Party’s doors closed for Sena rebels, says Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut  

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government will complete its tenure, asserts the Sena MP

Eschewing the conciliatory offers made earlier to the rebel Shiv Sena MLA faction led by Minister Eknath Shinde, the Sena on Friday took a hardline against their ‘perfidy’, with MP Sanjay Raut stating that the party’s doors were closed for the rebels. He stressed that the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government stood firm and would complete its remaining tenure of two-and-a-half years.

He said the MVA (of the Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress) would “not accept defeat” following Mr. Shinde’s rebellion.

“They [rebel Sena MLAs] have taken a very wrong step…we [the MVA] will win on the floor of the House [Maharashtra Assembly]. Should this battle be fought on the streets, then we will win that too. Those who want to challenge us, can return to Mumbai… We had given them a chance to turn back, but now I think that time has elapsed,” said Mr. Raut.

With the MVA facing an existential crisis after Mr. Shinde, with his revolt, taking the bulk of the 55 Sena legislators on his side, putting the ruling government in a minority, Mr. Raut held an emergency meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar at Mumbai’s Yashwantrao Chavan Centre during which Sena MP Anil Desai and Home Minister and NCP leader Dilip Walse-Patil were present.

A meeting with NCP leaders was also held at Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s official residence ‘Matoshree’,

Expressing confidence that the MVA would weather the present storm, Mr. Raut asserted that the coalition would fight and win the 2024 election.

“The Home Minister [Mr. Walse-Patil] is an experienced leader of the NCP…  He has been a Speaker of the Assembly. He is familiar with legal problems. Mr. Desai and Mr. Walse-Patil have discussed the upcoming legal battles. We are fully prepared. Now, we are challenging you [the rebel MLAs]…return from Guwahati to face us,” said the Sena MP.