Rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde claims support of 50 MLAs, says he will return to Mumbai soon

‘We are doing this to preserve Hindutva,’ says Shinde camp; ‘Most MLAs in rebel camp from NCP, when did Hindutva ever concern them?’ asks Raut 

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Mumbai: Breaking the suspense over the Shiv Sena rebel camp’s extended Guwahati hiatus, rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Tuesday claimed that he had the support of 50 legislators (Shiv Sena MLAs and independents) and would soon be returning to Mumbai.  

Speaking to newspersons in Guwahati, Eknath Shinde, along with other rebel Sena MLAs in his camp including Uday Samant emphatically said they were still in the Shiv Sena and that their actions were aimed at preserving the party and ‘Hindutva’ ideals of late Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray.   

Eknath Shinde remarked, “Let there be no doubt that we are in the Shiv Sena and are taking the party forward. We will let you know about our further course of action. I will be in Mumbai soon.” 

He refuted Sena Minister Aaditya Thackeray’s claim that 15-20 MLAs in the rebel faction had alleged they had been ‘abducted’ and had reportedly reached out to Uddhav Thackeray’s camp to bring them back to Mumbai from Guwahati. 

Shinde further remarked, “No MLA has been pressurized or is being suppressed…everyone here is happy and has joined of his or her own volition. If they (Thackeray camp) claim that the MLAs present here are in contact with them, then they should reveal their names.” 

Meanwhile, in a bid to refute accusations from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s camp that the rebels were ‘traitors’ to the party, rebel Sena leader Uday Samant stressed that the electorate should not be misled.  

Uday Samant, who held the Higher and Technical Education portfolio, his portfolio has now been re-assigned to Aaditya Thackeray. Samant hit out at the Sena’s ally in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), accusing the latter of being responsible for the defeat of Sena candidate Sanjay Pawar in the Rajya Sabha polls held earlier this month. 

Sena MLA Suhas Kande said that if one had to take ‘Hindutva’ forward, then Eknath Shinde’s leadership was the only alternative, while another rebel MLA Shahaji Patil said that the Sena was being “decimated” by their current allies, the NCP and the Congress.”  

The rebel Shinde camp, along with their spokesperson, Sindhudurg MLA Deepak Kesarkar, have singled out Sena MP Sanjay Raut for his harsh tirades and for being the root cause of the Sena’s ‘downfall’, while accusing the Sena chief spokesperson for acting like the NCP’s agent in keeping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sena apart.  

A day after Deepak Kesarkar put out an open letter severely criticizing Sanjay Raut, the latter hit back at the Eknath Shinde rebel camp at a rally in Alibaug (in Raigad district) on Tuesday. 

Questioning the rebels sudden concern for ‘Hindutva’, Sanjay Raut pointed that 21 of the MLA currently with Eknath Shinde (including Deepak Kesarkar and Uday Samant) had come from other parties into the Shiv Sena, mainly from the NCP. 

Raut further remarked, “The 21 of the rebel MLAs in Guwahati came to Shiv Sena from other parties, primarily the NCP. So, what relation do they have with Hindutva? Don’t teach us (Uddhav Thackeray faction) about ‘Hindutva’.” 

The Sena chief spokesperson reiterated his controversial remark that the Shiv Sena would consider exiting the MVA government, but only if the rebels had the courage to come to Mumbai and spell out their concerns in person to CM Uddhav Thackeray.  

“Those who have stabbed the Thackeray family in the back, have been finished…These traitors (rebel Shinde camp) have no right to roam on Mumbai’s roads. If you really have a majority, then why are you hiding in Guwahati?” questioned Raut. 

He reiterated his charge that it was only because of BJP’s betrayal of the allegedly promised ‘50-50 power-sharing formula’ in 2019 that Eknath Shinde could not be CM. 

Raut further stated, “And today, these people (Sena rebels) are out to make an alliance with the BJP. If you really want the Sena to exit the MVA, then you should come to Mumbai and say so. We will exit the government…but out there in Guwahati, you people are mere slaves.” 

Earlier in the day, launching a broadside against the rebel Sena MLAs, Aaditya Thackeray, too, had accused them of “betraying” the party while remarking that the Sena had been “cleansed of the dirt” due to their rebellion. 

Meanwhile, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis flew to Delhi yet again to discuss the political situation in the State with the party high command.

According to sources, Devendra Fadnavis has made no less than four visits to Delhi since the political storm, which is threatening to destabilize the MVA government, erupted last week. The BJP however, downplayed the frequent Delhi visits of Fadnavis claiming that they were merely routine visits.