BJP doing horse-trading and bringing down the governments: Rajasthan CM on Maha crisis

Mumbai, Jun 22: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday slammed the BJP over the Maharashtra political crisis, saying "democracy is diminishing in the country in the name of Hindutva."

Speaking with news agency ANI, he said, "People aren't understanding now but they will regret later. These people (BJP) are doing horse-trading and bringing down the governments while law and order situation remains fragile and the economy weakens,"

He accused the Centre of targeting Maharashtra from the day government was formed by the three parties - Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress. "They've made a joke of everything. They were hatching conspiracy & were targetting Maharashtra from the very beginning but now it has come to light. PM Modi and Amit Shah should not be arrogant & must run the country as per the constitution, Gehlot said in Delhi.

Shiv Sena's dissident leader Eknath Shinde on Wednesday asserted that 40 MLAs from Maharashtra have accompanied him to Assam's Guwahati and they are committed to Balasaheb Thackeray's 'Hindutva' ideology.

Shinde along with a group of Shiv Sena and independent legislators arrived early this morning and he initially refused to speak to the media persons waiting outside the airport. He later said 40 MLAs accompanied him but didn't want to make any comment on anybody.

The Shiv Sena, which heads the MVA, has 55 MLAs, followed by allies the NCP (53) and the Congress (44) in the 288-member assembly where the current simple majority mark is 144.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday hinted at the dissolution of the Maharashtra assembly following the political crisis in the state.

"The journey of political developments in Maharashtra has led towards the dismissal of the Vidhan Sabha," Raut tweeted.