The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, comprising the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, appears to be on the verge of collapse, as senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde has rebelled against his party and claimed more support. Shiv Sena has more than 40 MLAs
Shinde is currently in BJP-ruled Assam and is staying with the rebels in a luxury hotel and termed the MVA alliance “unnatural”. He said that Shiv Sena should come in alliance for the survival of the party.
On the other hand, the party has appealed to Shinde and his supporters to return to Maharashtra with CM Uddhav Thackeray and said that he is ready to step down if this is what his party wants.
Here is a timeline of the ongoing political crisis that began on Tuesday morning. (in descending order)
BJP’s Maharashtra unit chief Chandrakant Patil said his party played no role in the current political crisis but acknowledged that Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis came to Delhi on Thursday “for some work”, without any details. .
Shiv Sena minister and MP Sanjay Raut admitted that the party’s numbers in the Maharashtra Assembly have dwindled, but expressed confidence that the rebel MLAs will support the MVA alliance during the floor test.
All the 37 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs camping in Guwahati sent a letter to Maharashtra Assembly Deputy Speaker Narhari Jirwal, stating that Shinde would continue to be the leader of his group in the legislature.
Raut said his party is ready to consider leaving the ruling alliance if the rebel MLAs who are camping in Assam return and discuss their grievances with CM Uddhav Thackeray.
-NCP president Sharad Pawar said the fate of the MVA government will be decided on the floor of the assembly, and the MVA will prove its majority in the trust vote.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Mumbai for the third consecutive day in the money laundering case.
Six MLAs from Gujarat and one MLC reached Surat city in neighboring Gujarat, later flew to Guwahati.
Shinde says a “national party” has termed his rebellion “historic” and assured him of all possible help.
The NCP said it will do everything possible to save the ruling coalition MVA and it is with Uddhav.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP and the Center of trying to destabilize the MVA government to form their own government and get numbers for the upcoming presidential election.
In Assam, the opposition Trinamool Congress held a massive protest outside a luxury hotel in Guwahati where disgruntled Shiv Sena MLAs from Maharashtra are camping.
Shiv Sena MLA Kailas Patil, who had escaped in a car carrying the rebel MLAs to Surat, claimed that some of those taken to the camp under Shinde’s leadership might be looking to return.
The Congress said it does not want to interfere in the “internal affairs” of Shiv Sena, but exuded confidence in Uddhav.
Uddhav vacated his official residence in south Mumbai on Wednesday night and moved to a family home in suburban Bandra.
A BJP leader from Delhi has filed a complaint against Uddhav for allegedly violating the COVID-19 related protocol by meeting his supporters while going from his official residence towards his private residence.
Raut says that Uddhav will continue to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the ruling coalition MVA will prove its majority on the floor of the assembly if needed.
Shinde said the ruling MVA was an “unnatural alliance” and it was imperative for his party to walk out of the alliance for himself and party workers.
Shiv Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh claimed that some people had forcibly admitted him to the hospital and he was injected.
Shinde claimed that he had the support of 34 MLAs of his party and passed a resolution reinstating himself as the leader of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party.
Shiv Sena indicated to dissolve the assembly.
AICC observer Kamal Nath met Pawar in Mumbai.
Shiv Sena asked all its MLAs in Maharashtra, including the rebels who accompanied Shinde, to attend the legislature party meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday evening or face action under the anti-defection law.
Shiv Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh returned to his home state Maharashtra along with five other party workers.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said that Uddhav has made it clear that there was no proposal to recommend the dissolution of the state assembly.
Shinde said that 40 MLAs have gone to Guwahati with him.
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was admitted to a private hospital in South Mumbai after he was found to be coronavirus positive.
A group of 40 Maharashtra MLAs led by Shinde reached Guwahati and were taken to a luxury hotel on the outskirts of the city.
Shiv Sena kept its MLAs in different hotels in Mumbai
Hundreds of Shiv Sena workers gathered outside Shiv Sena headquarters in Mumbai to express solidarity with party president Uddhav.
Two Shiv Sena leaders sent by Uddhav met Shinde and other MLAs at a Surat hotel to defuse the crisis and held detailed discussions.
Chandrakant Patil said some BJP MLAs would meet Shinde in his “personal capacity” while camping at a Surat hotel.
Pawar alleged that a third attempt is being made to topple the MVA government.
Shinde and some MLAs of his party did not come in contact and were found camping in Surat.
-Party MLA Nitin Deshmukh’s wife lodged a police complaint about her husband being ‘missing’
Congress appointed Kamal Nath as AICC observer in the state.
Shinde and some other Shiv Sena MLAs from the state were found camping in a hotel in Gujarat’s Surat city.
(With inputs from Press Trust of India)