Sharad Pawar asks NCP to be ready for floor test; hopeful over return of rebels: Sources

In an exclusive scoop, Republic TV learnt that NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Thursday asked his party members to remain prepared for a floor test in Maharashtra. This comes amid speculation that Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde has managed to get the support of 2/3rd of the Shiv Sena Legislative party thereby endangering the stability of the MVA government. Pawar reportedly spoke about the floor test scenario while chairing a meeting of key party leaders at his 'Silver Oak' residence in Mumbai.

As per sources, the former Maharashtra CM asserted that NCP will back Uddhav Thackeray to the hilt. The Sharad Pawar-led party is hopeful that some of the Shiv Sena MLAs who have gone to Guwahati will change their mind and return to the party fold, sources added. Moreover, a discussion was held about Uddhav Thackeray's statement that he is ready for any other Shiv Sena MLA to take over the CM. 

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil revealed that Pawar will brief all MLAs on the ongoing political situation at 5 pm today. He explained, "We had a meeting at the residence of Sharad Pawar where the assessment of incidents that took place in the last 3-4 days was done. Pawar sahib instructed us that we should do everything that needs to be done to ensure that the MVA government remains in power. We will stand with Uddhav Thackeray and with this government". 

Maharashtra political crisis

In a massive political development on Tuesday, Eknath Shinde and multiple other party MLAs went incommunicado and went to the Le Meridian hotel in Surat. This came in the wake of several Sena MLAs cross-voting for BJP in the MLC polls. The problem compounded for the MVA as the rebel MLAs moved further away to Guwahati in the wee hours of Wednesday. Though rumour mills were abuzz that the MVA government will recommend the dissolution of the Assembly, no such proposal was discussed in the Cabinet meeting held later in the day.

Meanwhile, 34 MLAs signed a resolution retaining Shinde as the Legislative Party leader and appointed Bharat Gogawale as the new Sena chief whip. In a Facebook Live session thereafter, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray offered to resign provided even one Shiv Sena MLA comes back to Mumbai and makes such a demand in face-to-face interaction. Despite this emotional appeal, Shinde refused to budge and insisted that Shiv Sena should leave MVA. Earlier in the day, Republic TV accessed the group photograph of all rebel legislators including 35 Shiv Sena and 7 Independent MLAs backing Shinde.