33 Shiv Sena MLAs with us, figure will go up to 50, claims rebel minister Bacchu Kadu

Shiv Sena leader and state Urban Development and Public Works Minister Eknath Shinde revolted against his party on Monday night and was seen at a hotel in Surat with over more than MLAs, including three ministers, plunging the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government into an existential crisis. The action has now moved to Guwahati in Assam after the rebel leaders moved to the city in Assam from Surat in Gujarat.

Kadu claimed that in the next two-three days, the figure of MLAs who would join them would go up to 50 and stated that they will be forming a separate group in the Maharashtra Assembly. “These include those from the Shiv Sena, Independents and the Congress party as well,” added Nadu.

“Today, we will be holding a meeting and then deciding our future course of action,” Kadu told ABP Majha, a Marathi television news channel, over the phone. The rebel group reached Guwahati around 7 am from Surat.

When he was asked whether BJP leaders from Maharashtra were in touch with them, Kadu replied in the affirmative. “Te chalo ahey…(that’s going on). Sanjay Kute of the BJP is with us,” he said.

When asked why they had taken such a step, Kadu said, “I don’t have any personal issues… The MLAs had issues regarding the distribution of development funds. There was gross inequality in the distribution of development required by MLAs in their constituencies… The Shiv Sena MLAs felt neglected.”

Kadu said he had called Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. “The CM sounded upset… He said you come back, we will discuss,” he said.

Kadu denied allegations by the Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut that some of the MLAs were forcibly taken to Surat and even beaten up. “No, that’s not true, we are all together, happy and are here of our own will,” he said.

The Shiv Sena’s Aurangabad MLA Sanjay Shirsat told the channel, “We are all together and in Guwahati. There are 35 Sena MLAs and five Independent MLAs. By afternoon, the figure will go up to 40.” Shirsat said, “We are not upset with Sena leadership but with Congress and NCP.”

When asked why they waited for two-and-a-half years, Shirsat said, “This was because of the Covid period… Besides the CM was also not keeping well.”

Another Sena Minister Sandeepan Bhumre said, “There are 35-36 MLAs in our group. We are all together under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. We will follow whatever decision he takes. Many people have called me, I told them that I was with Shinde saheb. We have accepted his leadership. We will remain with the Shiv Sena…”

Bhumre said, “Our main demand is that our work should be done, we should get development funds for our constituencies.”

Bhumre said the Sena MLAs were repeatedly facing harassment from Congress and NCP. “We had repeatedly told the CM about the hurdles we were facing,” said Bhumre, who had once said that he would jump from the seventh floor of a building to prove his loyalty to Uddhav Thackeray.

In the House of 288 which is currently at 287 after the death of Sena MLA Ramesh Latke in May, the MVA needs at least 144 MLAs. Before the revolt, its strength in the House was 152 with 55 Sena members, 53 NCP, and 44 Congress members. The BJP has 106 MLAs and others 29.