News Analysis India

Tag: Maharashtra crisis

  • Sena slams Shinde-Fadnavis over cabinet expansion, says dispensation trapped in ‘constitutional dilemma’

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Monday attacked the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis dispensation in Maharashtra saying it was taking arbitrary decisions despite being trapped in a “constitutional dilemma” without a cabinet in place.

    “Shinde and Fadnavis had taken oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister on June 30 but there has been no cabinet expansion since, even as the new government has gone about taking decisions on the metro rail carshed in Aarey, renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad as well as the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport, among others but the government trapped in a constitutional dilemma is taking arbitrary decisions,” the party said in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

    The Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena insists the Shinde-Fadnavis government is illegal since the disqualification plea of rebel MLAs is pending before the Supreme Court.

    Earlier this month, it had also asked the governor not to administer oath to any minister as a disqualification plea was yet to be decided by the apex court.

    The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 20 a batch of pleas pertaining to the recent political crisis in Maharashtra that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

    Dubbing Shinde and Fadnavis as “Vasu and Sapna”, the lead characters of the blockbuster film ‘Ek Duje Ke Like”, the editorial said the two-member government is an “unusual” experiment and “political family planning” but due to the Supreme Court resorting to a forced vasectomy, they have to face this situation (of not expanding the cabinet), the editorial said.

    An iconic film of 1981 starring Kamal Hasan and Rati Agnihotri, who play Vasu and Sapna, are madly in love with each other but meet a tragic end.

    “There has been a chief minister and a deputy chief minister in Maharashtra over the last 15 days, but one cannot call this a government,” the party said.

    It said over 40 MLAs were herded between Surat, Guwahati and Goa amid the rebellion, but when they came back to Mumbai, only two (Shinde and Fadnavis) took oath.

    READ HERE | 12 Shiv Sena MPs set to form separate group in Lok Sabha and meet Speaker

    It asked how this “two-pillar” government could call the Uddhav Thackeray dispensation’s order to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar, Osmanabad as Dharashiv and the new Navi Mumbai airport after D B Patil as “unconstitutional”.

    The party also slammed the Shinde government’s decision to resume work on the Aarey metro rail carshed, which the Thackeray government had stalled citing environment concerns.

    The Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra on Saturday gave cabinet approval to rename Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively.

    The decision to rename these cities was taken by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in its last meeting on June 29.

    However, the Shinde government said the decisions were illegal as they were taken after the governor had asked for a floor test in the Assembly.

    MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Monday attacked the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis dispensation in Maharashtra saying it was taking arbitrary decisions despite being trapped in a “constitutional dilemma” without a cabinet in place.

    “Shinde and Fadnavis had taken oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister on June 30 but there has been no cabinet expansion since, even as the new government has gone about taking decisions on the metro rail carshed in Aarey, renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad as well as the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport, among others but the government trapped in a constitutional dilemma is taking arbitrary decisions,” the party said in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

    The Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena insists the Shinde-Fadnavis government is illegal since the disqualification plea of rebel MLAs is pending before the Supreme Court.

    Earlier this month, it had also asked the governor not to administer oath to any minister as a disqualification plea was yet to be decided by the apex court.

    The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on July 20 a batch of pleas pertaining to the recent political crisis in Maharashtra that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

    Dubbing Shinde and Fadnavis as “Vasu and Sapna”, the lead characters of the blockbuster film ‘Ek Duje Ke Like”, the editorial said the two-member government is an “unusual” experiment and “political family planning” but due to the Supreme Court resorting to a forced vasectomy, they have to face this situation (of not expanding the cabinet), the editorial said.

    An iconic film of 1981 starring Kamal Hasan and Rati Agnihotri, who play Vasu and Sapna, are madly in love with each other but meet a tragic end.

    “There has been a chief minister and a deputy chief minister in Maharashtra over the last 15 days, but one cannot call this a government,” the party said.

    It said over 40 MLAs were herded between Surat, Guwahati and Goa amid the rebellion, but when they came back to Mumbai, only two (Shinde and Fadnavis) took oath.

    READ HERE | 12 Shiv Sena MPs set to form separate group in Lok Sabha and meet Speaker

    It asked how this “two-pillar” government could call the Uddhav Thackeray dispensation’s order to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar, Osmanabad as Dharashiv and the new Navi Mumbai airport after D B Patil as “unconstitutional”.

    The party also slammed the Shinde government’s decision to resume work on the Aarey metro rail carshed, which the Thackeray government had stalled citing environment concerns.

    The Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra on Saturday gave cabinet approval to rename Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively.

    The decision to rename these cities was taken by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in its last meeting on June 29.

    However, the Shinde government said the decisions were illegal as they were taken after the governor had asked for a floor test in the Assembly.

  • Despite betrayal by those whom Sena trusted, grassroot Shiv Sainiks still with party: Aaditya Thackeray

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday claimed the grassroot Shiv Sena workers were firmly with the organisation, despite “betrayal” by those whom the party trusted.

    Speaking in Mumbai’s northern suburb Dahisar as part of his ‘Nishtha (loyalty) Yatra’, Aaditya Thackeray said those who wanted to leave the Sena have gone, but the grassroot Shiv Sainiks continue to support the party, led by his father and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

    Last month, a majority of the Sena MLAs, led by Eknath Shinde, rebelled against the party leadership, asking it to snap ties with the NCP and the Congress. The revolt in the party led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government.

    On June 30, Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister, while BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the deputy CM.

    Since the revolt, both the factions, led by Uddhav Thackeray and CM Shinde, have repeatedly claimed to be the real Shiv Sena.

    “In each constituency, we have two to three formidable Shiv Sainiks men and women who are ready to take on political rivals at the hustings,” said Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray.

    Later, talking to reporters, the former minister said the Shiv Sena has been “betrayed” by those it trusted. “Those who are happy to leave should have the guts to face fresh elections.

    The doors of ‘Matoshree’ (the private residence of Thackerays in suburban Bandra) are open to all those who wish to return,” he said.

  • Credit for bringing down MVA government in Maharashtra goes to ED and CBI: Mehbooba

    “Today, Shinde has 50 to 60 people with him and the (MVA) government falls there (in Maharashtra),” she added.

  • Maharashtra Assembly session from today; Shinde government to face floor test on July 4

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The four-day-old Shiv Sena-BJP government will face the floor test on July 4 during the special two-day session of the Legislative Assembly beginning here Sunday.

    The election to the post of the Speaker of the House will be held Sunday after the House proceedings begin at 11 am, an official said.

    Sena MLA and Uddhav Thackeray loyalist Rajan Salvi is the candidate of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine for the Speaker’s election. He is pitted against first-time BJP legislator Rahul Narvekar.

    ALSO READ: BJP made Eknath Shinde Maharashtra CM to wrest Mumbai from Shiv Sena, claims Raut

    Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs who support Shinde returned to Mumbai from Goa on Saturday evening on the eve of the Assembly session, and were lodged in a luxury hotel in south Mumbai, where Vidhan Bhavan, venue of the floor test, is located.

    NCP chief Sharad Pawar claimed that Narhari Zirwal, the deputy Speaker, can perform officiating Speaker’s duties even though a no-confidence motion is pending against him. The post of Speaker is vacant since February last year after Nana Patole of Congress quit.

    As many as 50 MLAs who support Shinde, including 39 rebel legislators of the Shiv Sena, on Saturday evening flew to Mumbai from Goa by a chartered flight.

    ALSO READ: MVA fields Sena’s Rajan Salvi for Assembly Speaker post against BJP’s Rahul Narvekar

    Shinde, who had flown to Goa in the morning, accompanied them back. Shinde has the support of 10 legislators of smaller parties and independents and 106 MLAs of the BJP in the 288-member House.

    Following is the party position in the Assembly: Shiv Sena 55, NCP 53, Congress 44, BJP 106, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi 3, Samajwadi Party 2, AIMIM 2, Prahar Janshakti Party 2, MNS 1, CPI (M) 1, PWP 1, Swambhimani Paksha 1, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha 1, Jansurajya Shakti Party 1, Krantikari Shetkari Party 1, and Independents 13.

    There is a vacancy due to the death of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke last month. Two NCP members – Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal – have tested COVID-19 positive, while two other party legislators – Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik – are currently in jail.

    ALSO READ: Eknath Shinde, rebel Maharashtra MLAs paid Guwahati hotel bills before leaving

  • Maharashtra: MVA fields Sena’s Rajan Salvi for Assembly Speaker post against BJP’s Rahul Narvekar

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MLA Rajan Salvi on Saturday filed his nomination as the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) candidate for the post of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker, election for which will be held on July 3.

    On Friday, first-time BJP legislator Rahul Narvekar had filed his nomination for the post. While Narvekar represents Colaba Assembly constituency in Mumbai, Salvi is the MLA from Rajapur segment in Ratnagiri district.

    A special two-day Assembly session has been convened on July 3 and 4. While election for the speaker’s post will be held on Sunday, the newly sworn-in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, in whose cabinet BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis is the deputy CM, will face the floor test the next day.

    The MVA alliance consists of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. The government of these three parties collapsed on Wednesday following a rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who took oath as CM the next day.

    Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said Salvi is the opposition’s candidate for the election to the speaker’s post.

    Jayant Patil, Dhananjay Munde (NCP), Ashok Chavan (Congress), Sunil Prabhu (Shiv Sena) were prominent among those who were present with Salvi when he filed his papers here.

    The deadline for filing of the nomination papers was 12 noon on Saturday. The post of assembly speaker has been lying vacant since Nana Patole of Congress resigned in February last year to become the party’s state unit president.

  • Uddhav questions BJP’s 2019 move, says ‘Shinde not Sainik’ 

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI:  After stepping down as the chief minister of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said that Eknath Shinde is not the CM from Shiv Sena. Thackeray made the comment during a visit to the Shiv Sena Bhavan, where he questioned the move that the BJP made in 2019.

    “I am really surprised and I have one question: If BJP was really interested in making a Shiv Sainik as the chief minister of Maharashtra, then why did they not agree to it in 2019?,” he said. “We asked Amit Shah to honour the power-sharing formula that was agreed upon, but they refused to do so, resulting in the birth of Maha Vikas Aghadi. If they had agreed to this earlier, today, there would have been BJP’s chief minister in the state,” Thackeray said.

    The former CM reiterated that Eknath Shinde is not a Sainik. Lamenting that the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs and BJP betrayed and backstabbed him for power, Thackeray said, “The anger against me should not be used against Mumbaikars by developing a metro car shed at Aarey colony. These are green places that need to be protected.” He blamed the BJP for chopping several trees earlier, and added that they later planted many trees to bring in ecological balance.

    “We have also seen wild animals coming back. I am pained with the new government’s decision of allowing the metro car shed to come up,” Thackeray said. He added that the state government should resolve the Kanjurmarg metro project issue as well, now that BJP is in power in the state and the Centre. Thackeray also said that people should have the right to recall their MLAs and MP if they go against the voters’ wishes. “The rebel MLAs were first taken to Gujarat, then to Guwahati and finally to Goa. Democracy is on sale in the market,” Thackeray said.

    BJP hopes to make Sena a toothless tigerMumbai: Having brought down the Uddhav Thackeray government, BJP is now aiming to reduce Shiv Sena to a toothless tiger. The party hopes to achieve this before the BMC elections. The BJP already has a majority of Sena MLAs — 39 out of 55 — in its control. It is now eyeing to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led group as the real Shiv Sena. It seems to have started working on the plan as Shinde has asked the MLAs who are on Uddhav’s side to be with the majority faction or else face disqualification proceedings for ‘anti-party activities’. 

  • Devendra Fadnavis will join Maharashtra government in state’s interest: Amit Shah

    By Online Desk

    On the request of BJP president JP Nadda, party leader in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has decided to join the government in the interest of the state, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday evening.

    During a press meet earlier in the day, Fadnavis had said that BJP would support a new minority government led by Shiv Sena rebel group leader Eknath Shinde, who will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

    Then it was considered to be a foregone conclusion that Fadnavis will become the CM for the third time, in alliance with the Shinde-led Sena rebels.

    Fadnavis had sprang a surprise when he announced that Shinde will be the next chief minister.

    His announcement defied expectations that he would return to the post with the support of the Shinde faction.

    The BJP will extend support to Shinde’s group, said Fadnavis, a former chief minister and currently Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, while adding that he would be out of government but will ensure its smooth functioning.

    However, soon Nadda tweeted that Fadnavis will be part of the government “Devendra Fadnavis has shown big heart and decided to join the new Maharashtra cabinet,” Nadda said and added that it has been proved that BJP never had a desire for chief minister’s post and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray left their alliance “for greed” of this post.

    This is a breaking news. The story will be updated soon

  • ‘Fadnavis, Shinde will decide further actions’: State BJP chief amid celebrations in saffron camp

    By Online Desk

    MUMBAI: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde will now decide the next court of action, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said on Wednesday night.

    CM Uddhav Thackeray resigned earlier in the evening, a day before a scheduled floor test in the state Assembly.

    The state BJP unit has asked all its MLAs to gather in Mumbai. To a question about the BJP’s next move, as it is the single largest party in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Patil said, “The next steps will be decided by Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde.”

    He also said BJP workers “should observe restraint in victory.”

    ALSO READ | ‘Not going away forever, will again sit in Sena Bhavan’: Uddhav’s parting note as CM

    Fadnavis told reporters that “I will tell the party’s stand tomorrow for sure.”

    There will be another round of meeting at the official residence of Fadnavis later tonight, sources said.

    Meanwhile, several BJP legislators and senior leaders gathered at the residence of Fadnavis in Mumbai and congratulated each other over the collapse of the MVA government following the resignation of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

    Many of them said that Fadnavis will soon helm the state.

    Former minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “the truth prevailed, finally”.

    “Fadnavis always used to say that he will return to the House. Now, it’s time. He will come back as the chief minister of Maharashtra,” BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said.

    State party president Chandrakant Patil fed sweets to Fadnavis. Senior BJP leaders Sudhir Mungantiwar and Girish Mahajan were also present.

  • ‘Not going away forever, will again sit in Sena Bhavan’: Uddhav’s parting note as CM

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who announced his resignation on Wednesday minutes after Supreme Court gave go ahead to floor test in the state assembly, said that he was not going away forever and will once again sit in Shiv Sena Bhavan.

    Thackeray, whose party’s internal revolt brought down the three-year-old MVA government, said he came to power in “an unexpected manner” and was “going out in a similar fashion”.

    Thackeray also announced his resignation as MLC. “I had come (to power) in an unexpected manner and I am going out in a similar fashion. I am not going away forever, I will be here, and I will once again sit in Shiv Sena Bhavan. I will gather all my people. I am resigning as the CM and as an MLC,” he said.

    ALSO READ | We have majority, confident of victory: Eknath Shinde

    Uddhav Thackeray became Chief Minister after Shiv Sena joined hands with Nationalist Congress Party and Congress to form the government in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena leadership had differences with its pre-poll ally BJP and wanted the post of Chief Minister.

    The MVA government in Maharashtra has been facing a political crisis after a revolt in Shiv Sena. The rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde had been camping in Guwahati.

    Uddhav Thackeray also expressed gratitude to NCP and Congress, allies in the coalition government. “I want to express my gratitude to the people of NCP and Congress that they supported me. From Shiv Sena, Anil Parab, Subhash Desai and Aaditya Thackeray, these people were only present when the proposal was passed while NCP and Congress people also supported the proposal,” he said.

    He also referred to Maharashtra cabinet decisions taken earlier day. “I am satisfied that we have officially renamed Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv – the cities named by Balasaheb Thackeray,” he said.

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave its go ahead for floor test in Maharashtra Assembly tomorrow as it refused to stay the state Governor’s decision which was challenged by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu.

    ALSO READ | Taking Balasaheb’s Hindutva, Shiv Sena forward: Shinde

    “We are not staying tomorrow’s floor test,” the Supreme Court bench said.The court also issued notice on Shiv Sena Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu’s plea and said that tomorrow’s floor test will be subject to the outcome of the present petition. The court will hear his plea on July 11.

    A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala had earlier in the day reserved the decision on the plea filed by Sunil Prabhu challenging Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s direction to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to hold the floor test on June 30 (Thursday).

    Supreme Court also allowed jailed NCP leaders Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh to participate in the proceedings of the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly tomorrow.

    Since Malik and Deshmukh are in judicial custody of the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, both the agencies were directed to escort them to the Assembly to participate in floor test and bring them back to the judicial custody.

    Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had asked the Uddhav Thackeray government in the state to prove a majority on the floor of the House on June 30 stating that the “present political scenario” unfolding in the state paints a “very disturbing picture.”

    The Governor wrote to the state Assembly secretary to convene a special session of the State Assembly tomorrow with the only agenda of a trust vote against CM Thackeray.

    BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had met the Governor on Tuesday evening after returning from Delhi, and submitted a letter to him demanding an immediate floor test.

  • Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs land in Goa for overnight stay

    By Agencies

    PANAJI: The Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde reached the Dabolim airport from Guwahati on Wednesday night, from where they were headed towards the Taj Hotel in Panaji for night stay.

    Tight security was provided to them while travelling in coaches from the Dabolim airport to the Taj Resort and Convention Centre in Panaji.

    As the Supreme Court gave a go ahead with the floor test on Thursday, the rebel MLAs are expected to leave for Mumbai early on Thursday morning.

    ALSO READ | Uddhav Thackeray steps down as Maharashtra CM after SC refuses to stay floor test

    Meanwhile, while the rebel group was travelling from Guwahati to Goa, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray tendered his resignation from the top post in a virtual conversation with the people of Maharashtra.

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday held a marathon hearing on a plea filed by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu challenging the Maharashtra Governor’s direction to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to take a floor test and prove its majority in the House on Thursday.

    Police sources informed that the security at the Dabolim airport and the Taj Resort in Panaji will not be withdrawn till the rebel MLAs proceed to Mumbai on Thursday morning.