votes during the July 11 meeting of Shiv Sena leaders went to Murmu. The official announcement is yet to be released, and party leader Sanjay Raut said it might happen in a day or two.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Raut said extending support for Murmu would not mean that Shiv Sena was back with Bharatiya Janata Party. He said, “We discussed Droupadi Murmu (NDA’s Presidential candidate) in our meeting yesterday. Supporting Droupadi Murmu does not mean supporting BJP. Shiv Sena’s role will be clear in a day or two. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray will make a decision.”
He further added, “Opposition should remain alive. We also have goodwill towards the Opposition’s Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha. Earlier, we supported Pratibha Patil, not the NDA candidate. We supported Pranab Mukherjee also. Shiv Sena does not take decisions under pressure.”
Earlier, it was reported that Uddhav Thackeray might extend support for Murmu to avoid a further split in the party. Party sources revealed that during the meeting that was held on Thackeray’s resident Matoshree, an overwhelming number of Shiv Sena leaders, including MLAs and MPs, wanted the party to announce support for Draupadi Murmu. The meeting lasted over two hours.
As per reports, sixteen MPs of Shiv Sena have urged Uddhav Thackeray, who was recently ousted from the Maharashtra CM’s position after facing a huge rebellion, to support the NDA presidential candidate, Droupadi Murmu, instead of the Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha.
Last week, Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale had written to Uddhav Thackeray asking the party to support Droupadi Murmu. “Droupadi Murmu comes from the Adivasi community and has a seminal contribution to social life,” said Shewale, asking Thackeray to issue instructions to the party MPs accordingly.
Notably, an Economic Times report suggested former Maharashtra CM and his close aides were not keen to support Murmu, but they may go against their wish to avoid a further split in the party. Furthermore, BJP leader Girish Mahajan had earlier warned Shiv Sena that if the party failed to listen to its MP, they should be ready for a possible split among its members. He said, “He (Thackeray) should also listen to his own voice and his MPs. If they don’t make a decision (in favour of the BJP candidate), then there may be a split among its MPs too.”
Following the meeting, the Shiv Sena chief has reportedly assured his MPs that he will make the final decision on this issue in the next 2-3 days. The presidential election is scheduled for July 18.