No-confidence motion: Shiv Sena still uncertain on supporting Modi government
New Delhi, July 20: As PM Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre faces no-confidence motion today, the Shiv Sena, after saying they'd support BJP, appear to have backtracked.
Just hours after promising support to the BJP, Shiv Sena has withdrawn a whip to its lawmakers to vote in favour of the government. The party said that it will decide its course of action by Friday morning.
Speaking to ANI, Chandrakant Khaire said,''there was no whip issued to vote one way or another. Notice has been given to be present in Parliament. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray will take final decision.''
This morning, BJP chief Amit Shah reportedly spoke to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on phone, after which it decided to vote in favour of the NDA government.
The no-confidence motion was moved by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) -- a former constituent in the NDA. The move is supported by the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Samajwadi Party, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), a bitter rival of the TMC, among others.
The motion will be the first since the BJP-led NDA government came to power four years ago. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's decision to accept the motion moved by former BJP ally TDP and others came on the first day of the Monsoon session.
(with PTI inputs)