The Eknath Shinde-led rebel Shiv Sena faction has scheduled a meeting at their Guwahati hotel on Friday to discuss the future course of action as they now have the required 37 legislators needed to split the party without attracting disqualification under the anti-defection law.
The faction earlier adopted a resolution naming Shinde as the leader and appointed its own chief whip.The resolution with 37 signatures was sent late on Thursday night to the deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal and governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
Shinde said numbers hold the key in a democracy. “...we have the numbers and also the support of smaller parties and independent lawmakers.”
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has separately begun rallying support and called a meeting of district chiefs. The Sena functionaries have been asked to gather at the party headquarters for the meeting.
Thackeray is expected to direct functionaries to organise meetings and convey to the people that the Shiv Sena stands for Marathi people and Hindutva.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said the battle with the rebel camp is a legal one now. He added the numbers the rebel camp claims to have are fickle and that Thackeray-led Sena will prevail in a floor test.