Shiv Sena MLAs arrive at Surat airport on Wednesday. (Express/ Kamaal Saiyed) The number of Shiv Sena MLAs who have supported Eknath Shinde has now reached around 40 from 11 when the revolt began. These include all five from western Maharashtra. The move by the rebel MLAs is mostly due to fear among Sena legislators of losing hold in their respective assembly constituencies to the NCP and the Congress, sources said.
The Sena has five legislators from five districts of western Maharashtra with two from Satara and one each from Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur. The legislators to have moved to the rebel camp are Anil Babar from Khanapur in Sangli, Prakashrao Abitkar from Radhanagari in Kolhapur, Shambhuraje Desai from Patan in Satara, Mahesh Shinde of Koregaon in Satara, and Shahaji Patil from Sangola.
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