In show of strength, 42 MLAs with Shinde faction seen together at Guwahati hotel

The video was released amid reports of six more rebel lawmakers joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction on Thursday.

Published on: Jun 23, 2022, 15:12:30 IST

By HT News Desk

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Amid reports of Eknath Sinde-led Shiv Sena faction set to split the party without attracting disqualification under the anti-defection law, a new video shows 42 rebel MLAs currently lodged at a hotel in Guwahati. In a show of strength, the video has been released by Shinde’s faction, with 35 Sena MLAs and seven independents. They can be heard shouting slogans of “Shiv Sena Zindabad” and “Balasaheb Thackeray ki jai”.

42 rebel MLAs from Maharashtra seen together at Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati. (ANI)

As the situation remains fluid with claims and counter-claims of MLAs “in touch” the factions, six more MLAs reported to have joined Shinde's camp on Thursday. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is now left with 16 lawmakers with him while one lawmaker is believed to be undecided.

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The show of strength by Shinde-led faction comes amid Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut's claim that 21 MLAs, who have sided with Shinde and are currently in Guwahati, have contacted Thackeray's camp and will be with them once they return to Mumbai. Raut also said that if the rebel MLAs want Shiv Sena to pull out of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, they must make an official representation to party chief.

“We will discuss it but show the courage to come back in Mumbai,” Raut said. “They must come back in 24 hours.”

Meanwhile, the two MLAs -- Kailash Patil and Nitin Deshmukh -- who escaped rebel camp and reached Mumbai, have claimed that several legislators intend to come back.

"I appeal to Eknath Shinde and others to come back. The BJP is plotting against Shiv Sena through you, but do not fall prey to it. Balasaheb, Uddhav ji and Shiv Sena has given you all everything," Deshmukh told a press conference.

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