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Maharashtra Political crisis: Rebel Shivsena leader Eknath Shinde claims support of 40 MLAs

Maharashtra Political crisis: Rebel Shivsena leader Eknath Shinde claims support of 40 MLAs

Political crisis has developed in Maharashtra. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra is facing its worst crisis since coming into power in 2019. Senior Shiv Sena leader and state cabinet minister Eknath Shinde has defied Uddhav Thackeray leadership. 

Shinde has claimed the support of 40 Shiv Sena MLAs out of a total of 55 and took some of them to BJP-ruled Gujarat. In a recent development this morning, they were moved to Guwahati in Assam from Surat amidst tight security. 

To evade the anti-defection law, Shinde will need two-thirds of the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs which comes to 37, on his side.

In the meantime, Shiv Sena MLAs, who are supporting Thackeray, have been moved to a hotel in Lower Parel near Mumbai to avoid them from poaching.

Shinde said he will not leave Shiv Sena and further added that he believes in the agenda of Hindutva which was laid by late Shiv Sena Supremo Balasaheb Thackeray. 

There are various media reports that Eknath Shinde spoke to Uddhav Thackeray over phone from Surat on Tuesday and laid his conditions about the alliance in Maharashra. However nothing official has come from the Shiv Sena which has a lot at stake from the point of view of state politics.

In the midst of the deepening political crisis in Maharashtra, the most crucial state cabinet meeting has taken place in Mumbai. Although there are reports that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has tested COVID positive after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and he is expected to address the Cabinet virtually. Despite the fact, there was no confirmation about his health from the Chief Minister’s office when the last reports came in. On the other hand, a series of meetings took place in Mumbai and the suspense about the stability of the MVA Government in the state is still continuing.

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar held a high-level meeting of senior NCP leaders at Y. B. Chavan Centre in Mumbai. 

On the other hand, senior BJP leaders including Devendra Fadnavis, Pravin Darekar and Ashish Shelar have gathered at the residence of Devendra Fadnavis and discussed the future course of action.

Senior Congrss leader Kamal Nath on Wednesday held a meeting of Congress MLAs and expressed confidence about the unity of all the Congress MLAs. He also discussed the issue with CM Uddhav Thackeray on phone and said that he could not meet him personally as Thackeray was tested positive. Another Congress leader Nana Patole also confirmed that CM is COVID positive but he rejected the speculations about the dissolution of the government. 

Shivsena MP Sanjay Raut had given indication about the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly in a tweet.

Uddhav Thackeray said, “I am ready to give my resignation to the MLAs, they should come here and take my resignation to Raj Bhavan. I am ready to leave the post of Shiv Sena party head also, not on the sayings of others but my workers.”

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