Shiv Sena (UBT) informed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge that its representatives could not participate in the INDIA bloc leaders' scheduled meeting with President Droupadi Murmu due to prior engagements tied to the upcoming Maharashtra MLC elections. Even with their absence, the party strongly reaffirmed its complete backing for the broader opposition alliance and its core campaign initiatives.
Opposition leaders arranged to meet the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan to formally press for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner over alleged controversies surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls. The President's office had granted confirmation for the delegation's appointment.
In an official communication addressed to Kharge, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) figures Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant expressed explicit and unwavering backing for the INDIA coalition under Kharge's guidance, alongside the protest march led by Rahul Gandhi. The letter emphasized that the faction stands shoulder-to-shoulder with every action taken to challenge the Chief Election Commissioner and figures within the ruling government accused of undermining democratic and constitutional frameworks.
Detailing the reasons for their non-attendance, Raut and Sawant noted that pre-arranged schedules in Maharashtra concerning the approaching MLC elections prevented them from joining the delegation at Rashtrapati Bhavan. They requested understanding for missing the gathering while asking leadership to relay their absolute solidarity with the opposition's ongoing initiative to the President, confirming that their party remains an active partner in the collective struggle to protect democratic norms and the Constitution.
The delegation meeting President Murmu features prominent opposition figures including Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, and Rashtriya Janata Dad leader Tejashwi Yadav. Although missing the physical delegation due to local political responsibilities in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena faction underscored that it stands entirely aligned with the INDIA bloc's stance on the electoral controversy.