As the number of Shiv Sena legislators involved in the uprising against Uttam Thackeray continues to rise, the Maha Vikas Agadi coalition government is reeling under major trouble.
Eknath Shinde, the leader of the rebel group, said he had 46 legislators with him and that most of the Shiv Sena legislators supported him.
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been admitted to Reliance Hospital in Mumbai due to a corona virus infection and has asked Governor Eknath Shinde to show him the support of his legislators through video. The Maharashtra cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Uttam Thackeray, was held after a failed attempt to appease rebel Shiv Sena legislators. Ministers from the Shiv Sena Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party attended the meeting. Shiv Sena leaders have said that the coalition parties have demanded that Uttam Thackeray not resign.
Congress leader Kamal Nath has said that Uttam Thackeray has been confirmed to be infected with the corona virus and therefore could not meet him.
Earlier, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Rawat had said that there was a need to dissolve the assembly. Immediately the leaders of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party insisted that such action should not be taken and that Uttam Thackeray should not resign. Later, the Shiv Sena party said that the meeting of the assembly members would be held in the evening and action would be taken against the legislators who did not attend the meeting.
Ek Nath Shinde, meanwhile, said his support was growing and that he had the support of several independent legislators, apart from Shiv Sena legislators. On the one hand, Maharashtra political leaders are closely watching the situation as the BJP is expected to take action against disgruntled lawmakers led by the Shiv Sena leadership and Ek Nath Shinde.
Shiv Sena dissidents camp in BJP-ruled Gujarat and Assam Ek Nath Shinde and Shiv Sena dissident legislators are currently staying at a star hotel in Guwahati, the capital of Assam.
-Ganapati Subramaniam
Also read: Shiv Sena disgruntled MLAs flew to Assam – Will Uttam Thackeray retain power?