New Delhi, June 24: The solidarity dinner has left a bitter aftertaste in the NDA’s mouth.

A day before Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat files his nomination to run for President, L.K. Advani hosted a dinner at his home for coalition partners.

But the Shiv Sena and the Trinamul Congress stayed away. Neither did they sign the first set of nomination papers for Shekhawat.

Besides, the Janata Dal (United) appeared divided. Sources said George Fernandes and Digvijay Singh had to coax party president Sharad Yadav to add his signature and get him to attend the dinner.

Trinamul’s Dinesh Trivedi said the party’s MPs were away in Calcutta to attend a meeting. “We are still talking about (A.P.J. Abdul) Kalam. So we can’t sign nominations for someone else at the same time. We hope some miracle may happen on Kalam,” he said.