Mumbai: The Shiv Sena in Maharashtra expressed solidarity with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a day after chief ministers of four states and a few regional leaders expressed support for AAP’s dharna against Delhi’s lieutenant governor (L-G), becoming the first constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to formally take a stand in support of the AAP government.

Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray telephoned AAP convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday to “talk about the political situation in Delhi".

Raut said it was “unfair and undemocratic of bureaucracy in any state to work against a democratically-elected government". He said Thackeray told Kejriwal that “his was an elected government that had every democratic right to work for Delhi and whatever was happening with the AAP government was not good for democracy".

Raut, however, said he had no information on whether Thackeray had extended support to the AAP protest at the L-G’s residence. “The telephone conversation was limited to only the situation in Delhi and nothing more should be read in that," Raut said.

“If bureaucracy works against an elected government, it is wrong and against democracy. Be it Gujarat or Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra or the state of Delhi, it is wrong," Raut added.

The Shiv Sena’s solidarity with AAP comes in the wake of the former’s frequent criticism of the Modi government and the BJP. Last month after the Shiv Sena lost out to the BJP in the Palghar bypoll, Thackeray had called upon all political parties to raise their voice against the Election Commission of India to “save democracy".

Meanwhile, Kejriwal’s sit in protest at the L-G’s residence continued for a seventh day on Monday. His deputy, Manish Sisodia, who was on hunger strike since 13 June was hospitalised on Monday after his health deteriorated. Earlier, cabinet colleague Satyendra Jain was hospitalised. Jain’s condition is stable now.

A day after the IAS officers association denied that they were on strike, on Monday they said they were open to discussions with the government. “We look forward to concrete interventions for our security & dignity. We are open to formal discussions with Hon’ble CM on this matter," association of officers of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union territories) cadre tweeted.

PTI contributed to this story.

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