Maha Mutiny: Shinde Sena faction's show of strength in Assam hotel
The video, released by the Shinde camp, was reportedly intended to end speculations about Shinde's faction attracting disqualification under the anti-defection law.
FollowRebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Sinde on Thursday sought to project his strength as he released a video showing 42 MLAs who have camping with him in the five star hotel in Guwahati. The video, released by the Shinde camp, is reportedly intended to end speculations about Shinde's faction attracting disqualification under the anti-defection law.
The video shows MLAs shouting slogans of 'Shiv Sena Zindabad' and 'Balasaheb Thackeray ki jai'.
Also Read: 'Were fed up, felt insulted': Rebel MLAs write an emotional letter to Uddhav Thackeray
The show of strength by Shinde-led faction came hours after Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut's claimed that 21 MLAs, who are currently in Guwahati with Shinde, had established contact with the Thackeray camp and assured the latter that they would stand by with them once they return to Mumbai.
Raut also said that rebel MLAs must make an official representation to the party chief if they wanted Shiv Sena to pull out of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition. He urged the MLAs to return to Mumbai within 24 hours and discuss the issue with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Reminding them they were true 'Shiv Sainiks', Raut said that the demands of the rebel MLAs will be considered positively. To recall, Chief Minister Uddhav had offered to step down if the rebel MLAs told him to do so face to face. Uddhav even said that, if needed, he would step down from the party chief's post if the MLAs wanted. Later, he also vacated Varsha, his official residence in south Mumbai, before moving to Matoshri, his family home in suburban Bandra.
Floor Test Back In Focus
Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal's approval to appoint Ajay Choudhary as the Shiv Sena's leader in the House in place of rebel leader Eknath Shinde may expedite the need for the ruling coalition to prove its majority through a floor test, say experts.
Former Maharashtra advocate general Shrihari Aney told PTI that the group of rebel MLAs led by Shinde can assert that it doesn't support the present Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government (comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress), and that the dispensation has lost majority, which will result in a no confidence motion.
The Sena-led MVA government is likely to state that it has numbers to prove its majority and call for a trust vote, he said.
Also Read: In 56 years, Shiv Sena faces 4th rebellion; 1st under Uddhav Thackeray's watch
