No-confidence motion: Sena pledges support after Amit Shah dials Uddhav Thackeray

Ahead of critical no-confidence vote which the Narendra Modi government is facing in the Parliament, BJP President Amit Shah called up Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Sena has been BJP's ally in both Maharashtra and Union government, but is one of the strident critics of the Modi government. Shiv Sena has also declared that they will contest next elections separately. Soon after Amit Shah's call, Shiv Sena decided to vote against the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha on Friday. The party has issued whip, directing their MPs to support the government tomorrow. 

 Amit Shah even in the past has tried to reach out to grumbling ally Shiv Sena. He paid a visit to Uddhav Thackeray's house recently as part of BJP's outreach programme ahead of Lok Sabha elections.  Now, Shah called up Uddhav Thackeray requesting him to support the government in the no-confidence motion. The BJP is well placed to defeat the no-confidence motion but wants to avoid any potential face loss of allies voting with the opposition.

Earlier Sanjay Raut had claimed that the party will only divulge their strategy on Friday, the day of the voting. But there was a rethink on Sena's part and the party decided to lend its weight behind the Narendra Modi government.  Amit Shah's call is likely to have made a difference in the final decision taken by Shiv Sena. 

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had on July 18 accepted the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition parties.  The discussion and voting on the motion will take place on July 20 in Lok Sabha, and on July 23 in Rajya Sabha