A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party trumped the MVA government in Legislative Council polls, the stability of the State government has come under question as senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde reportedly left Mumbai along with his group of MLAs to be stationed at Surat in Gujarat
A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party trumped the MVA government in Legislative Council polls, the stability of the State government has come under question as senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde reportedly left Mumbai along with his group of MLAs to be stationed at Surat in Gujarat
The Maharashtra council polls for 10 seats resulted in a nail-biting finish with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yet again trumping over tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – after the Rajya Sabha polls – by winning five out of ten seats. In what could be an alarming situation for the State government, three MLAs each from Congress and Shiv Sena cross-voted in a secret ballot held on Monday.
Following the results of the polls, Sena leader and MVA Minister Eknath Shinde is said to have taken 11 party MLAs with him in what seems likely to be a rebellion within the saffron party against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. In Monday’s council poll, a total of 12 Sena MLAs cross-voted in favour of BJP candidates.
Sources in Surat confirmed that over a dozen legislators from Maharashtra have been lodged at the Le Meridien Hotel. “The legislators checked in late last night,“ the sources said adding that there is heavy police deployment in the area where the hotel is located.
Here are the latest updates
12:44 pm
As Maharashtra Sena minister goes incommunicado, BJP says no role in it
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil on Tuesday said his party has got nothing to do with political developments in the ruling Shiv Sena, whose minister Eknath Shinde has gone incommunicado along with some MLAs. -PTI
12:35 pm
Union minister Rane comes out openly in support of Eknath Shinde
Union minister and BJP Rajya Sabha member Narayan Rane came out openly in support of Eknath Shinde.
“Well done, Eknathji, you took the right decision at the appropriate time. Otherwise, soon you would have ended up like Anand Dighe,” Mr. Rane tweeted.
Dighe, the Shiv Sena leader from Thane, had died in 2001.
12:16 pm
Sharad Pawar sets off for Mumbai
NCP chief Sharad Pawar cancels his programs in Delhi and sets off for Mumbai; according to sources, to hold meetings with NCP leaders and CM Uddhav Thackeray in the evening. -PTI
12:15 pm
Shiv Sena likely to skip opposition meet to decide Presidential candidate
Battling a crisis in the Maharashtra government, the Shiv Sena leaders are likely to skip the opposition parties meeting on Tuesday to finalise their joint candidate for the Presidential election.
Senior party leader Sanjay Raut was scheduled to attend the meeting convened by Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, but “he has cancelled his visit to Delhi,” a party functionary said. -PTI
12:12 pm
“Unrest within the MVA govt. reached a peak”
“This is Shiv Sena’s internal matter. We will accept any proposal offered to us by Mr. Shinde. Unrest within the MVA government had reached a peak. It was being dominated by the NCP for the last two-and-a-half years. Sanjay Raut is responsible for the Sena’s condition today,” said Maharashtra BJP President Chandrakant Patil on Shiv Sena Minister Eknath Shinde’s rebellion.
However, Mr. Patil said it was premature to say how this internal resentment will benefit the BJP or convert into a regime change. On Mr. Shinde being holed up in Gujarat, Mr. Patil said it was possible that the Sena leader may have felt more secure there. -Shoumojit Banerjee
11:30 am
Turmoil on in Shiv Sena since one week, claims Maharashtra Congress leader
In view of Maharashtra Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde going incommunicado and apparently camping in Gujarat along with some party MLAs after the State Legislative Council polls, a Maharashtra Congress minister on Tuesday claimed there was unrest in the Sena since about a week.
However, state NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal said he does not feel that there is a threat to the Maharashtra Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. – PTI
11 am
More than 15 Maharashtra rebel MLAs camping in Le Meridien Hotel
According to sources in Surat, more than 15 Maharashtra rebel MLAs are camping in Le Meridien Hotel in Surat. The legislators checked in late last night. Heavy Police deployment in the Athwalines area where the hotel is located. -Mahesh Langa
Le Meridian Hotel, Surat
10:50 am
Uddhav Thackeray calls for an urgent meeting
CM Uddhav Thackeray has called for an urgent meeting of party MLAs as Senior minister Eknath Shinde has reportedly reached Surat to along with his supporter MLAs. -Alok Deshpande
10:45 am
Sanjay Raut on the politics of the State
“Attempts are being made to use Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka patterns in Maharashtra. But it won’t work here. You cannot attack Sena like you did in other states,” said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.
“We have established contacts with Sena MLAs in Surat and also with Mr. Shinde. We are confident that plans to destabilise the state government won’t succeed. All our MLAs will return. These MLAs have stayed with Sena in bad times and they will not leave us now. MLAs want to return but they have been put under surveillance and cannot come out of the hotel,” added Mr. Raut.
Gujarat is being used to torture Maharashtra. It is unfortunate, he further said. -Alok Deshpande
10:35 am
MPCC Chief on the political instability in the State
MPCC chief Nana Patole says tripartite “MVA government not in any danger”. BJP’s politics of misusing Central agencies and using money power to poach MLAs has been thoroughly exposed. Congress will introspect on its defeat in MLC polls, said Mr. Patole.
The State Congress has called for a meeting with its legislators. -Alok Deshpande
10 am
Eknath Shinde and his group of MLAs reportedly unreachable
Eknath Shinde. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Shiv Sena senior minister Eknath Shinde along with his group of MLAs is reportedly unreachable since last night. The stability of the Maharashtra government is under the scanner as after Monday’s Council polls opposition BJP has demonstrated support of 133 MLAs from its earlier 112. Majority mark in Maharashtra assembly is 145.
Four Shiv Sena ministers, including Mr. Shinde, Sandipan Bhumre, Abdul Sattar and Shambhuraje Desai not reachable. -Alok Deshpande
June 20
BJP trumps MVA in Maharashtra council polls
The Maharashtra council polls for 10 seats resulted in a nail-biting finish with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yet again trumping over tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – after the Rajya Sabha polls – by winning five out of ten seats. In what could be an alarming situation for the State government, three MLAs each from Congress and Shiv Sena cross-voted in a secret ballot held on Monday.
The BJP did not miss the opportunity to warn that the results will ensure the beginning of a change and we will not stop until we bringing a people-friendly government in the State.
2019
Editorial | On Maharashtra politics
The Hindu’s Editorial in 2019 on Maharashtra’s political turmoil, termed it as a betrayal of people’s mandate.
The political drama in Maharashtra that continued unabated since the Assembly election results on October 24 has been brought to an end, albeit temporarily, by the imposition of the President’s rule. The Maharashtra verdict was unambiguous and in favour of the BJP-Shiv Sena pre-poll alliance, but the partners could not agree on the terms of power sharing, leading to prolonged haggling between them.
2019
Maharashtra government formation: a tale with many twists
A month after the Maharashtra Assembly election results were announced on October 24, 2022, the political impasse in the State seemed to have reached a climax, albeit with a stunning overnight twist. In less than twelve hours, the focus shifted from the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena alliance that was all set to form a government, to the BJP, as Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister early on Saturday along with NCP leader Ajit Pawar as Deputy CM.
