BJP jolted by Shiv Sena abstention from LS in crucial no trust vote

New Delhi:
The ruling NDA government led by the BJP was stung on July 20, 2018, by the decision of its key constituency and ally in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena, to abstain from the Lok Sabha debate on the no trust move against the government, and its refusal to bail out the Modi government at a crucial juncture.

The 18 members of the Shiv Sena not only abstained from the debate but also made it clear that all was not well between the two allies. After the visit of BJP National President Amit Shah to Mumbai and his meeting with SS chief Uddhav Thackeray, it appeared that the cracks had been set right and that the two parties would have an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls.

Yesterday, it seemed that the Shiv Sena would support the NDA government in the Lok Sabha. However, the day’s development came as a shock to the BJP as SS abstained.

Uddhav Thackeray decision was conveyed at a meeting of the Shiv Sena’s parliamentary party, despite BJP president Amit Shah’s phone call for support.

A Shiv Sena leader said today’s decision was taken as part of the party’s stand seeking to contest the election on its own in 2019.

A recent editorial in the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana questioned the mandate with which Narendra Modi came to power, alleging that elections were won through money, misuse of power and tampering with electronic voting machines.