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:
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.
Nationalist 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.
"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.
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.
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".
After Shiv Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh's Kidnapped Claim, Rebel Camp Releases Pics From Private JetThe Shiv Sena rebel camp has released photos of party MLA Nitin Deshmukh taking a private jet in leisure along with other rebel MLAs, a day after he claimed he was "kidnapped" and taken to Gujarat's Surat.
As 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".
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 Central government and BJP are trying to destabilize a stable government and get their own in Maharashtra," said Mallikarjun Kharge.
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.
Maharashtra Political Crisis: Just 13 MLAs At Uddhav Thackeray Meet, Rebels' Pic Tells Story: 10 PointsEknath Shinde, leading a revolt against Uddhav Thackeray, has claimed the backing of 40 MLAs but this has been challenged by party leader Sanjay Raut, who said at least half of them were "in touch" to come back.
#MaharashtraPoliticalCrisis | Congress student wing protests in Guwahati against Assam government, protesters detained
- NDTV (@ndtv) June 23, 2022
NDTV's Ratnadip Choudhury reports pic.twitter.com/8sF86gXwHy
We Don't Want Uddhav Thackeray To Resign, We Want Government With BJP: Rebel Shiv Sena legislator"We are not angry with the chief minister. We are angry with others in the coalition" Deepak Kesarkar said Sena should go with "natural ally"
Legendary satirist Jaspal Bhatti's humourous take on trading of MLAs may be decades old but aptly captures the prevalent political circus. However, as a democrat at heart, one doesn't know whether to laugh or cry.#MaharashtraPoliticalCrisis pic.twitter.com/s4QYbzaaYR
- Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) June 22, 2022
#MaharashtraPoliticalCrisis | Mumbai: Poster of Shiv Sen MLA Sada Sarvankar, who is currently camping in Guwahati with rebel party leader Eknath Shinde, smeared with ink, word 'traitor' written on the poster in his constituency in the city pic.twitter.com/8MhpPT8yob
- ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2022
Though 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)
#MaharashtraPoliticalCrisis | Big Trinamool Congress protest outside Guwahati hotel where rebel Shiv Sena MLAs are staying https://t.co/kcceCZGu6r
- NDTV (@ndtv) June 23, 2022
NDTV's Akshay Dongare reports pic.twitter.com/aZ5mjDWZ6Y
#MaharashtraPoliticalCrisis | Game Over For Uddhav Thackeray? Shiv Sena Rebels Claim Majority https://t.co/n74vvSTC7K
- NDTV (@ndtv) June 23, 2022
NDTV's Ratnadip Choudhury reports pic.twitter.com/qhcin0Sv8v
#WATCH | Assam: Three more Shiv Sena's rebel MLAs reach Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati amid political instability in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/AkYfw15nhV
- ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2022
#MaharashtraPoliticalCrisis | Uddhav Thackeray Beaten? Eknath Shinde Just 1 MLA Short Of Crucial Number https://t.co/n74vvSTC7K
- NDTV (@ndtv) June 23, 2022
NDTV's Saurabh Gupta reports pic.twitter.com/oK8OJPxa76
#MaharashtraPoliticalCrisis | "In Maharashtra, the government was on dialysis. It was running on 'jugaad'. You can form a government on 'jugaad' but you cannot run it successfully": BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi pic.twitter.com/T1sJn6zBMJ
- NDTV (@ndtv) June 23, 2022
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.
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.
