Won’t support BJP’s Presidential candidate if it is for votebank: Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said that if someone is trying to make a Dalit a President with the purpose of gaining a vote bank then we are not with them.

Thackeray further said, But if it is for the development of the nation then we may support.''

However, he said a final decision on the BJP candidate would be taken at a meeting of party leaders here scheduled for Tuesday.

Though it later joined the BJP-led ministry in Maharashtra, Sena has continued to needle the lead partner over all vital issues including demonetisation and tension on the borders.

In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the BJP has 122 MLAs and claims to have support of some more legislators. There are 67 members from Maharashtra in Parliament - 48 in the Lok Sabha and 19 in the Rajya Sabha.

The BJP-led NDA (including Sena) has total of 52 MPs. The Sena has 21 MPs - 18 Lok Sabha and 3 Rajya Sabha members - while the BJP has 23 Lok Sabha and 5 Rajya Sabha members from the state that corresponds to a total value of 19,824. The Congress-led UPA has 15 MPs from the state in both the Houses of Parliament. The total value of MP votes of UPA is 10,620.

OneIndia News