Maharashtra crisis: Rebel Shinde met Devendra Fadnavis last night

New Delhi, Jun 25: Shiv Sena rebel Eknath Shinde met Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis in Vadodara in Gujarat, last night, sources told NDTV.

The leaders discussed about the possible government formation. Shinde came to Gujarat on a special flight from Guwahati in Assam where 40 MLAs of Shiv Sena are camping in the last couple of days, the report says.

Shinde and a sizable number of MLAs raised the banner of revolt against Thackeray on June 21, with the rebel group's main demand being that the Sena withdraw from the ruling MVA, which comprises the NCP and Congress.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra legislature secretariat on Saturday issued 'summons' to 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs including senior minister Eknath Shinde, seeking written replies by the evening of June 27 to the complaints seeking their disqualification.

Signed by Rajendra Bhagwat, principal secretary of the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan, the summons were sent to all 16 MLAs named by the Shiv Sena's chief whip, Sunil Prabhu, in a letter.

However, dissident Shiv Sena legislator Deepak Kesarkar said the rebel group enjoys a two-thirds majority in the legislature party and will prove its strength in the House but will not merge with any other political party.

In a virtual press conference from Guwahati, where rebel MLAs led by senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde are camping, Kesarkar said they have not left the Sena, but named their group as "Shiv Sena (Balasaheb)" and has appointed Shinde as their leader. Just 16 or 17 people cannot replace the group leader of 55 MLAs and the rebel Sena faction will challenge in the court the order of Maharashtra Assembly's Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal to replace Shinde as Shiv Sena group leader, he said. PTI