Mumbai: The Shiv Sena said Thursday it has sought the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, but added that making this demand does not mean it is disappointed with the Narendra Modi-led government.
Sena president Uddhav Thackeray told reporters in Kolhapur that demanding the Deputy Speaker’s post is his party’s ‘right’ and does not mean that it is ‘disappointed’ with the BJP-led government. “This demand will not impact on our alliance with the BJP for the ensuing Maharashtra Assembly elections,” he stated.
Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said the demand has been conveyed to the BJP. Raut also informed that Thackeray and all the 18 Lok Sabha MPs of the party will visit Ayodhya next week, before the start of the Parliament’s session.
The purpose of the visit is to reaffirm the party’s commitment to construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site, Raut said. Thackeray had visited Ayodhya in November 2018 too, in an apparent bid to mount pressure on the Modi-led government on the Ram temple issue.
The ties between the Sena and the BJP were under considerable strain before the Lok Sabha 2019 elections. The two, however, stitched up an alliance for both the Lok Sabha and and Assembly polls later.
It should be stated here that Arvind Sawant, the MP from Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat is the lone Sena minister in the Modi government. He has been given the heavy industries and public enterprises portfolio.
PTI
