Shiv Sena keeps BJP guessing, to inform in couple of days

The Shiv Sena has not yet committed any support to the Bharatiya Janata Party's proposal to field Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind as the Presidential nominee of National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Hours after the name was announced in New Delhi by BJP President Amit Shah, he spoke to Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and informed about the decision.

"What I can say that the BJP president Amit Shah Ji spoke to Uddhav ji....he had conveyed that he would call a meeting of party leaders in a couple of days and take a decision and inform accordingly," Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut told reporters. "I have only this much information to share as of now," he said.

Incidentally, Monday is also the 51st foundation day of Shiv Sena and Thackeray would be addressing party workers.

On Sunday, Shah had visited Matoshree and met Thackeray for nearly 75 minutes during which they discussed various issues including the Presidential elections.

Going against the NDA view, the Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray had supported Congress nominees - Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential elections in 2002 and 2012. While Patil got the support on the ground that she was a Maharashtrian, Mukherjee had personal relations with the Thackeray family.

In the run-up to the Presidential elections, the Shiv Sena initially proposed the name of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and then agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan.