Shiv Sena taunts rebels; predicts 'BJP will topple Shinde govt & force mid-term polls'

Even as the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government proved its majority on Monday, Shiv Sena predicted that there will be mid-term elections in Maharashtra soon. Penning an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Tuesday, Executive Editor Sanjay Raut contended that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would destabilise the state government before the completion of its tenure. Asserting that the rebels have no political future, he pointed out that the JP Nadda-led party must have an ulterior motive in giving up the CM's post as it has 106 MLAs. 

Sanjay Raut remarked, "Those who feel that this government is not in danger for the next 6 months because it won the trust vote are living in delusion. BJP leaders will themselves topple this government and compel Maharashtra to go for mid-term polls. These people don't have a big mind to propel Shinde's breakaway group to power with an honest intention. The Shinde group will not understand the seriousness of Ajit Pawar's comment that it is fishy that the CM comes from 39 rebels and not 106 MLAs. Because their eyes are closed. However, it will be too late when they realise this." 

"The rebel MLAs are making a shallow argument that they rebelled because Shiv Sena is getting finished. You will be finished, but Shiv Sena will never be finished. Shinde's rebellion is not the rebellion for the country's Independence and the rebels who are sticking around with him are not revolutionaries. The rebels make these statements for some days. The rebellion that happens for money and power is not historic and moral. They secured the majority. Enjoy power for 6 months," the Shiv Sena MP added.

In a cryptic tweet aimed at the rebels, Raut opined, "The person who wants to stay searches for a reason. But the person who wants to leave searches for excuses. Relief." 

'We will complete term' 

In a massive setback for Uddhav Thackeray on Monday, the newly sworn-in Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra won the vote of confidence. Apart from MLAs of BJP, Shiv Sena, smaller parties and Independents, the ruling coalition also secured the votes of Uddhav camp MLA Santosh Bangar and PWPI legislator Shyamsundar Shinde. This implies that 40 out of 55 Sena MLAs are now with the government.

Addressing a press conference later, the Maharashtra CM disputed NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's claim that there will be mid-term elections. He stressed, "Sharad Pawar is a national leader, but you know that whatever Sharad Pawar says, exactly the opposite happens. So we will complete 2.5 yrs of governance; next time, we'll have 200 MLAs, 100 ours and 100 BJP's".