Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde, Several Shiv Sena MLAs Not Reachable
Mumbai: Shiv Sena, which heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra faces the danger of a split as Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and several MLAs are not reachable, confirmed party leader Sanjay Raut.
This comes after the BJP won five of the 10 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections following suspected cross-voting.
Shinde’s absence along with other MLAs has fueled speculation that the ruling coalition government may be in danger. In view of the developments, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has called an immediate meeting of the coalition government.
He is said to be currently in Gujarat. “We do not know of his whereabouts. I am sure that he will come out and clear his stand,” Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.
“He (Shinde) was at the Shiv Sena office in the Legislative Assembly premises on Monday when Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was present there. But, no one knows about him after that. He was not present during the counting (for MLC polls),” a party leader said.
Shinde is a four-time MLA from Kopri Pachpakhadi in Thane and is one of the tallest leaders of Shiv Sena after Thackeray. Considered acceptable to all, Shinde has made a strong following in the army. After the 2014 assembly elections, in which the Shiv Sena contested against the BJP, Thackeray elected him as the Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra. Later Shiv Sena joined hands with BJP and Shinde was made a minister.
Shiv Sena and NCP won two candidates each, while Congress got only one seat. Ten were to occupy the council seats and 11 candidates were in the fray, which came days after the Rajya Sabha elections, in which the BJP suffered a humiliating defeat by the Shiv Sena-led ruling coalition.
Shinde was reportedly upset after the neglect in the functioning of the party and the government. He was also not happy about not getting freedom in running his departments, including Urban Development and Public Works (MSRDC), due to the clout of CM and Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray.
His followers in Shiv Sena were pleased with the indifferent attitude of the Chief Minister and adequate funds allocation in their respective constituencies.
Not only Shinde and his followers but also other MLAs were treated step-motherly by NCP veteran and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the allocation of funds.
Although Pawar, who holds the finance and planning portfolio, had denied those allegations, Shiv Sena legislators were expecting the CM’s intervention to find a middle ground.
Although Pawar, who holds finance and planning departments, had denied those charges the Sena legislators were expecting CM’s intervention to find a middle path.
The opposition BJP on Monday won all five seats it contested in the state Legislative Council elections for 10 seats, while Congress candidate and Dalit leader Chandrakant Handore lost, in another setback for the MVA after the Rajya Sabha polls earlier this month.
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