DID NDA MEET MARK SENA’S RETURN TO BJP FOLD?

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s newly inducted member on the Indian Olympic Committee (IOC) from Maharashtra, Ashish Shelar, and spokesperson of the Eknath Shinde-led faction of rebel MLAs, Deepak Kesarkar attended the meeting organized by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday.

The meeting assumes significance as the Shiv Sena had exited its alliance with the BJP following the 2019 state assembly elections in Maharashtra and formed a government with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in the state.

“While today’s meeting was to discuss and offer training on technical aspects for the Presidential polls--where, incidentally, no political whip my be issued--for all political partners of the BJP within the National Democratic Alliance. The attendance and representation of the Shiv Sena (albeit, the rebel camp) signifies the return of the Sena to the alliance fold after a gap of over 2.5 years,” a senior BJP leader said.

Coincidentally, while the rebel Sena faction has extended its full support to the NDAnominated Presidential candidature of Draupadi Murmu, even the parent organization headed by ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray also formally offered its support for Murmu on Tuesday.

Kesarkar and his rebel colleagues had also cited BJP leader Kirit Sommaiya, advising him to refrain from any controversial talk against the first family of the Sena. On Wednesday, Kesarkar was constantly asked about whether he would ask BJP Union minister Narayan Rane to similarly avoid pejorative references to the Thackeray parivar in the future. Kesarkar was unable to respond.