Prove that you opposed alliance with Congress-NCP, Sena MP told

STRAP: Rahul Shewale cross-examined by Thackeray counsel in the MLAs disqualification hearingNAGPUR: Shiv Sena MP from South-Central Mumbai, Rahul Shewale, deposed before the assembly speaker as part of the hearing in the disqualification petitions filed in the Sena-versus-Sena battle

STRAP: Rahul Shewale cross-examined by Thackeray counsel in the MLAs disqualification hearing

HT Image

NAGPUR: Shiv Sena MP from South-Central Mumbai, Rahul Shewale, deposed before the assembly speaker as part of the hearing in the disqualification petitions filed in the Sena-versus-Sena battle. Shewale was cross-examined by the Thackeray faction’s counsel Devadatt Kamat and grilled on the constitution of the party, the authority Uddhav Thackeray had as head of the party and the Shinde faction’s claim that it walked out of the party on the ground of compromised ideology.

The Shinde faction has been claiming that the party constitution was never amended to appoint Uddhav Thackeray as its chief, and thus he had no right to appoint a group leader or party whip. It has also contended that the party constitution was never amended after 1999, and that Shinde and his MLAs broke away because the party leadership had deviated from Hindutva.

Kamat grilled Shewale on all these counts. He asked the MP about the details of the national executive meetings and demanded to know whether the Shinde faction had any proof that it had opposed an alliance with the Congress and NCP in writing to Uddhav Thackeray. Kamat also put another poser to Shewale: if the Shinde Sena was claiming that the constitution of the Shiv Sena was never amended after 1999, did that mean that party founder Bal Thackeray, too, did not follow due process? Shewale ducked the question.

Kamat then questioned Shewale’s contention that Eknath Shinde was elected by the party as mukhya neta or chief leader. “Do you have a copy of the resolution to prove the election of Shinde to the post and if the constitution has such a provision?” Kamat asked Shewale, adding that Shinde’s election to the post was illegal. The MP could not answer the question.

Shewale, during his examination, had said that the alleged meeting of January 23, 2018, where Thackeray was supposedly re-appointed chief of the Shiv Sena, had never taken place. “So, in your suit filed in the Delhi high court, have you mentioned Thackeray as erstwhile chief of the party?” Kamat asked.

According to leaders from the Thackeray faction, Kamat was preparing the ground to establish that the breakaway faction had indulged in anti-party activities. “It would be more difficult to prove a split in the party, given that the Shinde faction has been claiming that it is the ‘real’ Sena,” said a leader. “Thus, our counsel’s tack will be that the Shinde faction acted against the party interest. Kamat asked Shewale about the Sena’s alliance with the NCP a few months ago and about Fadnavis’ swearing-in with Ajit Pawar in 2019. On this ground, he will argue how the Shinde faction had no reservations about the NCP and its ideology, and thus its claim about differences in ideology during the MVA government is false.”

Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar said that he intended to complete the process of cross-examination and oral arguments by December 19 and close the matter for his order. After Shewale, Uday Samant, Dada Bhuse and Bharat Gogawale will depose for cross-examination on Monday and Tuesday.

Thackeray faction leader Sunil Prabhu said outside Vidhan Bhavan that Shewale was lying on oath. “He lied about the constitution and the amendment in it. He lied about the meeting. I am sure the truth will prevail once the verdict is announced,” he said.