Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde-led faction did not name Aaditya Thackeray for the disqualification even though he defied the party’s whip for supporting the government during the floor test on Monday. Reason: “Out of respect for Bal Thackeray”.
Bharat Gogawale, chief whip of the faction led by Shinde told years“We have given notice to disqualify all the MLAs who defy our whip. We have not given his (Aditya Thackeray’s) name (for disqualification) out of respect for Balasaheb Thackeray… Chief Minister will take a decision on this.
We have given notice to disqualify all MLAs who defy our whip; Didn’t name him (Aditya Thackeray) because of our respect for Balasaheb Thackeray: Shiv Sena chief whip Bharat Gogawale pic.twitter.com/hRQZsqZ7Lj
— ANI (@ANI) 4 July 2022
Aditya is a former cabinet minister and son of Uddhav Thackeray.
Gogavale submitted a disqualification petition to Speaker Rahul Narvekar for suspending 16 MLAs of the Uddhav camp for violating the whip during the floor test.
Earlier in the day, Shinde won the Maharashtra Assembly with a thumping majority of 164 to 99 during the trust vote. Three MLAs abstained from voting during the trust vote, while Congress’s Ashok Chavan and Vijay Wadettiwar were among those who did not vote.
Recently after the death of a Shiv Sena MLA, the present strength of the assembly has come down to 287, thus the majority mark is 144.
Ahead of the floor test, Shiv Sena MLA Santosh Bangar, from the Uddhav Thackeray camp, joined CM Shinde’s faction, taking the tally to 40. Speaking in the House after the floor test, Fadnavis said that when some MLAs were voting, members of the opposition bench shouted “ED, ED”.
“It is true that the new government has been formed by the ED, which is for Eknath and Devendra, the BJP leader remarked. Without naming former CM Uddhav Thackeray, Fadnavis claimed that Maharashtra has seen a “lack of availability of leadership” over the years.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear on July 11 a petition by Shiv Sena Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu, seeking suspension of CM Eknath Shinde and 15 rebel MLAs, against whom disqualification petitions are pending, it said. Having said that he is fully aware of the issue.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Prabhu, urged a vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala that the interim petition needs urgent hearing as disqualification proceedings are pending against 16 MPs, including the chief minister.
(with PTI inputs)
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