Rebellion in Shiv Sena? Eknath Shinde, other MLAs 'out of reach' after MLC polls
India Today
Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde and a few Shiv Sena MLAs have gone incommunicado since the MLC poll results were declared on Monday. This has fuelled speculation of a rebellion within the MVA government.
Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, along with 10-12 MLAs, has gone ‘out of reach’ since Monday’s legislative council elections, fuelling rumours of a rebellion within the party. The development comes amid allegations of cross-voting by some Shiv Sena MLAs.
The ‘missing’ Shiv Sena MLAs are believed to be holed up in a hotel in Surat with Shinde.
The BJP won five seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council election with Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party bagging two each. The BJP had fielded five candidates while MVA fielded six candidates for 10 MLC seats. BJP managed to win big in the election despite being short in numbers.
The BJP has 106 MLAs in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, while the remaining votes for its candidates have either come from independent MLAs, or those from small parties or from other parties.
Soon after winning the election, BJP's winning candidate Pravin Darekar said, “We're very happy; Maharashtra has shown faith in BJP. Cross-voting 100% happened among members of Shiv Sena and Congress. We wouldn't have received so many votes otherwise.”
After the suspected cross-voting in the MLC poll, Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray convened an urgent meeting of all party MLAs on Tuesday noon. All the party MLAs have been asked to remain present in the meeting without fail. Around 20 MLAs are suspected to have cross voted.
The meeting will be held at the CM's official residence in Mumbai.
