Mahesh Shinde claims 'NCP trying to systematically finish off Shiv Sena' amid crisis

Amid the high-level political drama in Maharashtra, Rebel Shiv Sena MLA Mahesh Shinde on Saturday claimed that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray failed to stop the disparity and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is planning to “finish off” Shiv Sena.

Alleging that NCP MLAs were getting more funds than the Shiv Sena legislators for development work in their constituencies, Mahesh Shinde said, "As a result, the MLAs urged Eknath Shinde to play ‘big role’ to save Shiv Sena. Funds were unequally distributed and the CM was aware of it. CM’s directions were overturned by the Deputy CM. NCP was trying to systematically finish Shiv Sena in their constituencies. This led to the rebellion".

"NCP is planning to finish off Shiv Sena… We all MLAs repeatedly complained to CM about the injustice by NCP but to no avail. So we urged Eknath Shinde to play this big role to save Shiv Sena,” Shinde added. 

He went on to mention that they weren't invited to any programme. They further met the Chief Minister thrice who assured to look into the injustice done by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. "He (Uddhav) gave a stay on many things, but the Deputy CM didn’t agree and did development work of our rivals and also inaugurated them. This continuously went on,” Mahesh Shinde stated.

While denying merger talks with any party, rebel Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar claimed that their faction has a two-thirds majority.

Kesarkar said, “We are still in Shiv Sena, there is a misunderstanding that we have left the party. We have just separated our faction. We have the two-thirds majority to follow the path we wanted. Our new leader is chosen by the majority. They didn’t have more than 16-17 MLAs".

Shiv Sena rebels declare Eknath Shinde as their group leader

Eknath Shinde-led faction of rebel Shiv Sena leaders announced that it was naming itself the ‘Shiv Sena Balasaheb Group’ on Saturday in Guwahati. 

Earlier on Thursday, Shiv Sena rebels declared Eknath Shinde as their group leader and pledged support and vested absolute powers on him to take any decision on their behalf. Shinde addressed a meeting held in a five-star hotel in Guwahati and conveyed a message of political one-upmanship against Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena.

Furthermore, a letter was sent to Maharashtra Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal by the 37 rebel Shiv Sena legislators who are camping in Guwahati, reaffirming that Eknath Shinde will remain their group leader in the legislature. 

(With ANI input)

(Image: ANI)