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'Gaddaron!': Amid Shiv Sena crisis, poster in Assam brands rebels 'traitors'
Maharashtra news: Eknath Shinde claims support from a majority of the Shiv Sena's 55 MLAs and last week said he would form a new group - Shiv Sena (Balasaheb).
The poster war that erupted in Maharashtra after Eknath Shinde declared open season on the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government has followed the rebel leader to Assam, where he and nearly 50 lawmakers, including independent MLAs and around 40 from chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, are camped out in a luxury hotel. A poster by the Rashtravadi Yuvak Congress slams the rebels as 'gaddaron', or traitors, and warns 'the people will never forgive'.
Over the past few days, as the breakaway Sena faction battles for recognition in a bid to force the party to exit the MVA and re-align with the Bharatiya Janata Party, posters supporting both sides have sprung up in parts of the state. On Friday all police stations were put on alert after Sena workers went on a rampage, vandalising posters of MLAs who have joined Eknath Shinde.
A video showed Sainiks in Mumbai's Kurla damaging a hoarding with the picture of Mangesh Kudalkar while others smeared ink over a poster of Dilip Lande; both are now with Shinde. A rebel MLA's office in Pune was vandalised.
READ: 'No one will be spared…': Sainiks vandalise rebel MLA's office | Video
Meanwhile, supporters of Eknath Shinde - particularly in his home turf of Thane - have put up posters and marched in their hundreds to back his move.
READ: Poster war breaks out in Maharashtra between Sena, rebel MLAs
The Sena vs Sena war reached the Supreme Court Monday after Uddhav Thackeray and the Mumbai camp initiated legal action against the rebels.
Thackeray served 16 rebels, including Shine, disqualification notices. The rebels moved the top court and were given time till July 12 to file a reply.
READ: Breather for Shinde camp as SC pushes disqualification deadline
Shinde and his rebels, sources told ANI, will to stay in Assam till July 5.
With the fate of the Sena - and that of the MVA - at stake, Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray, who is the chief minister's son, accused the rebels of having 'sold themselves' even as Uddhav Thackeray was in hospital.
Aaditya Thackeray also claimed that as many as 20 rebels are in touch with Mumbai and want to return. "Their situation is like a prisoner..." he said.
Shinde has claimed support from a majority of the Sena's 55 MLAs and last week indicated he would breakaway to form a new group - Shiv Sena (Balasaheb) - named after the party's late founder and patriarch - a suggestion that was met with contempt by Uddhav Thackeray.
In a bid to broker peace, Sena leaders also met Eknath Shinde's son, Shrikant.
With input from ANI
