Maha Vikas Aghadi in trouble as Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde and some MLAs go incommunicado, camp in Surat

In an unexpected turn of events, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has reportedly offered to resign to make way for rebel minister Eknath Shinde, who has moved to a hotel in Surat with close to two dozen other MLAs, a day after the ruling Sena-NCP-Congress coalition was dealt a blow in the MLC elections, in which the BJP won five seats and the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party each won two. Some Shiv Sena MLAs were accused of cross-voting during Tuesday’s political drama. Shinde is said to be enraged with the top brass after being overlooked in the party’s and government’s operations. According to multiple media sources, Shinde and his supporters have complained about Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s step-motherly attitude in the allocation of cash.

The Maharashtra government of Uddhav Thackeray appears to be in disarray after Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde and some of his party’s MLAs went missing and camped in Surat a day after suspected cross-voting in MLC votes, casting doubt on the MVA dispensation’s stability.

As Shinde has yet to state his position, Maharashtra BJP leader Chandrakant Patil ruled out any connection between his party and the current political developments, but added that the BJP would “certainly consider” a proposal to form a government if it came from Shinde.

The NCP accused the opposition BJP of horsetrading and secret pacts in the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, which saw Congress’ Chandrakant Handore lose to the BJP’s Prasad Lad, while the Shiv Sena said the BJP won solely by abusing its power. No one can be faulted, according to Congress, if its MLAs did not vote for Handore. Handore lost to Lad in a loss for the MVA, while Bhai Jagtap, the other Congress nominee, won. The BJP’s five candidates were all victorious. Both the Sena and the NCP were successful in electing two candidates apiece. Sachin Ahir and Amshya Padvi, the Sena’s winning candidates, received 26 votes each, out of the party’s total of 55 votes in the Lower House.

“The senior members of the party will conduct the analysis. They attempted to provoke the Shiv Sena. The results reveal that all MLAs are united behind Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership. Sena candidate Sachin Ahir told reporters, “You all know what equations are being utilised to win the polls.” “Our votes did not divide,” Ahir remarked when asked if the Sena votes were split. As of yet, this (that three Sena votes split) cannot be said. “As an MVA partner, we had to execute the duty,” Ahir explained.

Vinayak Raut, a senior Sena leader, claimed that the (fifth) BJP candidate won only because the BJP abused its power. The two NCP candidates received 57 votes in total, six more than the party’s effective strength in the MLC polls. The victory, according to NCP state president Jayant Patil, was a show of unity by the Sharad Pawar-led party’s MLAs. “We shall find out about it tomorrow,” Patil replied when questioned about the Congress’ setback. Those that engage in the horse trade on a regular basis must have made secret pacts, which will eventually come to light.”

Supriya Sule, a leader of the NCP, slammed the BJP, claiming that the saffron party won because of MED (Money and Enforcement Directorate). Balasaheb Thorat, a senior Congress leader, said it was impossible to deny that the party’s MLAs did not vote for the party’s nominees. “Congress candidates received 41 preferred votes, compared to the party’s 44 votes in the polls. Some friends voted for Bhai Jagtap, but I can’t deny that our party lost some votes. When we don’t obtain our first preference votes, no one can blame us. We need to reflect on where we went wrong. As a government, we must examine where we are going wrong. “However, all three parties must agree on this,” Thorat stated.

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