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Shiv Sena MLA wept publicly for Uddhav Thackeray. Today, he voted for new govt in floor test
Santosh Bangar is the party's legislator from Hingoli district's Kalamnuri assembly constituency.
Shiv Sena legislator Santosh Bangar on Monday voted in favour of the new Maharashtra government – led by CM Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis – as it sailed through a trust vote, receiving 164 votes in its favour with only 99 against it in the 288-member state legislative assembly.
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While the Sena's Shinde faction has significantly more number of legislators than those in the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp, including the ones who were sent by Thackeray as his emissaries in the initial days of the revolt, Bangar had wept publicly for Thackeray, the party supremo.
In a video on his Twitter handle, the MLA from Hingoli district's Kalamnuri assembly constituency, is seen weeping while addressing his supporters. He also folded hands in support of the then-CM.
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“After returning to the constituency today, and addressing the Shiv Sainiks, tears were shed .... with revered Shiv Sena Party chief Uddhav Thackeray Saheb till his last breath,” he tweeted in Marathi on June 24.
According to a report in NDTV, Bangar, late last night, went to the hotel in Mumbai where the dissidents – who now claim to be the 'real' Sena – are staying, and defected to their side. Also, post the floor test, he was seen coming out of the House with the chief minister.
With this, the total number of Sena legislators has swelled to 40, including Shinde; the group also has the support of at least 10 independents. The Sena's total strength in the assembly was 55, of which more than two-thirds are now in the rival faction. This means that the group is not in violation of the anti-defection law and can lay claim to the Sena symbol.
The two sides are already fighting a legal battle in the Supreme Court.
