NEW DELHI: Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde on Wednesday announced Shiv Sena’s “unconditional support” to NDA’s candidate for vice-president, potentially setting the line for other alliance partners to follow and increase the chances of BJP getting one of its own appointed to the constitutional position after the Sept 9 election.On a visit to Delhi, Shinde made the announcement after meeting home minister Amit Shah at his Parliament office. The election for the VP post has been necessitated following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar last month.Shinde also met PM Narendra Modi and congratulated him on the success of Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev. The twin interactions were seen as significant. Sources said that the meeting attested to his equations with the BJP brass, with which it engineered the downfall of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA govt in 2022.Shinde said the ‘Mahayuti’ – alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP – would fight local body elections in Maharashtra together.He was accompanied by his wife Lata, son Shrikant and daughter-in-law Vru-shali as the family gifted a photograph of Lord Shiva to the PM. Shinde said Modi praised his son, who got the opportunity to lead a multi-party delegation to convey India’s message of zero tolerance to terrorism.Shinde also rejected suggestions that his frequent visits to Delhi were linked to ‘differences’ with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, saying they were working together for development. Shinde also said he and his party MPs congratulated Shah on becoming India’s longest-serving home minister.
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