Sena to issue whip in favour of NDA; 1 MP absent in party meeting

Mumbai, Jul 19 (UNI) The Shiv Sena has decided to vote along with the NDA againt the UPA government during the July 22 confidence motion, and a one-line party whip will be issued to this effect tomorrow.

Talking to reporters after a meeting of the Shiv Sena held here at party chief Bal Thackarey's residence late tonight, party leader Anant Geete and former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi said in the meeting, it was decided that the Shiv Sena, which was always with the BJP and was an ally of that party, would continue to be with the NDA.

After the meeting, the Mr Thackeray also spoke to senior BJP leader L K Advani and said all the Sena MPs would be with the NDA.

The Shiv Sena has got 12 MPs in the Lok Sabha, out of which 11 MPs were present at today's important meeting- two days ahead of the trust vote- and 1 MP from Parbhani Tukaram Renge Patil was absent, giving risen speculation that the Shiv Sena was unable to mantain its flock together.

Political sources here indicated that former Shiv Sena strongman and present Revenue Minister of Maharashtra Narayan Rane was trying very hard to persuade a few MPs in the Shiv Sena to break in favour of the UPA-led Congress government.

Mr Joshi also tried to play down the absence of the one MP, saying that even though Mr Patil was absent at today's meeting, he was with the party.

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