Shiv Sena stays away from LS proceedings

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena boycotted the no-confidence vote against the National Democratic Alliance government on Friday, becoming perhaps the first member of a coalition government to boycott a no-confidence vote against that government.

The Sena, which has been blowing hot and cold with the BJP, finally decided to stay away from the proceedings and maintained that it will speak up at an “appropriate time”. Analysts see the Sena’s move as a signal that the party is not happy with its powerful ally.

Senior party leaders said on condition of anonymity that the Shiv Sena, in its deliberations on the motion, couldn’t decide which way to vote with some members recommending abstaining and others, a complete boycott.

They point out that the decision by party chief Uddhav Thackeray is in line with the Sena’s s stand of going it alone in the 2019 parliamentary elections that the party announced in January. “The decision by Uddhav ji sends a signal that we are still not on the same page as the BJP,” said a Sena leader.

Although the Sena shares an uneasy relationship with the BJP, it was unlikely that it would support the Opposition parties in the trust vote, analysts said.

The Sena — one of the oldest allies of the BJP — has 18 MPs and one cabinet minister in the Modi government.

“Who brought the [no-confidence] motion? A former constituent of NDA; their issue is pertaining to their state. It is not a national issue or concerned with people at large. Though we have issues with the BJP, we cannot align with Congress and others,” a second Sena leader added.