On Sanjay Raut's 'match-fixing' claim, Eknath Shinde's ‘official Shiv Sena’ comeback ahead of Speaker's verdict

Sena vs Sena verdict: Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar will deliver his much-awaited verdict on disqualification pleas by Sena factions at 4pm on Wednesday.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde strongly rejected Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's “match-fixing” allegations between Shiv Sena and the Speaker ahead of the crucial decision on the cross-petitions by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other’s MLAs on Wednesday. Shinde said Speaker Rahul Narwekar should give his verdict on merit.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde in Mumbai. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT)

Speaking with reporters in Mumbai Eknath Shinde said the Election Commission of India had allotted his faction the Shiv Sena name and symbol.

"We are official Shiv Sena and we have the majority in the state Assembly... but some are making allegations of match-fixing, but they also had a meal with the speaker but we didn't make any such allegations; the Speaker is an MLA too and the meeting was official and it's in open light…," Shinde said when asked about Sanjay Raut's allegation. Follow Live Updates on Maharashtra MLAs' disqualification

"Match-fixing... is going to happen in Maharashtra today at 4pm. The Maharashtra chief minister is illegally running the government. For us, that is a crime. He is an accused," Raut was quoted as saying by news agency ANI at a press conference on Wednesday.

In cricket terminology, match fixing is when the outcome of a match in organised sports has been manipulated. Raut also questioned the timing of the upcoming visit of Modi to the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, the Uddhav Thackeray faction-led Shiv Sena raised objections to Speaker Narwekar meeting Shinde, ahead of the verdict at his residence on January 7.

Narwekar to set to deliver his much-awaited verdict on the disqualification pleas at 4pm on Wednesday, January 10, Vidhan Bhavan officials have said, more than 18 months after the Shiv Sena suffered a vertical split, a political development that resulted in a change of guard in the state.

Shinde added that his faction has 67 per cent of the Shiv Sena lawmakers in the assembly and 75 per cent in Lok Sabha.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court objecting to a recent meeting between Shinde, who is among the MLAs whose disqualification has been sought, and Narwekar, sparking a verbal spat between both sides.

"Whether it's the high court or the Supreme Court, they keep making comments on it... the decision will have to be on merit, as we (the government) are formed on merit," the Maharashtra chief minister added.

Citing the 2023 apex court verdict refusing to disqualify the Maharashtra government, Shinde said, "They (UBT Shiv Sena) have lost ground as the government is functioning properly and working for the people..."

On December 15, 2023, the Supreme Court extended till January 10 the time for the Speaker to pronounce a verdict on disqualification petitions against MLAs including Shinde.

(With inputs from agencies)