Issuing Whip to MPs to Support Modi Government in Trust Vote was Mistake, says Shiv Sena

Mumbai: NDA ally Shiv Sena said there was a “mistake” in issuing the whip to its MPs asking them to be present in the Lok Sabha during the 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 on Friday.

The party, which is an ally in government at the Centre and in Maharashtra, stayed out of the proceedings in Parliament on Friday, announcing it had boycotted the vote.

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 the morning before the debate started.

The whip issued in Khaire’s name also bore his signature. When asked by a local news channel if it was indeed his signature, Khaire said, “Somebody played a mischief.” On Thursday, he had said the “notice” (whip) issued to the party MPs had asked them to remain present in Parliament all-day long.

“All party MPs were told that the final decision (on taking a stand on the no-trust motion) will be taken by Uddhavji (Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray) and conveyed to them,” Khaire had said.

Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Khaire said no such whip had been issued and the party’s decision on the no-confidence motion was taken on Friday morning.