Mumbai: Shiv Sena will take a decision on whether to withdraw from the NDA after holding discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, its chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Tuesday, indicating that the party may continue in the Centre's ruling coalition despite parting ways with BJP in Maharashtra.
Uddhav, who had on Monday said that Shiv Sena's lone minister in the Union Cabinet Anant Geete would resign, admitted that quitting the alliance at the national level was "not easy".
"Joining NDA and then pulling out is not that easy. All MPs who have been elected and those who could not win have bagged votes of both Shiv Sena and BJP. It is the people's mandate. A decision will be taken after discussions with Prime Minister Modi and considering what our supporters feel," he said.
The Sena chief, under attack from his estranged cousin and MNS leader Raj Thackeray for "sticking to power" at the Centre despite the break-up in Maharashtra, had on Monday said that Geete will hand over his resignation to Modi on his return from the US.
Geete, however, said he had not received any instruction to resign. "This is false news as I have not been given any instruction so far. So, how does the question of my resignation arise," the Heavy Industries Minister had said. Maintaining that there was "no question of defiance" if such an instruction came from Uddhav, he said, "I am a staunch Shiv Sainik. I will obey whatever directive my leader gives."
The 25-year-old alliance between the two pro-Hindutva parties ended last Thursday after collapse of seat-sharing talks for next month's Assembly polls.
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