Will the real Shiv Sena please stand up?
MUMBAI: The troubles of Shiv Sena leadership has grown manifold with rebel leader Eknath Shinde taking oath as chief minister with Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray now has to battle it out with Shinde to keep control of the Sena as well as its election symbol and even party offices, including the iconic Shiv Sena Bhavan. The battle between two factions is likely to reach the Election Commission of India soon.
The Shinde faction, which has the strength of 39 MLAS, issued a letter on Thursday calling all Sena MLAS at the hotel in Goa, where the group is staying since Wednesday. Thackeray has 16
MLAS with him, including his son Aaditya, who represents Worli.
When the revolt broke out, Thackeray changed the group leader of the party and elected Ajay Chaudhary in place of Eknath Shinde. The move was contested by the Shinde faction contending that they did not have the majority of the MLAS.
The Sena also started the legal process to disqualify 16 MLAS, including Shinde. The rebel faction moved a no-confidence motion against deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal, stopping him to make a move on the disqualification proceedings.
The Supreme Court is slated to hear the matter of disqualification on July 11. Significantly, there could be a new speaker of the assembly and this one from the ruling alliance of the Shinde faction and the BJP as Governor BS Koshyari has convened a twoday special session of the state legislature on July 2 and 3 to elect the speaker of the assembly and for a floor test. New Speaker’s role would be important in deciding whose whip would be applicable to the party. A day after Thackeray resigned as the chief minister, his close aides were engaged in meetings with legal experts on the predicament the party finds itself in. As Shinde took oath as the 20th chief minister of the state, the main challenge for the Sena is to keep control of the party in the legislature as well.
“The question is whose whip will prevail in the legislature? We are seeking legal opinion on the issues and preparing for a long battle in the court. Even though they have a two-thirds majority they are a breakaway faction. Shiv Sena is the original party, which has 16 legislators,” said a senior Sena leader. The Shiv Sena is also planning to approach the Election Commission of India to keep its bow and arrow symbol and party name, another Sena functionary said.
Deepak Kesarkar, rebel MLA, said that they have the majority MLAS and all legislators elected on the bow-and-arrow symbol will have to follow the whip.