New Delhi: As the political crisis deepens in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday (June 21) said “old friend” rebel MLA Eknath Shinde is aware of why the Uddhav Thackeray-led party broke the alliance with BJP. Raut’s remarks came after two representatives of the Shiv Sena– Milind Narvekar and Ravi Pathak– met Shinde in Gujarat’s Surat. “Two of our people went there (Surat). Talks happened with Eknath Shinde. He is our old friend…Everyone knows why we left BJP and Eknath Shinde is also a witness to that. Shiv Sena leaders Milind Narvekar and Ravindra Phatak will convey about the talks they had with Eknath Shinde to CM Uddhav Thackeray,” ANI quoted Raut as saying when asked about Shinde’s demand for a Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
The talks between Shinde and the representatives sent by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday seemed unfruitful as nearly 30 MLAs accompanying their leader Eknath Shinde have been flown to Guwahati in Assam from Surat early Wednesday morning. They were camping at a hotel on Dumas road in Surat city after their arrival on Monday night, following a suspected cross-voting in Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) polls.
In order to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, state cabinet minister Shinde along with other rebel MLAs is likely to switch to the BJP. Speaking to mediapersons at the Surat airport today before leaving for Guwahati, Shinde said that they have been following Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva and will carry it further.”We have not left Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena and will not leave it. We have been following Balasaheb`s Hindutva and will carry it further,” ANI quoted him as saying.
Notably, Shinde had dropped “Shiv Sena” from his Twitter bio on Tuesday. The leader has played an important role in strengthening Shiv Sena in the Thane region and can now prove to be instrumental in overthrowing the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance from power in Maharashtra.
(With agency inputs)