“Not rebels but Shiv Sena”: Eknath Shinde on being called rebels

In the midst of the political turmoil confronting the MVA government in Maharashtra, state minister Eknath Shinde, who is heading a group of party MLAs in Guwahati, has stated that they are “not rebels but Shiv Sena” and are pushing forward the objective and philosophy of Balasaheb Thackeray.

He said they will work for Hindutva ideology and the development of the state. “We are not rebels. We are Shiv Sena. We are carrying forward the agenda and ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. We will work for the Hindutva ideology and development of the state,” Shinde told reporters at Guwahati airport.

Shinde, who is residing in a Guwahati hotel with other Shiv Sena dissidents, went to the Kamakhya temple in the morning.

Shinde stated that he is prepared for the floor exam and would return to Mumbai the following day.

“I will return to Mumbai tomorrow. I prayed for the welfare of the people of Maharashtra here at the temple,” Shinde said after visiting the temple in Guwahati.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has challenged the state’s Uddhav Thackeray government to show a majority on the floor of the House on June 30, claiming that the state’s “current political environment” creates a “very worrying image.”

The Governor has written to the secretary of the State Assembly to call a special session of the State Assembly tomorrow with the sole agenda item of a trust vote against CM Thackeray.

The session, which will also be televised live, will begin at 11 a.m., according to the announcement.

Devendra Fadnavis, a BJP leader and former chief minister, met the Governor on Tuesday evening after returning from Delhi and presented him with a letter requesting a quick floor test.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi claimed on Wednesday that holding the floor test amounted to contempt of the Supreme Court proceedings, which are being heard in relation to the disqualification of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs from the breakaway group led by Eknath Shinde.

“How can a floor test be asked for when the disqualification of 16 MLA has deferred by the Supreme Court till 11th July? How can these MLAs participate in the floor test till their disqualification status not decided and the other matters for which notice sent is subjudice?” she tweeted.

“This would be contempt of court proceedings if floor test conducted despite the matter not getting final hearing in the SC,” Chaturvedi added in her tweet.

The Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu contesting the Maharashtra Governor’s order to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to demonstrate his majority support on the House floor on June 30.