Yashwant Sinha, the opposition candidate for the Presidential elections, yesterday said former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackrey has been "forced" to support his opponent, the NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu. "I'm not fighting a political party, but the might of the Central government," added Mr Sinha, while talking to reporters in Guwahati on the sidelines of his campaign.
Uddhav Thackeray -- initially a supporter of the opposition candidate -- had declared his support for Ms Murmu earlier this week after being urged by a group of 16 MPs of his party.
On Tuesday, Mr Thackeray had said that "going by the present political atmosphere, I should not have backed her, but we are not narrow-minded."
His declaration, however, was seen as an attempt to stop the growing divide in his party that cost him his government.
The alliance government in Maharashtra had collapsed last month ahead of the Presidential elections following the rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who is now the Chief Minister. Forty of the 55 Sena MLAs had supported Mr Shinde. In parliament too, at least six MPs appeared to be on the other side.
Accusing the Centre of trying all means to weaken to the opposition ahead of the Presidential elections, Yashwant Sinha said it was "all about the misuse of the Enforcement Directorate... By using agencies, they are pulling down elected governments".
The Central government is trying to "break the opposition parties before the Presidential elections," Mr Sinha said.
But despite regional parties showing keenness to support Ms Murmu one after another, Mr Sinha appeared upbeat.
"The Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee are totally supporting me. The Aam Admi Party will open its cards soon, I am aware of it. Only one party in the opposition camp is supporting the NDA candidate -- that is the Shiv Sena. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi was not part of the opposition meeting, but it is still supporting me, so we have a lot of opposition support," Mr Sinha added.
Counting the parties that have already pledged to support her, Droupadi Murmu can expect more than 60 per cent of the electoral college votes. Besides the Shiv Sena, the list includes Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren is widely expected to support her candidature since Ms Murmu was a Governor from his state.
No whip, however, can be issued for the Presidential elections and the MPs and MLAs are allowed to vote as they choose.
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