Sena to back NDA candidate for RS deputy chairman's post

The Shiv Sena, an estranged ally of the BJP that abstained from the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the government, will back the NDA candidate for the election to the post of the Rajya Sabha's deputy chairman, a party leader said today.

The NDA has fielded Harivansh Narayan Singh of the JD(U) for the election scheduled tomorrow.

"We will back the NDA candidate," said Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai.

The party has three members in the Upper House.

The support comes amid increasing bad blood between the Shiv Sena and the BJP. It heightened after the Sena's loss at the hands of the BJP in Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll in May.

The Shiv Sena has already announced to go solo in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

BJP President Amit Shah had met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree, but that did not help change the latter's stand.

The Shiv Sena had abstained from voting on the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha moved by the Opposition last month against the Modi government.

Despite the tensions between the two parties, the Shiv Sena backed the candidatures of Ram Nath Kovind and Venkaiah Naidu in presidential and vice-presidential polls last year.

The BJD, the AIADMK and the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) have also indicated their support to Singh.