Maharashtra political crisis: Uddhav's Sena-Shinde camp fight over legacy on streets| Top points
Maharashtra crisis: The legacy war over Shiv Sena between Thackeray family and the Eknath Shinde-led rebel camp has escalated.
The Uddhav Thackeray-Eknath Shinde showdown is now on the streets of Maharashtra. After Shiv Sainiks went on a rampage against the rebel MLAs by vandalising their offices and defacing the hoardings, the Shinde camp has now hit back. In Thane, the supporters of the rebel camp painted the banner featuring Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. This at a time when Shiv Sena workers held a bike rally and also hit the effigies of rebel MLAs with shoes.
The Maharashtra political battle had intensified after Eknath Shinde-led rebel camp named their group as ‘Shiv Sena Balasaheb’, triggering a furious legacy war with the Thackeray family.
Here are the top developments unfolding in the state of Maharashtra:
1. The Centre has accorded a Y+ security cover to the 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs. The MLAs who have been provided Y-plus category cover include Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakas Surve and 10 others. The Y Plus category involves 5 to 7 armed personnel guarding the protectee in three shifts. The numbers of personnel depend on the threat perception of the VIP. This comes a day after Eknath Shinde in a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, home minister Dilip Walse Patil among others, alleging that the security cover to the legislators camping with him in Guwahati was withdrawn. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government had rejected the charges.
2. The Shiv Sena is in a combative mode and refusing to relent despite struggling with numbers in the Maharashtra Assembly. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday challenged the rebels to come to Mumbai. “Kab tak chhipoge Guwahati me, Aana hi padega Chowpatti me (How long will you hide in Guwahati. You will have to come back to Chowpatty),” Raut tweeted with a photo of acting speaker Narhari Zirwal who has sent summons to 16 rebel MLAs on the plea against their disqualification.
3. After Uddhav Thackeray, his son and Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray has now lashed out at the rebels, saying there is no room for ‘traitors’ in Shiv Sena. “The road from the airport to the Vidhan Bhavan passes via Worli. It's good that the rebels left (Shiv Sena). There is no room for traitors in the party,” he said.
4. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was discharged from a hospital here on Sunday after recovering from COVID-19, authorities said. Koshyari, 80, was admitted to the private hospital in south Mumbai on Wednesday after testing positive for the infection. A statement issued by the Raj Bhavan said the governor returned to his official residence after remaining hospitalised for four days.
5. Maharashtra Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence. The Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress and NCP have stood with the Shiv Sena as the chief minister fights rebellion.