Ready to quit as CM, would like to see a Shiv Sainik as successor, says Uddhav Thackeray; rebel group, now in Assam, firm on its demand that the Sena should quit the MVA
Ready to quit as CM, would like to see a Shiv Sainik as successor, says Uddhav Thackeray; rebel group, now in Assam, firm on its demand that the Sena should quit the MVA
A revolt against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray by his second-in-command and senior Minister Eknath Shinde has turned into a battle to control the party. Mr. Thackeray on Wednesday said that he would quit the Chief Minister’s post and even the party’s top position if his party workers told him to do so to his face. Insisting that he had always overcome challenges, Mr. Thackeray said that he was ready to face more and wouldn’t mind if another Sena worker replaced him as the CM.
In an emotional address to the people over Facebook, Mr. Thackeray, who has tested positive for COVID-19 said: “We joined hands with Congress and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), but it’s not they who are telling me to quit. The sad part for me is that my own people [Shiv Sainiks] have lost trust on me. I considered them mine; I don’t know about them. I am ready to resign. But come and meet me face-to-face. Tell me that I should quit on my face and I will resign.”
On the other hand, Mr. Shinde, who is currently stationed at Guwahati in Assam along with the group of MLAs supporting him, has been claiming the support of the majority of Shiv Sena MLAs and demanding that the Sena ally with the BJP, for the sake of Hindutva, by cutting ties with the Congress and the NCP. Replying to Mr. Thackeray, Mr. Shinde tweeted that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government benefited only its allies and harmed Sena workers.
The rebellion by Mr. Shinde is most significant in the outfit’s 56-year-old history as it threatens to bring down the party-led government in Maharashtra, while the other revolts took place when it was not in power in the State.
Also read | A recap of political events leading to formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi
Here are the latest updates
Maharashtra | 2.42 pm
Sena MP says 18 rebel MLAs have contacted party
Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut says that 18 MLAs who have gone with dissident leader Eknath Shinde have contacted the party.
Maharashtra | 2.00 pm
Eknath Shinde’s removal as Sena group leader in Maharashtra Assembly valid: Deputy Speaker
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal on Thursday said he has approved the appointment of Ajay Choudhary as the Shiv Sena’s group leader in the House, replacing rebel legislator Eknath Shinde.
The Shiv Sena on Tuesday removed Mr. Shinde as the party’s group leader in the Assembly. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr. Zirwal said, “I have received a letter from the Shiv Sena, informing me that it is appointing Ajay Choudhary as the party’s leader in the Assembly and removing Mr. Shinde from the post with immediate effect.” “I have accepted the letter, which was sent by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray,” the deputy speaker said, adding that Mr. Shinde’s removal as the Sena group leader in the Assembly was valid. – PTI
Maharashtra | 12:50 pm
Govt on dialysis does not last long: Naqvi on Maharashtra crisis
Dummy cars and a government on dialysis do not last long, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Thursday while taking potshots at the political crisis in Maharashtra where the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government is fighting for its survival.
Mr. Naqvi was talking to reporters after voting in the Rampur Lok Sabha by-election.
Responding to a question on what would happen in Maharashtra, he recited a couplet from the famous “Mughal-e-Azam” song, “Jab raat hai aisi matwali to subah ka alam kya hoga.” “Dummy cars and a government on dialysis do not last long,” the BJP leader said. – PTI
Maharashtra | 12:20 pm
One of the rebel MLAs claims CM stopped MLAs from going to Ayodhya with Aaditya Thackeray
Sanjay Shirsat, one of the rebel MLAs, writes to Uddhav Thackeray, claims CM stopped MLAs from going to Ayodhya with Aaditya Thackeray, and alleges that a coterie around CM insulted MLAs while Eknath Shinde helped them all and listened to them by solving problems. – Mumbai Bureau
Maharashtra | 11:30 am
NCP chief Sharad Pawar holds party meeting
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on June 22 held a party meeting at his residence. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, State Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, ministers Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad and party leader Sunil Tatkare are present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, a total of 42 Maharashtra MLAs are present with Eknath Shinde at Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati, Assam. This includes 34 MLAs from Shiv Sena and eight Independent MLAs, ANI reported quoting sources.
Maharashtra | 11:20 amm
Sanjay Raut says he will continue to stand with Uddhav Thackeray
“I won’t talk about any camp, I will talk about my party. Our party is strong even to this day… About 20 MLAs are in touch with us… He who leaves the party under ED pressure is not a true Balasaheb Bhakt. We’re true Balasaheb Bhakts… even we have ED pressure but will continue to stand with Uddhav Thackeray… When floor test happens everyone will see who’s positive and who is negative,” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut tells news agency ANI.
Guwahati | 11:20 am
TMC Assam unit protests outside Guwahati hotel
Guwahati | 10:50 am
Maharashtra MLAs are in Guwahati for Ambubachi mela: Sonowal
The dissident MLAs from Maharashtra timed their visit to Guwahati with Ambubachi — the five-day fair at the Kamakhya Temple to mark the annual menstruation cycle of the presiding goddess — according to AYUSH Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Mr. Sonowal, a former Chief Minister, has been visiting the flood-affected areas of Assam.
Maharashtra | 10:50 am
MP Krupal Tumane says he’s with Shiv Sena, denies reports of joining rebel camp
In the wake of the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government facing a crisis, party MP Krupal Tumane on June 23 denied reports of joining the rebel faction led by Eknath Shinde, and asserted that he was with the Sena.
Mr. Tumane, the Lok Sabha member from Ramtek in Nagpur, said “patience is the need of the hour”.
Mr. Shinde, who is camping in Assam’s Guwahati city with rebel Sena MLAs, on Wednesday claimed the support of 46 legislators, including some Independents. – PTI
Guwahati | 9:00 am
Three more Shiv Sena MLAs join Eknath Shinde camp in Guwahati
Three more Shiv Sena — MLAs, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sada Sarvankar and Dipak Kesarkar — join rebel MLAs in Guwahati. They reached the Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati, where other MLAs are campaigning. Eknath Shinde will consult the MLAs with him and then decide when to return to Mumbai, his associate said. – Mumbai Bureau
Maharashtra | June 22
Kamal Nath says ‘complete unity’ prevails in Maharashtra Congress
After Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde’s intra-party rebellion put the existence of the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi government in jeopardy, senior Congressman Kamal Nath on June 22 stressed there was “complete unity” within the Maharashtra Congress adding that both his party and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stood firmly behind the Uddhav Thackeray.
Maharashtra | June 22
Akola MLA Nitin Deshmukh ‘escapes’ from Eknath Shinde camp
Security personnel stand guard outside the Radisson Blu Hotel, where Maharashtra’s MPs and MLAs are staying, in Guwahati, on Wednesday, June 22, 2022.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Even as Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde’s intra-party rebellion attracted more MLAs and split the party wide apart, MLA Nitin Deshmukh returned to Maharashtra while alleging a conspiracy on the part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Gujarat authorities to abduct and harm him.
The MLA, whose wife had earlier filed a ‘missing’ complaint with the Akola police, also claimed that a number of MLAs with Mr. Shinde wanted to return to Maharashtra, implying they had been spirited away to Surat under duress.
Maharashtra | June 22
Left, SP ask BJP to stop ‘kidnapping’ democracy
Amid the crisis in the Maharashtra government over the rebellion of some Shiv Sena MLAs, political parties such as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Samajwadi Party have blamed the BJP for “hijacking democracy”.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury urged people to reject the politics of the BJP. “Transporting Maharashtra MLAs to expensive hotels in Gujarat and then Assam by brazenly misusing Central agencies is hijacking democracy. India is paying a high price for this BJP model of democracy,” Mr. Yechury said.
Maharashtra | June 22
‘Missing’ Shiv Sena MLA returns from Surat, says he was forcibly admitted to hospital, given injections
Shiv Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh, who had accompanied party rebel Eknath Shinde to Surat, on June 22 claimed that some people had forcibly admitted him to a hospital there and he was administered injections though he never suffered a heart attack.
Speaking to reporters at the Nagpur airport, the Akola MLA said he somehow managed to return safely to Maharashtra from Surat and pledged loyalty to Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.
Maharashtra | June 22
Assam CM emerges player in Maharashtra political crisis
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, known to have had a hand in making and breaking governments in the northeast, has emerged as a major player in the Maharashtra political crisis.
Soon after 40 Maharashtra MLAs led by Shiv Sena leader and Minister Eknath Shinde were escorted to a luxury hotel in Guwahati on Wednesday morning, the Congress and other Opposition parties slammed Mr. Sarma for “shameful indulgence” in the political crisis in another State when millions were caught in a rain-induced crisis in Assam.
Maharashtra | June 22
How the numbers stand
With this rebellion, the reduced numbers are effectively
- Shiv Sena: 22 MLAs, NCP: 51 MLAs (excluding jailed MLAs who may be unable to vote), Congress: 44 MLAs. Total MVA strength stands at 117 MLAs
- BJP: 106 MLAs, NDA allies: 7 MLAs. Total NDA strength stands at 113 MLAs
Maharashtra | June 22
In 56 years, Shiv Sena faces fourth rebellion, first under Uddhav’s watch
Despite being a party of committed cadres with unflinching loyalty to leadership of the day, the Shiv Sena has been vulnerable to rebellions in its ranks and it has seen revolts by prominent figures on four occasions, three of them under the watch of its charismatic founder Balasaheb Thackeray, with Eknath Shinde becoming the latest leader to join the list.
