Ajay Chaudhary replaces Eknath Shinde as Shiv Sena’s legislative party leader in Maharashtra

According to reports, the Shiv Sena agreed on Monday to dismiss cabinet minister Eknath Shinde as its Legislative party leader, and Sewri MLA Ajay Chaudhary would be the next Shiv Sena Legislative party leader.

This follows Shinde and many Shiv Sena MLAs being “unreachable” today. According to reports, Eknath Shinde, a major Shiv Sena politician and state cabinet member, has allegedly become unreachable to numerous party MLAs a day after suspected cross-voting in Maharashtra MLC polls. According to ANI, the MLAs have relocated to a hotel in Surat, Gujarat.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut also confirmed the developments and said, “Some MLAs of Shiv Sena and Eknath Shinde are currently not reachable. Efforts are being made to topple the MVA government but BJP has to remember that Maharashtra is very different from Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh.”

Shinde was made the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 2014 after the Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP. He was appointed as a cabinet minister in the MVA government.

However, sources from ANI said Shinde has been feeling sidelined since the formation of the MVA government. His son Shrikant Shinde represents the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders met at party leader Balasaheb Thorat’s official residence, Royal Stone bungalow in Mumbai. Former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also attended the meeting.

On the other hand, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil took a potshot at Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and said the political turmoil came up due to Raut.

Asked about Shinde’s removal from the party, Patil said neither Shinde has sent any proposal to BJP for government formation, nor the BJP has sent any proposal to him.

“It’s too early to say anything. We are currently waiting and keeping an eye on the situation. Neither Eknath Shinde has sent a proposal to BJP for government formation nor the BJP has sent any proposal to him,” he said.

“So far, there has not been any proposal regarding government formation neither from the BJP nor from Eknath Shinde but anything can happen in politics at any time,” he added.

BJP bagged five seats, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena won two each while Congress was able to clinch one seat out of the total 10 seats in Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) that went to polls on Monday.

MVA candidate from Congress Chandrakant Handore had lost in the MLC polls.

As many as 11 candidates were in the fray for the elections to the 10 seats in the MLC. All the five candidates of the BJP — Pravin Darekar, Ram Shinde, Shrikant Bharatiya, Uma Khapre and Prasad Lad emerged victorious. NCP candidates– Ramraje Nimbalkar and Eknath Khadse– and the Shiv Sena nominees- Aamshya Padavi and Sachin Ahir also secured their seats. Of the two candidates fielded by Congress, Bhai Jagtap secured the win while Chandrakant Handore lost.

The BJP’s victorious candidate alleged that cross-voting occurred among Shiv Sena and Congress members.

The BJP has 106 MLAs, the Shiv Sena has 56, the NCP has 53, and the Congress has 44. The MLC elections were attended by 285 members.

Former Home Ministers Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, who are in judicial detention for money laundering, were denied the right to vote.