In another setback to the Shiv Sena leadership, one more ministers switched sides on Sunday and joined the rebel camp led by Eknath Shinde even as the political crisis in Maharashtra continues unabated. Uday Samant, who landed in Guwahati where the rebel MLAs have been camping at a luxury hotel for the last four days, is the ninth minister to desert the Uddhav Thackeray's team.
Meanwhile, reports suggested that at least 20 rebel legislators are in touch with party's official faction. “About 20 (rebel) MLAs are in touch with the Shiv Sena. We are hopeful that they will vote for us during the floor test,” a top source in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was quoted as saying by ThePrint.
Thackeray's camp has already initiated action against the rebels and filed disqualification petition against 16 legislators. The party is also planning to take away the portfolios of a few ministers. Shinde, who heads the Urban Development Ministry, Water Supply and Sanitation minister Gulabrao Patil and Agriculture minister Dada Bhuse as well as Ministers of States Sambhuraje Desai and Abdul Sattar are likely to lose their portfolios.
The Sena-NCP-Congress government has been teetering ever since Shinde raised the banner of revolt on Monday night soon after the results of the Legislative Council polls were announced. Shinde, along with a sizable number of his loyal MLAs, left Mumbai and travelled to Surat before flying to Guwahati.
The Maharashtra legislature secretariat had on Saturday issued 'summons' to 16 of the rebel Sena MLAs, including Shinde, seeking written replies by the evening of June 27 to the complaints seeking their disqualification. “Political turbulence is going on in Maharashtra, many MLAs defected and have gone to Assam. We have initiated the legal action against them and notice has been served to 16 MLAs till now,” said Sena MP Arvind Sawant.
Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday dared the rebel MLAs to quit and face fresh elections, but also said the doors of the party were open for those who wish to return. He expressed confidence that the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi will survive the current crisis.
"My open challenge to the rebels is to resign and seek a fresh mandate from their electorate. In the past, Chhagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane and their supporters had resigned as Sena MLAs to join other parties. Even (Union minister) Jyotiraditya Scindia supporters in Madhya Pradesh had resigned as Congress MLAs (in March 2020)," Raut told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Centre on Sunday extended Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos to at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs. Those who were provided the security cover include Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakas Surve and 10 others.
Their families living in Maharashtra too will be secured as the security blanket entails house protection teams.
