Uddhav Thackeray removes Eknath Shinde as leader of Shiv Sena

Mumbai, July 01: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray removed Eknath Shinde as leader of Shiv Sena for indulging in anti-party activities, day after latter took oath as Maharashtra CM.

In a letter to Shinde, who was sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister a day earlier, Thackeray accused him of "indulging in anti-party activities".

Shinde has also "voluntarily" given up the membership of the party, therefore "in exercise of powers vested in me as Shiv Sena party president, I remove you from the post of Shiv Sena leader in the party organisation," said the letter.

The letter is dated June 30, the day Shinde was sworn in as the 20th chief minister of Maharashtra with the support of the BJP after he and majority of Sena MLAs rebelled against Thackeray. Thackeray stepped down as Chief Minister on June 29.

In a stunning turn of events on Thursday, Fadnavis, who was seen as the frontrunner to head the government to be formed by the BJP with the Shiv Sena rebels led by Eknath Shinde, took oath as deputy CM while the latter got the top post. BJP national president JP Nadda later said Fadnavis, who had earlier announced he would not be part of the new government, was requested by the central leadership to join as Deputy CM to steer the new dispensation with his vast experience.