Ongoing political crisis after the rebellion staged by the veteran Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde and other legislators on Thursday took a new twist after the Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the party is ready to move out of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance but insisted that the rebel leaders should come back to Mumbai in 24 hours and discuss the issue with the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray instead of emails and TV bytes. Raut’s statement came a day after Thackeray in his emotional Facebook address had offered to step down as the CM and the party president and appealed to Shinde and others to hold direct talks.
However, Team Shinde has insisted that the Shiv Sena should first withdraw support from the Maha Vikas Aghadi(MVA) and Uddhav Thackeray should resign from the post of Chief Minister, only then the rebel members of the Legislative Assembly will consider coming back home. Team Shinde also said they don’t believe in the promises that are being given by Raut and Thackeray led Shiv Sena.
‘’Shiv Sena is ready to move out of the MVA alliance. We are ready to consider exiting the MVA alliance, which is ruling the state since November 2019, if all the MLAs want that,’’ said Raut by keeping the ball in the court of rebels. Besides, Raut’s offer came when Shinde ruled out the possibility of rapprochement reiterating that the Shiv Sena should get out of an unusual alliance. Shinde had warned that it was essential for the survival of the party and the Shiv Sainiks as constituent parties are getting stronger. Raut’s offer came after Team Shinde had claimed the support of 37 legislators elected on Shiv Sena’s poll symbol and 7 independents.
“MLAs should not communicate from Guwahati, they should come back to Mumbai and discuss all this with the CM. We are ready to consider exiting MVA if this is the will of all MLAs, but for that, they have to come here and discuss it with the CM,” Raut said.
Further, Raut said that they are in touch with as many as 22 MLAs who have gone with Eknath Shinde adding that the ruling MVA government will win the confidence motion in the state assembly.
‘’We are in communication with the rebel MLAs. At the same time, the legal battle will also continue. They have committed a big mistake. Their membership is in danger. They want Shiv Sena to leave the MVA. All this is just an excuse. The same can be said by them to our face. Why did you run to another state? BJP has captured them and is threatening them with ED and CBI. The letter was written under duress. What will happen at most? Our power will go. We will get power again," said Raut.
