Shiv Sena’s political compulsion was behind supporting NDA’s presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu on Monday, though Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray claimed he was not under pressure from his MLAs. It is no secret that the Shiv Sena, after the recent uprising has been injured and its strength has dwindled, leaving the leadership of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government with no other option.
On Monday, 13 of the party’s 18 remaining MPs attended a meeting called by Thackeray at his residence and asked him to support Murmu for the presidency and open the door to a possible reconciliation with the BJP and the party’s Eknath Shinde faction. was requested.
Last week, party MP Rahul Shewale wrote a letter to Thackeray saying that Shiv Sena should support Murmu. In a party where Thackeray is rarely questioned, the MP’s letter to the Shiv Sena chief was a clear indication that his influence was waning and party members were no longer afraid to stand up and speak their mind. After the recent rebellion, Thackeray is walking a thin line anyway. And any attempt to disregard the sentiments of its MPs will only expose the rift in a wider way.