The Shiv Sena apparently supported Droupadi Murmu for the Presidential elections because she is a tribal and not as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader said.
The Shiv Sena, the NCP, and the Congress are constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which was in power till the last month before the rebellion by Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and most of the Sena MLAs led to its collapse.
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Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil told reporters on July 13 that the Sena had not discussed with the NCP before announcing its support to Ms. Murmu.
"In every Presidential election, Shiv Sena has made their own choice. It (The Sena's decision to back Murmu) is not a support to the NDA per se. As she belongs to an Adivasi community, the Sena must have extended the support," he added.
The Shiv Sena had backed United Progressive Alliance's (UPA's) nominees Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential polls held in 2007 and 2012 respectively, even though the Sena was a constituent of the BJP-led NDA at that time.
Seeking to scotch the perception that the Sena broke Opposition ranks to support the NDA nominee, Mr. Patil said parties take several decisions independently and allies should not interfere.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday announced his party's support for Murmu for the July 18 Presidential election. "We cannot have restrictions. Several decisions are taken at the party level where alliance partners should not interfere," Mr. Patil said.
He said the Sharad Pawar-led party wants the MVA to remain intact and added that Mr. Thackeray has not given any signals of parting ways. "We are yet to have discussions with MVA partners as to how should we go about in the upcoming elections to local bodies," he said.
