News Analysis India

Tag: Uddhav Thackeray

  • 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.

  • Uddhav sacks senior leader Ramdas Kadam, ex-MP Adsul for ‘anti-party’ activities

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday sacked senior leader Ramdas Kadam and former MP Anandrao Adsul for indulging in “anti-party” activities.

    Kadam, a former Maharashtra minister, had sent a letter resigning as “Shiv Sena leader” to Thackeray claiming he was consistently “insulted” while Thackeray always remained busy when he was the chief minister.

    Adsul, a former Union minister who had represented the Amravati Lok Sabha seat, had written a letter resigning as the party leader on July 6.

    Thackeray announced the sacking of Kadam and Adsul on Monday evening.

    In his letter, Kadam expressed his anguish over the 2019 post-poll alliance between Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress, which he said was a betrayal of the thoughts of Sena founder the late Bal Thackeray.

    Kadam, who hails from the Ratnagiri district, became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the first time in 1990 and went on to win three more terms.

    He was appointed as Shiv Sena leader in 2005.

    He also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2009.

    He became an MLC for the first time in 2010 and again in 2015.

    Kadam had served as the state environment minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party-Sena government in 2014-19.

    Kadam has been sulking as he was not given any ministerial post when the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) remained in power (from November 2019 to June 2022).

    He was also denied another term as a member of the state Legislative Council last year.

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

    Last month, Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party along with 39 legislators.

    Ramdas Kadam’s son Yogesh Kadam, the MLA from Dapoli in Ratnagiri district, had also joined the Shinde camp.

    Shinde was on June 30 sworn in as the chief minister and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis had taken the oath as his deputy.

    “My MLA son Yogesh and I were consistently insulted and you were always busy after becoming the chief minister. I was appointed as Shiv Sena leader by the late Balasaheb Thackeray. However, I realised that there is no meaning to the post after his death,” Ramdas Kadam stated in his letter.

    “When you were forming a government with the NCP and Congress, I requested you with folded hands not to do so. (As) the late Balasaheb Thackeray always fought against Congress, it would be the betrayal with his thoughts.” Kadam said he has been feeling hurt since Thackeray went ahead with forming the government with the NCP and Congress.

    “You did not listen to me that time. It hurts me today as well. Had Shiv Sena supremo been around, I would have not faced this day in my life,” he added.

    READ HERE | MLA Bangar, who cried for Uddhav and then joined Shinde camp, removed as Hingoli unit chief

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday sacked senior leader Ramdas Kadam and former MP Anandrao Adsul for indulging in “anti-party” activities.

    Kadam, a former Maharashtra minister, had sent a letter resigning as “Shiv Sena leader” to Thackeray claiming he was consistently “insulted” while Thackeray always remained busy when he was the chief minister.

    Adsul, a former Union minister who had represented the Amravati Lok Sabha seat, had written a letter resigning as the party leader on July 6.

    Thackeray announced the sacking of Kadam and Adsul on Monday evening.

    In his letter, Kadam expressed his anguish over the 2019 post-poll alliance between Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress, which he said was a betrayal of the thoughts of Sena founder the late Bal Thackeray.

    Kadam, who hails from the Ratnagiri district, became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the first time in 1990 and went on to win three more terms.

    He was appointed as Shiv Sena leader in 2005.

    He also served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2009.

    He became an MLC for the first time in 2010 and again in 2015.

    Kadam had served as the state environment minister in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party-Sena government in 2014-19.

    Kadam has been sulking as he was not given any ministerial post when the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) remained in power (from November 2019 to June 2022).

    He was also denied another term as a member of the state Legislative Council last year.

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

    Last month, Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party along with 39 legislators.

    Ramdas Kadam’s son Yogesh Kadam, the MLA from Dapoli in Ratnagiri district, had also joined the Shinde camp.

    Shinde was on June 30 sworn in as the chief minister and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis had taken the oath as his deputy.

    “My MLA son Yogesh and I were consistently insulted and you were always busy after becoming the chief minister. I was appointed as Shiv Sena leader by the late Balasaheb Thackeray. However, I realised that there is no meaning to the post after his death,” Ramdas Kadam stated in his letter.

    “When you were forming a government with the NCP and Congress, I requested you with folded hands not to do so. (As) the late Balasaheb Thackeray always fought against Congress, it would be the betrayal with his thoughts.” Kadam said he has been feeling hurt since Thackeray went ahead with forming the government with the NCP and Congress.

    “You did not listen to me that time. It hurts me today as well. Had Shiv Sena supremo been around, I would have not faced this day in my life,” he added.

    READ HERE | MLA Bangar, who cried for Uddhav and then joined Shinde camp, removed as Hingoli unit chief

  • Maharashtra crisis: Uddhav faction files fresh plea in SC against move to disqualify its MLAs

    By PTI

    The MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena have filed a fresh plea in the Supreme Court challenging the disqualification proceedings initiated against them under the constitutional scheme and on Monday sought its hearing with other pending pleas on July 20.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana agreed for its hearing alongside the other five pending pleas.

    The bench, also comprising justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli is already scheduled to hear on Wednesday as many as five pending pleas about the recent political crisis in Maharashtra that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.

    The turmoil began with a rebellion in the Shiv Sena following which Uddhav Thackeray resigned as chief minister on June 29.

    A day later, rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde took an oath as chief minister with the BJP supporting his faction. The fresh sixth plea was mentioned before the bench by senior advocate Devdatt Kamat.

    “Maharashtra matters are listed on Wednesday. I request for tagging the same along with them,” Kamat said. The CJI said, “Okay, tag it with them.

    ” The CJI-led bench, on July 11, had granted interim relief to the Uddhav Thackeray faction MLAs by asking Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar not to proceed with the plea seeking their disqualification as sought by the Shinde group on the ground of defying the party whip during the trust vote and the election of the speaker.

    The top court seized of five petitions and the first one was filed by the Shinde faction during the summer vacation when some rebel Sena MLAs moved before it challenging the disqualification proceedings initiated by the deputy speaker.

    Rest four pleas, now the fifth one, have been filed by the Thackeray faction. On June 27, the vacation bench extended the time for the rebel MLAs to file written responses to the deputy speaker’s disqualification notice till July 12.

    On July 3, Rahul Narvekar of the BJP was elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly. He had polled 164 votes and defeated Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rajan Salvi, who got 107 votes.

    A day before the floor test, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Narvekar had recognised Gogawale as the Shiv Sena’s chief whip, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction.

    After winning the trust vote in the state Assembly on July 4, the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena issued a notice to 14 legislators from the Uddhav Thackeray camp for violating a whip issued by the Sena whip and Shinde loyalist Bharat Gogawale.

    Both sides have accused each other of defying the party whip during the Speaker’s election and the trust vote on July 3 and 4, respectively, seeking disqualification of the legislators from both sides.

    Maharashtra legislature secretary also came into the picture and issued show-cause notices to 53 of the total 55 Shiv Sena MLAs in the state, including 39 of the faction led by Shinde and 14 of the Uddhav Thackeray group.

    The notices have been issued under the Members of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (disqualification on grounds of defection) rules.

    In the trust vote, 164 MLAs voted for the motion of confidence, while 99 voted against it.

    The Thackeray faction has also challenged the validity of assembly proceedings held on July 3 and July 4 in which a new speaker of the House was elected and subsequent proceedings of floor test in which the Shinde-led coalition had proved its majority.

    It has also filed a plea challenging the decision of the newly-elected Speaker to recognise the new party whip of Shiv Sena rebels led by Shinde.

    Prior to this, Prabhu had moved the top court seeking suspension from the assembly of the chief minister and 15 rebel MLAs against whom the disqualification pleas are pending.

    The vacation bench of the court had on June 27 granted interim relief to the Shinde faction by extending the time for replying to the disqualification notices sent to 16 rebel Sena MLAs till July 12.

    On June 29, the Maharashtra governor had ordered a floor test, prompting the MVA government to rush to the top court seeking its deferment.

    The bench refused to stay under the direction of the Governor to the 31-month-old MVA government to take a floor test in the Assembly to prove its majority after which the then beleaguered chief minister Uddhav Thackeray quit office.

    After Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister on June 30, Prabhu moved to the top court seeking his suspension and of 15 Sena rebels on various grounds, alleging that they are acting as pawns of the BJP, thereby committing the constitutional sin of defection.

    The MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena have filed a fresh plea in the Supreme Court challenging the disqualification proceedings initiated against them under the constitutional scheme and on Monday sought its hearing with other pending pleas on July 20.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana agreed for its hearing alongside the other five pending pleas.

    The bench, also comprising justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli is already scheduled to hear on Wednesday as many as five pending pleas about the recent political crisis in Maharashtra that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.

    The turmoil began with a rebellion in the Shiv Sena following which Uddhav Thackeray resigned as chief minister on June 29.

    A day later, rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde took an oath as chief minister with the BJP supporting his faction. The fresh sixth plea was mentioned before the bench by senior advocate Devdatt Kamat.

    “Maharashtra matters are listed on Wednesday. I request for tagging the same along with them,” Kamat said. The CJI said, “Okay, tag it with them.

    ” The CJI-led bench, on July 11, had granted interim relief to the Uddhav Thackeray faction MLAs by asking Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar not to proceed with the plea seeking their disqualification as sought by the Shinde group on the ground of defying the party whip during the trust vote and the election of the speaker.

    The top court seized of five petitions and the first one was filed by the Shinde faction during the summer vacation when some rebel Sena MLAs moved before it challenging the disqualification proceedings initiated by the deputy speaker.

    Rest four pleas, now the fifth one, have been filed by the Thackeray faction. On June 27, the vacation bench extended the time for the rebel MLAs to file written responses to the deputy speaker’s disqualification notice till July 12.

    On July 3, Rahul Narvekar of the BJP was elected Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly. He had polled 164 votes and defeated Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena candidate Rajan Salvi, who got 107 votes.

    A day before the floor test, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Narvekar had recognised Gogawale as the Shiv Sena’s chief whip, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction.

    After winning the trust vote in the state Assembly on July 4, the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena issued a notice to 14 legislators from the Uddhav Thackeray camp for violating a whip issued by the Sena whip and Shinde loyalist Bharat Gogawale.

    Both sides have accused each other of defying the party whip during the Speaker’s election and the trust vote on July 3 and 4, respectively, seeking disqualification of the legislators from both sides.

    Maharashtra legislature secretary also came into the picture and issued show-cause notices to 53 of the total 55 Shiv Sena MLAs in the state, including 39 of the faction led by Shinde and 14 of the Uddhav Thackeray group.

    The notices have been issued under the Members of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (disqualification on grounds of defection) rules.

    In the trust vote, 164 MLAs voted for the motion of confidence, while 99 voted against it.

    The Thackeray faction has also challenged the validity of assembly proceedings held on July 3 and July 4 in which a new speaker of the House was elected and subsequent proceedings of floor test in which the Shinde-led coalition had proved its majority.

    It has also filed a plea challenging the decision of the newly-elected Speaker to recognise the new party whip of Shiv Sena rebels led by Shinde.

    Prior to this, Prabhu had moved the top court seeking suspension from the assembly of the chief minister and 15 rebel MLAs against whom the disqualification pleas are pending.

    The vacation bench of the court had on June 27 granted interim relief to the Shinde faction by extending the time for replying to the disqualification notices sent to 16 rebel Sena MLAs till July 12.

    On June 29, the Maharashtra governor had ordered a floor test, prompting the MVA government to rush to the top court seeking its deferment.

    The bench refused to stay under the direction of the Governor to the 31-month-old MVA government to take a floor test in the Assembly to prove its majority after which the then beleaguered chief minister Uddhav Thackeray quit office.

    After Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister on June 30, Prabhu moved to the top court seeking his suspension and of 15 Sena rebels on various grounds, alleging that they are acting as pawns of the BJP, thereby committing the constitutional sin of defection.

  • Maharashtra: Eknath Shinde cabinet approves renaming of Aurangabad, Osmanabad cities

    By PTI

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

    The decision to rename these cities was taken in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s last cabinet meeting chaired by the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on June 29, just before he resigned.

    However, Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who were sworn in on June 30, had said the Thackeray-led dispensation’s decision to rename these places was illegal as it was taken by it after the governor had asked it to prove majority in the state Legislative Assembly.

    During the cabinet meeting chaired by Thackeray last month, Aurangabad was renamed as Sambhajinagar, but the Shinde government on Saturday added ‘Chhatrapati’ prefix to it.

    At present Shinde and Fadnavis are the only two members in the cabinet as its expansion is still pending.

    A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the minutes of the June 29 cabinet meeting (chaired by Thackeray) were approved by the new government (led by Shinde) at the cabinet meeting held on Saturday.

    The minutes had come for approval before the new government, which had directed the administration to re-submit the proposal, it said.

    “The fresh proposal approved by the cabinet today will be sent to the Centre, after which the renaming of both the cities will be done at the divisional, district, taluka, municipal corporation and council levels,” it said.

    The cabinet also approved the decision to name the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport after farmer leader D B Patil. This decision was also taken by the Thackeray-led cabinet last month.

    The CMO statement said the administration was asked to submit a fresh proposal about the airport’s name, which was approved on Saturday.

    The Navi Mumbai airport is being developed as a greenfield airport spread over 1,160 hectares by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) under a public-private partnership.

    The MVA government comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress collapsed on June 29 after Thackeray resigned as chief minister, days after Shinde raised a banner of revolt against the Sena leadership.

    Shinde took oath as the chief minister the next day.

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

    The decision to rename these cities was taken in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s last cabinet meeting chaired by the then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on June 29, just before he resigned.

    However, Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who were sworn in on June 30, had said the Thackeray-led dispensation’s decision to rename these places was illegal as it was taken by it after the governor had asked it to prove majority in the state Legislative Assembly.

    During the cabinet meeting chaired by Thackeray last month, Aurangabad was renamed as Sambhajinagar, but the Shinde government on Saturday added ‘Chhatrapati’ prefix to it.

    At present Shinde and Fadnavis are the only two members in the cabinet as its expansion is still pending.

    A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the minutes of the June 29 cabinet meeting (chaired by Thackeray) were approved by the new government (led by Shinde) at the cabinet meeting held on Saturday.

    The minutes had come for approval before the new government, which had directed the administration to re-submit the proposal, it said.

    “The fresh proposal approved by the cabinet today will be sent to the Centre, after which the renaming of both the cities will be done at the divisional, district, taluka, municipal corporation and council levels,” it said.

    The cabinet also approved the decision to name the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport after farmer leader D B Patil. This decision was also taken by the Thackeray-led cabinet last month.

    The CMO statement said the administration was asked to submit a fresh proposal about the airport’s name, which was approved on Saturday.

    The Navi Mumbai airport is being developed as a greenfield airport spread over 1,160 hectares by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) under a public-private partnership.

    The MVA government comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress collapsed on June 29 after Thackeray resigned as chief minister, days after Shinde raised a banner of revolt against the Sena leadership.

    Shinde took oath as the chief minister the next day.

  • Attacks on Shiv Sena workers won’t be tolerated: Uddhav Thackeray

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said attacks on party workers would not be tolerated.

    He was speaking after visiting the party’s Byculla office and meeting Sena worker Baban Gaonkar who was attacked by unidentified persons on Thursday night.

    Byculla in South Mumbai is the Assembly constituency of Yamini Jadhav, one of the rebel Sena MLAs who has joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction.

    ALSO READ | ‘Eknath Shinde faction original Shiv Sena, should get party’s poll symbol’: Athawale

    Shinde’s rebellion last month, which toppled the Thackeray-led government, has split the party.

    “Attempts to play with the lives of Shiv Sena workers will not be tolerated. If police can not bring the culprits to book, Sena workers will do it. Police shouldn’t get into politics,” Thackeray further said.

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said attacks on party workers would not be tolerated.

    He was speaking after visiting the party’s Byculla office and meeting Sena worker Baban Gaonkar who was attacked by unidentified persons on Thursday night.

    Byculla in South Mumbai is the Assembly constituency of Yamini Jadhav, one of the rebel Sena MLAs who has joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction.

    ALSO READ | ‘Eknath Shinde faction original Shiv Sena, should get party’s poll symbol’: Athawale

    Shinde’s rebellion last month, which toppled the Thackeray-led government, has split the party.

    “Attempts to play with the lives of Shiv Sena workers will not be tolerated. If police can not bring the culprits to book, Sena workers will do it. Police shouldn’t get into politics,” Thackeray further said.

  • Presidential election: Shiv Sena to support NDA’s candidate Droupadi Murmu

    By Online Desk

    The Shiv Sena on Tuesday announced that it will support the NDA’s Presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu vis-a-vis the non-BJP Opposition’s nominee Yashwant Sinha.

    Sena President Uddhav Thackeray made the formal announcement after a series of consultations with the party MPs, MLAs, and other leaders including tribals.

    “There has been absolutely no pressure from the MPs, as claimed in the media. However, many Sena leaders and office-bearers from tribal communities have requested us. We have taken a decision to support Draupadi Murmu for the President’s elections,” Thackeray told media persons.

    The decision to support Murmu comes a day after 16 MPs told Thackeray to support her as she is a “woman from a tribal community.”

    The Sena said Monday, Thackeray had discussed the Presidential polls issue and other matters in detail at a meeting of most Sena MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha besides some other top leaders.

    “In the past even Balasaheb Thackeray used to hold such consultations with party leaders on major issues and the decisions were made on the basis of the view of their colleagues. At yesterday’s meeting, the candidature of Murmu was also discussed,” said Shiv Sena MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

    While emphasising that supporting Murmu doesn’t imply backing the BJP, he said the Sena has all the goodwill for Sinha.

    “Such decisions are based on peoples’ sentiments and even in the past we had supported the candidature of Pratibha Patil (2007), Pranab Mukherjee (2012) when we were with the NDA,” Raut pointed out, suggesting a repeat of its stance in 2022.

    He also rubbished speculation in a section of the media that the Sena is on the verge of a split with even MPs preparing to revolt and join the group led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

    “A majority of our MPs were present at yesterday’s meeting barring Shinde’s son, Dr. Shrikant Shinde and Bhavana Gawali. The party does not take any decisions under pressure and whatever is finally decided, would be binding on all MPs and MLAs,” Raut said.

    Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, the other Maha Vikas Aghadi — of which the Sena is a part — have not yet reacted to the developments.

    Meanwhile, both Murmu and Sinha are expected to be in Mumbai this week to campaign for the President elections and are likely to meet the top leaders of all political parties.

  • My government will complete tenure, we will even win next election: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday exuded confidence about completing his tenure in office and even winning the next elections in alliance with the BJP.

    Addressing a press conference here with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by his side, he said a decision about the expansion of the Maharashtra council of ministers will be taken in Mumbai next week.

    Shinde and Fadnavis, who arrived in the national capital on Friday night, met President Ram Nath Kovind, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP chief J P Nadda on Saturday.

    Earlier, the Maharashtra chief minister and his deputy had lengthy deliberations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during which the broad contours of the power-sharing arrangement were learnt to have been finalised.

    Shinde dismissed his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray’s call for mid-term elections, asserting the state government was strong and enjoyed the support of 164 MLAs in the house of 288 while the opposition had just 99 legislators.

    At the press conference, when Fadnavis was asked about the BJP cadre being unhappy over his “demotion” to the post of deputy chief minister, he said that on the contrary, the party workers were happy that the “injustice” done to them in 2019 has been rectified.

    The BJP workers were happy as natural allies BJP and Shiv Sena have formed government, unseating the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, he said.

    “It is very clear. The chief minister is the leader. We will work towards making this government successful,” Fadnavis said.

  • Uddhav demands mid-term polls, says nobody can grab Sena’s bow and arrow symbol

    By Agencies

    MUMBAI: Dismissing speculation in some media circles, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday asserted that nobody can take away the party’s iconic’ bow and arrow’ election symbol.

    He also demanded mid-term elections in Maharashtra, saying that people should be allowed to take a stand on toppling of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by him.

    Referring to claims by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Group and media buzz to the effect, he made it clear that “nobody can steal anything that belongs to the Shiv Sena”.

    “They are trying to spread confusion… There’s a difference between a legislature party and the registered political party in the field… No matter how many legislators go away, the party doesn’t cease to exist. A false impression is being created in peoples’ minds, don’t fall it,” Thackeray said.

    Rejecting the contentions and claims, the party president said that he has already consulted top experts who have assured that the party’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol belongs to and will remain with the Shiv Sena.

    ALSO READ | SC to hear on July 11 fresh plea against appointment of Eknath Shinde as Maharashtra CM

    He also lauded the 16 MLAs who stayed with him “despite all kinds of threats” but they were undeterred and stuck together with the belief in ‘Saytyameva Jayate’.

    Thackeray said that the Supreme Court decision on July 11 would give an indication towards which direction democracy will head in this country.

    “The decision will be very significant as it will decide on upholding the Constitution… We have full faith in the judiciary,” he declared.

    Referring to nearly 100 former municipal corporators from Navi Mumbai and Thane who have quit to join the Shinde group, Thackeray said they may probably be worried they would be denied tickets for the next civic elections and hence taken the decision.

    “The corporators may have gone, but the municipal corporations are still there. As long as the people are with the Shiv Sena, there is no danger,” said the party chief, addressing the media at his residence.

  • ‘Bow and arrow’ poll symbol will remain with Shiv Sena, asserts Uddhav Thackeray

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Amid a tussle with the rebel faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to claim the party’s poll symbol, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday asserted that the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol will remain with the original party.

    He also demanded mid-term elections in Maharashtra, saying that people should be allowed to take a stand on the toppling of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by him.

    Addressing a press conference here, Thackeray said the change of power in the state could have happened with grace and in a dignified manner in 2019 and not with “betrayal” as was done last week.

    He was referring to the Sena and BJP’s parting of ways after the 2019 Assembly poll results over the issue of the rotational chief minister.

    Thackeray hit out at the rebel Shiv Sena group for keeping mum when the BJP targeted and “abused” him and his family in the last two-and-a-half years.

    “You keep in touch with them and betray your own party like this,” he said without naming Shinde.

    He said the Supreme Court’s verdict to be delivered on July 11 will decide not just the future of shiv sena but also the future of Indian democracy.

    The apex court is scheduled to give its decision on a petition seeking disqualification of 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs.

    Thackeray said he has consulted constitutional experts, who told him that there can be a split in the legislature party, but the original party stays and cannot be finished.

    “The legislature party and original party are two different entities. There should be no confusion over the symbol. Shiv sainiks should rest assured that the bow and arrow symbol will remain with us,” he said.

    Thackeray also said he would take a decision which candidate to support for the presidential election after consulting the party MPs.

  • ‘Uddhav must talk to BJP for any possible patch up’: Rebel Shiv Sena camp amid faction war in party

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Rebel Shiv Sena MLAs have aligned with the BJP in Maharashtra and if there is any possibility of reconciliation with the parent party, then Sena president Uddhav Thackeray should talk to the party’s estranged ally, a spokesperson of the dissident faction said on Thursday.

    Deepak Kesarkar, who has been speaking to the media on behalf of the rebel faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, also targeted Sena MP and chief spokesman Sanjay Raut without naming him.

    In an oblique reference to Raut, who has been making harsh comments against the rebel MLAs, Kesarkar said Thackeray should keep a “little aside” the people responsible for the revolt in the party.

    “”We and the BJP have come together. So there is a new family now. If we have to go back to the old family, then we are not alone. The BJP is with us. When he (Thackeray) calls us, he also has to talk to the BJP and bless us,”” Kesarkar told reporters.

    He was responding to a question on whether the rebel group will go back to the parent party if Thackeray, a former CM, asks them to do so.

    Forty of the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs have joined the rebel camp led by Chief Minister Shinde.

    The MLAs had urged Thackeray to sever ties with the NCP and the Congress and align with the BJP.

    The NCP and the Congress were part of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government which collapsed last month after a section of the Sena MLAs revolted against the party leadership.

    The Shiv Sena snapped ties with its long-standing ally BJP and joined hands with the NCP and the Congress in November 2019.

    On June 30, Shinde took oath as the new CM with Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP as his deputy.

    Sena MP Arvind Sawant on Thursday asserted that Uddhav Thackeray continues to be the Sena chief, even as most of its MLAs have rebelled and joined the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

    The Shiv Sena as a political party and the Sena legislature party are “two different entities”, Sawant told a web portal, and claimed the “rebel group does not have recognition”.

    “Even if two-thirds of the MLAs go, Uddhav Thackeray remains the Sena chief and according to law, only he is the one who can appoint leader of the legislature party,” he said.

    “”You cannot separate Thackeray and the Shiv Sena,”” Sawant asserted.

    Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil on Wednesday said the faction led by CM Shinde was the real claimant of the party’s ‘bow and arrow’ poll symbol, a claim contested by the Uddhav Thackeray-headed camp.

    Patil had also said that 12 of the 18 Shiv Sena MPs were supporting the Shinde-led group.

    Sawant, who has been one of the leaders handling the Thackeray camp’s legal front in the midst of the setback that it has been facing, said according to the anti-defection law, the “rebel MLAs have to merge their group with some another party immediately.

    “”The rebels have not merged their group with another party. They don’t have any recognition. The law says they have to merge with a political party,”” Sawant said.

    Last month, a majority of the Sena MLAs, led by 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.

    Following the rebellion, Thackeray had removed Shinde as the Sena legislature party leader, and replaced him with Ajay Chaudhary.

    Sunil Prabhu, who was then appointed the chief whip, had called a meeting of the MLAs while the rebel group was in Guwahati.

    Sawant said since the rebels had not turned up, the party moved a disqualification plea before Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal.

    Zirwal had recognised Chaudhary as the Sena legislature party leader and Prabhu as the chief whip, and sought response from rebel MLAs on their disqualification plea.

    The rebels then moved the Supreme Court, which will hear their pleas on July 11.

    Notably, newly elected state Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar had reinstated Shinde as the Shiv Sena legislature party leader, removing Ajay Chaudhary.

    Narvekar also recognised the appointment of Bharat Gogawale from the Shinde camp as the chief whip of the Sena, removing Sunil Prabhu, who belongs to the Thackeray faction.

    Sawant said Narvekar recognised Shinde as the Sena legislature party leader, but he did not given any legal provision while overruling the deputy speaker’s order.

    MLA Sanjay Shirsat on Thursday said party founder late Bal Thackeray would have thrown Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut out of the party “in a minute” for the harsh language he used against dissident legislators in Maharashtra.

    Speaking to reporters here, he hit out at Raut, the party’s chief spokesperson, and also found fault with the way Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had been handling the affairs of the 56-year-old political outfit.

    Shirsat was one of the nearly 40 Sena MLAs who sided with Eknath Shinde – now the chief minister of Maharashtra – when he raised a banner of revolt against the party leadership, a move that subsequently led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last month.

    The rebel MLAs first reached Surat from Mumbai on June 21 and later flew to Guwahati before coming back to the metropolis after Chief Minister Shinde took oath on June 30.

    “We were 39 party MLAs and eleven independent MLAs in Guwahati. Sanjay Raut called us street girls when we were in Guwahati when there were women MLAs with us. If Balasaheb Thackeray had been alive today, he would have kicked Sanjay Raut out of the party in a minute,” Shirsat said.

    The MLA from Aurangabad (West) repeatedly attacked Raut for his choice of words and acerbic statements against rebel legislators when they were staying in a Guwahati hotel.

    “The statements of Sanjay Raut have hurt me. The women MLAs accompanying us cried on hearing some of his statements. If his (Raut’s) mother or sister would have been there, would Raut have spoken in such a manner? But these comments are being tolerated (under the current leadership). Such people are trying to sink the Shiv Sena,” he said.

    Shirsat said the rebels supporting Shinde want to save the Shiv Sena and they will never go against the Thackeray family.

    “We want to save the Shiv Sena, we will never talk against the party or the Thackeray family. We are respectful today and will be the same tomorrow also,” the legislator said.

    Shirsat said no one is trying to understand why there was such a massive revolt in the Shiv Sena.

    “Earlier, if anyone betrayed the party, he used to run here and there fearing he would be beaten up. Even if a corporator tried to betray, he would thinks ten times over it. But the party has lost 50 MLAs, including ministers and senior leaders.”

    “Why one one is trying to understand (reasons for deep disgruntlement in the Sena). If the doors of Matoshree (Thackeray’s family residence in Mumbai) are shut for ‘four middlemen’ who are trying to finish the party, they will not survive for long,” the MLA maintained.

    Shirsat, however, did not elaborate on “four middlemen” comment.

    The MLA also took a dig at senior Sena leader Subhash Desai, a former Guardian Minister of Aurangabad district.

    “The Guardian Minister didn’t even make a phone call to me in the past two-and-a-half years. The BJP-represented Gangapur Assembly constituency got funds of Rs 11 crore, whereas my constituency (Aurangabad West) got just Rs 1 crore,” he said.

    Shirsat said fund distribution under the erstwhile MVA government was not equitable.

    “We should see the funds allocated to the districts of the region through the Public Works Department (handled by Congress’s Ashok Chavan under the MVA regime) and see how much money has gone to Nanded (Chavan’s home district). A sports university announced for Marathwada was also taken to Balewadi (in Pune),” he added.

    Meanwhile, former party MP Anandrao Adsul has resigned from his post as a leader of the party.

    Adsul had earlier represented the Amravati Lok Sabha seat, but was defeated by Navneet Rana in 2019.

    Talking to PTI, his son Abhijit Adsul said his father has resigned from the post of Shiv Sena leader.

    To a question on whether he will join the Eknath Shinde-led Sena faction, Abhijit said, “My father will continue to remain a Shiv Sainik.”

    Thackeray-led Shiv Sena recently faced a rebellion launched by senior leader Shinde.

    Majority of party MLAs sided with Shinde, leading to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government helmed by Thackeray.

    Thackeray resigned from the post of chief minister on June 29, and a day after that Shinde took oath as the state CM.