Will never betray Balasaheb's ideology: Eknath Shinde

Mumbai, Jun 21: In first reaction, rebel Eknath Sinde tweeted saying we are Balasaheb's staunch Shiv Sainiks and will never betray his thoughts and Anand Dighe Saheb's teachings.

"We are Balasaheb's staunch Shiv Sainiks. Balasaheb has taught us Hindutva. We have never and will never cheat for power on Balasaheb's thoughts and Anand Dighe Saheb's teachings", tweets Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde.

Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde has been removed as Shiv Sena's legislative group leader in the Maharashtra assembly.

The development comes amid a political crisis within the MVA government that unfolded in Maharashtra on Wednesday.

The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA- also comprising the NCP and Congress) suffered a setback on Monday when it lost out of six seats it contested in the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls.

Subsequently, Shinde along with some Shiv Sena MLAs went incommunicado. They were camping at a hotel in Gujarat's Surat city, according to sources. On Tuesday, CM Thackeray, who is also the Shiv Sena president, held a meeting where party MLAs Sunil Kadam, Dada Bhuse, Neelam Gorhe, MPs Arvind Sawant and Vinayak Raut, MLC Manisha Kayande and other leaders were present.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said Shinde is not in Mumbai, but a communication has been established with him. Raut asserted that the Sena is a party of loyalists and attempts by the BJP, like in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, to topple the MVA government would not succeed.

He also said Shinde was a trusted Shiv Sainik, and that the 'missing' MLAs will be back after the party is able to reach out the them.