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Updated June 22nd, 2022 at 09:30 IST

Amid Maha political crisis, MVA ally SP's Abu Azmi flies to Dubai; 'will return if needed'

Sources have revealed that Samajwadi Party's Abu Azmi, who is the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar MLA, has gone to Dubai for his business work. 

Reported by: Ananya Varma
Abu Azmi
Image: Facebook/PTI | Image:self
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With the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government embroiled in a political crisis, Samajwadi Party's (SP) Maharashtra unit president Abu Azmi, an ally of the ruling coalition, has flown to Dubai. Sources have revealed that Abu Azmi, who is the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar MLA, has gone to Dubai for his business work. However, the SP leader has assured that if needed, he will come back from Dubai to Mumbai.

With each passing moment, the MVA government's numbers seem to be slipping below the majority mark. Post the MLC elections, an exodus has been triggered in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena with rebel senior politician and Minister Eknath Shinde leading the faction. Sources have revealed that the Shiv Sainik, a staunch follower of late patriarch Balasaheb Thackeray, is upset over the party's coalition with ideologically different Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress. The leader has sought for Shiv Sena to return back to its 'natural ally' BJP, and 'not compromise on Hindutva'. 

Rebel camp in Guwahati

After bringing his flock to Surat, Eknath Shinde with at least 38-40 MLAs has reached Guwahati's Raddison Blu hotel in Assam. Speaking at the Surat airport before departing for Guwahati, the Maharashtra Minister remarked, "We are Balasaheb's Shiv Sainiks. We have not left Shiv Sena and we will not leave Shiv Sena. But we are going to do the politics based on Balasaheb's ideology." 

As per the latest inputs, two more Shiv Sena MLAs- Sanjay Rathod and Yogesh Kadam are on their way to Guwahati to support Eknath Shinde. If this happens, the rebels' strength will swell to 42. Sources have revealed that Shinde will hold a meeting with the Shiv Sena MLAs present with him at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati by around 9.30 AM. They are likely to discuss further course of action.

Back in Mumbai, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar will meet all party MLAs today, who have been asked to stay put in Mumbai. Shiv Sena has lodged its dwindling 12 MLAs at St Regis in the city. On the other hand, Congress has flown in former MP CM and senior leader Kamal Nath to reign in the crisis. As per the anti-defection law, at least 37 Shiv Sena MLAs need to rebel in order to avoid the possibility of disqualification. 

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Published June 22nd, 2022 at 09:30 IST

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