As per the report, 16 MPs wished to support the NDA candidate because of Murmu’s tribal identity who is a woman candidate also.
New Delhi: Days before President polls, as many as 16 MPs from Shiv Sena have asked their party chief Uddhav Thackeray to support NDA pick Droupadi Murmu. The MPs, who attended a meeting called by the former Maharashtra Chief Minister in Mumbai, said that Murmu is a tribal woman candidate hence the party should vote in her favour in the election. The party has a total of 22 MPs in both the hosues out of which 19 are from Lok Sabha and three are from Rajya Sabha.
As per the report, 16 MPs wished to support the NDA candidate because of Murmu’s tribal identity who is a woman candidate also. Maharashtra, from where these MPs come, has a good chunk of tribal people and they have base in several districts.
Though there is no whip for Presidential elections and the MPs are free to vote for any candidate but still MPs made an appeal to their party supremo to change the stand. Political analysts have claimed that appeal made by Shiv Sena MPs to Thackeray may witness change in the stance of the party which has recently lost majority in Maharashtra assembly. The party has announced its support to Yashwant Sinha, a joint candidate from all opposition parties including Congress, TMC and Samajwadi Party.
Meanwhile, party chief Uddhav Thackeray may take decision to support NDA candidate in few days. In Monday’s meeting called by the Shiv Sena chief, six of its party MPs skipped. Among skipped MPs, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde was also included.
