Uddhav Thackeray continues to be Shiv Sena chief, rebel group doesn't have recognition, claims party MP Arvind Sawant
The Hindu
“Even if two-third of the MLAs go, Uddhav Thackeray remains the Sena chief and according to law, only he is the one who can appoint leader of the legislature party,” he said
Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant on Thursday asserted that Uddhav Thackeray continues to be the Sena chief, even as most of its MLAs have rebelled and joined the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Shiv Sena as a political party and the Sena legislature party are "two different entities", Mr. Sawant told a web portal, and claimed the "rebel group does not have recognition".
“Even if two-third of the MLAs go, Uddhav Thackeray remains the Sena chief and according to law, only he is the one who can appoint leader of the legislature party,” he said.
“You cannot separate (Mr.) Thackeray and the Shiv Sena,” Mr. Sawant asserted.
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Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil on Wednesday said the faction led by CM Shinde was the real claimant of the party's 'bow and arrow' poll symbol, a claim contested by the Uddhav Thackeray-headed camp.
Mr. Patil had also said that 12 of the 18 Shiv Sena MPs were supporting the Shinde-led group.