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In a significant turn of events, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar delivered a consequential ruling in the case of MLAs’ disqualification, shaping the landscape of Shiv Sena’s factions and their representation within the legislative assembly.
Narwekar’s Verdict:
- Narwekar unequivocally declared the Eknath Shinde faction as the legitimate Shiv Sena during the vertical split on June 21, 2022. His verdict underscored the faction’s authenticity as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena political entity at the time of the factional divide.
- Dismissing the Shinde faction’s demand for disqualifying 14 out of 16 loyalists aligned with Uddhav Thackeray, Narwekar highlighted discrepancies in the 2018 leadership structure submitted to the Election Commission of India, emphasizing its incongruence with the Shiv Sena Constitution.
- The number of Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs currently stands at 16 following the Speaker’s ruling, significantly impacting the factional strength and representation within the Maharashtra Assembly.
- Notably, the demand for disqualification excluded Aaditya Thackeray and Rutuja Latke from the Shinde faction’s action, considering Aaditya’s lineage to Shiv Sena’s founder Balasaheb Thackeray, deemed by Shinde as an influential political mentor.
- The dismissal of the disqualification plea was attributed to technical grounds, specifically the absence of physically delivered whips to the concerned MLAs.
Context and Implications:
- In the 2019 assembly elections, Shiv Sena secured 56 seats, laying the groundwork for subsequent power struggles within the party.
- Eknath Shinde’s departure from the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction in 2022 garnered support from 38 MLAs, while Thackeray retained the backing of 16 MLAs, sparking disqualification proceedings from both sides.
- The Speaker’s refusal to disqualify the Shinde camp’s MLAs intensifies the existing political divide within Shiv Sena, shaping the future trajectory of the factional rivalry and the party’s dynamics in Maharashtra’s governance.
- The Supreme Court’s directive to Speaker Narwekar to pronounce judgment on disqualification petitions by January 10 heightened anticipation and scrutiny surrounding the verdict’s implications on the state’s political landscape.
As the political saga unfolds, the strength and impact of the Sena (UBT) faction in the assembly emerge as a focal point, carrying significant ramifications for Maharashtra’s governance and political direction.
Also Read: Uddhav Thackeray Denounces Assembly Speaker’s Verdict: Alleges Assault on Democracy
