Shiv Sena president and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday reached out to the functionaries of his party, which is currently battling a rebellion, and sought to allay fears surrounding the survival of his political outfit and the MVA government.
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The Sena has been witnessing the rebellion within the party after Eknath Shinde broke away and formed a rebel group with the support of several legislators. Shinde is currently camping with at least 38 rebel MLAs of the Sena and 10 independents in Guwahati. He has claimed that the faction led by him is the "real Shiv Sena" and that it has the support of 50 MLAs including independence.
In his virtual address to the party's district unit chiefs and 'sampark pramukhs' assembled at the Shiv Sena Bhavan at Dadar in central Mumbai, CM Thackeray said he may have vacated the chief minister's official residence, but his determination is intact.
"Despite the rebellions that the party has faced earlier, it came to power twice. I may have left 'Varsha', the chief minister's official residence, but not my determination," he said.
Thackeray added that in the last two-and-a-half years, he battled the COVID 19 pandemic as well as his own ill-health, but opponents took advantage of this situation.
Shiv Sena leader and minister Aaditya Thackeray was present at the Shiv Sena Bhavan during the chief minister's address.
In the wake of the revolt by Shinde, CM Thackeray had on Wednesday night vacated his official residence in south Mumbai and moved to family home in suburban Bandra.
'50 MLAs with us'
Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has said that he has the support of over 50 MLAs in his revolt against party chief Uddhav Thackeray, his assertion coming a day after 37 rebel MLAs camping in Guwahati sent a letter to Maharashtra Assembly's Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal to state that Shinde will remain their group leader in the legislature.
Nearly 40 of them are from the Shiv Sena," Shinde told NDTV from BJP-ruled Assam on Friday."Those who have faith in our role will join us. We want to carry forward Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology, those who like it will come," Shinde said, insisting the rebels have not left Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena.
On Thursday evening, Shinde sent a letter to the deputy speaker, signed by the Sena MLAs who are with him in Guwahati. The letter also informed him that Sena MLA Bharat Gogawale had been appointed chief whip of the legislature party in place of Sunil Prabhu.
Shinde questions Sena move
Shinde's letter was sent shortly after Team Uddhav Thackeray filed disqualification applications for 12 rebels with the Deputy Speaker for not attending the legislature party meeting on Wednesday.
In a series of tweets posted late Thursday night, Shinde said as per the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, a party whip is issued for the legislature proceedings and not for attending a meeting.
"There are several Supreme Court decisions in this regard. Who are you trying to frighten? We understand your games and law as well. You can't ask for action against 12 of our MLAs because we are loyal to Balasaheb Thackeray and are the real Shiv Sena and Shiv Sainiks. In fact, we demand action against you for forming a group despite having no numbers," Shinde said in several tweets, according to PTI.
Unnatural alliance
Shinde and his supporters demand that the Shiv Sena break its "unnatural alliance" with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and restore its alliance with the BJP in Maharashtra.
"In the last 2.5 years, Shiv Sena has only suffered and other parties have benefited. Where other parties have got stronger, the Sena has only weakened.
"To save the party and the Shiv Sainiks, it is vital that the unnatural alliance be junked. It is important to make this decision in the interest of Maharashtra," Shinde tweeted on Tuesday.