The ongoing power struggle in Maharashtra went up a notch on Sunday with the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs moving the Supreme Court against a disqualification notice issued to 16 of them, including Eknath Shinde, by the deputy speaker.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala heard Shinde's plea today.
Ahead of the hearing, Thackeray handed over portfolios of nine rebel ministers, who are currently camping in Guwahati, to other ministers. Those were being handed over to other ministers for ease of administration.
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Supreme Court, in an interim direction, allows Eknath Shinde and other rebel MLAs to file a reply to the disqualification notice issued to them by Deputy Speaker by July 11th, 5.30 pm. Earlier, Deputy Speaker had granted them time to file a reply by today.
On request of providing security to 39 MLAs alleging threat, SC records statement of standing counsel of Maharashtra government that adequate steps have already been taken and the state government will further ensure that no harm is caused to the life, liberty, or property of the MLAs.
"Sanjay Raut is trying to finish the party on the orders of Sharad Pawar. NCP leaders would fire the gun using Raut’s shoulder. We won’t be finished, we won’t stop and won’t pull back until we take Maharashtra to new heights," said Shiv Sena rebel MLA Deepak Kesarkar.
I knew ED is going to summon me, I won't kneel down. No matter what the rebel MLAs do, I'll not go to Guwahati. I'm Balasaheb's Shiv Sainik & I'll stay with my party. I'll not appear before ED tomorrow. I will seek time from ED, but will definitely go: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut pic.twitter.com/96YODJsWmy
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2022
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Uddhav Thackeray group, tells Supreme Court that Article 212 of the Constitution bars court's scrutiny when the Speaker is deciding the issue. All internal management is barred from judicial scrutiny, he says.
The Rajya Sabha MP, who has been asked to depose before the Enforcement Directorate at its office in south Mumbai and record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), termed the summons a conspiracy and said, "Arrest me". (READ FULL STORY HERE)
CM Thackeray has handed over portfolios of nine rebel ministers, who are currently camping in Guwahati, to other ministers. The portfolios of the rebel ministers were being handed over to other ministers for ease of administration, an official statement said. Nine Maharashtra ministers have so far joined the rebel camp led by Eknath Shinde.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said his party is ready for a "street fight and a legal battle," ahead of the crucial hearing in the Supreme Court against the disqualification notice issued by the Maharashtra Assembly's deputy speaker to rebel party MLAs. (READ MORE)
Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has called for a meeting of MLAs camping with him at a hotel in Assam's Guwahati at 2 pm, said sources. The meeting is called amid a Supreme Court hearing against the disqualification notices issued by Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal against rebel MLAs.
Former Goa Congress Chief Girish Chodankar, who suffered political loss after 10 MLAs defected to the BJP in 2019, has equated the move of Shiv Sena's rebels to "axing one's own feet" and has called their act as "political suicide".
"How can Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena support people who had a direct connection with culprits of Mumbai bomb blast, Dawood Ibrahim and those responsible for taking lives of innocent people of Mumbai. That's why we took such a step, it's better to die," Shinde said in a tweet.
Maharashtra | Why will I go to Guwahati? I rather go to Goa to see natural beauty. Will I go to Guwahati to see the faces of those traitors? I am a Shiv Sainik, and I will work for the party till my last breath: Sunil Raut, Shiv Sena pic.twitter.com/3IiE5IKWYL
— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2022
With the Centre providing Y-plus security to Maharashtra's rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, the party on Monday claimed it was now evident that the BJP was "pulling the strings" amid the current political turmoil in the state.
An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' likened the rebel Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde to "big bulls", and alleged that they have been "sold" for Rs 50 crore.(READ HERE)
Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shide spoke to MNS chief Raj Thackeray about the recent political situation in the state, confirmed MNS leader. The MNS leader further said that Shinde spoke to Raj Thackeray over the phone twice and also enquired about his health.
According to sources, the hotel bill is still pending. The booking was apparently done to block 35 rooms, but no names were disclosed, with the rooms being booked under names like ‘Mr. A’ for a single room and ‘Mr. and Mrs. A and B’ for a double room. No documents were kept for record purposes. Also, even in a double-occupancy room, only one MLA stayed.
Amid political turmoil, except Aaditya Thackeray, all eight ministers who were elected in Maharashtra state assembly, have left Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and joined the rebel Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde camp in Guwahati.
The deputy speaker had given the rebels time till 5.30 pm to submit their response in writing.
Two writ petitions have been filed by the rebels in the SC. Shiv Sena boss and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will be represented by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi in the SC. (READ MORE)
