Mumbai: Expressing hope that the ‘rashtravadi’ (nationalist) and Hindutva forces will stay together, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis exuded confidence that Shiv Sena won’t support the no-confidence motion against the NDA government.
The statement came after the Telugu Desam Party moved a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government in the Lok Sabha today, following TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s announcement that his party was exiting the National Democratic Alliance.
“There have been no talks with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as yet. The seniors in our party (BJP’s central leadership) will do that. However, I am confident that the ‘rashtravadi’ and Hindutva forces will stay together,” Fadnavis told reporters. “The Sena will remain with us.”
“Some Sena leaders met me this morning. They had come to seek (the BJP’s) support in the Mumbai municipal corporation bypoll. We are supporting them,” Fadnavis said.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is expected to hold a meeting with party MPs and senior leaders soon to decide stand on their stand.
Fadnavis denied that he met the Sena leadership over the no-trust motion.
On the recent farmers’ long march here, Fadnavis said the manner in which the issue was highlighted made it seem that farmers were protesting over the disbursement of loan waiver amount. “There were barely a few farmers in the protest. Most of the participants were adivasis, against whom injustice has been meted out over the years,” he said.