Mumbai, June 23: Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has fallen into an unstable zone after prominent Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde broke away 46 MLAs, including 37 of Shiv Sena, from MVA following the MLC election result on Tuesday. Currently, Eknath Shinde is camping at Radisson Blu hotel in Assam's Guwahati with other rebel MLAs.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday left his official residence Varsha and moved back to his family residence 'Matoshree.' The CM, in his virtual address to the public, said he is ready to resign from the post even if a single MLA from the party says so, but asked them to meet him and say it on his face. Shiv Sena MP and Spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Thusrday urged rebel MLAs to return . Raut said, "doors are open for the talks, and discussion can lead the way." Maharashtra Political Crisis: ’Shiv Sena Ready To Exit MVA Govt in Maharashtra if MLAs Want, Says Sanjay Raut.
The unfortunate rebellion of Sena MLAs has put a question mark on the MVA government's stability. Meanwhile, all eyes are on the numbers in the Maharashtra Assembly. The total strength of the Maharashtra Assembly is 288. There is one vacancy in Assembly due to the demise of Shiv Sena MLA Ramesh Latke. This brings the majority mark in the Assembly to 144.
The MVA government of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress currently have 152 legislators. Shiv Sena has 55 MLAs, NCP has 53 and Congress has 44. In the opposition, BJP has 106 MLAs, and the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), and other NDA allies have 7 MLAs combined. Total NDA strength stands at 113 MLAs. Maharashtra Political Crisis: Shiv Sena Engaging With Rebel MLAs Directly, But No Hopes of Rapprochement, Say Sources.
The Samajwadi Party (SP), AIMIM, and Prahar Janshakti party all have two MLAs each. Meanwhile, MNS, CPI(M), PWP, Swabhimani Party, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, Jansurajya Shakti party, and Krantikari Shetkari Party have one MLA each. Apart from this, there are 13 independent MLAs in the house.
On Thursday, Eknath Shinde claimed to have gathered the support of a total of 46 MLAs, including 37 Shiv Sena legislators. Several key leaders and ministers of the MVA cabinet have joined the rebel minister's camp. Due to this, Shiv Sena's number dropped down to 18 MLAs. Shinde needed the support of two-thirds of party MLAs to split Shiv Sena without getting disqualified under the anti-defection law. It is speculated that Shinde will take over Shiv Sena in Assembly.
Even after day 3 of rebellion, the breakaway MLAs led by Eknath Shinde are firm on their demand of forming a government with the BJP and dissolving an "unnatural' coalition with Congress and NCP. BJP, on the other hand, after refusing "hand" in Shinde's rebellion, is now gearing up to explore the possibility of staking a claim for government formation.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2022 09:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).