Sena MPs not being lured to UPA: Udhav

Shiv Sena executive president Udhav Thackeray on Wednesday rubbished speculation that Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane was planning to lure Sena MPs into the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ahead of the next general elections.

"I have full faith in my party men. They are no longer interested in jumping into a garbage bin," Thackeray said here.

He was interacting with the media to announce the support of the Agri Sena and its leader Rajaram Salvi for the next parliament and assembly elections.

Without naming Rane, a former chief minister, Thackeray said: "Everybody knows what happened to those who left us and jumped into the garbage bin. I am sure my men will take a lesson from that and not join that band."

He also said that if Shiv Sainiks could join the Congress owing to the delimitation of constituencies, then even people from the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were in touch with the Sena.

He said that apart from the India-US nuclear deal, there were many other issues like high inflation, spiralling fuel prices and farmer suicides that would be considered during the trust vote in Parliament.