The big shift and divide in the Shiv Sena is likely to affect Presidential polls in terms of voting by the party MPs. The Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena faction was part of the opposition deliberations and supported the candidature of joint opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s faction can mean that some MPs of the party might vote for NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.

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There is no whip for Presidential elections and the MPs can vote according to their will.

On Thursday, a Shiv Sena MP asked Thackeray to vote for the NDA candidate.

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“In view of her (tribal) background and contribution to the social sector, I urge you to declare support to Murmu and accordingly give all Sena MPs the directions to do so,” Sena MP Rahul Shewale wrote to Thackeray.

The letter also indicated that more MPs from the party are likely to vote along with the rebels.

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Speaking to NDTV, Shiv Sena MP and Uddhav Thackeray loyalist Arvind Sawant indicated that they are aware of such a possibility.

Asked which candidate the Shiv Sena will support, Sawant said, “That will be decided by Uddhav Thackeray and according to his advice, we will vote. There is no question about it.”

In view of the larger question of the possibility of a split in the party in Parliament, he added, “We are the Shiv Sena party. We have 19 MPs. Those who want to leave can resign and leave. And if they want to form like this conspiracy, like the conspiracy that took place in the Assembly, that should be two-thirds – that should not be less than 12 MPs. Are there 13 MPs with them?”

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A shift in a few Sena votes may not greatly influence the outcome of the polls, in which the government appears to have a numerical advantage.

Already several non-NDA parties – including Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal — have expressed support for Murmu, a former Governor of Jharkhand and a tribal from Odisha. Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United is also supporting Murmu.