MUMBAI: Just when we thought Maharashtra politics has already seen enough high drama in the past two days, here comes news of more.
Two Shiv Sena MLAs Nitin Deshmukh and Kailash Patil 'escaped' from Eknath Shinde's camp in Surat and reached Maharashtra to extend support to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. It is not known whether Shinde camp's subsequent shift to Guwahati followed this development.
Nitin Deshmukh went on to even accuse the Gujarat police of trying to kill him with poisonous injections on his return. He said he is a hardcore Shiv Sainik and with the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. "I was misguided and taken to Surat. I tried to run away, but Gujarat police stopped me," Deshmukh claimed.
He said he has no health issues, but a doctor in Gujarat told him that he had suffered a heart problem.
"I was surprised and asked many questions but they could not give me a satisfying answer. They then gave me some injections that left me uncomfortable. There were 200-250 Gujarat policemen who followed me. Some of them even beat me when I tried to escape. I am happy that I left them and came back to Maharashtra. I am a Shiv Sena MLA because of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the support of Shiv Sainiks. I appeal to other MLAs who are now in Guwahati to also come back to Mumbai and be with CM Uddhav Thackeray," Deshmukh added.
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Earlier, Nitin Deshmukh's wife had lodged a man missing complaint at the Akola police station.
The other returning Shiv Sena MLA Kailash Patil too said that he had been misguided. He said Eknath Shinde had invited him to what he believed was a dinner party at Thane. But soon he found himself being taken to Gujarat.
Patil said he walked for more than four kilometres and even hopped on to a private truck and other vehicles to return to Mumbai.
He explained the moment he realised that Shinde was up to no good "I asked the bus driver to stop saying I had to take a leak. I then ran into the dark woods and covered myself behind a bush. Then, using the cover of darkness, I ran to the border of Maharashtra and Gujarat -- Talasari. I walked in the night and took the private bus to reach Mumbai."
"Then at one place, I even called CM Uddhav Thackeray and informed him about Shinde's plot. I am relieved that I am back in Mumbai and with my leader Uddhav Thackeray," Patil added.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had also alleged that the Sena MLAs were kidnapped by using force with the help of BJP. He wondered how the Shiv Sena MLAs were taken to the hotel in Surat and then to Guwahati?
"It shows the BJP's active logistical help. However, we will outlive this crisis as well. Shiv Sena has seen such revolts in the past also. Nothing will damage Sena. We are hardcore Balasaheb Thackeray sainiks," Raut said.
Eknath Shinde was categorical in dismissing the allegations made by the 'returning' Shiv Sena MLAs. He said he was in fact the one who had allowed them to return to Mumbai. He insisted all the MLAs who had stayed back with him are doing fine and are happy.