Mumbai: Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MP Vinayak Raut predicted mid-term elections in the state in the next six months after ruling out the possibility of re-entry of Eknath Shinde and 39 legislators in the party, who staged a rebellion and joined hands with the BJP.
Calling Sinde and his group a bunch of dishonest people, Raut said, "Those who are dishonest once are dishonest forever. Taking those legislators back into the party is like infesting a house with pests," said Raut. He added, "No one wants to take the members of the Shinde group back into the family of honest and true activists."
Elections after the SC's verdict on disqualification
"In the next six months, mid-term assembly elections will be held in the state. Currently, a case is going on in the Supreme Court regarding the disqualification of MLAs and the legitimacy of the government. According to legal experts, the case going on in the Supreme Court will have to be decided by January, no matter how much it is delayed."
The present government will collapse after that. A president's rule may be imposed after the apex court’s verdict. "After that, midterm assembly elections will have to be held in the state," predicted Raut.
He asserted that the midterm elections for the state assembly will definitely be held in the next six months.
We now want to build on our achievements
"We are not people who live on hope." We now want to build on our achievements once again. Our first victory was in the Andheri East Assembly by-election. "We never demanded that the BJP withdraw its nominee," said Raut.
Party members expected MP Gajanan Kirtikar's entry into the Shinde group.
"The last betrayal (Party MP Gajanan Kirtikar's entry into the Shinde group) happened two days ago. We expected it. They (Shinde and other rebels) have tried to interfere with the existence of the party. Due to this reason, Shiv Sainik is on fire. "No matter how much treachery they try, Shiv Sainiks will not be quiet without teaching them a lesson," said Mr. Raut.
In response to the Shinde camp's claim that 13 to 14 Maha Vikas Aghadi legislators were in contact, Mr Raut said they should keep dreaming.
