22 MLAs of Eknath Shinde group to join BJP claims Uddhav Thackeray's faction in its mouthpiece Saamana

According to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction's mouthpiece Saamana, 22 of the Sena's 40 MLAs would shortly defect to the BJP. The party stated in its weekly column that the BJP only appointed Eknath Shinde as Maharashtra's chief minister as a "temporary arrangement."

"Now everyone has understood that his chief ministerial uniform will be taken off anytime. Shinde's group should have fielded a candidate in the Andheri East by-election. But it was the BJP that avoided it," the Rokthok column in Saamana claimed.

“The Shinde faction’s claim of success in the gram panchayat and sarpanch elections of Maharashtra is false. At least 22 MLAs of the Shinde group are upset. Majority of these MLAs will merge themselves with the BJP,” the column stated.

Maharashtra won't forgive Shinde

Furthermore, it was asserted that Maharashtra would not pardon Shinde because he had done so much harm to both himself and the state. The Uddhav-led Sena asserted in its mouthpiece that the BJP will continue to use Shinde for their advantage.

“The chief minister of the state is nowhere in the announcement of this important project,” it said. “He is more interested in police transfers and appointments of his officials because that’s all his 40 MLAs want.”