Rebel leader Eknath Shinde is slated to return to Mumbai along with his entourage of Shiv Sena MLAs.
Mumbai: Amid a political crisis in Maharashtra, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Devendra Fadnavis met BJP national president J P Nadda to discuss further course of action. All BJP MLAs have been asked to reach Mumbai in the next 24 hours and have been asked not to leave the state.
According to BJP insiders, the next 48 hours are crucial. While all MLAs have been issued a whip and have been asked to remain alert, rebel leader Eknath Shinde is slated to return to Mumbai along with his entourage of Sena MLAs. The rebel camp claims to have support of over 50 MLAs — 40 of the Shiv Sena and the rest comprising Independent MLAs.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday afternoon, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray once again tried to reach out to the rebel camp and asked them to return to Mumbai and hold talks and sort out differences. “You are still a part of Shiv Sena and as the head of the Sena family, I am worried about you,” Thackeray said.
On Shiv Sena’s claims that some MLAs from the rebel camp are in touch with the party’s top leaders, Eknath Shinde said it is a fake information purposely being spread in the public to create confusion.
Meanwhile, a Cabinet meeting is underway. While Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will not be physically present in the meeting due to Covid, Thackeray is chairing the meeting virtually.
On Monday, Shiv Sena supremo and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had informed the party about his willingness to quit from his post amid a revolt. The Chief Minister, however, was stopped by senior alliance leaders.
