Maharashtra political crisis: We stand with Uddhav Thackeray, ready for floor test, says Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut

Amid all this, Maharashtra cabinet minister Eknath Shinde, who is camping in Assam's Guwahati city with rebel Sena MLAs, has claimed the support of 46 legislators, including some Independents.

MUMBAI: Amid the current political turmoil in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that his party MLAs stand firmly united behind their leader and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and are ready for the floor test in the assembly. “He who leaves the party under ED pressure is not a true Balasaheb Bhakt. We're true Balasaheb Bhakts...even we've ED pressure but will continue to stand with Uddhav Thackeray...When floor test happens everyone will see who's positive and who is negative...” Sanjay Raut said.

He who leaves the party under ED pressure is not a true Balasaheb Bhakt. We're true Balasaheb Bhakts...even we've ED pressure but will continue to stand with Uddhav Thackeray...When floor test happens everyone will see who's positive and who is negative...: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena pic.twitter.com/Wa2WqbZI1g — ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2022

Refusing to talk about the Eknath Shinde camp, the Shiv Sena MP said, “I won't talk about any camp, I will talk about my party. Our party is strong even to this day...About 20 MLAs are in touch with us...when they come to Mumbai, you will get to know...will soon be revealed, in what circumstances, pressure these MLAs left us.”

I won't talk about any camp, I will talk about my party. Our party is strong even to this day...About 20 MLAs are in touch with us...when they come to Mumbai, you will get to know...will soon be revealed, in what circumstances, pressure these MLAs left us: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena pic.twitter.com/UBH9jH4qKs — ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2022

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Krupal Tumane on Thursday denied reports of joining the rebel faction led by Eknath Shinde, and asserted that he was with the Sena. Tumane, the Lok Sabha member from Ramtek in Nagpur, said "patience is the need of the hour". 

Amid all this, Maharashtra cabinet minister Eknath Shinde, who is camping in Assam's Guwahati city with rebel Sena MLAs, on Wednesday claimed the support of 46 legislators, including some Independents.

On Thursday morning, three more Shiv Sena MLAs left for Guwahati from Mumbai, according to an associate of Shinde. The Shiv Sena currently has 55 MLAs in the Assembly.

On Wednesday, Eknath Shinde gave a letter to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly's deputy speaker, signed by 35 Sena MLAs, replacing Sunil Prabhu with Bharat Gogavale as the chief whip of the Shiv Sena legislature party.

He has maintained that while the NCP and the Congress were growing stronger in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, the Shiv Sena, which heads the governing bloc, and its workers were getting systematically weakened.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday night vacated his official residence, hours after reaching out to Shiv Sena dissidents with an emotional appeal and offering to quit, even as rebel leader Shinde remained defiant and insisted the party should walk out of the "unnatural" ruling alliance MVA, and claimed the support of "enough number" of MLAs.

The CM had moved out of 'Varsha', his official residence in south Mumbai, and shifted to Matoshree, the Thackeray family's private bungalow in suburban Bandra, amid high drama as the Shiv Sena asserted he will not resign in the wake of rebellion by Shinde, who is camping with rebel MLAs in Guwahati.