Shiv Sena not to attend NDA meet, may announce exit from alliance formally

Shiv Sena, which has had a falling out with its longtime ally BJP, said on Saturday that it will not attend NDA meet scheduled to take place on the eve of winter session of the Parliament. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the decision has already been made in this regard. On Saturday, as he spoke with media representatives, he said that his party would like to see Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to become CM of Maharashtra.

"I have learnt that the meeting (of NDA constituents) is being held on November 17. We had already decided against attending the meeting considering the developments in Maharashtra...our minister resigning from the Central government," Sanjay Raut said.

Sena leader Sanjay Raut also said that formal severance of ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was now only a formality.

The Sena also accused the BJP of having intentions to indulge in "horse-trading" in the state, which is under President's rule since November 12.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party fell out with the BJP over sharing of chief minister's post after the two allies won a comfortable majority in the last month's assembly polls.

The Sena's lone minister in the Narendra Modi government, Arvind Sawant, resigned on November 11.

Asked if only a formal announcement of the Sena walking out of the NDA remains to be made, Raut said, "You can say that. There is no problem with saying that".

The Sena, NCP and Congress have reached a consensus on a Common Minimum Programme (CMP), the basis of their proposed alliance government, and there was no need to discuss it in Delhi, Raut said.

The statement came even as NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are likely to meet in Delhi on Sunday and discuss the CMP and other modalities of forming a coalition with the Sena.

Earlier in the day, the Sena mouthpiece `Saamana' sharpened its attack on the BJP in its editorial over a statement by state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.

Patil had said on Friday that with the support of independents, his party's tally in the 288-member Assembly stands at 119, and it will form government soon. The BJP's own strength is 105.

"Those with 105 seats had earlier conveyed to the governor that they do not have the majority. How come they are now claiming that only they will form the government?" the Sena mouthpiece asked. "...the intention of horse-trading stand exposed now," it added.

(With PTI inputs)

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