Maharashtra political crisis: Eknath Shinde group names itself ‘Shiv Sena Balasaheb’

As the political crisis continues in Maharashtra, the rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde on Saturday named their group -- ‘Shiv Sena Balasaheb’,

“Our group will be called Shiv Sena Balasaheb. We will not merge with any party,” rebel Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar.

Shinde along with 38 rebel party MLAs and nine independent MLAs are campaigning at Radisson Blu Hotel in BJP-ruled Assam from June 22. This comes amid the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena presses for their disqualification from the assembly.

Eknath Shinde group's decision comes amid the executive meeting of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena which is underway. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) continues to put up a brave front even as 38 rebel MLAs are camping in Guwahati.

Eknath Shinde faction, earlier on Friday, gave notice of a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Narhari Jhirwal, after the Uddhav Thackeray faction submitted a plea before the deputy speaker to disqualify the rebel MLAs.

Thackeray convened a meeting on Friday of the district chiefs virtually wherein he said that the rebel MLAs who are camping in Guwahati want to "break the party".

"I have said it earlier also that I don`t have anything to do with power. The people who used to say that they would rather die than leave Shiv Sena have fled today," the Shiv Sena chief said during his virtual address at the meeting.

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Rebel MLAs allege their security withdrawn

Meanwhile, rebel Shiv Sena leader and state cabinet minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the alleged `malicious` withdrawal of security of family members of the 38 MLAs camping with him in a Guwahati hotel.

In his letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and State Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Shinde claimed that the security provided to the MLAs at their residence as well as to their family members as per the protocol has been illegally and unlawfully withdrawn, as an act of revenge.

However, Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil refuted Shinde`s claim of withdrawal of security.

"Neither the Chief Minister nor the Home Department has ordered the withdrawal of security of any MLA. The allegations being levelled through Twitter are false and completely baseless," said Patil.

(With inputs from agencies)