Eknath Shinde says he is 'Balasaheb's staunch Shiv Sainik', will never 'cheat' for power - Check top developments on Maharashtra political crisis

Maharashtra political crisis: Amid reports of some 21 Shiv Sena MLAs going incommunicado, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said that he is a "Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sainik" and that he will never betray the ideals of the Shiv Sena founder.

File photo (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) government is facing its worst political crisis in Maharashtra with "rebel" Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who is said to be camping in Gujarat, saying that he "will never cheat" for power. Taking to his official Twitter account amid reports of him and some 21 Shiv Sena MLAs going incommunicado, Shinde said that he is a "Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sainik" and that he will never betray the ideals of the Shiv Sena founder. 

"We are Balasaheb's staunch Shiv Sainiks ... Balasaheb has taught us Hindutva .. We have never and will never cheat for power and will never abandon the teachings of Balasaheb and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb," Shinde, the Maharashtra Cabinet Minister, tweeted in Marathi.

आम्ही बाळासाहेबांचे कट्टर शिवसैनिक आहोत... बाळासाहेबांनी आम्हाला हिंदुत्वाची शिकवण दिली आहे.. बाळासाहेबांचे विचार आणि धर्मवीर आनंद दिघे साहेबांची शिकवण यांच्याबाबत आम्ही सत्तेसाठी कधीही प्रतारणा केली नाही आणि करणार नाही

— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) June 21, 2022

Shinde's first reaction to the ongoing political crisis triggered by him in Maharashtra comes amid questions on the stability of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA dispensation also comprising NCP and Congress.

Here are the top developments on Maharashtra political crisis

Shiv Sena removes Eknath Shinde as its Legislative party leader

According to news agency ANI, Shiv Sena has decided to remove Eknath Shinde as its Legislative party leader. It is learnt that Sewri MLA Ajay Chaudhary will be the new Shiv Sena Legislative Party leader.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray meets party leaders

A meeting was said to be underway on Tuesday between Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena top leaders and MLAs, even as state minister Eknath Shinde was camping along with some party legislators in Gujarat. The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi has also suffered a setback on Monday when it lost out of six seats it contested in the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls.

Attempt being made to pull down MVA govt; Uddhav Thackeray will handle situation: Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has alleged that a third attempt is being made to pull down the MVA government in Maharashtra. He, however, has expressed confidence that chief minister Udhhav Thackeray will be able to handle the situation.

Pawar, who played a crucial role in the formation of the MVA government, said it will complete its full five-year term and ruled out going with the BJP, in case the state government falls.

He said he would be meeting Thackeray later in the day and would be leaving for Mumbai soon after the opposition meeting on the joint presidential candidate.

"There are no differences in the alliance and all have full confidence in the leadership of Thackeray," he was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.

"It is an internal matter of Shiv Sena, they will inform us after assessing the situation," he also said.

Pawar also said that his party will support the Shiv Sena.

The NCP chief said Eknath Shinde, who has turned a rebel along with some MLAs, never told them about his chief ministerial ambitions. 

Congress deputes Kamal Nath as observer for Maharashtra

As the crisis in the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra intensified, the Congress on Tuesday deputed its senior leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath as an AICC observer in the state.

"The Congress president has deputed Kamal Nath as All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer in the wake of recent political developments in the state, with immediate effect," said an official communication from the Congress.

The Congress shares power with the NCP and Shiv Sena in the MVA government in Maharashtra.

Will Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA govt fall in Maharashtra?

In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, Shiv Sena has 55 MLAs, NCP (53), Congress (44), Bahujan Vikas Agahdi (three), Samajwadi Party, AIMIM, and Prahar Janshakti Party two each. MNS, CPI-M, PWP, Swabhimani Paksha, Rashtriya Samaj Party, Jansurajya Shakti Party and Krantikari Shetkari Paksha have one MLA each. There are 13 independent MLAs.

The opposition BJP, on the other hand, has 106 MLAs.

(With agency inputs)