Maharashtra Political Crisis Live Updates: Amid an impasse of the Shiv Sena central leadership with its rebel MLAs, a Sena delegation met with the the Deputy Assembly Speaker, Narhari Zirwal, and sought to disqualify 12 MLAs, including rebel leader Eknath Shinde on Thursday, 23 June.
Shinde took to Twitter to say, "You cannot scare us by giving the names of 12 MLAs for disqualification because we are followers of the Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray. We know the law, so we do not pay heed to threats."
He added in Marathi, "We know your ways and the law too! According to Schedule 10 of the Constitution, the whip is used for assembly work, not for meetings."
Earlier, Nationalist Congress Chief (NCP) Sharad Pawar slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra and Assam for helping the rebel MLAs. Pawar also downplayed the Sena's hint of 'considering to quit MVA if rebels return.'
Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut had earlier said that that the party will consider quitting the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and gave the rebel MLAs 24 hours to return to Mumbai and state their demands directly before party chief and CM Uddhav Thackeray.
Some glimpses of the turmoil through the day:
NCP chief Sharad Pawar along with Maharashtra Minister Jayant Patil at a press briefing after a party meeting, at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai.
(Photo: PTI)
Scenes from outside Matoshree on Wednesday night:
Rebel MLA Sanjay Shirsat penned a scathing letter to CM Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that he never met his own people but only coddled allies
The 3-page letter, tweeted by rebel leader Eknath Shinde who called it the 'voice of all MLAs', also alleged humiliation by the 'middlemen' surrounding Thackeray
Narhari Zirwal, acting speaker of the Maharashtra state assembly accepted Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhari as the new Legislative Party Leader while rejecting the proposal by rebel MLAs for Ekanth Shinde to continue on the post
NCP chief Sharad Pawar told party leaders to stand by CM Uddhav Thackeray and ensure that the alliance stays in power
Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis left for Delhi , reportedly to discuss the BJP's future strategy with the party's central leadership
Thackeray on Wednesday night vacated his official residence 'Varsha' and moved to his family home 'Matoshree', hours after offering to quit the top post
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'You Cannot Scare Us, Whip is Used for Assembly Work': Shinde
Reacting to Sena seeking disqualification of 12 MLAs, rebel leader Eknath Shinde took to Twitter to say, "You cannot scare us by giving the names of 12 MLAs for disqualification because we are followers of the Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray. We know the law, so we do not pay heed to threats."
He added in Marathi, "We know your ways and the law too! According to Schedule 10 of the Constitution, the whip is used for assembly work, not for meetings."
Shiv Sena Seeks Disqualification of Shinde, 11 Other MLAs
A Shiv Sena delegation met with the Assembly deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal, and submitted pleas seeking to disqualify 12 MLAs, namely:
Eknath Shinde
Tanaji Sawant
Prakash Surve
Balaji Kenikar
Anil Babar
Lata Sonawane
Yamini Jadhav
Sanjay Shirsat
Bharat Gogavale
Sandipan Bhumre
Abdul Sattar
Mahesh Shinde
"Our legialative party leader Anil Choudhary and party's chief whip had summoned all the MLAs but they chose to remain absent," Sena MP Arvind Sawant said.
He added, "It was necessary to bring this before the speaker and ask him to take action as per the Constitution."
3 Shiv Sena MLAs Reach Guwahati
Shiv Sena MLAs Dadaji Bhuse, Sanjay Rathode and Ravinder Phatak reach Radisson Blu in Guwahati, Assam.
'Don't Know if Any Maharashtra MLAs Are in Assam':CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Delhi that he "did not know" if any Maharashtra MLAs are in Assam.
"There are many good hotels in Assam, anyone can come there and stay there. I don't know if Maharashtra MLAs are staying in Assam. MLAs of other states can also come and stay in Assam," Sarma said.