A meeting of MLAs camping with the rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has been scheduled for today at 2 PM in a hotel in Guwahati, Assam, amid the political turmoil in Maharashtra, according to reports.
The conference is being held in the midst of a Supreme Court hearing about disqualification notifications sent to dissident MLAs by Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal. The breakaway leader also contested Ajay Chaudhary’s selection to succeed Shinde as the Shiv Sena’s House legislative leader.
In the disqualification petition filed by Shinde according to Rule 6 of the MLA Defection Rules, the petitioner seeks for no action to be taken until the decision to remove the Deputy Speaker has been resolved.
The notice dated June 25, 2022, in the disqualification petition against the petitioner was issued by the Deputy Speaker, who presides over the House in the absence of the Speaker.
Shide previously discussed the current political climate in the state with Raj Thackeray, the head of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). He called Raj Thackeray twice and asked about his health in addition to talking to him on the phone.
Along with other MLAs, Shinde is now camped in Assam. On Sunday, Shinde criticised the party for allegedly backing Dawood Ibrahim and those guilty for the murder of innocent people.
In a tweet, Shinde stated, “How can Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena defend those who had a direct relationship with Dawood Ibrahim and those guilty for the murder of innocent Mumbai residents? That is why we took this action; it is preferable to pass away.”
Aaditya Thackeray, the head of the Shiv Sena, said that on May 20, CM Uddhav Thackeray had urged Eknath Shinde to take over as CM if he so desired, but that Eknath Shinde engaged in drama at the time and had since revolted one month later.
Notably, former minister and Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar, who is now a member of the Eknath Shinde faction, stated that although the MLAs of the Shinde camp are prepared to take the floor test in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly at any time, the Eknath Shinde faction should receive first recognition.
Curiously, the Shinde faction chose the name “Shiv Sena Balasaheb” for their organisation.
As the Chief Minister stated that those who left the party should not seek votes in the name of the party founder, the Uddhav faction reacted angrily to the group’s name is taken from the founder of the Shiv Sena, Balasaheb Thackeray.
