Droupadi Murmu, the NDA's Presidential candidate, was given a lavish reception in Mumbai on Thursday by the BJP and the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. But Mr Shinde's predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, who extended support without it being sought, was snubbed. Neither Mr Thackeray, not the 16 MPs on whose request the former Chief Minister decided to support Ms Murmu, were invited.
Uddhav Thackeray-- who initially supported opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha -- had switched in favour of Ms Murmu on Tuesday. The move was widely seen as an attempt to stop the growing rift within the party that led to the collapse of his government just weeks before.
Last month, 40 of the party's 55 MLAs joined the camp of Eknath Shinde, who led the rebellion. There was a possibility that there might be a replay in parliament, where at least six MPs are on Team Shinde.
Today, the new Chief Minister was seen at Ms Murmu's reception, seated next to his Deputy, the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis -- whom he has publicly acknowledged as the "kalakar (artist)" behind the recent events.
Mr Shinde has claimed that more than 200 MLAs from Maharashtra will support Ms Murmu -- indicating that many from other parties will vote for her in contravention of their parties' official line. No whip can be issued in the Presidential elections.
Team Thackeray played down the lack of invite at today's programme. Senior leader Sanjay Raut pointed out that the Sena is no longer part of the NDA "so there was no question of their being invited" for an NDA function.
But there is no word either on a separate meeting being arranged between Ms Murmu and the Thackerays. Earlier Presidential candidates Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee had gone to Matosheree -- the residence of Thackerays -- to seek their support ahead of the elections.
Sources said a senior BJP leader will call the Thackerays to thank them for their support in the Presidential polls.
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