Maharashtra potboiler may end on Sunday: 11 possible scenarios until then

New Delhi, Jun 23: As the political potboiler in Maharashtra continues all eyes are on what the next move by Eknath Shinde may be. He has claimed that he has the backing of 40 of the 55 MLAs and all of them are lodged in the Hotel Radisson Blu hotel in Guwahati, Assam.

There are many scenarios that could emerge now that the Uddhav Thackeray faction is in minority.

Let us take a look at the possibilities ahead:

1. The Eknath Shinde have claimed that they are original Shiv Sena. The Shinde faction needed 37 MLAs with them to avoid the anti-defection law. The faction may elect Shinde as the leader of the Shiv Sena rebels.
2. Shinde will hand over a letter to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari with the list of his supporters. Shinde may write to the Governor since he is in hospital due to COVID-19.
3. The Shinde faction will then approach the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and request him to recognise his group as the original Shiv Sena in the Assembly.
4. All eyes would then be on Uddhav Thackeray on whether he would face a trust vote or will step down.
5. Since Koshiyari is in hospital and the situation in the state is volatile his charge may be handed over to Goa Governor P Sridharan.
6. If that happens then all the Shinde faction MLAs will be shifted to Goa.
7. Meanwhile the Shinde faction is likely to have two more MLAs on their side by the end of the day.
8. Uddhav Thackeray in all probability is likely to step down as he does not have majority on his side.
9. If Shinde shows the support of 37 or more MLAs then he legally has the right to be recognised as the original Shiv Sena. The faction can also write to the Election Commission of India claiming the symbol.
10. The BJP may join hands with the Shinde faction and form the government.
11. In all likelihood the government may be decided by June 26, Sunday.