Shiv Sena houses its MLAs in Mumbai hotels to avoid poaching

The Shiv Sena on Tuesday moved its MLAs to hotels to ward off poaching bids after senior party leader Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party and camped in Surat in Gujarat along with some fellow legislators.

Party MLAs have been housed at different hotels in Mumbai, a Shiv Sena MLA from the city said.

This has been done to avoid poaching of legislators, the MLA said.

The MLA, however, did not divulge the names of the hotels where the legislators have been housed.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed 14 to 15 Sena MLAs, including some ministers, are with Shinde in Gujarat's Surat city. However, another party leader said the number could be 23.