Maharashtra Political crisis: Rebel Shinde wants Uddhav to patch-up with BJP, break alliance with NCP, Congress

MUMBAI, (INDIA TV): Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has put CM Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra’s ruling alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in its worst crisis as the former with around 30-35 Sena MLAs is camping in Gujarat’s Surat.

The development has put a huge question mark on the stability of the two-and-a-half-year old MVA government. Rebel Sena leader Shinde, in a phone conversation with Uddhav Thackeray, urged him to renew the party’s alliance with the BJP, a senior Sena leader claimed.

The leader said Thackeray had sent his confidante Milind Narvekar and Shinde’s aide Ravindra Phatak to Surat to talk to the rebel leader.

“The chief minister also had a telephonic conversation with Shinde during which the latter asked him to renew ties with the BJP and break the alliance with Congress and the NCP,” the leader said.

Thackeray’s response to Shinde’s demand was not known, the leader said. Thackeray launched a damage control exercise and sent an emissary to Surat, where Shinde is camping.

Meanwhile, a series of meetings took place at Uddhav’s official residence Varsha Bungalow in Mumbai with alliance partners, and more are scheduled for today, to resolve the crisis.

Amidst this, sources have said that Eknath Shinde along with other Sena MLAs will be flying to Guwahati from Gujarat.

The BJP reacting to the political development said it has nothing to do with this crisis but added they will definitely consider if Shinde approaches them.

The Shiv Sena, which heads the MVA, has 55 MLAs, followed by allies NCP (53) and the Congress (44) in the 288-assembly where the current simple majority mark is 144. (INDIA TV)