Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today got a shot in the arm when 12 out of 19 Members of Parliament of erstwhile Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray group were formally inducted in his camp and they wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to recognise them as separate entity. Thus all toll claims made by Thackeray camp and its spokesman Sanjay Raut who belittled such claims, were demolished by Shinde camp.
The newly created group within the group has demanded from Speaker that they be given an accommodation of office in the Lok Sabha and proposed the name of Rahul Shewale as the new group leader and Yavatmal MP Bhavana Gawali as chief whip of new group. Shinde was flanked by both the leaders at press meet in Maharashtra Sadan, today during media interaction.
Today's Rate
Tuesday 17 Dec. 2024
The whole idea is to oust the existing remaining Shiv Sena MPs from Thackeray camp and occupy the same block, having a major of 12/19 Members.The Thackeray camp is going through bad phase and in the days to come, the question of their survival will come up.
Tomorrow is a crucial day for both Shinde and Thackeray camp as the Supreme Court listed their petitions for hearing. Thackerays have petitioned about the disqualification of MLAs who defied whip for attending a Party Legislature Meeting while the Shinde group was camping in Guwahati.
The Shinde camp in their defence had actually claimed that it was an unauthorized meeting convened by them. After admitting their pleas, the Apex Court had listed for July 11 the hearing but later questioned the hurry in hearing it. Now a three Judge Bench led by Chief Justice N V Ramana will hear the case and all eyes are set for the outcome.
If the disqualification plea is rejected by the Apex Court, it will be end of the road for Thackeray camp, so far as legal battle is concerned. On the other hand Shinde camp will get Court nod for being an authorized group and bail them out from the Anti-Defection law. In the days to come Shinde camp will now claim the original Shiv Sena party symbol with the Election Commision.
Shinde who is camping in New Delhi made a courtesy call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the political scenario with him. He claimed that a petition on OBC reservation is also scheduled for hearing in Apex Court tomorrow itself besides the disqualification plea.
.. Joseph Rao – Senior Journalist
