Uddhav Thackeray may skip INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi

Uddhav is keen on staking claim to form a government at the Centre and is holding talks with several Opposition leaders, including Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said. He added that Uddhav will only go to Delhi if there was a positive discussion or substantial development in this regard.

“Uddhav ji has spoken to several leaders over the phone, including Mamata ji, and is making an effort to form the government by uniting the Opposition parties and those leaders who were troubled by the BJP. Our representatives are already attending the meeting and if the discussion is positive, only then will Uddhav go to Delhi,” a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

On Tuesday, after the results showed that the BJP would need the support of its allies to form a government, Uddhav had said that the Opposition INDIA bloc should stake claim.

“The INDIA bloc must stake claim to form the government. I will be going to the INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi. Sanjay Raut, Anil Desai and Arvind Sawant will also go to Delhi. We will decide who the PM candidate will be from the INDIA bloc at the meeting. When we made the INDIA bloc, we did not make it to become the PM. We came together to end dictatorship and save the Constitution. We will decide the PM candidate for the INDIA bloc,” Uddhav had said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that it was up to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar to decide if they wish to join an “autocratic government”. “I don’t think Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar will join the BJP. But it is up to them to decide,” Raut said.

With the BJP requiring the support of its allies to form the government, both Naidu and Kumar will attend a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting in Delhi.