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Amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra, Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that the NCP stands with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and will meet him at his residence this evening.
"We still stand with the Chief Minister. NCP leaders will go to meet CM at 6.30 pm today at Matoshree (Thackeray residence). Our stand is the same as yesterday. We will try to keep the government stable," he added. According to him the agenda of the meeting would decide the "next step" amid the political crisis. Reacting to LOP Praveen Derekar's letter to the Governor, Pawar said, "We are in power and have the majority. We are making decisions as a Government does. Wouldn't you have done the same if you were in power and had a majority? The government does have the right to take such decisions. The concerned minister and officers are making decisions together." BJP MLC Pravin Darekar had written a letter to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari demanding his intervention into the manner in which the "MVA government in the state is suspiciously taking rapid decisions one after other pertaining to schemes, projects and giving contracts". "They (Eknath Shinde faction) say that they are Shiv Sena. So Shiv Sena+NCP+Congress together, we have a majority," he added. Meanwhile, Shinde has claimed that he has the support of 38 Shiv Sena MLAs. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut expressed confidence that the MVA government would win the floor test in the State Assembly. He said that the rebel MLAs have taken a very wrong step and said that the MVA government will complete the rest of the remaining years of the five-year tenure in office. He further added that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar are in constant touch. Raut had earlier urged rebel MLAs to return to Mumbai and discuss their issues with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He had also claimed that the Shiv Sena is ready to "consider exiting out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) if this is the will of all the MLAs" but with a condition that the rebel MLAs will have to convey the message directly to CM Uddhav Thackeray and discuss the issues with him. Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat claimed that both Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are trying to eliminate Shiv Sena politically from Maharashtra and the MLAs made countless attempts to inform Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray about the malafide intentions of alliance partners. Eknath Shinde is appearing to be holding a tight grip on the Shiv Sena, as the strength of MLAs supporting him is expected to cross 50 as more legislators are likely to reach Guwahati on Friday. The political crisis in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra erupted after the party legislators joined a rebellion led by Eknath Shinde who is staying at a hotel in Guwahati. The rebel MLAs who are at a hotel in Guwahati and authorized Shinde to decide on a further course of action. Notably, the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has filed a petition before the Deputy Speaker of the state assembly seeking the cancellation of membership of 12 rebel MLAs including Eknath Shinde for "not attending" the legislative party meeting held on Wednesday. Apart from Shinde, Shiv Sena has sought disqualification of Prakash Surve, Tanaji Sawant, Mahesh Shinde, Abdul Sattar, Sandeep Bhumare, Bharat Gogawale, Sanjay Shirsat, Yamini Yadhav, Anil Babar, Balaji Devdas and Lata Chaudhari. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena supporters throw black ink and eggs at a poster displaying a picture of rebel MLA Eknath Shinde, and also raised slogans against him in Nashik. (ANI)
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