Shiv Sena neta stirs row; avers 'Uddhav will felicitate person who vandalizes rebels' car'

The tussle between Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde took an ugly turn with a leader loyal to the Shiv Sena president threatening street violence. Addressing a huge gathering on Monday, the Sena's Hingoli Sampark Pramukh Babanrao Thorat openly called upon aspirants for the district president's post to not let the rebels enter villages. Moreover, he announced that Thackeray would himself felicitate the first person who vandalizes the car of the Eknath Shinde camp leaders. On this occasion, he tore into the rebels for "backstabbing" the Shiv Sena president. 

Shiv Sena leader Babanrao Thorat remarked, "You will have to stand in every village now. You backstabbed a simple person because of whom you became an MLA or MP. We will not let you enter the village now. That's why I am appealing to those aspiring for the district president's post. Honourable Uddhav Thackeray will felicitate the person who vandalises the first car of the traitors when they are entering the villages in their area of operations."

Rebellion in Shiv Sena spurs change of guard

On June 30, Eknath Shinde, who handled the Urban Development and Public Works (including Public Undertakings) portfolios in the MVA government took oath as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra. This came a day after Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray resigned. Shinde was instrumental in the downfall of the state government as 38 other Sena MLAs joined him outside the state in protest against the continuation of the alliance with NCP and Congress. Devendra Fadnavis who was pipped to be the CM was inducted into the Cabinet as his Deputy even as he initially declined to be a part of the government. 

On July 3, the Eknath Shinde-led government received a big boost as BJP's Rahul Narwekar was elected as the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly. While he polled 164 votes, only 107 MLAs voted in favour of MVA's candidate Rajan Salvi. The government won the vote of confidence a day later with a 164-99 margin. However, the fate of the government will be decided by the Supreme Court's verdict on the pleas filed by the Thackeray camp seeking the disqualification of rebels and challenging the Governor's decision to swear in Shinde as the CM. The Shinde camp has also asked EC to recognise it as the 'real Shiv Sena'.