2 Sena MLAS claim abduction
Shinde camp denies their claims, releases images of them in chartered plane
Shiv Sena MLAS Kailash Patil and Nitin Deshmukh on Thursday claimed that they were misguided and taken to Gujarat. Both of them claimed that they managed to escape and came back to Mumbai as they are loyal to Uddhav Thackeray. However, the rebel Eknath Shinde camp denied their claims and released images of both of them.
Deshmukh, the MLA from Balapur in Akola district, had claimed that some people had forcibly admitted him to a hospital in Surat and he was administered injections, though he never suffered a heart attack. However, he claimed he somehow managed to return safely to Maharashtra from Surat and pledged loyalty to the Sena president.
The MLA from Osmanabad, Patil, alleged that Shinde’s men hoodwinked him and tried to take him to Gujarat in a car. But he called their bluff midway and escaped.
Following the allegations, the rebel camp released photos of Deshmukh taking a private jet in leisure along with other rebel MLAS. The photos show rebel MLAS taking selfies in front of a sleek private jet on a sunny tarmac. Deshmukh, in a pink shirt, is seen smiling near the door of the jet. Inside the cabin, the MLAS, including Deshmukh, are seen sitting cheerfully.
The rebels claimed that Deshmukh even signed the letter written to the deputy Speaker.
Debunking Patil’s allegations, rebel MLA Tanaji Sawant claimed that it was Patil who took him to meet Shinde. However, later he changed his mind and returned from the Maharashtra border, Sawant claimed.
Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has claimed that some MLAS accompanying Shinde to Surat were misled and ‘kidnapped’ to Gujarat. Raut claimed that Deshmukh was beaten up by the police and goondas under “Operation Kamal” in Surat when he tried to escape and suffered a heart attack.
In her complaint filed with the Akola police station, Deshmukh’s wife had said that her husband had become unreachable since Monday night.
While Shiv Sena claimed that its MLAS have been kept in Guwahati under duress, the party is making all the efforts to stop the exodus.
Deepak Kesarkar, one of the MLAS who joined Shinde on Thursday, alleged that the party had deputed people outside his house in Mumbai to keep a vigil on him.
“I had warned them not to do any such thing and yet people were deputed outside my house. I will not tolerate such dadagiri,” he said.
Another veteran Shiv Sena MLA from Mumbai, Sada Sarvankar, got himself hospitalised and left for Guwahati from the hospital. He also joined Shinde on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Banners and hoardings have emerged at several places in Thane district in support of Eknath Shinde. At some places, there are also banners in support of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
WHAT IS going on in Maha is shocking. It is an unfortunate fact that today democracy is being bulldozed totally while federal structure is getting demolished by the BJP govt. I feel sad. I am in doubt whether democracy works in India.
MAMATA BANERJEE, WB Chief Minister
THIS IS nothing new. Misuse of Rajbhawan, turncoats, horsetrading of MLAS. Were we not victims of this in 1984? The mistakes made by Congress are being repeated by the BJP. This has been going on for years now
OMAR ABDULLAH, J&K ex-chief minister
NOW, KAMAL Nath is off to Maharashtra. For what? To save the Maha govt. Isn’t it amusing to see someone who failed to save his own govt in Madhya Pradesh trying to rescue the one in Maha. Congress never stops amazing us
SHIVRAJ S. CHOUHAN, MP Chief Minister
DUMMY CARS and a government on dialysis do not last long. By running a govt of dummy cars and dialysis, hijacking the mandate by manipulation, if anyone thinks that it will continue, then it is not so. Those running such a govt have realized it.
MUKHTAR A. NAQVI, Union minister