Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 29: Sharply criticising chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for seeking his support for NDA’s Vice-Presidential nominee C P Radhakrishnan, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said it was ironic that the BJP, after “stealing and breaking” his party, was now seeking votes of his MPs. He added that he would, in turn, call Fadnavis and ask him to vote for INDIA Bloc’s nominee Justice B Sudarshan Reddy.

Justice Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge and candidate of the INDIA alliance, met Thackeray at his Bandra residence, Matoshree, and later called on NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. He said he would write individual letters to all members of both Houses, urging them to support his candidature while stressing that he was not aligned with any political party.

State Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal accompanied Reddy during the meetings. Pawar described the Vice-Presidential election as crucial to maintaining the dignity of the institution and ruled out division of opposition votes. “There is unanimity on our nominee. Justice Reddy will discharge his duties while upholding the dignity of institutions,” Pawar said.

The V-P election, scheduled for September 9, follows the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar in July. Last week, Fadnavis had called both Thackeray and Pawar to seek their backing for Radhakrishnan, but both leaders declined.

Thackeray reminded that during the 2022 presidential polls, his then undivided Shiv Sena supported NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu without being asked, yet no acknowledgment came from the BJP. “Their system of using people when needed and discarding them later should be rejected,” he remarked.

The Sena (UBT) chief also raised questions over the lack of clarity on Dhankhar’s whereabouts since his resignation on health grounds.