NCP, Congress Reaffirm Support for Uddhav Thackeray; Exnath Shinde group says 50 lawmakers are dealing with it. As the president of Shiv Sena and the chief minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray, struggles to maintain control of his government and the party, a national executive meeting of the Sena is set to be held on Saturday, likely to pass a resolution boosting confidence in Thackeray’s leadership is lifted.
The uprising against the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Sena MLA Eknath Shinde threatens to imprison not only the government but also the party, and the Thackerays are now fighting on two fronts. According to developments on Friday night, after a marathon meeting of Sena leaders in the office of the Vice-Chairman of the State Assembly and legal experts, it was decided to give 16 rebel MLAs 48 hours’ notice. The notice will ask them to appear in person in case of a petition filed by the Sena to request their disqualification.
The Shinde group has already decided to go to court if such notices are issued. However, the number of rebel MLAs stationed in Guwahati continued to grow on Friday as the Shinde group claimed the support of 50 MLAs, including those from the Sena and Independents. On Friday evening, M.r Thackeray met with Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and a party delegation to discuss the possible strategy to save the government. Both allies, the NCP and Congress, have lent unconditional support to Mr Thackeray. But the NCP leaders’ meeting with the CM is said to have debated options to save the government and the possibility of resigning from the highest office.
Uddhav Thackeray decided to fight and told the party workers that he has no greed for power but had not lost the determination to fight. Earlier in the day, addressing party officials, Mr. Thackeray challenged the rebel MLAs to survive politically without using the photo of Sena founder Bal Thackeray and the party’s name. According to rebel camp sources, M.r Shinde is now aiming to take over the entire party within the legislature. Still, hiss efforts were met with a hurdle after the deputy chairman of the Maharashtra Assembly, Narhari Zirwal, approved Ajay Chaudhary as the party leader of the Sena, replacing M.r Shinde.
Guwahati Meeting
The Shinde group met at the Guwahati hotel where they are stationed. Itpassedd a no-confidence vote against Mr. Zirwal, after which two BJP-backed Independent MLAs, Mr. Zirwal, wrote that he was not authorized to disqualify an MLA.
Editorial | Tiger by the Tail: About the Rebellion in the Shiv Sena
On Thursday, the Sena had moved a petition to disqualify 12 MLAs. A day later, it added four more names to the list. Late Friday, the state attorney general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni reached the legislative building to discuss the possible scenario. The ongoing crisis is likely to be extended with a legal battle between the two groups looming.
Ignoring conciliatory offers previously made to the rebel group Shiv Sena MLA led by Minister Eknath Shinde, the Sena took a hard line against their “trust” on Friday with MP Sanjay Raut, who stated that the party’s doors were now closed, For the rebels. He stressed that the MVA government was steadfast and would complete its remaining two-and-a-half-year term in office.
“She [rebel Sena MLAs] has taken a very wrong step. We will win on the floor of the House. If this battle is fought in the streets, we will win it too. Whoever wants to challenge us can return to Mumbai. We would have given them a chance to return, but now I think that time has passed,” said Mr. Raut.
civil work
On Friday, Mr. Thackeray also met with secretaries, department commissioners, municipal commissioners, and district collectors. He asked them to focus on the ongoing work and not to worry about unpredictable politics. “Politics and monsoons are unpredictable. Political games will continue, but that should not affect the board. You have to continue pro-people work and avoid hardship for them,” he told the bureaucrats.
