Presidential election: Amit Shah to meet Uddhav Thackeray whose Shiv Sena has been backing Mohan Bhagwat for President
Amit Shah will be meeting Uddhav Thackeray on June 18 at Matoshree, the Shiv Sena headquarters in Mumbai which top BJP leaders have avoided visiting in the recent past.
In Short
- Amit Shah to meet Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai on June 18.
- BJP wants Shiv Sena's support for NDA's presidental candidate.
- Thackeray had earlier suggested RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's name.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah will be meeting Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray during his June 16-18 Mumbai visit. The meeting between the two party chiefs assumes significance as the BJP seeks to ensure maximum support from its allies for the upcoming presidential election.
Sources said Amit Shah will be meeting Uddhav Thackeray on June 18 at Matoshree, the Shiv Sena headquarters in Mumbai which top BJP leaders have avoided visiting in the recent past.
BJP insiders told India Today that Amit Shah's visit to Matoshree is primarily aimed satisfying Sena's ego. The BJP's old but estranged ally has been pushing Mohan Bhagwat's name to be the NDA's candidate for presidential election.
The BJP leadership knows that it will have to make the first move to win Shiv Sena's support to ensure NDA's win. The Shiv Sena has voted against NDA presidential candidate on two occasions in the past.
SHIV SENA LIKELY TO PROPOSE ADVANI, SUSHMA SWARAJ'S NAME
Sources in Shiv Sena told India Today that Uddhav Thackeray may suggest BJP partriach LK Advani or External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's name to be NDA's choice to replace President Pranab Mukherjee.
On the other hand, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)Praful Patel, who attended the Opposition parties meet on June 14, said Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu is likely to meet NCP chief Sharad Pawar to discuss presidential nominee.
The feeling within the NCP is that even if the Opposition decides to put a fight it will be more of friendly fight as NDA has the numbers. Sharad Pwar has already said that AIADMK and TRS are likely to support the NDA candidate.
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