Amid the ongoing political crisis in the state of Maharashtra, as two more Shivsena MLAs walk their way to the Guwahati hotel where rebel Shiv Sena leaders are residing, Eknath Shinde on Wednesday confirmed that he has the support of 45 MLAs and that the number might rise up to 50.
This is a day after Shinde clarified that he has no plans to quit Shiv Sena but is unhappy with the way the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is operating in the state. He stated that Shiv Sena had gone far away from Hindutva and party supremo Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology. “We have so far not taken any decision regarding the party. We will never disregard Hindutva, Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology, and Anand Dighe’s teaching for our political benefit,” Shinde reiterated today as he reached the Guwahati airport.
Meanwhile, reports have emerged revealing that Eknath Shinde revolted due to Sanjay Raut who had allegedly insulted Shinde during the legislative council election meeting on June 20. Raut had reportedly called him a political novice in front of party MLAs when Shinde in the meeting proposed that Shiv Sena should fight the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) election on its own under his leadership. Mocking Shinde, Raut at the Renaissance Hotel, Powai then had declared that parties of the MVA would contest the TMC election in the alliance.
On Monday, a humiliated Shinde had left the party meeting and this episode is said to have triggered him to rebel against the party. According to the reports, Shinde also had indulged in an argument with Minister Aaditya Thackeray, who is also the son of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He had refused Raut and Aaditya Thackeray’s idea of using the votes of Shiv Sena MLAs to elect Congress candidates as MLCs.
Reportedly, one of the Congress candidates named Bhai Jagtap had attained enough votes but another Congress candidate Chandrakant Handore had lost the election. A meeting at Renaissance hotel in Powai was organized to negotiate and discuss how Shiv Sena MLA’s votes could help the Congress candidates win the position. Eknath Shinde strongly refused to support Raut and Thackeray in this and two days later today is in Guwahati with 45 other MLAs to fight against the ‘Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena’.
As per reports, Shinde has felt sidelined from the state Urban Development Ministry as the Thackeray-led government has been rejecting all the proposals put forth by Shinde’s ministry for clearance or seeking funds for the past 18 months. It is said that Shiv Sena General Secretary Milind Narvekar had orders from CM Thackeray to ensure that Shinde should not clear any major project without his approval.
Also, during the 2019 assembly election, CM Uddhav Thackeray and his wife Rashmi who have an important say in the party affairs after Balasaheb Thackeray, wanted their son Aaditya to be a crucial part of the then would be government. They nominated Aaditya sidelining Shinde who has political experience of almost 27 years.
Eknath Shinde who is in Assam’s Guwahati at present, clearly stated on Wednesday that Shiv Sena was stepping far away from its policies of Hindutva and that was disrespecting the ideologies of party supremo Balasaheb Thackeray. He also added that the Shiv Sena formed by Balasaheb Thackeray was different from the one that is led by CM Uddhav Thackeray.