The political drama in Maharashtra is unfolding new sequences with every coming hour. After the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by minister Eknath Shinde moved to Guwahati from Surat, they have now passed a resolution to continue Eknath Shinde as the leader of the Shiv Sena legislature party. 34 Shiv Sena MLAs have signed the resolution, whereas Eknath Shinde has claimed that he is backed by 46 MLAs including 40 MLAs of Shiv Sena. In the resolution, they have unanimously stated that they are with Eknath Shinde and the party cadre and leaders are unhappy with the corruption charges on the government formed with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.
It is notable that Shiv Sena had removed Eknath Shinde from the post of leader of the legislative party after he along with the MLAs moved to Surat. The party has appointed Sewri MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the new Shiv Sena Legislative Party leader.
In the resolution signed by 34 Shiv Sena MLAs, it is said, “We, the following members of the 14th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly belonging to the Shiv Sena. We are notified as to the members of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party. We unanimously elected Mr. Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde on 31 October 2019 as group leader of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party. There was a pre-poll alliance between the Bhartiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena Party for the 14th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, 2019.”
It further said, “There has been great dissatisfaction prevalent amongst the members of our party viz. Shiv Sena and our party Cadre at large, on account of Corruption in the Government, and administration regarding police posting. Corruption by then Home Minister Mr. Anil Deshmukh (who is in Jail), and sitting Minority Minister Mr. Nawab Malik (who is also in jail for involvement with Underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim). Apart from the above reasons our party Cadre faced tremendous harassment and distress on Political as well as Personal Grounds from the Opposition.”
34 Shiv Sena MLAs sign resolution saying Eknath Shinde will be the leader of the Shiv Sena Legislative Party. pic.twitter.com/3FQ30l7Rll
— Suresh Nakhua (सुरेश नाखुआ) 🇮🇳 (@SureshNakhua) June 22, 2022
The resolution of Shiv Sena members was received by the Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra Assembly office on 22nd June 2022 at 11:34 am. It also has the receiving signature of the clerical staff in the office of the deputy speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly dated 22nd June 2022.
Eknath Shinde has the support of more than two-thirds of the Shiv Sena MLAs. He said in Guwahati that he now has a strength of 46 MLAs in all. Shiv Sena had won 56 MLAs in the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections. With the recent demise of one of its MLAs, the party is left with 55 MLAs. As Eknath Shinde has taken 40 MLAs with him, the party is now left with hardly 10-15 MLAs. Few more MLAs are reportedly going to Guwahati to join the rebel faction.
According to the anti-defection law, if a group from a legislature party with more than two-thirds of the total number of elected MLAs of that party separates away, then that group is identified as the original party, and the rebel MLAs don’t lose their membership from the house. According to this, Shiv Sena group under Eknath Shinde needs a minimum strength of 37. The resolution has the signatures of 34 Shiv Sena MLAs, which is short by 3 MLAs. Eknath Shinde is claiming to be backed by 46 MLAs in all, including 40 Shiv Sena MLAs
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil arrives in Surat, Gujarat on a chartered flight. He will reach Guwahati, Assam along with 4 MLAs. pic.twitter.com/SvwywhTefu
— ANI (@ANI) June 22, 2022
In the latest development, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil has left for Guwahati with 4 more MLAs. However, the names of these four MLAs are not yet disclosed.
