The political turmoil in Maharashtra is getting more complicated as the hand of disgruntled legislator leader Eknath Shinde is rising day by day.
In Mumbai, disgruntled lawmakers’ camp continues to expand in Guwahati, the capital of Assam, as Chief Minister Uttam Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party leader Sarabjit Pawar are engaged in a series of consultations to defend the Maha Vikas Agadi government.
And with some Shiv Sena lawmakers joining the Eknath Shinde camp, there is a lot of talk in Maharashtra political circles that they have the strength to break the Shiv Sena party. Shinde supporters say there are currently 38 Shiv Sena lawmakers in Guwahati, while 37 Shiv Sena legislators are required to stay in the Shinde camp to avoid losing office under the Partisanship Act.
Shiv Sena leaders have said that Uttam Thackeray will not resign even as the number of disgruntled Shiv Sena legislators continues to rise and the Maha Vikas Agadi coalition government is reeling under major trouble. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online. They are insisting that the Maha Vikas Agadi government does not have a majority and should recognize themselves as a separate body in the legislature.
Eknath Shinde, chairman of the group of disgruntled MLAs, said more members of the legislature were online with them. Multi-examination and legal proceedings in the legislature are expected to be the next step. The Shiv Sena leadership has taken steps to suspend many members of the pro-Shinde legislature.
Chief Minister Uttam Thackeray spoke to Shiv Sena volunteers via video after a failed attempt to appease disgruntled Shiv Sena lawmakers. He accused Shinde supporters of betraying the party. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leaders have been urging the Maha Vikas Agadi alliance to withdraw and members of the disgruntled legislature to return to Mumbai.
Shiv Sena leaders have said that the coalition parties have demanded that Uttam Thackeray not resign. They are also commenting that the struggle will last until the end. Meanwhile, Shinde supporters have greeted Eknath Shinde with posters and banners at various places in Maharashtra. It has also been reported that banners of Shinde supporters have been damaged in some places.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Rawat has said that the anger of Shiv Sena volunteers will be intense, raising fears that violence could erupt. This is why Shinde supporters are rumored not to have returned to Mumbai. Maharashtra political leaders believe that the only solution to this drag is a multi-party contest in the Assembly. If such a multi-examination takes place, the position of the BJP will also become clear.
– Ganapati Subramaniam from Delhi