E-Paper
Shinde claims support of 40 lawmakers as Shiv Sena rebels move to Assam
The Shinde faction needs the backing of 37 lawmakers to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law
Eknath Shinde on Wednesday pledged to take forward Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s legacy and claimed the support of 40 lawmakers as he arrived in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Assam from Gujarat’s Surat along with other rebel members of his party a day after plunging the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government into crisis.
“Forty Shiv Sena lawmakers are present with me in Guwahati and all of us will take Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva and legacy forward. I do not want to comment on others or other issues at present,” Shinde told journalists at the Guwahati airport.
People aware of the matter said Shinde arrived in Assam with 33 of his party legislators and seven independent lawmakers. The Shinde faction needs the backing of 37 Sena lawmakers to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law. In case of their disqualification, it will be easier for the coalition government to pass a floor test.
Shinde-led rebels checked into a five-star hotel upon arriving from another BJP-ruled state. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was among the BJP leasers, who visited them amid tight security. The media were prevented from accessing the hotel.
The rebels earlier moved to a resort in neighbouring Gujarat as simmering discontent within Shiv Sena boiled over on Tuesday. They left Mumbai on Monday night after voting ended in the legislative council polls, where the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a defeat as 12 members of the Sena appeared to cross-vote in favour of a BJP candidate.
This was the second defeat of the alliance after the loss of its candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls this month.
The Shiv Sena has 55 members in the 288-member state assembly. Its allies Nationalist Congress Party has 53 and the Congress 44 while one seat is vacant. The ruling alliance has the support of three smaller parties and nine independent members. Together, the MVA has 166 members. The BJP has 106 lawmakers. It has the backing of six lawmakers of two smaller parties and independents.
