16 OF 19 SHIV SENA MPS WANT PARTY TO SUPPORT NDA PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MURMU

Sixteen of 19 Shiv Sena MPs today asked the party supremo Uddhav Thackeray to support NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu. In a party meeting here, the MPs said that party must support Murmu as “she is a tribal woman and that’s why they should vote for her.”

Sources said that the combined efforts of Sena MPs have created a wave in the party’s inner circle. The party has lost power in Maharashtra last week following a chunk of MLAs rebelled against the party leadership.

Sources also said Uddhav Thackeray now will have no choice to follow the MPs which would be a change in the stance of the party. Shiv Sena has so far supported the joint opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Thackeray is expected to take a decision on the matter within a couple of days.

There is no whip or Presidential elections and the MPs can vote according to their will.

Thackeray, whose government crashed last month after the rebellion by Eknath Shinde, the current Chief Minister, is trying hard to maintain control of the party founded by his father Balasaheb Thackeray.

Today’s meeting, called by Mr Thackeray amid the ongoing crisis, was meant to test the waters. Six of Sena MPs, including Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde, stayed away. The Sena has 19 MPs in the Lok Sabha and three in the Rajya Sabha.

The suggestion to back Draupadi Murmu had come up earlier, indicating a rift within the MPs as well. Sena MP Rahul Shewale, an adherent of the Shinde faction, had asked Mr Thackeray to vote for the NDA candidate.

But Mr Thackeray had not voiced a response.