AAP wades into Maharashtra political crisis; Sanjay Singh alleges BJP 'kidnapping' MLAs

AAP Parliamentarian Sanjay Singh on Monday, June 27, waded into the ongoing political turmoil in Maharashtra as the ruling MVA government is gripped by a rebellion led by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde. In his tirade, Sanjay Singh directly hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), blaming it for instigating the current crisis. 

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Singh claimed that the BJP's 'kidnapping gang' is behind whatever is happening in Maharashtra, further alleging that the saffron party is buying and selling MLAs and is kidnapping them. Asserting that BJP is responsible for the 'murder of democracy' in the state, Singh also added that the rebel MLAs should come to Maharashtra for the floor test. 

This comes at a time when the Supreme Court is presently listening to a plea filed by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde demanding the apex court to impose a stay on the disqualification notice issued against 16 rebel MLAs. 

Maharashtra political crisis

On one hand, while several supporters of the Maharashtra Minister have gathered outside his residence in Thane, Shinde, in his petition to the SC, has asserted that the MVA alliance has lost its majority in the house as 38 of its MLAs have already withdrawn their support, thus bringing it to becoming a minority. 

In para 38 of the petition, the Shinde camp writes, "The government in the State of Maharashtra, led by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance has lost the majority in the house as 38 of the members of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party have withdrawn their support this bringing it below the majority in the house. However, the MVA government continues to misuse the office of the Deputy Speaker to ensure that they remain in power by whatever means necessary."

Sanjay Singh extends best wishes to joint Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha

In the meantime, the Aam Aadmi Party leader's remarks came on the same day when joint opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha filed his nomination for the post of the 15th President of the country at the Parliament in Delhi. Sending his best wishes to Yashwant Sinha on the day of filing the nomination, Sanjay Singh further informed that a meeting will be held among the Opposition leaders to decide on the presidential elections. 

Notably, Sinha filed his nomination on Monday in the presence of Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool Congress' General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M) veteran Sitaram Yechury, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and other opposition leaders. 

Image: PTI