Mumbai: Eknath Shinde has split the Shiv Sena into two, challenging Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership and throwing the three-party coalition Maharashtra government into a deep crisis.
Shinde, a senior minister in the Uddhav cabinet, has broken ranks with Shiv Sena and is camping in Guwahati with 38 Sena and 9 Independent MLAs for the last few days.
Despite the reduced numbers – reduced from 55 to 17 in the Assembly as of now — Uddhav has remained adamant. He Uddhav dared rebel MLAs to face him and say they don’t want him as their leader, in which case he was willing to resign.
Since that didn’t happen, the CM has vowed to fight it out with the help of partners NCP and Congress.
The Opposition have been watching the drama from sidelines.
The Opposition have been watching the drama from sidelines. And some them are enjoying the tamasha too, as was evident from Asaduddin Owaisi’s comment on the Maharashtra crisis.
The AIMIM chief on Saturday described those involved as ‘monkeys’.
“Let Maha Vikas Aghadi deliberate on this matter… it is their problem. Why should I go there and say something? We are keeping an eye on the unfolding drama,” Owaisi was quoted as saying by ANI.
Pressed further, Owaisi said: “It looks like a dance of monkeys… They are acting like monkeys jumping from one branch to another.”
The deputy speaker of Maharashtra assembly sent a disqualification notice to 16 Sena rebel MLAs, including Shinde, based on a complaint by the party.
Shinde wrote to Uddhav, accusing him of withdrawing security to rebel MLAs’ homes. The charge was swiftly denied by the government.
