Confusion and miscommunication reigned over the early morning meeting of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies that was called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with major allies like Shiv Sena,
Confusion and miscommunication reigned over the early morning meeting of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies that was called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with major allies like Shiv Sena, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Akali Dal pleading complete ignorance about the meeting.
Sena MP Arvind Sawant said that his party was unhappy about not being invited for the meeting. “We were neither invited nor were we informed about the NDA meeting. We are naturally unhappy with this and have conveyed our displeasure to parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu. Since he (Naidu) has accepted his mistake, we do not want to make a hue and cry over it,” Mr Sawant told reporters.
Meanwhile, Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut blamed the confusion on an apparent miscommunication on the part of the BJP. “The BJP minister (Naidu) has clarified that there was some miscommunication on their part. Even parties like Akali Dal and Telugu Desam Party received communications late, so they too were absent,” he said.
Amidst reports of Sena opposing tax on the employees’ provident fund (EPF), Mr Raut chose to remain non-committal about the party’s official stand. However, sources added that the Sena had opposed the Union Budget proposal to tax EPF.
Another NDA and Mahayuti ally of the BJP in the state, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana leader and Lok Sabha MP Raju Shetti too tried to downplay not being invited for the meeting. He, however, said that he would oppose the budget proposal. “It is the hard earned money of the employees. It should not be taxed. I will raise the issue in the house,” Mr Shetti said.
