Will Shiv Sena Support NDA's Prez Candidate Ram Nath Kovind? Party Says Answer in Two Days

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will convene a meeting of party leaders to decide on supporting the NDA's choice for President, party MP Sanjay Raut said today.

"Amit Shah called up Uddhavji after the NDA's presidential candidate was decided in the BJP's Parliamentary Board meeting. Shah sought the Sena's support for Ram Nath Kovind," Raut told reporters here.

"Uddhavji told him that he will convene a meeting of the party leaders to arrive on a decision and convey our answer to him in one-two days," he said

The Sena MP said Thackeray may "answer many questions later this evening" when he will address the party workers on the Shiv Sena's 51st foundation day.

"We had suggested two names for the post. One was of (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat. If they had a problem with that, we wanted (eminent agriculturist) M S Swaminathan. But since they have chosen some other name, the party will convey to the BJP our decision soon," Raut said.

The BJP today named Dalit leader and Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind as the NDA's candidate for the post of president.

Kovind is likely to file his papers on June 23, Shah said in Delhi after a nearly two-hour meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board.