'There was mistake in issuing whip to Sena MPs to vote for govt'

NDA ally Shiv Sena today said there was a "mistake" in issuing the whip to its MPs asking them to be present in the Lok Sabha during the opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion and vote for the government.

"There was a mistake. No such whip could be issued by the chief whip when a decision (on no-trust motion) was not even taken then," a Sena source told PTI.

Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire's, its chief whip in the Lower House of Parliament, in a three-line whip issued on the letter head of the party on July 18 had asked the party lawmakers to support the NDA government during the no-trust motion.

Hours after issuing the whip, the Sena shifted its stance and said party chief Uddhav Thackeray had asked his party MPs to remain in Delhi and a final decision on supporting the Modi government would be taken this morning before the debate started.

The whip issued in Khaire's name also bore his signature.

Today, when asked by a local news channel if it was indeed his signature, Khaire said, "Somebody played a mischief."