New Delhi: As the political crisis deepens in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday (June 21) said that “old friend” rebel MLA Eknath Shinde knows why the Uddhav Thackeray-led party broke alliance with the BJP. Raut’s remarks came after two Shiv Sena representatives – Milind Narvekar and Ravi Pathak – met Shinde in Gujarat’s Surat. “Two of our men went there (Surat). Had a conversation with Eknath Shinde. He is our old friend. Everyone knows why we left BJP and Eknath Shinde is also a witness. Shiv Sena leaders Milind Narvekar and Ravindra Phatak will do it. When asked about Shinde’s demand for the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, Raut quoted Raut as saying, “He told about talks with CM Uddhav Thackeray along with Eknath Shinde.”
The talks between Shinde and representatives sent by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday seemed fruitless as their leader was accompanied by around 30 MLAs. Eknath Shinde has been sent from Surat to Guwahati in Assam early Wednesday morning. They were camping at a hotel on Dumas Road in Surat city after their arrival on Monday night following a suspected cross-voting in the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections.
State cabinet minister Shinde and other rebel MLAs are likely to join the BJP to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Speaking to reporters at Surat airport today before leaving for Guwahati, Shinde said he was following Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva and would take it further. Hindutva and will take it further,” ANI quoted him as saying.
Notably, Shinde had on Tuesday removed “Shiv Sena” from his Twitter bio. The leader has been instrumental in strengthening the Shiv Sena in the Thane region and can now play a key role in uprooting the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance from power in Maharashtra.
(with agency input)