Ahead of the Maharashtra leg of Bharat Jodo Yatra lef by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena [Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray] leader, and former MP Chandrakant Khaire alleged that the incumbent government will not collapse in the state as Devendra Fadnavis has convinced 22 Congress legislators to defect in case 16 MLAs from Shinde camp are disqualified.
However, state Congress president Nana Patole lashed out at Khaire saying that those who could not manage their party have no reason to talk about other parties. Khaire’s remarks sparked a debate in the state political circle.
Kahire says Congress legislators ready to defect
Khaire , who was at Aurangabad, said, "Shiv Sena gets bonus votes from the Muslim community in elections and it will get 20 percent votes of Muslims. Soon 16 MLAs of the Shinde group will be disqualified and this government is likely to fall. However, Fadnavis has kept 22 Congress MLAs ready for the government’s survival so that he can become the Chief Minister."
"As he [Fadnavis] could not become the Chief Minister, he looks sad. He is active in applying tactics in state politics.’’ Khaire he added without elaborating further, but he made his statement based on the party’s petition in the Supreme Court seeking the disqualification of 16 MLAs including Eknath Shinde.
The Constitution Bench will hold the next hearing on November 29 on a clutch of petitions filed by the Thackeray camp and Shinde-led party.
Patole slams Khaire
However, Patole slammed Khaire for his statement saying that ‘’Those who could not keep their party together, should not worry about the other parties. Mr Khaire should look into his party," referencing the vertical split in Sena after Eknath Shinde rebelled with 40 legislators and formed new government on June 30 with the BJP.
Patole hinted that the party, whose 40 legislators walked away, has no right to interfere in the Congress party’s functioning and talking about a split in it.
Patole had hogged the headlines two days ago when he had said Shiv Sena was not Congress party’s natural friend. Earlier, Patole had claimed that the Congress party’s alliance with Shiv Sena was not natural and permanent.
Even though, Patole has ruled out the split in the Congress party, it was discussed after 11 MLAs remained absent during the trust vote moved by the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on July 4. Besides, the rising bonhomie of a few legislators with BJP and Fadnavis in particular has sparked the debate.
