Beware of BJP’s tactics, Aaditya Thackeray warns TDP, JD(U)

TDP and the Janata Dal (United) should demand the Lok Sabha Speaker post, said Aaditya Thackeray.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United), which are essential for forming the next NDA government at the Centre, should demand the Lok Sabha Speaker post, said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday.

He warned that once the BJP formed the government, it would attempt to destabilise its allies’ parties, citing his party’s previous experience. “A humble suggestion to the possible allies of the BJP in the newly remembered NDA. Get the post of the Speaker,” he said in a post on the microblogging site ‘X’ (previously Twitter).

The former Maharashtra Minister also alluded to the splits orchestrated within the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). “Having experienced the tactics of the BJP, the minute they form government with you, they will break the promises and try to break your parties too. You’ll have experienced it earlier,” the young Thackeray said. He also tagged the official ‘X’ handles of the TDP and JD(U) in his post.

On Thursday, Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien met Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Mr. Aaditya at Matoshree in Mumbai. 

With the BJP falling short of the majority needed to form a government, the TDP and the JD(U)‘s support has become crucial for Narendra Modi’s third term as Prime Minister. The NDA has secured 293 seats, with the BJP holding 240. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) with 12 MPs is the second-largest BJP ally after the TDP’s 16 MPs.