Maharashtra political crisis: Eknath Shinde arrives in Assam with 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, BJP MLA from Assam welcomes
Bhupen Goswami
Guwahati : A day after he went missing from political circles in Mumbai, a group of supporters of rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and his 46 MLAs reached another BJP-ruled state of Assam on Wednesday morning. An Assam BJP source said today that Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and other rebel MLAs, who were staying at the Le Meridian Hotel in Surat, have reached Guwahati (Assam) from Gujarat. It is believed that the top leadership of Assam BJP and the state government is making arrangements for the stay of the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs in Guwahati. BJP MLAs also reached the airport to welcome him.
Bjp MLA Sushant Borgohain and MP Pallab Lochan Das welcomed the Shiv Sena MLAs at the Guwahati airport. This is perhaps the first time that legislators from a western state are being taken to the northeastern state after a revolt against the party leadership.After Shinde rebelled against the party and camped in Surat along with some fellow MLAs, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday shifted its MLAs to mumbai hotels to avoid poaching. Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who is a minister in the Maharashtra government and a rebellious man, claimed that 40 mlas of the party have reached Assam. He also said that he will take Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva forward. Shinde’s statement comes at a time when speculations are rife that Shinde, along with other MLAs, may join the BJP to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Political uncertainty over Maharashtra’s ruling alliance has increased on Tuesday after Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde rebelled against the party and took some MLAs to BJP-ruled Gujarat. Keeping alive the speculation that the saffron party is planning an “Operation Lotus”.
The MLAs were taken to another BJP-ruled state of Assam on Wednesday. Shinde claimed to have the support of 40 MLAs. While the Shinde camp remained silent on the developments within him. Shinde said: “We have not left Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. We will not leave it. We are following Balasaheb’s Hindutva and will take it forward. On his transfer from Surat in Gujarat to Guwahati, he said it was only a tourist trip. However, before leaving for Guwahati, Shinde had said in Surat that he had not left the Shiv Sena. On Tuesday night, a video of the MLAs inside a hotel in Surat has also surfaced in which they are all seen camping with Shinde. How many MLAs have come, I did not count. I’m here for personal relationships. He has not revealed any program. Eknath Shinde, a minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government, has taken on a rebellious note.
They have put the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state in crisis. Two days before his rebellion, he had a heated argument with state cabinet minister and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aaditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut at a hotel in Powai. Let us tell you that here shiv sena mlas were appointed for the legislative elections. After the MLC elections, Shinde had gone to stay at the Lee Meridian Hotel in Surat along with some other Shiv Sena MLAs. At the same time, a Shiv Sena delegation comprising Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s close aides Milind Narvekar and Ravindra Phatak also met Shinde and other party MLAs in Surat. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had on Tuesday alleged that attempts were being made to topple the MVA government. He had further said that some Shiv Sena MLAs and Eknath Shinde had become “out of reach” of him.Shiv Sena MLA Nitin Deshmukh, who accompanied party rebel Eknath Shinde to Surat, on Wednesday claimed that some people had forcibly admitted him to a hospital there and were given injections, though he never suffered a heart attack. He said he somehow managed to return to Maharashtra safely from Surat and promised loyalty to Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.
The party’s chief whip, in a letter, has warned the MLAs that if a person remains absent from the meeting without proper reason and prior notice, they should keep in mind that action to cancel their membership will be initiated as per the constitutional provisions.
