Maharashtra crisis deepens: Rebel Eknath Shinde displays show of strength

Mumbai, Jun 23: In a fresh video from Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati, 42 rebel MLAs from Maharashtra, 35 from Shiv Sena, and 7 Independent MLAs are seen together on Thursday, in what is seen as a show of strength.

The video shows, rebel Maharashtra MLAs including Eknath Shinde sitting together and the MLAs were seen raising slogans of "Shinde sa'ab tum aage badho, hum tumhare saath hain."

Shiv Sena is heading for a split with six more of its MLAs joining the rebels who are stationed in Guwahati.

The Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena now has the backing of 37 MLAs, one more than the number needed to split the party without attracting disqualification under the anti-defection law.

Rebel Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat who is with Eknath Shinde has taunted Maharashtra Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray for leaving the official residence Varsha.

Yesterday the doors of Varsha Bungalow was opened to the public. Glad to see the crowd at the bungalow. These doors were closed for us as Shiv Sena MLAs for the last two and a half years, the letter written in Marathi and tweeted by Shinde said.

He also wrote that MLAs never never got direct access to Varsha Bungalow. The Chief Minister meets everyone on the sixth floor of the ministry, but for us there is no question of the sixth floor because you have never been to the ministry, the letter also says.

The Sena has 55 members in the 288-member assembly while allies NCP and Congress have 53 and 44 respectively. The MVA is also backed by 14 other MLAs and together it has the support of 166 in the assembly where the magic number is 144.