Mumbai: In yet another jolt to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, 12 of the 19 Party MPs on Monday attended the virtual meeting with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and extended their support while expressing their faith and confidence in the latter’s leadership. These MPs were unanimous in their argument that their fate is safe and secure in the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance and not with the party's relationship with NCP and Congress. The Free Press Journal reported recently that 12 MPs would soon join the Shinde camp citing political compulsions. The former minister Gulabrao Patil had admitted that these MPs were in touch with Shinde and would soon come to the fold.
A senior leader representing the Shinde camp told the Free Press Journal, "Those who participated at today’s virtual meeting included Rahul Shewale, Krupal Tumane, Bhavana Gawali, Hemant Patil, Hemant Godse, Rajendra Gavit, Shrikant Shinde (son of CM Eknath Shinde), Shrirang Barne, Sadashiv Lokhande, Sanjay Mandlik, Dhairyasheel Mane and Prataprao Jadhav. However, seven MPs, who skipped today’s virtual meeting, were Gajanan Kirtikar, Vinayak Raut, Arvind Sawant, Rajan Vichare, Sanjay Jadhav, Omraje Nimbalkar and Kalaben Delkar." He however, said the Shinde camp hopes that Vichare and Jadhav may jump ship in the near future.
According to a report in TOI, BJP will likely allot two ministerial berths at the Centre to Sena MPs.
"We are likely to get one cabinet berth and one minister of state (MoS) post at the Centre. The CM will be in New Delhi on Tuesday, and this will be discussed with the BJP high command. Allotment may take a few more weeks, probably after cabinet expansion in Maharashtra and SC verdict in MLAs case," MLA Deepak Kesarkar, spokesperson for the Shinde camp, told ToI.
TOI reported that the Shiv Sena's MP Sanjay Raut claimed, "We think the Shiv Sena is LS is united. We have taken legal action against MLAs who violated the rules. Similarly, we will take action against MPs. They are just doing it to save their skin and create confusion. We will fight the legal battle. We have appointed Rajan Vichare as chief whip, and this appointment is legal."
