I didn’t make Shiv Sena MPs sit in Opposition, they did it themselves: Pralhad Joshi

Mumbai: Shiv Sena on Tuesday (November 19) hit out at former ally BJP for removing them from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and making their MPs sit in the opposition side in both houses of Parliament.

On Sunday, Union parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi had said that Shiv Sena MPs are being allotted seats on the opposition side in both houses of Parliament after its lone minister Arvind Sawant in the Union council of ministers resigned and the party is "working out" an alliance with the Congress and NCP to form government in Maharashtra.

In its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena said, "BJP leader Pralhad Joshi has announced Shiv Sena's removal from the NDA after it allied with Congress and the NCP in Maharashtra to form the government in the state. The Shiv Sena MPs were allotted seats on the opposition side in both houses of parliament. Those in the BJP who took this decision do not know about the work done by Shiv Sena."

"When the BJP came into existence no party used to support it. When NDA was formed, many leaders who now hold posts in the present government did not hold any posts then and some of them were not even born," the editorial said.

However, Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Pralhad Joshi rejected Shiv Sena's claim that he moved their MPs to the opposition benches in Parliament.

Speaking to a media agency, Joshi said, "We did not make them sit in the opposition, they did it themselves."

Maharashtra BJP emerged as the single largest party but could not stake claim to form government as its ally Shiv Sena remained firm on rotating the chief minister's post and equal sharing of Cabinet berths.

The Shiv Sena is now in parleys with the Congress and the NCP to form government in Maharashtra.

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