Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Shiv Sena, plunged into a political crisis by the rebellion of its MLAs, have filed a disqualification application against twelve of the MLAs, before the deputy speaker, said sources.
Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, has called an emergency meeting amid a political crisis. The Shiv Sena today said it will consider quitting alliance with the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP if the rebels come back in "24 hours". The huge climbdown comes even as visuals showed 42 MLAs posing with Shiv Sena rebel Eknath Shinde at a hotel in Guwahati.
The videos from Guwahati showed the MLAs gathered in a hall for a photo-shoot meant more as a preview of a test of strength that may come up in Maharashtra's power tussle.
The Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP -- the alliance partners of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra -- have suggested that rebel Eknath Shinde be named as Chief Minister as a way out of the huge political crisis that has engulfed the ruling coalition, sources said. Shiv Sena rebels have written to the Governor declaring Eknath Shinde as their leader.
The BJP has called the political crisis in Maharashtra as the Shiv Sena's internal matter and that the party is not staking claim to form a government in the state. "We haven't spoken to Eknath Shinde. This is Shiv Sena's internal matter. BJP has nothing to do with this. We're not staking claim to form the government," Union Minister Raosaheb Patil Danve, who met party leader Devendra Fadnavis, told the media.
Here are the Highlights on the Maharashtra Political Crisis:
Maharashtra crisis: 37 MLAs (two-thirds of Sena's 55) support rebel Eknath Shinde as leader in signed letter
Sticker Shock For Uddhav Thackeray: 40 Plus - And GrowingWhen Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray called a meeting of his party this afternoon - online, since he has Covid - the head count stood at a scanty 13.
The sum of the missing parts was, meanwhile, growing in Assam. By 9 pm, the rebels within his party who have turned on Mr Thackeray, clocked 44. They have elected, as their leader, Eknath Shinde, who has yet to resign as a senior minister in the Maharashtra government.
Team Thackeray Asks For Disqualification Of 12 Rebel MLAs: SourcesThe Shiv Sena is filing an appeal with the Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker seeking disqualification of around 12 rebel MLAs, sources in the Maharashtra government's legal team.said as the number of rebels camping out in Guwahati crawled over 40.
The list includes Eknath Shinde, Tanaji Sawant, Mahesh Shinde, Abdul Sattar, Sandipanrao Bhumre, Bharatshet Gogawale, Sanjay Shirsat, Yamini Jadhav, Lata Chandrakant, Anil Babar, Prakash Surve and Balaji Kinikar.
Eknath Shinde has already reached the critical number of 37 required to split the Sena in the assembly without falling foul of the anti-defection law.
This reduces Uddhav Thackeray to a minority in the party founded and led for decades by his father, Bal Thackeray. The Maha Vikas Aghadi had earlier claimed that 17 MLAs from the rebel camp is likely to return to the fold.
"Floor Test Will Decide Who Has Majority": Sharad Pawar On Sena CrisisNationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar today expressed confidence the Maha Vikas Aghadi government would survive the storm unleashed by rebel MLA Eknath Shinde, who claims the support of over 40 MLAs.
"A floor test will decide who has majority," Mr Pawar, whose Nationalist Congress Party, or MVA, is a Shiv Sena ally, told reporters this evening.
"Everyone knows how the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs were taken to Gujarat and then Assam (both BJP-ruled). We don't have to take the names of all those assisting them...Assam government is helping them. I don't need to take any names further," Mr Pawar said.
Team Thackeray to request disqualification of some rebel MLAs, say sources
Maharashtra political crisis: Uddhav Thackeray calls emergency meet
Uddhav Thackeray has called an emergency meeting amid a political crisis in Maharashtra. The meeting will be held at Mr Thackeray's family home, Matoshree.
Maharashtra crisis: If Shiv Sena wants, can extend outside support too, says Congress after meeting on alliance
If Shiv Sena wants, can extend outside support too, says Congress after meeting on alliance. Earlier, the Shiv Sena also said it would consider exiting the Maharashtra alliance with Sharad Pawar's NCP and Congress but only if the rebels returned "in 24 hours".
Mend your ways in time, Shiv Sena mouthpiece tells rebel MLAsAs the rebellion by senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde plunged the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra in a political crisis, an editorial in the party mouthpiece `Saamana' on Thursday said the renegade legislators should "mend their ways in time".
The MLAs who have succumbed to the BJP's "pressure tactics and inducements" should know that they would become "permanently former" if common Sena workers made up their mind, it added.
Mr Shinde and 36 other Sena MLAs besides ten independents are camping in Guwahati at present.
Shiv Sena has withstood several challenges, and being in power or out of it does not make any difference to the party, the Sena mouthpiece said.
"The BJP wants numbers in president polls, they want the government to fall before that.
The Central government and BJP are trying to destabilize a stable government and get their own in Maharashtra," said Mallikarjun Kharge.
"The BJP is involved in this. It doesn't wants any government to exist without its involvement," said Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge.
2 MLAs leave Guwahati hotel where Sena rebel Eknath Shinde and MLAs backing him are staying
Will sit in Opposition if Shiv Sena-led government falls: NCP's Jayant PatilMaharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jayant Patil on Thursday made it categorically clear that if the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in
Maharashtra falls the NCP will prefer to sit in Opposition.
His statement comes after the NCP meeting was held at party chief Sharad Pawar's residence today.
Amid political instability in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, the NCP leader said Sharad Pawar has asked party leaders to do everything that needs to be done to ensure that the government remains.
"We had a meeting at the residence of Sharad Pawar. An assessment of incidents in the last three-four days was done. Pawar sahib told us that we should do everything that needs to be done to ensure that the government remains. We will stand with Uddhav Thackeray, with this Government," said Mr Patil.
Only 13 MLAs attend meeting by Uddhav Thackeray
Only 13 MLAs were present in a meeting called by Uddhav Thackrey. The names are: Uday Samant, Sunil Prabhu, Ravindra Waikar, Sunil Raut, Aaditya Thackrey, Dilip Landey, Kailash Patil, Nitin Deshmukh, Rajan Salvi, Santosh Banger, Uday Rajput, Vaibhav Naik, Ajay Chohdhari.
Amid crisis, NCP says"will stand" with Uddhav Thackeray
NCP's Jayant Patil said that his party "will stand" with Uddhav Thackeray and the government. "We had a meeting at Sharad Pawar's residence. We assessed the incidents of the last 3-4 days. Pawar sahib told us to do everything to ensure that the government remains. We will stand with Uddhav Thackeray and the government," Mr Patil was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"If government stays we will be in power, if government goes we will sit in Opposition...," he said.
In 56 Years, Sena Faces 4th Rebellion, 1st under Uddhav Thackeray's WatchThough Eknath Shinde's rebellion is the first under Uddhav Thackeray, the party has seen revolts by prominent figures on four occasions, three of them under the watch of its charismatic founder Bal Thackeray. (Read
here)
The Trinamool Congress also held a protest outside Guwahati hotel where rebel Shiv Sena MLAs are staying.
JUST IN: Assam Cabinet Minister Ashok Singhal enters Radisson Blu hotel in Guwahati, where Maharashtra MLAs are staying.
Maharashtra political crisis: 3 more Shiv Sena MLAs join Shinde camp
This morning, three more Shiv Sena's rebel MLAs reached Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati where Eknath Shine camp is staying. Deepak Kesakar (MLA from Sawantwadi), Mangesh Kudalkar (Chembur) and Sada Sarvankar (Dadar) took a morning flight from Mumbai to Guwahati.
Shiv Sena crisis: Eknath Shinde just 1 MLA short of crucial number
The Eknath Shinde camp now needs just one more to split the party without facing disqualification under anti-defection laws. Five Independent MLAs are with Mr Shinde too.
Maharashtra political crisis: 3 more Shiv Sena MLAs join rebel camp
Three more Shiv Sena MLAs left for Guwahati in Assam this morning to join the rebel camp. Deepak Kesakar (MLA from Sawantwadi), Mangesh Kudalkar (Chembur) and Sada Sarvankar (Dadar) took a morning flight from Mumbai to Guwahati.
Mumbai Police increases outside home of rebel leaders: Sources
The Mumbai Police has stepped up security at the home and office of the rebel leaders. Additional contingent of CRPF has also been called in, sources told NDTV
The Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP -- the alliance partners of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra -- have suggested that rebel Eknath Shinde be named as Chief Minister as a way out of the huge political crisis that has engulfed the ruling coalition, sources said.
BJP Not Staking Claim To Form Government In Maharashtra: Union Minister
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Raosaheb Patil Danve said on Wednesday that the political crisis in Maharashtra was Shiv Sena's internal matter and the BJP is not staking claim to form a government in the state.
Mr Danve, who met party leader Devendra Fadnavis, told the media here that no Shiv Sena MLA is in touch with the party.
"We haven't spoken to Eknath Shinde. This is Shiv Sena's internal matter. BJP has nothing to do with this. We're not staking claim to form the government," said Mr Danve who is Minister of State for Railways.
Uddhav Thackeray Vacates Chief Minister's House
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray moved back to "Matoshree" -- his family home -- from his official residence "Varsha" on Wednesday, shortly after delivering an emotional speech for the rebels led by Eknath Shinde.
Late in the evening, a huge crowd assembled outside Matoshree in a show of solidarity. Videos from the spot showed the car having trouble negotiating through the crowd. Mr Thackeray was seen getting out of the car and greeting the visitors.
After exchanging civilities, they walked into the house. Mr Thackeray's son and state minister Aaditya Thackeray was also seen greeting the party workers.