As BJP in wait and watch mode, Ramdas Athawale dares MVA to prove majority

Mumbai, Jun 25: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said the MVA government in Maharashtra no longer enjoyed majority in the legislature as over two-third MLAs of the Shiv Sena were with rebel leader Eknath Shinde.

He was speaking to reporters here after meeting former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.

"Shiv Sena rebel Eknath Shinde has support of more than two-third MLAs, thus reducing the MVA government to a minority. Fadnavis told me the BJP has no role to play in this development. The BJP has neither initiated this rebellion nor supported it, he told me. The BJP will wait and watch," the Union minister of state of social justice and empowerment said.

He also said Sena workers must not threaten the rebel MLAs, adding that "if the Sena party workers indulge in dadagiri, then we are capable of reacting to it in the same way".

The RPI(A) chief said he has sympathy for Shinde, who rebelled against his party hours after the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls on June 20.